Burda Style For people who sew

Description

I just loved (and still do!) the little mermaid growing up. I may have at times only responded to Ariel. She was my hero! Her flowing red hair and beautiful singing voice and adventures under the sea.

As serendipity has it, on my casual walk through the infinite abyss that is the internet I came across a template for DIY mermaid doll, apparently some expired sew-along/sweepstakes. Well there was just one thing to do, scrap everything until I would have a mermaid of my very own and printed out the free template.

Now, I didn’t quite like the minimal facial features. Instead I mimicked the asymmetric facial features of a doll I bought a year ago in a tiny boutique in Buenos Aires’ Palermo district. I did a rough draft in pencil (which I know is very bad of me) on the muslin and used free-motion sewing to embroider it. As luck would have it, the pencil marks magically vanished. So no harm, no foul, right?

I’m very well pleased with the results, despite slight early onset female baldness (right side) which I might just cover up by adding another bow.

FIY: All materials are up-cycled. The hair is a former pillow case (duvet case is missing, beats me), the fin is an awful green dress, filling is lining from a coat I’m currently up-cycling the fleece (stay tuned!), etc., etc., etc. A very eco-friendly mermaid :)

Material Notes

Various fabric scraps, stuffing, buttons, needle and plenty of thread

Difficulty

Novice

Related Techniques

• How to Stuff Soft Toys
• How to make a bow (parisienne)

Categories

For

Children

Garment Type

Toy

Material

Linen

Credits

Lark Crafts (template)

http://www.larkcrafts.com/craft-your-life/giveaway-merry-mermaid-from-we-make-dolls/

We make Dolls (original source)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-make-dolls-jenny-doh/1111742950?ean=9781454702498