Mr. marionette

Let me introduce you Mr. Bobilina Scraps, one of my dearest marionette friend.

I created him a while ago, when I was asked to make some offer for recycled puppets workshop, this workshop didn't take place yet and Mr. Bobilina Scraps was left bored and lonely on our library.

He was so glad when three weeks ago I had to teach another workshop at the Recycling Center at the Hiriya Park.

Mr. Bobilina scraps made out of my fabrics leftovers. I never throw them away, so I have sooo many of them definitely too much. Small pieces particularly, those you really can't do anything with. Every time I was organizing my tiny studio I was considering throwing some of the fabrics scraps, but my heart never let me, I just replaced the storage box to bigger one each time. When I created Mr. Bobilina scraps it was the biggest one.

At first I created its head, I picked up only white pieces for it, and wrapped them one on another till I got the head shape. Then I threaded folded pieces on four different threads- for the legs and the arms. I sew it all to the torso, which created in the same way but with wider pieces. I attached all the parts together, and the last thing I had to do is connecting the marionette strings.

This photo is by Ilan Amihai

The one in the purple shirt is me.
Actually few days before the workshop took place I figured out that creating fellow Mr. Bobilina scraps marionettes may be too difficult for the young kids and their impatience parents (the ordinary audience of these workshops), so I created bunch of new easy to make dolls and marionettes samples. As this post is becoming too long and the hour too late I assume it would be better introducing them tomorrow.

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Have you ever walked in a paper clog?

Few weeks ago, when sales began to drop down at my Etsy store, I began to think of creating more summer products. Almost since I began to design my first slippers I was curious to know how I can sew clogs. For me this is the proffered slippers shape as I only had to slip my feet in. I have one pair of slippers clogs which I bought in the market about 4 years ago but they are already worn out.

So, as I got some free time from the winter orders I began with the pattern making. Of course there were much more problems then I could imagine in advance.

I was trying to sew them in a few different ways, but everything seemed to go wrong with it.

After few days I just had enough and decided to leave it and make some birds instead.

When the birds were done I got the idea to try another pattern, it went much easier this time. The new pattern was based on my slippers pattern with some adjustment for the clogs and new sewing system for the uppers. Since it based on much easier sewing system than those I tried before, I could attach the paper parts together with sewing needles in order to give this solution a try before the cutting and sewing of the fabrics.

Today, the final prototype is done, the old clogs are going to be thrown away soon.

These slippers now can be ordered from my etsy store.

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More about the birds

As I promised I am back to tell more about the birds and show some more details.
The process of making them (which I showed here already) was longer then I accepted, with some breaks. My initial idea about those birds was changed during the process of creating and they ended up to be much more sad then I meant, I am not sure about the reasons, but wanted to share some thoughts about it.
At first I had some idea to create group of birds with flowers, it was spring in the air...
The idea to use this combination came after I customized wedding shoes in these colors; I liked it so much and felt that I must create more with these colors.
The red and white together create very clean and fancy combination, but there is also something dramatic about these contrasts between the brightness of the white and the strength of the red. I like the quietness of the white with all the expressiveness and sadness of the red.
When spring is coming it always seems like it is going to bring new waves with it, better ones. But for me, most of the times it ends up in the opposite way, and make me feel gloomy. It is almost every year that I experience this disappointment. I can't point the problem exactly or saying this is wrong or this is the reason, it is more of a feeling.
Maybe it is this period of the year that is so busy with holidays, that I never really feel like I want to celebrate.
When spring is coming we have Passover, the holiday of spring, blossom and freedom, which means family gathering and so called fancy meals.
I don't know why, but every year going through the busy traffics, full of dressed up families pressed together in cars, make me feel lonely, even though surrounded with supporting and loving people, it doesn't matter, the loneliness is always in the air at the holidays time.
Besides that, there is also all the meanings of Passover and telling the story of the people of Israel running away from slavery. It always seems so ironic when the victims are in the other side for years.

More about → More about the birds

Birds with Flowers

The birds are finally done, but just before introducing them I have an announcement to make: My dolls who for long time felt that my etsy store is too crowded for them with all the slippers shoes finally changed accommodation and got space of their own over here.

Now it's birds time:

Let me introduce the young bird

and the Lady bird

The lady bird comes with a rose

and the young bird comes with its own flower.

I am too tired now but will be back soon to tell more about them.

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Birds details

The birds are almost done, just few stitches left me to do this night, but just before the work is completed, let me show you some details.

The wing,

The bird's skirt

and a rose...

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Eyelids crocheting

My birds got wings, head and beak, only eyes were missing.

By a small ball of stitched piece of socks I created the eyeballs and sew it to the crocheted head.

The small bird got a crocheted eye lids.

For the bigger bird it was more complicated, as this bird ordered a made to measure pair of eyelids with eyelashes.

I crocheted both in one piece

and attached it to the head, same as I did with the eyeballs.

It was a very gentle operation, I had to keep it very accurately right on its place, taking care of not causing any damage to the bird's eyesight.

Here it is the bird with its new eyelids-eyelashes.

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Red and white, from shoes to birds

I was deeply inspired by the bridal shoes I was asked to customize in red and white.

For a long time I had this idea of creating new birds, it was so long since I made the last ones. Some of them already flow away and spring time felt so perfect for new ones.
After the red and white shoes was done yesterday, it was clear what colors the new birds are going to have.

More about → Red and white, from shoes to birds