Softies were my route into sewing and they remain at the core of my interest in thread and fabric. I don’t think I’ll ever be a quilter or a garment sewer or a bag maker. When I see a pile of fabric and a sewing machine all I want to do is make a little someone to hang out with. I’m fairly sure I’ll feel this way for the rest of my life.
There are doll and softie makers whose careers I’ve followed for years (Tamar Mogendorff especially) and then there are people whose work I’ve just discovered. Today I thought I’d share three softie makers who fall into that latter category. They each have a distinctive, fresh style and I hope you’ll love their work as much as I do.
1. Alice Mary Lynch is a UK-based doll maker. Her formal training is as a fashion designer and that sensibility is evident in her work.
Her dolls are adorned in fine fabrics, beads, and trim and are often very stylishly dressed. There’s a dreamy quality about their faces. These are creatures that would be very happy inhabiting a fairy tale world.
Swan Princess by Alice Mary Lynch
Nell Nell and Dee Dee by Alice Mary Lynch
Prince Asa by Alice Mary Lynch
Keep up with Alice Mary Lynch through her blog where she posts new work about once a month.
2. Skippity Hop Creatures are plush toys created by Edinburgh-based artist Kim Sinclair. Kim has a degree in sculpture. She uses a mix of new and upcycled fabrics to create a range of endearing characters with slightly sullen expressions.
Woolen Rabbit by Skippity Hop Creatures.
Boston Terrier by Skippity Hop Creatures
Cream Velour Mouse by Skippity Hop Creatures
Keep up with Kim via the Skippity Hop Facebook page or browse the toys she has for sale in her shop on Etsy.
3. Manafka Mina is a shop filled with colorful faux taxidermy heads by Israeli artist, Hadar Kaplan. Hadar is trained as a graphic designer. Her interest in rendering three-dimensional objects in yarn began with creating plants and cacti and then knitting characters from a 1970’s children’s television show in Israel, Kishkashta.
And now she crochets these fabulously colorful, imaginative mounted heads.
Zebra by Manafka Mina
Boar by Manafka Mina
Elephant by Manafka Mina (with artist Hadar Kaplan)
Hadar has a few items for sale in her Etsy shop and you can keep up with her on Facebook.
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Gorgeous, right? And fun and charming and everything good about sewing and crocheting and making.
Got a softie maker to recommend to me? I’m all ears.
I’ve admired Alice Mary Lynch’s work for a while, but the others are new to me! Thanks for sharing. That Boston Terrier is too cute for words.
Ooh, I LOVE the crocheted trophy animals that Hadar makes! Especially the zebra. How fantastic would those look in a nursery?! Thanks for sharing these special artists and their work.
Lovely work!
Beautiful creations with amazing attention to detail!!! Thank you for sharing these incredible and talented artists and their work!
Sure thing!