...Hettie...

I'd like you to meet little Hettie. I teach this style of doll in my dollmaking workshops, it's a sweetly simple doll pattern that I have used and refined over many years and to me it contains the essence of me as a dollmaker. There is no unnecessary detail but there is more than enough soul energy for this little one to say everything. So the body and legs are sewn as one piece with a handstitched line across at the hip to allow for movement. The little belly is stuffed very full and round. The arms have been added last of all and have full movement to make dressing and cuddling easier.

I have embroidered the face using hard wearing but beautifully softly coloured tapestry wool and added just a hint of colour to the cheeks with beeswax crayon. The hair is a hand crocheted mohair wig. These little wigs take me forever to make but it's a very meditative process and deeply satisfying. Once the wig is complete it is gently bathed in water and just a touch of vinegar to encourage some curls then shaken and left to dry. Later I stitch it on to the head.

Hettie is a Woodland Doll. All her clothes are handknit by me. The little dress is a Winterludes pattern and I have used a soft New Zealand undyed yarn for the main colour and the delicious green colour work is a small batch yarn from an Australian independent wool producer. Her wee woollen hat is hand knit and then felted. Her boots are also hand knit from wool and the pattern is my new Hettie boot pattern.

Rosie is 40cm, 16" tall.
This doll and the doll clothes are fully hand washable
This doll is not suitable for children aged under four years as small parts and long hair present a choking hazard.