the Nest » doll

Waldorf Dolls ‘n’ Weddings

Emily — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:18:22 +0000

My youngest sister is getting married in 2 weeks time, so I’ve been up in my parents beautiful home for the past few days fitting dresses and talking weddings.

Needless to say my production rate hasn’t been quite what it usually is…!

(Not that I’ve been lying on the couch watching TV, eating cake…

…unfortunately!!)

So once again, I come to Lush Friday with a project in the making…

There’s no point in telling you about all the “bits” of paintings I’m working on, none of which I photographed, but I can show you part of a doll that I’m making for Grace’s second birthday in a week and a half.

This is a Waldorf style doll- I’ve made around ten of these over the past two years, and I LOVE watching the little faces appear, stuffing the bodies, making little nappies (diapers) for them. I have a fantastic book by Maricristan Sealey: Making Waldorf Dolls, and have trawled the internet to find a complete tutorial (with lots of photographs) on making a doll, but haven’t found one comprehensive enough. The first tutorial was from a blog (now finished (, but accessible) called Echoes of a Dream, and have since found another Moonchild Studios which did an excellent head tutorial. I’ve been answering my own questions as I’ve gone along through trial and error, so now I’m in the process of documenting and photographing a complete and full tutorial on how to make a doll from beginning to end.

This has been my inspiration from before I ever started a doll:

” ……a handcrafted doll is one of a kind, an individual which carries the spirit of the maker in its stitches and absorbs the spirit of the child who loves it”

…which I think has to be inspiring in itself.

Waldorf dolls are fantastically easy to make, and can be adapted to use whatever materials you have on hand. We are going to be stocking much of what will be required- needles, wool etc in the coming weeks, and I’m sure you will see plenty more of these dolls in the coming Fridays!!!

Beautiful Blankets and Delightful Dolls

Emily — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:46:40 +0000

My mother still has a crochet blanket that was made for me when I was a baby- cream with coloured rose flower motifs. It was simply beautiful, in a way that crochet blankets are by their being.

This week I eventually uploaded the photos of the blankets we have in our shop (steep learning curve every time something goes “wrong”!!) as well as one or two doll ones that wouldn’t upload. I still have cushions, corsages and some GORGEOUS wooden toys- a motorhome, 4 x4 Jeep and red sportscar- I’ll try to get them up tonight.

I’m in the middle of finishing a doll for Jenny-from-Kildare, so I’m off to immerse myself in wool and body-parts!! Check out our blankets in the “handmade@theNest” section, simply lovely.

Naked leaps, crochet and hairy dogs

Emily — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:25:32 +0000

There is simply nothing worse than being in the shower and realising when you are thoroughly soaked that you have no shampoo-or soap- or anything bar water for that matter, and you have to take a naked wet leap across the bathroom (can’t find glasses so blind as a bat) to find something to clean yourself with. Toilet cleaner? ah, no, I’ll pass. Body Lotion, goats milk bath soak, Gaia detangler… AHHH!!!! at last, a bar of soap, and YES!! A bottle of shampoo (do they have an expiry date? Oh. They do. Couldn’t see under the inch of dust. After I have washed my hair. Thought it smelled dodgy.)
So I have now a full stocked shower cubicle. Should an entire army ever land on my doorstep, there are enough sweet smelling bottles up there to clean them all. But moving swiftly on….
Inroads have been made into the yarn stocks, and plans are afoot for further cushioned delights for the pub (most of the cushions and a few stool covers we made previously were stolen- I’m swinging between outrage at the theft and being chuffed that someone would like them enough to walk out with one stuffed up their jumper).

I have one doll almost completed, with 2 more sewn and ready to assemble (In the photo, note: evening light denoting the late hour)(and the many cups of tea). I have made little cloth nappies and oooh, the dolls are simply lovely to hold. They are stuffed with sheepswool, as is in the Waldorf tradition, which absorbs the scents that baby is familiar with; these type of dolls are often called “bonding dolls”. I am crocheting little caps that will be their hair, and have made little velvet clothes. My plan is to crochet little vests too, to make them ultra-cute!!

But the hour is late- Again. I have to prepare the porridge oats for breakfast, feed our hairy bundle, a.k.a Pebbles the dog, most of the neighbourhood cats, and a couple of hedgehogs. and then, at last, I think it is time I went to bed…..