Dollmaker's Community College

Dollmaker's Community College
Mimi's Jazz
Advanced Techniques for Cloth Dollmaking VI

Gallery

Biography

    16" Modular-Armatured,
    Stand-Alone Female Dance Figure
    with Leather Covered Paperclay
    Shoes, Glitzy Tophat and Tailcoat
    Over Leotard

    Four Day Class
    Maximum 15 Students

    Intermediate to Advanced Skills

Course Description

Pattern and body fabric will be sent to each student several weeks prior to class. Starting with the pre-sewn body students will learn how to work with wire to create a modular armature that will allow the doll to stand alone. Day two we will needle model, install and color the face. Day three we will complete the leg armatures, stuff and install the legs. Tights will be sewn and put on the legs and feet in preparation for the shoes. Students will learn how to turn tiny, separate fingers, insert thumbs, armature and stuff the arms. Day four we will complete the shoes with an application of paperclay and then cover the dried clay with glove leather creating beautiful realistic dance shoes.

Kit Contents—$25 Kit Fee ($40 Value) — payable to instructor in class

Pattern for doll, four stage dance costume variations including three headpiece/hats, lined tailcoat, glitzy cape and feathered "firebird" costume, one yard quality hand-dyed muslin, Dream Seamer tool, Piecemakers doll needles in two sizes, John James long darners #9, John James sharps, pipe cleaners for wiring fingers, 14 gauge steel wire for armature, paperclay for shoes, buckram and wire for hat.

Classroom Supplies (Provided by Mimi)

Createx medium, paint and brushes, colored pencils, hemostats, optivisors, wire cutters, pliers, Swiss and drapery thread, Saran Wrap® and rolling tubes for working with paperclay, channel locker pliers, white floral tape, IBC straight pins and long quilting pins.

Students Bring

Please bring pre-sewn body parts, hemostats, wire cutter, needle-nosed pliers, paper scissors, 3-5 pieces of heavy cardboard (back of pad of tracing paper or bristol board), purple air soluble marker, Swiss Metrosene 100% polyester thread in a neutral color, one two pound bag of Airtex Premium Fiberfill stuffing material (be sure it is the premium, there are other lesser quality Airtex stuffings), your usual dollmaking supply kit, one pair short kid gloves or one elbow length kid glove in black for shoe making (check your older relatives attics, or the local thrift shop for these), leather glue (or Grrrip Glue), a white charcoal or chalk marker for marking the dark leather, thread in a color to match leather, portable, small hair dryer, work light if you need one and an extension cord.

Please bring your sewing machine if you are driving, it is convenient and you don't mind sharing with other students. We will only be using the machines for a few minutes on day three to stitch the tights and to stitch the center back seam of the shoes. Therefore, not everyone will need to bring a machine to class.

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