How To Get That Smile?

[Juise]

I finally got my doll supplies from Weir Crafts and have started on my first doll, yay! I am so excited. Anyway... I was was looking at the pictures of Dragonfly's Hollow and Tumbleberry Toys dolls and noticing that many of the dolls seem to have a slight smile, rather than a perfectly straight mouth, even though it is still apparently only one stitch.

Is that all just the sculpting of the wool underneath? Can anyone tell me how to get a slight curve to the mouth? I don't really want the doll to look like she has a big smile plastered across her face, but I think the ones with just a hint of a curve in the mouth have a gentler, more natural look to them.

Any advice for the noob would be very much appreciated, thanks!

[E.V. Lowi]

Originally Posted by Juise 

I finally got my doll supplies from Weir Crafts and have started on my first doll, yay! I am so excited. Anyway... I was was looking at the pictures of Dragonfly's Hollow and Tumbleberry Toys dolls and noticing that many of the dolls seem to have a slight smile, rather than a perfectly straight mouth, even though it is still apparently only one stitch.

Is that all just the sculpting of the wool underneath? Can anyone tell me how to get a slight curve to the mouth? I don't really want the doll to look like she has a big smile plastered across her face, but I think the ones with just a hint of a curve in the mouth have a gentler, more natural look to them.

Any advice for the noob would be very much appreciated, thanks!

I like a smaller mouth with a hint of a smile, too. The way that I achieve this is with 2 long stitches, one on top, just slightly higher and the lower one slightly less wide as the top one. Using a bit of bee's wax on you floss before you embroider helps the floss to stay put where you want it too. HTH

[kbchavez]

This is probably too late for you, but the way to get the smile with one stitch is to go through the top of the head. So you put the needle where the corner of the mouth is (using a long doll needle) and you come out on top of the head. Take off the needle and make a good knot. Then put the needle on the other end that's sticking out of the mouth corner, and pass it through the other corner of the mouth and come out on top of the head again. Pull it to the desired tightness and tie a knot. Because of the roundness of the head, the stitch will curve into a smile. HTH!

Kristen

[Juise]

Actually, it's not too late at all, but perfect timing, thank you! I am working on the doll for her for Christmas, so I haven't gotten very far at all yet. I am just starting to feel that serious handmade holiday panic that I ought to have been feeling at least a month or two ago!So now I am desperately trying to get moving on everything. At least I have all my gifts worked out, more than I can say for this time other years!

[kbchavez]

Glad I could help... I hope it worked out!