Sunday, May 14, 2017

Coral Queen of the Sea

I just sent off a mermaid doll to  granddaughter Lillian who just turned one. The doll is not the princess Ariel but rather Coral, Queen of the Sea.


Coral was created from a panel designed by Stacy Hsu for Moda.


I have gotten much better at making these stuffed toys that originate from a fabric panel. A Hera tool by Clover is just right for coaxing out the seams after turning and it is excellent for pushing the bits of polyester stuffing down those long narrow arms and legs. Be sure however to cover up the pointed non-paddle end with the cap to a seam ripper or something similar to avoid poking the palm of your hand.


Using a zipper foot, I stitched across her legs and arms where they join torso so they will be able to bend there.


The doll comes with the options of fins or a skirt, each gathered at the waist with a belt threaded though a casing.  For the fins, after centering the belt so about ¾" of each end protrudes, I sewed across the casing at the side seam, through the belt, to keep the ends from slipping inside the casing out of reach. It was not possible to do the same thing for the skirt. Being fuller, the skirt gathered more and the belt was too short. Instead I fixed each end of the belt to protrude about  ¾", gathered the middle section toward the center and sewed across the casing, through the belt, at two places. The middle section would be permanently gathered but at least the ends would be prevented from retreating into the casing.


Coral is posing here wearing her fins and accompanied by her sidekick friend Mr. Bubbles.


I took this picture of Coral at night. I like to think of her basking in the moonlight, wearing her skirt.


The next morning I photographed a face-on view of her basking in the sun, shining down through our skylight.


Coral, Queen of the Sea is shown here with her wardrobe and swimming buddy, Mr. Bubbles.


Coral also has a blanket and pillow. I quilted the blanket in a swirling water current style.


Linking up to Let's Bee Social #176. Her post is about birds up in the air while mine is set "Under the Sea".

6 comments:

  1. Adorable! she is going to have such fun!

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    1. Thank you! It was also fun to make - now that I have learned a few tricks to make it easier.

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  2. Another great sewing job, Grandma! I know that the gift was for Lillian, but Vivian quickly took over the toy. I think that she'll get great use out of it until Lillian is old enough to play with it. Although the doll is not, as you said, Ariel, Vivian calls it that and has been carting it around most places with her (to the park, in the car, etc.). Vivian, Lillian, and I say THANK YOU!

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    1. Why am I not at all surprised? I kinda suspected as much would happen. But surely you will not be surprised to learn that this Grandma did not buy just one of those mermaid doll panels... I thought that perhaps Lillian might even, at the ripe old young age of one, get a kick out of the blanket and the Mr. Bubbles.

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  3. What a cute little mermaid! I love the seahorses, and fixing the straps so they could not disappear inside their relative skirts was a good idea. I hope L (and V) get lots of good play out of this doll, I am sure it will be treasured for years to come!

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    1. I was glad I thought of a way to fix the belt so it does not get retract back too far in the casing. I initially thought the belt was too short but once I realized I could leave part of the waistline gathered it was a piece a cake. I hope I remember this trick for the future and for some of my own clothes perhaps.

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