Like anything creative, sometimes the hardest part of Textile Art is getting started. I’m making a series of Art Dolls for the Coblynnau project all of which have to relate to their environment and the story of The Keepers. More than that, each doll has to inspire the one that comes after it and be inspired by the one that came before it. This is a classic Chicken and Egg situation so how do you break into the circle and start the creative process of making an Art Doll?
When I started learning Welsh I couldn’t find many books about Creative Embroidery in the language. So I wrote a simple, bilingual guide on how to make an Art Doll. Whether you stitch creatively, are learning Welsh or – like me – still trying to do the both, I hope you will find something useful on this page over the coming weeks as I show you how I make Art Dolls.
Pan ddechreuais i ddysgu’r Gymraeg doeddwn i ddim yn gallu ffeindio sawl llyfr am Frodwaith Creadigol yn yr iaith. Felly ysgrifennais i ganllaw syml am sut i wneud Dol Celf yn ddwyieithog. A ydych chi’n brodio’n greadigol, yn dysgu’r Gymraeg neu – fel rydw i – ddal i geisio gwneud y ddau, gobeithiaf y byddwch chi’n dod o hyd i rywbeth defnyddiol ar y dudalen hon yn yr wythnosau i’u dod achos rydw i’n mynd i esbonio sut ydw i’n creu doliau.
A simple Art Doll is made from two pieces of fabric that are stitched together and then stuffed. If she is embroidered, beaded and/or highly textured, she shouldn’t be given to children as a plaything.
Gwneir dol gelf syml o ddau ddarn ffabrig sy wedi’u gwnïo â’i gilydd ac wedi’i llenwi. Os mae brodwaith arni a ganddi leiniau a rhif y gwlith o weadau, peidiwch â rhoi dol celf i blant megis tegan.
To create an Art Doll you should use your imagination rather than correct sewing techniques. There is no right or wrong way to make her, no rules to break. Mistakes are experiments in disguise. One of my favourite doll artists is Margi Hennen and you can see some of her work here at Margi’s home page .
Er mwyn creu Dol Gelf, dylech ddefnyddio’ch dychymyg yn hytrach na thechnegau gwnïo iawn. Nid oes dull cywir neu anghywir; nid oes rheolau i’w torri. Mae camgymeriaid yn arbrofion mewn cuddwisg. Rydw i’n dwlu ar ddoliau Margi Hennen ac rydych chi’n gallu gweld ei gwaith ar y wefan uchod.
Why not spend some time between now and next week collecting some things to make your own Art Doll? You will need :
Calico, scraps of fabric (different textures), Bondaweb, textured threads, beads, polyester toy stuffing. Take a couple of photographs of random things that you like the look of
or
or even
and next week, I’ll show you how to make your own Art Doll. The only sewing talent needed is being able to thread a needle.