I haven't posted any of it, but I have a ton of crafty hobbies; knitting, sewing, quilting, jewelry-making, paper craft, etc. This is my first-ever doll, and I think she turned out pretty cute!

I was looking for some good felt cupcake patterns online, and stumbled into a bunch of Flickr collections of handmade dolls. I couldn't stop myself. I cannibalized my quilt fabric and experimented. After a couple failed bodies, I almost deconstructed my Hello Kitty, but just guesstimated instead, and came up with this body. Not as fat as I would've liked, but a nice beginning.

I named her Hoku, after one of my former Starbucks partners, who calls to tell me she loves me.

Hoku's dress is a piece of an old skirt I repurposed. That fabric is so amazing, and I was heartbroken when I couldn't fit into the skirt anymore. I've been saving it, waiting for a chance to reuse it. (I had to add a pocket after I accidentally cut a hole in her dress.) I fudged up a flower with a scrap to help pin her hair on.

The hair is made of felt, and came together completely by luck. I'm not real good at that thing where you pleat it to make a curve? And I didn't have a sewing machine, so I had to sew it by hand. But it worked. It's real cute, I think. I kind of want to give her a face, and I have a nice simple one drawn up, but my husband thinks I should leave her blank.

materials: felt, fabric, cotton stuffing, buttons, thread