I call my dolls Natural Fibre Art Dolls or Waldorf Inspired Dolls, depending on how they have been made. I also make baby dolls both ways.
1. Waldorf Inspired Dolls
They are my more simple dolls. Their faces are shaped with strings, using the traditional Waldorf doll making method. This way the face is less detailed, more simple.
When I make these dolls, I add features to the lower face, using needle felting technic, to make sure that the doll has an expression I desire.
For the hair of these dolls I animal fibres.
I make the wigs for them using wefts made of natural fibres, or I sometimes buy ready made wig.
What I use for the hair depends on what I wish to achive.
These dolls are floppy, their limbs are fairly firm. The arms are sewn on using sewing machine, and the legs are sewn on by hand.
These dolls can only stand with support, but they can sit on their own.
They are not suitable for your children. They are more suitable for children over the age of 6 or as a collectible item.
2. Natural Fibre Art Dolls
My Natural Fibre Art Dolls are more detailed. They have faces, legs and feet that have been sculpted using a needle felting technic. They have sculpted lips.
These dolls come with wigs that have been created using animal fibres.
My standard natural Fibre art dolls have very similar body to my Waldorf inspired dolls, only the face is more detailed, and the knee caps are needle felted.
Recently I have been making some of my Natural Fibre Art Dolls with armature, and turnable heads.
They can stand on their own, they can sit, their legs and arms can bend, they can turn and tilt their head.
These dolls are lots of fun to pose for photography or to just have around as a companion.
My Natural Fibre Art Dolls are most suitable for collectors or children over the age of 7.
Materials
My dolls are all handcrafted using mostly natural materials.
The outer fabric of most of my dolls consists of good quality jersey, that has been designed for doll making, to make them last for a long time. I usually use WaldorfiaHago fabric, or Witte Engel Fabric.
Inside, my dolls are filled with sheep’s wool which makes these lovely dolls warm and soft.
For my baby doll’s hair I use DollyMo Brushed Mohair yearn, Mohair Teddy bear fabric, or angora mohair wigs.
For my Standard dolls I use animal fibres, like Angora Mohair, Alpaca fibres, Pickwick Wool or Wensleydale. I sew a weft from these fibres and crochet it into a wig. This a lengthy process, but looks lovely.
Sometimes I buy ready made commercial mohair weft. This weft is a bit coarser then the one I make, but these days you get some beautiful once that are nice and soft. Wigs made of commercial mohair weft can take more handling than those made of fine animal fibres.
I also use sometimes ready made mohair wig.
The dolls that have hair made of fine animal fibres, are not suitable for little hands, they are more suitable for older children (from the age of 7) or as a collectable item.
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