noelle o designs

creativity + sewing + upcycling inspiration

craft, felt, sewing

Day of the Dead skeleton doll

felt skeleton doll

I haven’t made dollies for a long time, but I owed a friend a skeleton doll from a trade a few years back (how embarrassing). It feels good to finally make good on a promise. One of my pet peeves, up there with entire families at the grocery store at midnight or later (oh don’t get me started on that one)- is folks who say they are going to do something and then never follow through. If you never planned on actually doing something then don’t say so in the first place. So- today I feel less like a loser for finally getting little skeleton doll completed. In the spirit of true penitence, I should overnight this to Jen so she can get it by Halloween.

felt skeleton doll

There she is- hanging on the wall after all of the bones have been zig zag stitched onto the black felt.

Creating the details-

day of the dead skeleton doll

All of the fabrics are wool felt- wool seems to wear so much better than regular felt. In my opinion, it’s worth paying extra for wool. The jewels above the eyes are affixed with the Bejeweler. A better tool than the BeDazzler. The gems get glued on with a hot poker tool and are way more sparkly than Bedazzler gems that have a silver ring around them with prongs that grab the fabric. I am finding that Bejeweler gems are getting more and more difficult to come by. Craft stores aren’t stocking them anymore. Look online for a better selection- likely cheaper that way too. The flower detail is embroidered, then a 3 layer felt flower with some sequins and a bead in the middle to hold it all down.

dia de los muertos skeleton doll

The skirt is 4 layers of tulle, super-gathered with a sequined band for the waist. The skirt attaches with a little piece of velcro in the back.

3 Comments

  1. curtandlace

    October 30, 2008 at 12:41 am

    I love the skeleton. You are so creative, and way to make right on a promise.

  2. VaLene

    October 30, 2008 at 1:23 am

    I forgot how much I love those little skeleton dolls. The tutu just is too cute on it. Now you got me thinking that I never did give Stephanie gas money for the trip to the cabin, and I’m not sure if I paid my half of the Cafe Rio salad to Kanani on the way up there! Yikes, I better check up on these items!

  3. Colett (*.*)

    October 30, 2008 at 3:24 pm

    Skeleton is our friend too. Millie still brings ours wherever we go, she is a little worse for wear but she has seen lots of places!

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