The Steps

Process

The polymer clay and felted figure I posted yesterday was really supposed to be a six-week project, but I crammed it into the hours of one afternoon and long evening (well, O.K., it was 3 a.m.).

Step 1 - model the head in "creepy" looking pink polymer clay. This was the main exercise. It blended my own style with what the instructor was showing, with fairly peculiar results. But onward.

Step 2 - While the clay head is baking, for a long time, in my little oven out on the terrace, model some boots. Bake them, and then some hands. Hmm... mine were too big; doll hands are veeeery small. Bake those. While I had the oven out and clay on hand, I decided to make some press mold forms for some projects coming up. Bake those too.

Step 3 - When the head is finally baked and cooled, add color to features, and form a body armature of wire. Attach boots and hands and head. Get instant glue all over fingers so they have no feeling for the rest of the night. Carry on anyway. Clock is ticking.

Step 4 - Wrap torso in cotton rag, then begin felting wool roving onto body. Stab fingers repeatedly.

Step 5 - Make a felt tunic with beading and silk roving edging. Give it a leather belt.

Step 6 - Decide that the wool one has is not right for this figure and go pull out the silk roving: color choices are blues, pinks and greens. Take green. Apply to head. I like green hair.

Step 7 - no time for elaborate accessories (unlike last year with several: felt hat, owl, bag, contents), so quickly felt a little bird using all the colors of the piece. Take pictures and post. Then sleep forever.