My First Dotee

Im in on this one,I love to give it a try. Thank-you Lady for doing this swap.

Just found a link with examples of faces.

Is this swap for newbies only? I love newbie dotees! =)

Omg, that dotee is adorable! Do you know who made her?

I'm with kupkake - newbie dotees are so much fun to receive! Could I please join as well? If not, just let me know and I will drop out. Thx!

kupkake, if you and I get each other as partners, maybe we could do a little switcheroo? Let's talk if that happens!

Great link LS!

For Newbies Info--"traditional" dotees also have "hair" of some kind, and the tails were beaded. The other variations get farther and farther away from the original Dotee Dolls. While they may be really neat little dolls, they aren't really "Dotee" dolls when they have legs, hats but no hair, clay faces, button faces, etc. They were also originally made of felt and had embellishments on their bodies, like ribbons, sequins and tiny beads and buttons.

Just something to think about.

@kupkake & @TerryF - all are welcome, especially newbies. @twobluecrows - thanks so muchfor the info! We do want to do this right.

So be sure to include: hair, beads on the tail, felt face and embellishments.

I managed to track down the original dotee tutorial in the Web Archive. The images aren't visible there, but the photos are still in their original locations on the blog site, so you can see any of them by clicking on the relevant "missing image" icon, then deleting everything before the second "http://" from the URL that appears in your navigation bar and hitting "return". (The final image, showing the finished doll, is here, for instance.)

The tutorial shows a body with no real shaping, just a quadrilateral of felt (for the back) sewn to a matching one cut from a print fabric (for the front). It's sewn right-sides-together along three sides, turned, stuffed with cotton wool, and then topstitched closed along the upper edge. The face is an oval of felt which is appliquéd to the print fabric with running stitches and then has features embroidered onto it, all before the doll is assembled. The instructions don't mention hair, though a cluster of beads is sewn to the top front of the doll's head as part of the embellishment step. A string of beads is attached to the middle of the bottom of the doll, but legs are mentioned as an alternative. The hanging loop (which Dot suggests should be about the same length as the string of beads) is also beaded.

I was glad to see a clear description of the original, basic dotee doll, and I thought other new dotee-makers might be likewise.

Thank you @Athterath for the link.

Let's not go on info overload. This is a swap for first-timers who want to give it a go. Have fun with it! If your dotee face is round instead of oval - it will be loved just the same. :o)

LadyStephanie, I agree, I have seen some beautiful Dotee dolls that did not follow exactly all of the descriptions above. It would be a shame if people new to making Dotees were scared away by a bunch of strict requirements.

I also think the original Dot would be proud to have any of these little dolls with hangers and tails called "Dotee" dolls. She is an artist, after all, and I believe would encourage people to be creative in interpreting her art.

Just sayin'... (";)

I am a newbie to Dotee dolls and I have a question. When you say 3-5 inches does that include the tail/hanger or is the doll 3-5 inches and the tail/hanger makes it longer?

Im a newbie on making a Dottie Doll, and for my first one I really want to have fun and thats what I done. I have mine ready to go to a nice home. Im so proud of my doll and it felt great that I didn't not have pressure on making it step by step. Thank-you steph for doing this swap,I had so much fun making her. I hope my partner like her.

The body is the 3-5 inches part. The hanger and the tail are extra. Good question. Thanks for asking!

I have finally gotten every swap mailed. I have my dotee ready to send so I will not be late sending.

I am so glad that spring is here. I do have a one but I have just packaged up the swap and add many surprises for that person. I promise not to be late.

Oh I am also not a newbie to dotee but I love the ones from newbies, we all had to be newbies once.

@auntjudy thank you for joining the swap. I agree, we all have to start somewhere. For me, I haven't received one of these before, but the people I talk to that have them, love them. This is my chance to discover the fascination - and receive a pretty little doll to keep me company while I craft!

I just worked on the body of a dotee doll and am working on adding the tail next and some details for the hanger and hair. I had a blast trying this out. I don't really sew. I cross stitch, but I started with one just to see if I do okay.

I received a Dotee from someone who only did quilting up until that point - she used patchwork for the body and it was so neat! The great thing about Dotees is that you can use just about any fabric/fibre technique you want for the body piece.

Oeps, I didn't remember the pink and blue. :( I have made one in red and green. So i'm going to make a other in the next days. ;)

Don't feel bad dear - I have done that a few times too! lol

I just sent my swap out today, but I did advise my partner last week that it would be a few days late. (";)

I am sooo happy that everyone has sent! It means so much to me that on an international swap with newbies invited - everyone sent their items!!!!! I'm just so happy! Thank you Swappers!