Peg Dolls on The Creative Crafting Blog Tour
Welcome to readers of the Creative Crafting Blog Tour. I have been on the bus too for the past two weeks and it has been fun to visit with so many varied and excellent crafters.
Visit Creative Crafting to view the calendar for the blog tour, articles, the latest issue of the magazine, Creative Crafting and more.
Peg Dolls
Peg Dolls are miniature table top dolls that originated in Europe and are widely used in Waldorf/Steiner classrooms, home-schools, families and events. They lend themselves to children's imaginative play, storytelling and nature table or seasonal decoration. They are garbed in simple felt or fabric costumes as human figures or characters from fairy tales, myths, and other stories, and flora and fauna the natural world.
A search on Google, Pinterest or Etsy brings up multiple peg doll entries. Many are painted rather than garbed. I was surprised to see them used as wedding cake toppers! They are extremely popular in Japan now.
I have made them for years for my classroom, first learning about them as Waldorf teacher. Now that I am no longer teaching I make them for others to enjoy. A number of teachers, both Waldorf and mainstream buy them from my Etsy shop for their classrooms. They are sturdy, stand up on their own and children love them.
This photo was taken when I was in the midst of making many gnomes. You can get an idea of the process- I make paper templates from design ideas I have worked on. The garment pieces are cut from wool felt or cotton fabric, embroidered or beaded and then the peg doll is dressed.
I only use natural materials for a rich sensory experience, both for me as the crafter and for the child playing or the adult using for decoration or meditation. The angels I make have been ordered with spiritul or healing intentions.
Work in Process
Right now I am struggling a bit with a special order. An Etsy customer wants 12 peg dolls for a birthday ring. Two of them are insects which I have not made before. I had some ideas and am testing them out. I covered the wooden peg with wool felt and wool roving, cut out the body parts and began sewing. Off the doll the body looks good.
On the doll looking at it sideways I am not happy with it.
From the back it looks fine.
So I will keep fussing with it till I am satisfied. It might mean I scrap this design and attach the wings in a different way. And the antenna? Hmmm...
Peg Dolls can be a simple or elaborate as you want. So simple that children have a wonderful time making them, wither paining or sewing or a combination of the two. Or an adult can created an elaborately styled doll, beautifully clothed and embellished with great detail.
Other posts from my blog about making Peg Dolls
http://bridgitsbell.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-in-process-pink-witch.html
http://bridgitsbell.blogspot.com/2013/04/flower-fairies.html
http://bridgitsbell.blogspot.com/search/label/peg%20dolls
http://bridgitsbell.blogspot.com/2013/06/blueberry-gnomes-peg-dolls-in-progress.html
http://bridgitsbell.blogspot.com/2013/02/work-in-process-kings-and-queens.html
I was interviewed on ARTSHINE. Read more here:
http://www.artshine.com.au/2013/06/close-up-interview-with-crafter-artist-karen-traversy-from-bridgits-bell.html
13th August -
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