Limbs

All Audrey needs now is limbs and she is completed!

You have a finished head piece, a skirt piece, and a heart bodice piece. Fit these together in front of you and measure about how long you think the arm should be from fingertips on one end, and to where the arm meets the bodice and beyond on the other end. The beyond part is where the brad will attach so you want this say 3/8" at least. My doll (Audrey) measures 2 5/8" with a slight bend. I drew my arm shape freehand but you can search through fashion magazines, or even celebrity gossip type magazines and hold a ruler up to arms that you like the silhouette of.

When you find one that " fits" make a tracing of the outline of the arm shape. I have used the bit of see-through paper that's commonly found on the envelopes of bills with windows through which can be seen the address. The size of this window paper is perfect for Audrey's limbs. Perfect for making a tracing that is. From the tracing I made a plastic template. One arm outline, and one leg outline. So for this doll both the arms are the same, as well as both legs. Using a template, I traced one side of the template (limb) and then flipped the template to trace the limb in reverse. I did that both for the arm and the leg. Audrey is very symmetrical. My next doll, shown in the photograph above, has differing arms and legs. The asymmetrical quality lends a whimsical air I feel.

Make a leg shape. Measure about the length you think would look good from the point that the foot touches ground on one end, to where the leg meets the skirt and beyond at the other end. My measurement for Audrey was 2 3/4". I found a boot shape I liked which was in a Victorian vintage fashion catalogue. I traced the boot outline, exaggerating the heel area (I made mine higher and wider) and drew freehand from the boot outline, the shape of the leg as it fit into the boot, making it to the length I needed. I made a plastic template.

For the finished limb, I used heavy watercolor paper which I already had on hand around here, and applied a thin watercolor wash overall, trying to match as best I could, the ink tone on Audrey's face. It is a bit on the yellow side. I mixed up (quite watered down) red with a kiss of yellow ochre (very diluted) and applied an even wash over top of the arms and legs that had been traced onto the heavy watercolor paper using the plastic templates, and then cut out. When dry, I applied the boots. I'll talk about that next post.

We will talk about brads and construction details next time too. Until then, hugs, Norma.