7 Day Doll

I realized that I had not made a beaded doll since the one I finished months ago for Beading For a Cure. And after spending all that time working on the Beaded Illustrative Tapestry, I hadn't even done any bead embroidery in ages. I decided to challenge myself and to actually see how fast I could make a beaded doll. I looked at my work desk and there was a doll form sitting in the basket waiting for me to do something with it. This is one of my practice pattern dolls. The head isn't exactly right so she was tossed in the basket with all the other bone yard rejects. Also, on my work table was a big bag of beads from a kit that I'd half way completed before I decided I didn't like it and number 2 that I would never finish it. So with that and some other odds and ends, I put myself on a time schedule to complete a beaded doll in just SEVEN days. I made it! I must tell you that one day was a 6 hours beading day so you won't think I'm that fast. Like the colors. And yes, those wee hat/horns on this still unnamed doll are from that peyote star fish kit I'd bought at B&B.

The doll itself is from one of my own patterns I've been tweaking.
It is called Night Time Up. I needle sculpted the head, the hands, and the feet.
I didn't like this small head, so that is why she wound up in the bone yard basket.

Day ONE:
Placement of the focal beads & start to work on the leg.
All of the beading on the body was back stitch and stack stitch.

Day two through five:
Most of the torso is done. Nothing too fancy here.
Just sorting of the bead mix to have a complimentary color pattern.

Day Six:
Pretty much finished the body, but unsure on what kind of hair to put on the head.
Also, I wanted to use the two peyote horns somehow.

Day Seven:
Completed doll. Still not sure of what to name her.
Something Harvest????

So I did it! One beaded doll in Seven days. My fingers were aching after this one as sometimes I'll bead so long that I actually wear the silver off the needle. I did lie about only two bead embroidery stitches. I actually had to peyote those smaller focal beads so that they didn't "pop" off the body. Not sure if I really like that look, so I still might embellish those to complete. But all in all, I'm pretty pleased with her...that includes that small head! See what happens when you start working on something you discard.