Enchanted Tree

At the bottom of my last post I showed you a photo of an enchanted tree that Maggie had designed and is selling the pattern for it on her blog. I really love this little tree and had to have one of my own so I had Maggie send me the pattern.

While making this little guy I learned a couple of tricks from Maggie that I hadn't known before as I really haven't made any fabric art dolls this size. One thing I learned is it's not easy turning something this small right side out. I called Maggie and asked how in the heck did she manage it and that's when I learned about using a soda straw. Huh? I asked when she told me to use a straw. What does a straw have to do with turning something inside out? She told me that's how she turns fingers and such on her art dolls and then told me how to do it. You insert the straw inside what you want to turn and then poke the fabric with the smooth end of a crochet hook into the straw. It works like a charm. See, you can teach an old dog a new trick. Not that I'm old or anything.

Here's Maggie's Enchanted Tree:

Isn't he the cutest darn tree ever? I love the fabric she chose for the tree and how it goes with the fabric she used for her crow. When I shopped for the fabric for mine I kept that in mind and found a black and a brown that that had a matching pattern.

Here's my Enchanted Tree:

Maggie used doll eyes when she made hers but since I didn't have any I constructed mine with white felt and black beads. I also gave mine a pipe cleaner nose instead of wrapping a wire with fabric mainly because I had a brown pipe cleaner. 

Here's a closeup of her crow:

He looks so cute sitting on the branch. What's really fun with these guys, the tree and the crow, is they can be positioned in so many differented poses. The fingers and arm and branches if you want them to have wires inside. When Maggie posted this guy she had him assume different poses. I've been doing that with mine since I finished him yesterday. I'm going to wear him out at this rate.

Here's a closeup of my crow:

If you think the leaves on my tree look different than the one's on Maggie's it's because I made them differently. My sewing machine was acting up again and wouldn't let me stitch the edge of the leaves without messing them up so I decided to make them without sewing. I glued the fabric to both sides of some heavy paper and them traced the leaf pattern on the fabric and cut. I used paint to add the detail to the leaves.

I think one of the things I really like about this pattern is the flexibility you have when making it. There are three sections to the tree and when joining the sections you have the option of putting section "A" on the right side or the left side and by doing so have changed the appearence of the tree. As you can see by looking at Maggie's tree and mine each is unique. I'm thinking of making this tree in different fabrics for the different seasons and different rooms in the house. I'm also thinking about making one for my daughter and another for my granddaughter as gifts.

Well, I've got to run. Places to go, people to see and things to do. This month in moving along too fast for my liking and Halloween will be here before you know it. I still haven't finished my decorating and I don't have much time left. I do want time to enjoy it before I have to take it all down and start decorating for Christmas.

As always I want to thank you for stopping by.