Sharon Mitchell: Dolls With 'Attitude'

20/04/2026

I was asked to create a portrait figure for a young man with Autism who has been working with a local artist in her studio. Earlier this year, I made a portrait figure of the artist, and when he saw it, he rushed out the back. A few minutes later, he returned and said, “I like it! Will you make a doll of me?” So here he is, holding one of his paintings that I photocopied from the picture sent to me.

I made this figure using Jan Horrox Man pattern, which is a great pattern to work with, and I only made a few adjustments to suit my character. The shoes are painted directly onto the feet, with a sole inserted inside along with the armature and foam craft soles for balance. The rest is painted and drawn. I found the pants a bit too wide since I used a knit fabric, so I was able to narrow them. The shorts pattern in flannelette worked really well. His hair and beard are needle-felted in.

28/03/2026

18/03/2026

My version of Laura Lunsford's pattern 'Amelia'! I made a few slight alterations, but the clothing patterns fit beautifully! Thanks to Dyan Prujean for scraps of fabrics she gave me that worked beautifully to help me make this Tartan themed Steampunk Doll! I altered the feet to make her stand alone.

01/03/2026

I need to make a Steam Punk Doll and have decided to make this fabulous Pattern designed by Laura Lunsford!

I have already altered some aspects of the pattern, but I'm a little worried that the fingers might be a bit small for my turning tool, so might have to try a straw to get them to turn. I will surely have to put fraystop on them because I am just using quilters muslin as a trial. So this is my next WIP!

01/03/2026

I made the stick from a cheap chopstick and a ceramic gold bead, and it is stitched on with a little silicone glue. The monacle is made from Aluminum wire, wound around his finger and attached to some gold chain, attached to his vest. a little silicone glue holds it all in place. His hair is needle-felted on top of a pad of wool to give it grip, and the hat is stitched through the head to keep it in place. He's a happy Chappie now!

01/03/2026

Not much more now. Arms need to be stitched on, buckles on shoes, hair needle felted on, and hat finished and sewn on. He needs a stick and a monocle. All jobs for tomorrow!

01/03/2026

For those following my WIP on Humpty Dumpty, this is how I made the wall he will sit on.
I had a square craft box, almost five inches wide, by 3 inches deep. I cut card bricks almost two inches by just over half an inch - not exact, can be made any size! I used white glue to stick them on bricklayer fashion, used a craft knife it score the ends that needed to turn the corners, so they would bend. I only bricked the sides and top and left the bottom.

Once the bricks were all stuck on, I painted with white gesso, on the sides and the top, which firms it all up. I mixed brown, red and yellow paints for an uneven looking cover of paint and laid it on with a half inch flat brush. I then 'pointed' in the white bits with a long narrow brush. I hot glued some weights inside to keep it upright. I made some holes in the top to tie the legs on, which meant stitching through the legs so I could anchor them to the top of the box. I ended up needing to add glue to his seat and the box to stop him from wobbling when picked up. I then sealed the back of the box with fabric covered card.

01/03/2026

Hes coming together - Pants, vest, ruffle hat, all waiting for the jacket. Have to find him some hair, embellishments, and make the wall from that box. He's hanging in!

01/03/2026

This is to give an idea of the size I am working with. The original is larger.

If working smaller like this, fingers can be too narrow. Thinking about this, I made the arms in a flesh coloured stretch cotton. I forgot about laying the hands across the widest stretch, and of course now have blown seams. Didn't apply fray stop before putting turning rod in.....however, he can have rings on his fingers!

01/03/2026

This is my WIP of Humpty DumptyI

I love Suzette Rugulos patterns. They come together so well. This is my version of her free pattern of Humpty Dumpty found in Soft Dolls and Animals Magazine several years ago when I was exploring needle sculpting, and I have made him about five times now, always different. The pattern is now found on Dollmakers Journey, not free, but such a good pattern for all sorts of occasions!

The concept is so clever and to make everything except a body, feels weird, but she made it so easy with her pattern. I am not good at putting in plastic eyes - they never sit right and it looks static to me, so I like to make it with raised eyes to make them expressive.

I reduced the pattern by half, so this makes a more manageable size, and am making his clothing from recycle scraps. (trying to use them all up!)

The head is made from a thicker stretch fabric off a cushion cover, with the inside velvety so this is the wrong side. I think at the time I was just testing the fabric for sculpting and painting. The head has been rolling around my head bin for over a year! I was not happy with it, but at the same time, it was too good to throw away.

I found a pattern for a top hat to try (not an easy one) and after persevering, it worked out and needed a head! It’s fits, so on to the rest of the pattern