Primitive Dolls

        

Primitive Dolls

I'm always checking out artists' work on the net and have often been mesmerized by some of the pieces on the Primitive Handmades Mercantile, especially the primitive dolls on My Old Crow Primitives, The Red Cupboard, Bay Ray's Child, and Prairie Prims.  After mentioning my interest to a friend, she lent me some Prims magazines (I'd never seen this periodical before), and these have only fed my desire to give doll making a try.  Prims comes out 3 times a year.  Most of the dolls that are featured are created to look old and well worn with body shapes and limbs that are crude and clothes that are stained.  The bodies are made of muslin using simple patterns, stuffed with old rags, features are added, and then the dolls are"grunged" or painted.  A "grunge" solution might be made of coffee, tea, vanilla, and cinnamon (artists' formulas vary somewhat).  The concoction is heated to thicken it, then brushed on the muslin.  After the doll dries, it might be lightly sanded to give it the worn look.  Clothes are made and stained with tea or coffee.
In the spring/summer 2015 edition there is a pair of worry dolls that are very simple and seem like a good place to start.  Trudy Honeycutt, the artist, provides a pattern and technique suggestions. I'll give it a try and see if I like the process and the results.