Well, Harry and Draco have been in love in my mind for so long I've begun to read them
as if JK Rowling wrote them that way.
But why, you ask? Is it just because you're a pervy old lady who likes to imagine pretty
young boys making out with one another?
Only partly.
When I was eleven years old I got this letter from a strange magical school...no, actually
I got really sick and after I was finally released from hospital I was only able to lie
around watching movies on tv for what seemed like forever.
All of these movies were from the 1940's and I'm going to tell you something right now.
These people had some messed up views of romantic relationships.
The man was almost always a vile sexist pig, and the woman usually (rightfully) started
out hating his guts.
But then he'd do something lame like fill her dressing room or penthouse suite (nobody just lived in an apartment or house) with
flowers and she'd start to soften towards him. Like an idiot. Now, I really don't think women in the '40's were idiots,
but were just written that way in a good lot of the movies.
All through the movie they'd bicker and somewhere along the line they'd get in this giant fight where they would slap one
another and then start making out. Then they'd get married. The End.
Now fortunately, these movies didn't warp me enough to base any of my own future
relationships on physical violence, but I swear, when two people hate each other as much
as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, I can't help but picture an eventual passionate
snogging. Sorry.
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Harry and Draco like to hang
out in their flat in their boxer shorts. I made the shorts out of felt, and sadly did a poor job of it. I can't sew worth beans. I love how Draco is gazing at Harry.
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Oh, you've noticed the
piercing, have you? Well, the boys were just lazing about one evening and reminiscing about the past, when Draco triple-dog-dared Harry to let him pierce his nipple. Harry was all, "Dude, I've totally been crucio'd about fifty times, bring it on." Draco, of course, chickened out when it was his turn. |
I made these guys out of a small amount of unbleached muslin (although I ended up
bleaching Draco, because he's supposed to be pale.). You could make the entire Weasley
family from one yard, most likely.
You'll also need yarn for hair and embroidery thread for faces. You could paint the face
if you're talented that way. I used craft wire for Harry's glasses and nipple
piercing.
They're about 6 inches tall, but you could make them bigger or smaller. I think a bunch of
these made teeny tiny would look really cute as Christmas decorations.
They are basically a gingerbread man shape--just a front and back. Nothing fancy or
difficult.
If you've never sewed before, these would make a great beginner project. I made my first
rag doll when I was about nine.
Draw your gingerbread man (or trace a cookie cutter, or find a coloring page on the internet), or just use my pattern (this is actual print size of about 6 inches, if it doesn't print properly straight from your browser, save it and open it in an image editing program and print it from there.). Cut out the pattern and then trace around it directly onto the wrong side of the fabric with pencil or disappearing fabric marker. Don't cut the fabric yet!
Pin your traced fabric to another piece of fabric, right sides facing each other (the
wrong side will be facing you). Honestly, with muslin, I can't tell the difference,
but you may be able to. Sew around your tracing, leaving an opening in the top of the head
for stuffing.
Cut all around what you've sewn, leaving just a little bit of fabric as a seam allowance.
Don't cut too close, though.
Now it looks like an inside out doll. You need to very carefully clip around the curves, right up to the seam, without cutting the seam. This helps the rounded bits be rounder.
Turn the whole thing inside out so the seams are now on the inside, and your doll is ready to be stuffed with fiberfill. When you're done stuffing, sew up the top of its head by hand.
The hair is my most dreaded part, but don't let me frighten you. I've read about many
different techniques for giving a doll hair and apparently I'm no good at any of them. I
usually just cut a great wad of yarn and try to make it look how I want, then sew it on as
best I can.
Yes, very helpful, I know. Do make the yarn longer rather than shorter, though, because
you can always cut it after it's attached.
Some doll hair tutorials, since I'm no help at all.
How to knot on
yarn doll wigs
Make a little
wig This one is pretty easy to adapt to all doll head sizes.
Also, check your library for books on cloth doll making. Lots of tips in these.
About the faces. Sometimes, I embroider them before I sew or cut. Sometimes I do it after the doll is completely done. Obviously if you make a colossal mistake, it would be better to do it on fabric that can be replaced, rather than on a doll you've spent a bit of time sewing. If you don't feel confident with your embroidery skills, do it before you sew the doll.
Here is an online dictionary of embroidery stitches. If you've never done it and want to try I recommend starting with straight, satin, chain, or split stitch. Try them all, it's really a fun craft. You can make little sachets or stitch your loved one's name on your undies.