The Little House

The Little House

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

2012 Hoffman Challenge doll

I finally finished this year's Hoffman Challenge doll and she is on her way to Colorado. The fabric this year was difficult because of the 4 inch flowers which don't scale well with dolls that have to be under 20 inches tall. I was planning to make a bridesmaid in a purple flowered dress trying to catch the bouquet. But the doll decided that she was a beauty queen... So here is Miss Lavender USA - 2012.

I don't know if I used enough of the challenge fabric. I made three different sized tubes of the fabric then used the tubes to make ribbon roses.
I used the large roses for her bouquet, the medium around the base of the doll and the tiny ones above her bustle.

I mostly used Arley Berryhill's "Gwendolyn the Glamour Witch" pattern but also used Patti Medaris Culea's "Penny Cassandrea" pattern with my own modifications. I thought making a stump doll would be easier but it was hard to stuff smoothly and get the lumps out. I'm glad a had a stash of Buffalo Snow stuffing in the attic because she needed a lot.
I bought some HoloShimmer Sulky thread at the Sew Expo in Puyallup this year that matched the challenge fabric but I used it for her jewelry instead of embellishments.

Miss Lavender USA is now on her way to Colorado. Here is a photo of Michael holding her outside the UPS store: