Tuesday, December 6, 2011

I make toys 2.

Another day, another disembodied animal.


This is head four, five and six. I got sick of making a whole new head after number four, so I just un-stuffed it and tweaked it and re-stuffed it. The good thing about working that way is that it is faster, but the bad thing is that it is harder to exactly replicate those changes on paper...I inevitably make the next head from the paper pattern and it doesn't look the same - so this head, if it is OK will be destined to be unpicked so I can re-draw the paper piece from it.

Much narrower neck and higher under the chin. I do think I like it, but I am a little scared to call it done for fear the next toy will take 300 attempts. Six heads is a dream run !
Part of me wants to make this into a doll-styled toy complete with an olive green winter coat, with a fur trimmed collar.....but another part of me wants to make a more realistic looking animal- kind- of- animal.
I have tossed up the gusseted underbelly kind of look , but I find it hard to let go of my button joints . If I go with an animal- type- animal it might have to be a head and body with buttoned on legs - hmmmm. Join in guys - share your thoughts.
I went to sleep last night imagining how the back of the head can extend down into the body, without getting all weird . I also find myself thinking of the shaggy fur that these guys have on their chest. I'm wondering about colours and fabric , and tails and teensy spots on bottoms kind of Bambi style. I'm thinking the ears might need some tweaking. I also fruck myself out a bit with thoughts of vinyl.......
And as I get ready to bake birthday cakes for my (work) birthday partner that I blithely forgot about today , and prepare Finn for puppy school I can't help but wish, as always that the time between work and bed could be elasticised or gusseted or have its seams let out just a little.

33 comments:

  1. Oh, if only time had gussets...

    Looking good, Jodie. I can't wait to see what this guy is like when he's all finished.

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  2. Im wondering what becomes of all of these NQR disembodied heads. Will you one day be the town 'scary lafy' whose house is filled with the heads she has torn from many an innocent Bambi, Baxter or Beet?
    Oooh the rumours we could start....

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  3. He's majestic, just as a (rein)deer should be. Brown felt or velvet for the horns?
    If you figure out the time gusset please post a tutorial.

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  4. I love those Reindeer they are great .... I think red or brown would look great for the antlers too. Very cool.

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  5. Please let us all know when you work out how to elasticise time!! LOL

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  6. just, ahhh, signing up for the time gusseting tutorial here too!

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  7. He looks very noble!

    I made toys (2), too. :D Not a patch on yours, but it made me laugh.

    As long as that hairy chest hair doesn't have a medallion....

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  8. Jod your "technique" is scarily similar to mine .Do you have the mockups around the house so you can look at them and see what needs doing ? The best fun I've had is having a head on the dashboard to check out while waiting for the kids to pick up at school !

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  9. Surely a hairy chest MUST come with a thick gold chain and a Monaro ?????? It would need a sun roof for the antlers....

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  10. by jove i think youve done it, looks the biz to me !

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  11. I am in awe at your 3D skills!!
    xxx

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  12. Looks good to me, Jod. Bring on the rest of the body parts!

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  13. Liking it, but struggling to imagine him with a hairy chest, and if she's a she even more so! A fur collar on a jacket sounds good though :D

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  14. You want one of those 'craft clocks' I have seen on the innernets. I might be able to get you an in with teh chick wot makes them.

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  15. It looks great! Now, if it is a Reindeer then they are very shaggy on the chest (they just had them on the news). If it's a regular deer then they are less shaggy. I think it would look great with a shaggy chest. I also think it would be awesome either way (sit down or stand up). I don't really have an advice on how to make the head and body meet smoothly, only other than just to try one and then see how you could make it better. But you already knew that :)

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  16. Gussett time! Brilliant. Now, if only someone could invent the stitches for that :) These past two posts are fascinating. I love the way your mind works, and being able to see it all is amazing. Love it!

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  17. Your reindeer is looking great. I think you could make him to sit down or stand up. He would look rather cool with his shaggy chest fur and some clothes I think. It sort of makes me think of Mr. Tumnus out of Narnia for some reason. Good luck with making time stretch, if you figure out how to do it let me know!

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  18. Loving watching the process but the left over body parts would start to freak me out. I wouldn't be able to throw them out, I think I'd want to make them up into whatever mis-shapen animals they might produce. Everyone deserves to live.

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  19. I can definitely see this one as a doll style toy. A little shirt and tie to go with his coat, eep! Even suspenders on his little pants!! He has a very regal face now doesn't he?

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  20. Well, frack if that doesn't look like a Rudolph to me! I still think you should use felted wool for the entire guy!

    I also recommend using a high quality stuffing batting. It gives a more solid stuffing result and reduces lumpiness.

    I use HBF 100% pure polyester fiberfill. It is produced by Hobbs Bonded Fibers in Waco, Texas.

    I hate when I dream about my projects...I wake up exhausted! You Go, Girl! ;0

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  21. I definitely need gusseted time...thanks for sharing this. Always interesting to see the behind the scenes action.

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  22. Hey, I need a Dr. Finn fix...what does a girl got to do to get an appointment? ;0

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  23. Oh I think this doll certainly needs clothes.. and a story... please

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  24. Time gussets sound like a great invention - perhaps we could have darts or tucks in our work time to allow for greater time freedom later? Lucy xxx

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  25. Love the idea of a coat for your deer but how about a lace jabot instead of the fur down the front!?

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  26. you do know YOUR your OWN CRITIC??

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  27. bugger the rest of the toy...!!! put a collar and some bells around the neck an the kids can have a hobby-reindeer instead of a hobby-horse!!! What child wouldn't LOVE a noise maker just in time for christmas morning!

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  28. Love this toy! I just found your blog and you make amazingly beautiful pieces.

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Hellloooooo !!!!