New Doll, in Progress (Verity)

This new doll will be called "Verity," which means Truth. I'm making her for the vintageclothdoll Yahoo group challenge (she'll be a Patriotic doll). I'll be selling her on eBay for the Rags to Riches Dolls (R2RD) group launch on April 27.

She's made of muslin, from an original design (the first and only doll I made using this unofficial pattern was in 2006 for my Hoffman Challenge entry, made of craft velour - see the doll below). Switching fabrics makes such a difference in the proportions of the doll. I'm changing the design of the legs and arms for this vintage-look doll. The legs are completed, hanging to dry (I painted her old-fashioned boots).

I used Helen Pringle's recipe for "Messy Mix" to cover Verity's head and upper chest. This eliminates the face's center seam and prevents the painted face from caving in if the doll is dropped.

The next step will be to paint a couple coats of gesso, then fleshtone acrylic paint. I haven't decided on a hairstyle yet, but it will probably be natural locks of some sort or wefted mohair.

This is a doll from the same pattern I'm using for Verity. Craft velour is wonderful to work with, but a little harder to paint on. I have not used anything to cover the fabric of the face as with Verity - just did a little needle sculpting and painted the features. Colored pencils provide some of the shading.

This doll has bead joints at the knees, hips and elbows; button joints at the shoulders.