Cynthia Rag Doll

Source: Cynthia - Zombie Rag Doll via Kimberlie on Craftsy

Learn to make this awesome zombie rag doll yourself, or buy Cynthia already finished in my etsy shop!

Make Your Own Dolls!

I love making rag dolls.  There are so many options on how to personalize them:

• You can customize the face:  paint it, embroider it, make it a zombie. 
• You can customize the clothes:  different fabrics, use your old clothes, make jeans for them, etc.
• You can customize the shape:  straight body, triangle body, paints with shirt, dress, skirt, etc. etc. etc.!
• You can customize the size:  make 'em big, make 'em mini, or make 'em somewhere in between!

Really, that's just the beginning of the options!  

Once you know how to make one, you can really broaden and do whatever your heart desires!

And how do you learn to make a doll?  

Design-a-Doll Digital Program!  It's just $15 in my Craftsy Pattern Store.  Purchase it now for instant download and get started right away!  It comes with a pattern, but I also show you how to design your own pattern!

If you prefer, I also have a Design-a-Doll Boy Digital Program for just $15.

Make a doll to give away and then make one to keep.  Everyone loves them!

Painted Scrabble Tile Pendants

I've been making Scrabble Tile Pendants for a while now.  I use different papers, photographs and tiny prints of artists' work to make them. 


Every so often someone will ask me if I painted the pendant.  Then I would explain that it is a process with paper.  But sometimes I wondered how painting them would work.  


Now, I'm not much of a painter.  I love to paint, but it's not really my forte.  But, for a special occasion, and lacking just the right paper, I tried painting a pendant.


Above is what I came up with.  I like the simplicity and I love trees.  I created exactly what I wanted.


Once you start making scrabble tile pendants, you start to realize you can make other things with your completed pendants, too.  Like earrings (there's a special bail for that), rings, bracelets or pins.


I also made this tie tack.

Do you want to learn how to make Painted Scrabble Tile Pendants of your own?  I used acrylic paints and then followed my Scrabble Tile Pendant Tutorial, and left out the parts using paper.


You can learn a new skill and make hundreds - thousands, even - of wonderful pieces of jewelry.  You can sell them if you want or give them as personal gifts, or make them for yourself!


Scrabble Tile Pendant Tutorial, just $5

New Digital Workshop Available: Design - a - Doll Boy

New Digital Workshop Available:  Design - a - Doll Boy!

This is the boy version of my Design-a-Doll Workshop. I had made only girl dolls until one day my nephew asked me to make him a boy zombie doll. I made it to look like him and he loved it. (And even noticed that the doll looked like him!)

This tutorial is so much more than a tutorial, which is why I have called it a "workshop."

You'll learn how to make a rag doll - from designing it to sewing it. I also teach you how to embroider the face, make my version of a zombie doll or do a painted face.

If you're not up for designing your own doll, I've included a pattern for the doll, too.

These dolls are so addicting to make!

The list of materials seems sort of long, but you probably have most of the materials already. I like to use up old worn clothes. I especially love to make the boy dolls with old jeans for their pants.

Save memories by using your kids' favorite clothes or blankets and making them into a doll. Or remember a loved one who has passed on.

Just $15 in my Craftsy Pattern Store.  Pay and you can instantly download!

How to Make....

As I am sure you have noticed, I have been focusing on "How Tos" lately.  I love making different projects and I really love sharing instructions so you can learn how to, too. 

Recently Craftsy opened up their pattern store!  You can find all kinds of patterns, tutorials, etc. on it.  I have my own store there, too.

Craftsy is great because you have access to the tutorial immediately after buying.  You don't have to wait for me to send an email with the tutorial!

My tutorials are more like digital workshops.  You learn everything you need to know as if you were a beginner.  My "How to Make Extraordinary Jewelry from Ordinary Objects" tutorial teaches you how to make hardware jewelry as if you have never made jewelry again.

Plus, you get several different patterns for different hardware jewelry designs, from earrings to bracelets to necklaces + inspiration for customization.

If you have any questions or get stuck, I'm only an email away!

My other digital workshops are similar.  The only difference is that the workshops involving sewing (Fabric Cuff Bracelet and Design-a-Doll), I do assume that you can at least sew in a straight line and around curves and corners. 

If you don't want a full out digital workshop, you can opt for my individual patterns, which just include one project.  For example, a pair of earrings, or one style of fabric cuff bracelet.

Terms of Use:

Please use the products you make from my tutorials in any way you want.  You can make things for gifts or even to sell!  If you end up teaching these in workshops in the future, I would appreciate that you don't share the tutorial with other people who want to teach, but ask them to purchase the tutorial from me. 

I would love to hear about you starting a new business with the skills you learned from my tutorials! 

Please do not share, copy, sell, or distribute any tutorial or any part of any tutorial, however.

Any questions about that, just let me know!

Upcoming

I have new tutorials planned for the entire year.  New doll tutorials will be coming out later this month.  I'm also working on an Altered Art Jewelry Workshop, Embroidery workshop + many more!  Plus a lot more free tutorials right here on the blog!

What do you want to learn how to do?



New Tutorial Available: Lots of Buttons Fabric Cuff Bracelet

Make your own fabric cuff tutorial with Lots of Buttons!  

This is a great use of worn jeans!  You can use any fabric you wish.

You just need to be able to sew in a straight line.  I'll teach you everything else!

Great for people who have metal allergies and can't wear metal jewelry!

Pick it up for just $5 in my Craftsy Pattern Shop.

Tutorial: T-Shirt Necklace with Flower

T-Shirt Necklace Tutorial

Materials and Tools:

• T-Shirts (I used 2)
• Button
• Scissors
• Needle and thread
• Flower pattern (you'll just need the smaller flower)

Step #1

Cut the t-shirt along the bottom edge to cut off the hem.

Step #2

Cut off strips about 1” wide across the bottom of the t-shirt.  The strips will be in loops.

I used a large man’s t-shirt.  I needed about 5 strips, but I was able to double them.  If you are using a smaller t-shirt that you can’t double, you’ll need about 10 strips.  You have to be able to fit the strips over your head, so you can check to see if you can double them or not.

Step #3

I didn’t get a shot of the next step, but it’s easy and you’ll see what I mean when you try it.  Stretch each loop.  When you stretch them, they will curl under like you see above.

This is what they look like after you’ve stretched them.  I have these doubled as well.

Step #4

Cut another strip and cut it in half.  Stretch it to make it curl.

Step #5

Twist the 2 pieces together.

Step #6

Twist it around the loops to hold them together. 

Step #7

Sew it so it stays on.  You don’t need to worry about it being too neat because we’ll cover it up.

Step #8

Use the smaller flower of the pattern.  (This is the same pattern from my Newspaper Flower Tutorial and Fabric Flower Tutorial.)  Cut out 6 flowers.

Step #9

Gently stretch the flowers.  They won’t really curl up too much.

Step #10

Lay out your flowers.  Put one on the bottom, then fold 2 and place them side by side (as seen in the photo below) and 2 more and place them side by side going the other way.  Place one on top. 

 Step #11

Add a button on top.

Step #12

Sew all the flowers and button together.  Be careful to catch all the layers of the flowers.

Sew diagonally, 3 times around one direction and 3 times the other direction.

Do not tie off the thread.

 

Step #13

Sew the flower onto the necklace where you wrapped the extra pieces around. 

Step #14

Enjoy your new necklace!

To get the PDF version of this tutorial, head over to my Craftsy Shop to download it for free!

Tutorials Now Available on Craftsy!

I'm so excited to tell you about Craftsy!  If you love to create, Craftsy is the place for you.  You'll find tons of projects and classes to take whether your passion is sewing, crochet, embroidery, jewelry, etc., etc., etc..  And now you can also find patterns!! 

Soon all of my tutorials will be available on Craftsy, but there are a few there now.  There's even a couple for FREE!   

Just pay through paypal and instantly download the PDF file!  No waiting!

The new name for my tutorials store is Emerging Creatively and I am going by my married name (and no, the big day didn't happen yet, I figured we were close enough and I'll have plenty of other places to change my name):  Kimberlie Kohler. 

I'm working on a new website, too!  I'll let you know when it's ready.  (It's not even close at the moment!!)