Shweet Potato Primitive Dolls

Today I am introducing Shweet Potato Dolls and Patterns, she makes collectible dolls that are very different than the traditional dolls you find at toy stores.

Here is her very interesting response to the question if she uses any special techniques in her work.
 

I am self taught so the only special techniques i use are if i try something and it works out, I write it down in a book. That way i know to do it that way the next time I am wanting to make something the same way.

When asked how long have you been doing this craft she had another interesting response.
 

I have been "crafting" as long as I can remember. My mom and grandmother both sewed and I was one of 8 kids so we made our own things because my parents did not have the extra funds to buy things for us. I hand painted shirts for my brothers and sisters growing up and that I guess continued on as I grew older. In college I did needlepoint and ornaments for sorority sisters and boyfriends. I hand painted quilts for my baby brother who is 20+ yrs my junior as well as both my girls. Later when I was recovering from major surgery I picked up a paint brush to keep from going insane and started painting again. After i became disabled I taught myself to sew and kind of put all my "crafts" together.

How long have you been selling on the internet?

I started selling online in 2003. 

Where do you get your ideas for new items from?

My ideas come from anywhere and everywhere. I have a line of dolls and ornaments  I call my Shweet Potato Dolls and most of those dolls are based on graphics by Shweet Potato Designs. The graphic designer has granted me permission to make her graphics into physical items and sadly she is no longer drawing graphics. Wonderfully I think I own every graphic she ever created. I do create other dolls and ornaments that are inspired in that "Shweet Potato " way.  Now that I have a grand daughter I see many more designs and patterns coming that Zoe would love to play with.

Are there any tools that you use and can you give a brief explaination of their use?

My tools are my sewing machine, card stock, pencil and long doll needles.  I draw all my patterns using pencil onto card stock. From there I will trace and sew using a sewing machine. All hand work is done using a 6 inch doll needle and crochet thread. I use very little if any glue at all on any of my creations. I want my dolls to go out the way I want them to come into my collections. 
How did you learn your craft?

I am self taught. I am dyslexic. that means I don't read the same way most of the world reads or understands. So the basic pattern out there is like foreign to me. Really explains who Home Ec classes in high school were so hard to me. I discovered a wonderful community of women Prim Mart who were so kind to teach me via the internet to sew. First it was by hand, then I learned to sew using my daughter's machine. Yes, I do purchase patterns from the primitive world now and I also create them myself. I think being dyslexic makes me a better pattern designer as I make sure to explain every thing so I can understand it.

How long does it take you to make some of your creations?

I never know how long it will take me to create something. If I am using a purchased pattern from a designer I know, an ornament might take a day. But I never make just ONE ornament. If I am making up an ornament I will make at least 6. I mean why make up just one little something make up more and have lots of pretties. None will every look exactly the same. Dolls take longer. Last year I had 3 strokes and add my fibromyligia, sjogrens and other auto immune ailments and sometimes I can work for hours and sometimes only minutes at a time. 

Creating Is My Therapy. I love it. It is my Life Line.

Image and links will be added shortly.