First Dolls of the Year....in March!

Ta da.....here are my three Izannah Walker style dolls. Izannah Walker made cloth dolls in late 1800s and was the first to get a patent for a cloth doll. Her dolls have a unique charm with their demure looks, downcast soulful eyes, and little smiles (and oh, I forgot to mention the ugly ears!) When I saw the Izannah Walker dolls for the first time, I fell in love with those beautiful faces. I wondered how fun it would be to make one. Then I found Dixie Redmond's online workshop. I was thrilled to join the workshop and could not wait to make dolls like IW's.

Their heads and the shoulders are sculpted using airdry clay and covered with a cotton knit fabric. Then come layers of gesso and paint before the features are painted on.

Dixie encourages her students to make three dolls together so we won't look for perfection in anyone. I thought it was a great idea. I started making three but finished two together. I waited a little to make the third one. The third one is a little different because I sculpted her after I took a class from Susie Mcmahon. In Susie's class we made a similar doll and I got to incorporate some of those sculpting skills into making my third IW style doll.

I got to take a class from Susie McMahon!! That reminds me to post pictures of the doll I made in her class. I am working on her dress and then she will be done.