Just before my sister came to visit, I received a commission request.
Four dolls. Each four-and-a-half inches high; each a mini character from Alice in Wonderland. There was to be the White Rabbit, Dormouse, Mad Hatter and Alice herself.
Well, I didn’t get them done very quickly, what with all the fun of my sister’s visit. Sewing really didn’t get much of a look-in whilst she was here.
But eventually, they emerged…
It seems the recipient liked them, as she sent me a photograph of them in situ in their new home:
It was whilst I was making the White Rabbit that I had a bit of a revelation.
I wanted to make the Rabbit’s ears look a bit less soft-toy, and a bit more… well, Wonderland-y.
I’ve made lots of rabbits before and their ears have normally gone something like this:
Perfectly fine in their way, but not Wonderland enough for my liking.
So I had a think and a rummage, both in my brain for ideas and in my stores for stuff – and I decided to insert wires into the ears, to make them poseable.
And it worked!
Much better!
Since then I’ve been experimenting with making other bits of my dolls poseable with the addition of hidden wires.
I had the bright idea of making little wiry legs. I had used wire for bird legs before, but I wanted these to look more human. So I decided to cover the wire with yarn.
This was my first attempt (he has wire arms too)…
It seemed to work ok – though it was something of a battle to get him to stand up on his own, we got there in the end…
So I made another…
And then, because some of the wire I was using was green (a cheap roll of garden wire actually, from Wilko, meant for holding up beans and the like) I thought I’d see if I could make flowers with wire stems, for the little ones to hold.
This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as these new floral accessories proved most useful in addressing their wobbling problem and getting those little feet to balance and stand upright! 
It’s a revelation to make dolls that can be posed. Actually, it’s a little bit addictive.
So now I find myself snipping and bending, twisting and wrangling, as I keep experimenting.
I’m all wrapped up in a wonderland of wire! ♥
Oh! Magical! They’re suddenly more people-y; less purely decorative and more dynamic and active. Love it!
Yes! It’s funny how the shape of the wire legs adds so much more realism (in a sort of unrealistic, magical way) to a small figure!
They’re grounded, their feet are flat on the floor and it gives them a sort of solidity, even though their legs are impossibly skinny!
I have a bit of a thing about dolls with skinny legs – when I first learned to make them at a workshop I was told off for making the legs too skinny – they thought I’d made them too difficult to turn, but I was determined!
More, more…we want more!!!!! So adorable and creative!
More underway… I’m sort of addicted to working with wire!
Which do I love more? The hatter is pure magic. The dormouse, so lovable. Each is special, unique and a work of true art.
I have to admit, I was rather pleased with how Mr Hatter turned out. I was fine with doing his clothes as I had a vision of how I wanted him to look, but I had no idea how to do his face until I tried, and it just came out ok first time – so pleasing!
Sweetness