Book Review
This book contains a wide variety of dolls to make including different
styles and sizes of dolls as well as dolls made from diverse materials.
I like that the author has considered different cultures and looks
when choosing which projects to include in her book. There
are dolls with varying flesh tones and hair colors and dolls such
as Molly, Beth and Hannah are wearing appropriate period or cultural
clothing.
The Getting Started chapter is a must read before beginning any
of the Projects in this book regardless of the skill level of the
dollmaker. The tools, equipment and fabrics for making dolls
are clearly displayed in color upon its pages. Also important
are techniques such as the stuffing the dolls blurb outlined for
your knowledge and the illustrated dictionary of stitches (machine,
hand and embroidery).
In addition to the stitches, in the Getting Started chapter there
is a section on Preparing and using Patterns and Templates.
Included in it is how to enlarge the patterns by photocopier or
by the grid method, whichever you are more comfortable with using.
There is also a small Hints and Tips section included ensuring proper
transfer of doll patterns to material.
Depending on the skill level of the dollmaker, the Elements of the
Doll section offers a detailed breakdown of how dolls are created
including bodies, face and hair and how to assemble them all together.
Also shown are sections on making the hair and clothes. I
like it that the author ties in the sections (i.e. fur fabric wigs)
with the craft it applies to in the book (Chima, the African Boy)
as well as giving us other options to use for Fantasy hair (i.e.
materials such as raffia, ribbons, straw, and material) that aren't
necessarily used in the book.
Some additional points to be aware of:
- There is a Patterns and Templates section at the back of the
book (the patterns are at scale 70%).
- Each doll rated with 1-5 stars to indicate the level of difficulty
of the project, the rating legend is in the front of the book
in the introduction to the book, Dollmaking - A Creative Art section
at the beginning of the book.
- Sketches accompany photographs of each doll to clarify the instructions.
My only criticism of this book is that the patterns don't immediately
follow the craft to which they belong (as would be my preference)
but this is a common occurrence in books where many patterns are
required for the Projects. At least the patterns are clearly
labeled and easy to find.
|
