I pondered whether this post should go into Sewing Tutorials (it’s not actually about sewing, per se) or Hard Earned Wisdom (which it is, but I have no photos of previous disasters).
In the end I chose here. Because failing is what got me to my solution. And learning from failure is sort of what this section is about.
Which brings me to my point.
When we sew for our dolls, we often also pose them – for displays, or photos. But as anyone whose ever tried coaxing a doll into a pleasing standing position knows, they’re not always cooperative.
Especially when they’re china.
Of course, their cloth legs aren’t their fault, and they do make up for their wonky bodies by rarely having messy hair. Still, when I began dressing Hattie, she fell more times than I’m comfortable admitting.
I needed a solution, and I needed it fast.
Luckily, I had just the thing in my bin of “just in case” items. Because a few of those bits and pieces – combined – made my life much simpler.
The photo below is cropped from a “failed” pose. And if you study this close-up view, you might notice what’s wrong with it.
Hattie “stands” by having secretly stiffened legs, and something to lean on. Underneath, hidden beneath her dress, I’ve attached craft sticks to the backs of her legs with that putty stuff that doesn’t stick to walls (or conveniently, china). I then tie them around her and Voilà – she’s stiff as a board from the waist down.
This works every time, and leaves no residue on Hattie. So if you’re looking for a way to make posing china dolls easier, this might just become your go-to solution.