MERRY CHRISTMAS 2016!!

Wishing you a wonderful and happy Christmas. I hope your day is filled with love and joy. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

WOOL BARN OWL

Making a few textile Owl Dolls. This little guy is made using Herringbone pattern wool. The wings are layered using wool and the belly is needle felted. He will be in my Etsy Shop today.

I'm trying to keep up on my sketching. Here is a Horned Owl pencil drawing I recently did. Who knows maybe I'll make a textile horned owl.

Pencil Sketch Horned Owl by Bethann Scott ©2016

LEARNING TO SKETCH

Recently I've had the desire to learn how to sketch. I've always enjoyed drawing when I was a child, but never pursued my interest in art. I found my husbands sketch pad and began sketching facial features thinking this would enable me to draw better faces on my dolls. Then I tried my hand at sketching my first animals, the kitten and cat. Please remember I am a beginner at this.

I though I would try sketching facial features first.

Learning to sketch facial features by Bethann Scott 2016

I have much to learn. It will take practice, practice, practice.

 I'm using You Tube Tutorials to help me learn. This is my first kitten drawing.

My first Kitten Sketch by Bethann Scott 2016

After the kitten I was on a roll and sketched a cat with the help of another You Tube Tutorial. I'm having such a great time that it's hard to stop.

Cat pencil drawing by Bethann Scott 2016



CANDY CANE FATHER CHRISTMAS

This Father Christmas doll is made in a more traditional style wearing a red wool coat trimmed in white. I had to do a little work on the cart. It needed stained and I added twigs for the sheep to pull the cart. I also made a leather harness for the lamb. In some ways I hope this one doesn't sell because I would love to keep this one for me.

Folk Art Father Christmas with Sheep by Bethann Scott ©2016

Old World Father Christmas by Bethann Scott ©2016



GINGERBREAD FATHER CHRISTMAS

Wow another week has passed by, where does time go? In the past week I'm managed to finish a couple of Gingerbread Father Christmas dolls. I also have three that need their clothing. After these Father Christmas dolls are done, I'm moving on to do a few Snowmen.  I'm just not the kind of artist that likes to make dolls in a production style process and prefer one doll at a time. But Christmas is different and it's the time of year I can indulge in my "Folk Art" style.

Gingerbread Father Christmas with sheep by Bethann Scott ©2016  The Stitch Fiddler

Folk Art Old World Santa Doll by Bethann Scott ©2016  The Stitch Fiddler



SANTAS SHEEP

Santas workshop is in full production and that includes his sheep. I don't think I've ever made so many sheep at one time. They each receive some sort of coat. Their faces need painted, ears need attached, eyes to be stitched and rustic bells placed around their neck for added charm.

Sheep WIP by Bethann Scott  The Stitch Fiddler ©2016

I found it hard to find little wooden pull carts for my sheep. I'm hoping one of these carts will work. I've never added a pull cart before....so I'm looking forward to see how I'll be attaching these to the sheep.



AMERICANA FATHER CHRISTMAS

IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE WITH AN AMERICANA FATHER CHRISTMAS!!!

Folk Art Americana Father Christmas by Bethann Scott ©2016 The Stitch Fiddler

 What an exciting time it is today! Americana Father Christmas is celebrating!

I thought this Father Christmas fit the occasion. He stands 15 1/2" tall and is dressed in my favorite fabric, wool. Santa comes with a one lamb, a jointed bear, flag and a wreath accented with a star.

Americana Father Christmas by Bethann Scott ©2016 The Stitch Fiddler

Americana Father Christmas is listed in my Etsy Shop.



FATHER CHRISTMAS

It's that time of year again, time for making Father Christmas dolls. For several years I'm been sewing these folk art Santa dolls and have yet to keep one for myself. I think I may have to keep this one for me.

Folk Art Father Christmas by Bethann Scott ©2016



OOAK WITCH DOLL

This will be last witch for this year. The costume for this doll changed about three times before I made the decision to go with a red, black and white stripe theme. Her costume is done in layers. I love the lace and sheer cotton blouse. The hat is a purchased item. I make all my witch hats but for some reason I liked the way this hat looked. I still may make her a leather hat.

Witch Art Doll by Bethann Scott ©2016

This is my first pair of leather boots with heels. I must say that handmade doll shoes are tedious work



WITCH AND OWL DOLLS

Halloween is just around the corner and I was hoping to get more accomplished but this doll took quite some time. I made her an owl companion that is perched on a falconry glove. Amazing how much thought goes into a project.

Witch and Owl Art Doll by Bethann Scott ©2016

Miniature Owl by Bethann Scott ©2016



MEDIEVAL LADY DOLL

My Medieval Lady Doll is finished. I had in mind that she was going to have a witch hat and a crow but I decided to leave her as she is. Her dress is made using wool as is her cape.



WOOL CAPE

A Wool Cape for the Medieval lady witch doll.

I decided I wanted this doll to have a cape. I've made capes before but I wanted the hood to be a bit looser. I did a mock-up and made the final cape in a dark gray wool.

 This is the final cape.

Wool Cape and doll by Bethann Scott ©2016



THE ELF AND THE WITCH

The ELF

 The WITCH



AFRICAN HEADWRAP

After watching a few "how to" tutorials, I reworked my doll's African style head wrap. I wanted to wrap an African Gele but in order for that style I would have needed a stiffer fabric. I wanted the same red that lined her waterfall skirt so no Gele this time. I played and played with the wrap until I liked the way it looked.

African Head Wrap WIP by Bethann Scott ©2016

African American Doll by Bethann Scott ©2016

African Doll WIP

More progress. I'm experimenting with headwraps for this doll. I love the look of the Nigerian Gele headwraps. Everything is pinned in place until I make my final decisions on her costume.

African Doll WIP by Bethann Scott thestitchfiddler ©2016



AFRICAN AMERICAN DOLL

My next doll WIP is an African American doll. Who will she become?

African American cloth doll WIP by Bethann Scott ©2016



A Blue Fairy

I have another seated Fairy in the works.  I did change her outfit a few times before choosing the final fabrics. Sometimes the finished doll is nothing like the beginning stages.

The fairy doll in progress....

AN ANGEL

Remember the Angel I was working on back in March? I finished her this month. I was hoping to find a long golden trumpet that I could place in her hands but I had no luck finding one and I hadn't the desire to craft one out of paper clay. So here she is.

Cloth Angel Doll by Bethann Scott ©2016



                                           

Fairy Ears

Now complete! with Fairy Ears. After reading a couple of blogger friend suggestions, I took her hair down. I tried the partial pile up do but couldn't get it to go just right...I may keep trying though. And yes, she's better with ears.

Forest Fairy by Bethann Scott ©2016

This doll is SOLD

FOREST FAIRY

The Forest Fairy is finished unless I decide to give her "fairy ears". Her hair can be down or up. Not sure which I prefer.




Forest Fairy by Bethann Scott ©2016 "The Stitch Fiddler"

Forest Fairy by Bethann Scott ©2016

Her Forest slipper shoes



FAIRY OR ELF

The doll I'm working on received her red hair and the costuming is almost complete. She will no doubt become a Forest Fairy...

Forest Fairy Doll WIP by Bethann Scott ©2016



To Blog or not to Blog

Where have all the Bloggers gone? It seems many of the blogs I've followed over the years don't post any longer. I've checked their FB pages and many haven't posted for a year or longer.