Country Darn It Dolls

by Bayou Witch Incense - Where Magick Makes Scents, BayouWitch.com

Country Darnit Doll This little country doll is a great comfort gift for someone you care about, or an adorable addition to any room in your home. country floral fabric (half of a yard should do it!) doll pattern ...

white yarn darning needle

Fiberfil

curled jute

sewing needle

thread to match fabric

6 buttons to coordinate with the fabric

2 flat backed black eyes

fabric glue

large unpainted wood button

scrap of blue gingham fabric for neck bow

FOR THE CONTAINER

cylindrical papier mache container

acrylic paint in antique white, light brown, and country blue crackle

medium paintbrush household sponge or sponge scrap

curled jute

rusty tin button

blue gingham fabric scrap

white tacky glue

black fine tip craft pen

ruler

scrap piece of paper pen or pencil

What you do: THE DOLL Bodice To begin, print out the doll pattern and cut two pieces from country floral fabric, RIGHT side of fabric facing out. This doll is sewn on the outside, rather than sewn and turned inside out. This gives it a more primitive country look. Using a darning needle and white yarn, begin at the top/center of the head and sew downward, all the way around the doll until you get to the other side of the neck. Pause here to stuff the doll with Fiberfil, using the eraser end of a pencil to gently push the stuffing into the arms and legs. Complete the stuffing of the doll's head and sew shut, knot off. Embellishments Using a length of curled jute (can be purchased in the craft store where doll hair is sold), cut into pieces. For each piece, fray the ends halfway, leaving the other half curled. Use a sewing needle and thread to sew the curled end of the jute pieces to the top of the head, frayed end should be pointing upward for the hair. You will need around 6 or 7 pieces of jute to complete the hair. Sew 3 buttons to the front of the hair, in the center, and 3 to the back, running thread through two buttons at once (one in back, one in front). Cut a strip of blue gingham fabric and fray the ends. Tie around doll's neck and secure with a couple of threads. Use fabric glue to adhere eyes to the doll's face. Sew wood button to the front of the doll's body. THE CONTAINER Paint the papier mache cylinder and lid with a coat of antique white acrylic paint and allow to dry completely. Following the directions on the crackle medium, apply a coat of crackle medium over the antique white, and allow to dry according to the manufacturer's directions (usually 15-45 minutes, or until tacky but not completely dry). Finish with a coat of light brown, again, follow the directions on the crackle medium! Use single brush strokes, DO NOT brush over and over, you will lose the crackle effect. Allow to dry completely. For the lid, cut a piece of blue gingham fabric long enough to fit around the lid, fray and tie. Trim and fray the ends. Use tacky glue to secure the fabric to the lid. Tie a piece of curled jute around the lid over the fabric, tie in place, secure with tacky glue. Gently thread a rusty tin button with the jute, and tie, ends should hang downward. When the light brown coat is dry, use the household sponge to apply an oval shape to the front of your cylinder using antique white. The oval should cover most of the length of the container, leaving about an inch at the bottom and the top (below the lid). Sponge a light border of country blue around the outer edge of your oval. Using a piece of scrap paper and a pen or pencil, sketch out the poem listed below to ensure that you can fit it all on your oval. You can use a ruler to approximate how much area you have to work with. Use a craft pen to write on the poem when you are comfortable with it. DARN IT DOLL When you want to climb the wall, And stand right up and shout. There's a little Darnit doll You cannot do without. Just grasp it firmly by the legs, And find a place to slam it. And as you whack the stuffing out Yell Darnit, Darnit, Darnit! If Darnit's not a word you say Then twist its little neck And grumble out repeatedly Oh Heck, Oh Heck, Oh Heck! And once your done abusing it Just sit it on the shelf. But hug it first, as I'd hug you If I were there myself. Note: Carefully stuff container with some light tissue paper before placing doll inside. You may need to tuck your doll's arms in a bit to fit her in. Cover her with a bit more tissue paper and cover with the lid.

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