Making more spirit dolls

I just finished a "Green Desert" spirit doll and thought I'd show you how I made it. (Our desert is incredibly green now because of all the monsoon rain.)

First I painted fabric with Setacolor fabric paints. (The paper template for the doll's body allows me to move it around on the fabric and isolate good areas to use when I'm ready to cut.)

Then I pulled out fancy fabrics, sheers, yarn and glitzy thread and arranged them on the painted fabric.

I layered this over batting and a backing fabric, pinned Sulky Solvy water soluble stabilizer on top and quilted everything down with gold thread. (You need a walking foot because of the layers.) Either wash out the stabilizer or tear it off and voila ...

Lash together sticks for the foundation -- lucky for me I had to have a big tree removed this month so I saved plenty of its twigs. Then attach the body, head, yarn and other embellishments. I used a combination of hot glue and sewing or tying.

I like using big buttons for the head with beads for the eyes. I used to make jewelry, so I have a big stash. I bought most of the large buttons at quilt expos.

Here is a piece of fabric I just finished this morning. I'm thinking it would make a good sunset spirit doll!

Here's how it looked before I stitched everything down.

So far I've made a half dozen dolls. I hope I can find a local gallery interested in carrying them.

"Twilight Spirit"

"Sun Spirit"

"Saguaro Spirit"

"Purple Goddess Spirit"

"Night Energy Spirit"

Have a  colorful day