Kelly Casanova Weaving Lessons

Kelly

New play clothes

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I made some much needed warm play clothes for the girls. This is what I like – simple and quick sewing with a cute result. I actually get a lot of clothes sewn up in my mind, but sadly not many in reality!
I modified the Miss Madeline dress pattern to make long tops with 3/4 sleeves.
The leggings are from a very easy Simplicity pattern.

This little one hasn’t quite got her “camera smile” figured out yet!
The fabric was all on special at Spotlight. I find knits really easy to work with these days, providing they don’t have too much stretch. I usually look for cotton with about 5% lycra or similar.
I’ll be making more of these, the girls find them so comfortable too.

Doll hair tutorial

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 After a number of requests for help with stitching on doll hair I’ve finally made this tutorial.

Start by winding lengths of your yarn around a stiff book. If you want long hair your book will need to be larger than if you want shorter hair. Cut the yarn along one end of the book. This will leave you with long, even lengths. Place a plastic headed pin at the front of the forehead of the doll (see the pink pin above?) and another towards the back of the top of the head (see the purple pin?)
Lay your lengths of yarn across this section of the head (between the pins) so that the length is the same on each side of the head. Tie a piece of string or ribbon around the doll’s neck to help hold the hair in place. With a doll needle and doubled thread, stitch down the middle of the head back and forth between the pins. I usually stitch back and forth at least 3 times with a good strong backstitch.

This is how you tie around the neck to hold the hair in place. Take off the tie and spread the hair around the back of the head, if you can get the head evenly covered then you have stitches on enough hair, if not, you may need to stitch on more. The purpose of this first layer is to cover the head, so you don’t want any baldy patches showing through!

After stitching down the middle, place marking pins all around the head (as above) – about 2 inches down from middle stitching. Once again, use doll needle and doubled thread to stitch the hair down from one side of the head to the other. Remove pins. 
Do the same again, about another 2 inches down from where you just stitched, very close to the neck.

Using your book and pin trick from step one, place another lot of yarn lengths across the top of the head between the pins. Tie with string or ribbon again. Stitch down once again, between the pins, back and forth. Remove the tie and pins.
Fluff the hair with your fingers so that it falls naturally around the back and sits nicely on top of your initial layer. 


                        
                                                                   A full head of hair!

*If you have a large doll you may want to do 3 layers of hair, depending on the thickness required.

* I mostly use boucle wool for hair as it gives a really full and quite natural look. If you want straight hair and are using straight yarn, you will need to use more to give good coverage.

I hope this is helpful šŸ™‚

Free range versus cage chickens

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We just got our new batch of Isa Browns which is always exciting. We keep them in a large enclosed pen which also has a wooden house and laying boxes (a converted dog kennel), nothing fancy but warm. cosy and comfortable.

We bought these ladies from a local cage egg farm, which is a bit strange because I’m completely against cage egg farms. But my reasoning is quite simple. You buy the young chooks from their elevated cages from which they’ve just been yanked out of by the legs by the staff member. You get them home and let them out of a cardboard box into the yard you have prepared for them. And this is the good part. You watch.

These feet have never stepped on bare earth. They have never pecked at a worm or insect. They have never walked freely!

So, my husband and I both agree it’s worth freeing these chooks from a life of misery in a cage and giving them the opportunity to do what comes naturally. This morning they had their first hot mash and were suitably impressed.

I’ll discuss egg farms again in a later post, I think it’s time for change.

Interview with Poppy Bean and Bloss!

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Now for my second interview with crafty women in business we meet Michelle from Poppy, Bean and Bloss. If you haven’t stopped by Michelle’s store yet it’s about time you did, she has a gorgeous variety of waldorf dolls and toys as well as sock monkeys and covered notebooks. I’m particularly fond of the outfits she makes for her dolls.



* What prompted you to start your business/how long have you been in business?

I launched my online store (http://www.poppybeanandbloss.com.au) in February 2008 but had probably spent 12 months before that working on designs and having toys tested for compliance with Australian Safety Standards.  I started with sock monkeys (having made my first one as a present for my niece) and then I made my first doll, and haven’t looked back since.  I really love making the dolls and seeing each one come alive. I still love the monkeys, but waldorf dolls are my passion now.

*What do you feel are the keys to a successful business?

I think the keys to a successful business are having a clear idea of what you want to achieve, drive, determination and lots of hard work.  Running a business from home around a family also needs careful planning so family commitments don’t suffer.




* What advice can you give other crafty women wanting to start their own business?

Pricing is one of the hardest things – as well as covering material costs, you need to allow for your time and it is really hard to set a price that will allow you to really be compensated for your time.
Originality of design is another important factor.  If you are going to be selling products made from someone else’s pattern make sure you have permission to use the pattern and credit the original designer.  There are plenty of places to find inspiration, but whatever you are making to sell should reflect you as a craftsperson.  For example, both my dolls and sock monkeys are traditional toys that have been around for a long time.  I did however come up with my own patterns for the toys I make to sell, and I believe that I have added my own influence and style to these traditional toys.
You also need to consider the time that running a business takes up.  You may well love crafting but you need to be prepared for all the administration in running an online store.  Craft markets can be great, but will eat into your family time on the weekends too.
Having said that, don’t be afraid to give it a go.  There are a lot of great places you can start to sell your product – madeit, etsy, and a lot of malls like the Crafty mamas Congo, Ozebaby and OzHandmade to name a few.

* Many people say “do what you love and the rest will fall into place”. Do you think this is true?

Sort of – I think that if you love what you are doing, it is easier to do the hard work to make a success of it.

www.poppybeanandbloss.com.au

Thank you Michelle for sharing your insights with us!

If you have a crafty (or craft related) business and would like to be featured here please contact me.


Interview with Posie Patchwork!

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I have to admit I have an ulterior motive for presenting this interview. I get to pick the brain and receive some great advice from a successful and long admired crafty mumpreneur. I know how many other budding designers, crafters, sewers and artists there are out there who can benefit from and be inspired my Mums following their dreams to make a living out of their passions.

First up we have the talented Jennie from Posie Patchwork, enjoy the read…..

* What prompted you to start your business? 
  I was a new young mother in 1999, fresh out of Uni, with a husband away at war, so I started sewing more
seriously to stop myself from feeling lonely & I like having a project to work on.  I started selling to family, friends, word of mouth, then went full time after having twins in 2001 & started a website.  When my 4th child started preschool in 2007, I started a wholesale label too & attended markets on a more regular basis.
* What do you feel are the keys to a successful business?  
Finding a strong niche which you have a passion for, know your demographic, be original, fresh & add your own twist on new designs.  You have to know your style & be confident in your skills.
*What’s next for your business?  
Well as Army life has it, we’re moving in December to Brisbane, the 4th different state & territory I’ve started my business over in.  It’s amazing how well supported you are locally & with good markets.  I’m actually cutting back, as we venture into high school & more deployments coming up.  4 children have a lot of homework & sport for one parent to manage.  I’d like to continue to do quarterly high end markets, perhaps start a small retail shop front, reduce & refine my range.
* What advice can you give other crafty women wanting to start their own
business?  
I highly recommend you have a clear & concise answer for when anyone asks “what do you do”.  If you um & ah you don’t sound serious, professional or convinced yourself!!  Be strong, say something like “I own a design studio where I produce handmade products made from an amazing range of fabrics from around the world” which really means you have a craft room at home, work around the children & order fabrics on the internet.
* Many people say “do what you love and the rest will fall into place”. Do
you think this is true?  
Depends if you want to be able to say you are in business or want to make money!!  Handmade craft business is long hours, coming up with new styles & constantly trying to stay ahead of the growing competition.  I still love what I do after a decade in this profession, but I was patient, let it grow slowly, work around the children from babies to primary school & managed to get involved with some great PR opportunities – magazines, markets, stores & customers who spread the word.  My priority is my family, thus why I’m cutting back as they become teenagers & our family dynamic changes.  

Thank you to Jenny for being my first interview victim!
If you would like your business or profile to be featured here, please contact me.


And the grumpy Mum award goes to….

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                                                                     Image from here


                                              ME!!


The little one kept me up half the night (teething), the house is a chaotic mess and I’m not the only one who’s moody. Ah, well – it can only get better from here right?

Another custom order completed

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I really enjoy the challenge of a custom order. Matching requested colours, combining my style with the customer’s style.

This one is for a little girl with big blue eyes. The cute fabric for her dress is from Retro Mummy.
I have to tell you about the hair. The customer requested a “deep honey” colour which was somewhat challenging to find. At The Craft Circle I found this handspun wool that has the most gorgeous  
warm, earthy tones of brown and gold. It suits the doll’s warm skin most beautifully.

Alright, enough gushing about dolls!
On the home front I’ve had 2 sick children this week so not a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to next week doing Easter crafts and preparation. Easter is such a special time, I love the closing of Lent, the beautiful Masses of Holy Week and the joyous celebration of Our Lord’s resurrection.

Have a great weekend!

Teddy bears!

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I’ve been loving bears for some time now, I even made one last year. Unfortunately it wasn’t the most positive experience. I was too scared to buy expensive mohair in case I mucked it up so I got a synthetic, half of which I believe I ended up inhaling. Lots of sneezing, not nice!
Although my bear turned out pretty cute his joints are very wobbly and if you look close you can see how shonky he is.
So… I’ve just purchased a bear kit for the first time (real mohair!!) from Beary Cheap and I’ll hope for more success this time.
In the meantime, here are some real cuties from Flickr.

                                               By The Craggy More – love that little outfit!

From Bumpkin Bears
And this rugged up cutie from Trobertabq.
Wish me luck – I think I’ll need it!

The Craft Circle

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I heard about The Craft Circle from another doll maker recently and was naturally very keen to check it out. The shop is run by Juliette and is situated in Kingsville. She has all sorts of natural materials (the fleece selection is to die for!) for doll making, felting and knitting as well as hand made items.  She is a really lovely person to talk to and I was very impressed when she pulled out a mat and basket full of hand made toys for my daughter to play with while I browsed all the lovelies. If you’re in the western suburbs of Melbourne it’s well worth a visit, Juliette is happy to order in anything she doesn’t have in stock.