Vasina

Ute Vasina

Crow Mother

by Ute Vasina

2 day class: Friday and Saturday , August 10 - 11, 2007

Kit fee: $15.00

Sewing machine required: Yes

Skill Level recommended for this class: Intermediate

Homework: Yes

Description of Class:

Step out of the box and create something new! Crows are not the friendliest of creatures, except for this one. She found this little 2 3/4 troll baby in the Fantasy Garden. Now at first she wasn’t sure what to do. But she has taken quite a fancy to this little one and plans to nurture it until it can take care of itself.

Techniques being taught in this class include the many ways of stuffing body parts. Free motion machine embroidery to bring out the feathers on the crows tail. Create Crows feet using wire, yarn and a little glue. Inset eyes and add eyelids.

Sew the tiniest troll using freezer paper as a template. Sculpt Troll features using my fish line method. Attach the tiniest of limbs to make this baby complete. Give the troll color using decorator chalk and last add tufts of hair using a felting needle.

Crow Mother Supply Lists:

Standard Sewing Supplies in the kit:

Crow Mother/Baby Pattern & Instructions

1/4 yd. – Black, Buck Suede - Crow

12” Square – Tan, Doe Suede - Baby

2 ea. – 6mm Brown Eyes

John James Long Darner #7

Fishing Line - 6lb, .008" Ultra Clear (Berkley, Trilene, Sensi Thin)

4 ft. - 16 gauge Steel Wire Galvanized – Feet

10 yds - Black Yarn Worsted Medium 4

6” X 4” Timtex or other Fabric Stabilizer

Standard Sewing Supplies you will need to bring:

100% Polyester Stuffing

1/4 yd. - Black Cotton Fabric – Jacket (light weight draping fabric)

Roll - 22 gauge Steel Wire Galvanized – Feet

White or Yellow Fabric Pencil

Green Floral Tape

Sobo Glue

Stiff bristle brush for applying glue

Black Acrylic Paint

Small #0 paint brush

Black Hair – Crow

Light Hair – Baby

Felting Needle

Black - Coats & Clark Button Craft Thread

Beige – Coats & Clark Button Craft Thread

Black Thread – Sewing & FME

#10 Round Bristle Brush

#4 Flat Bristle Brush

Decorating Chalk – Stamping supply

2 ea. - 5/8” Black Buttons – Arm Joint

3” & 5” Dollmakers Needle

Zig Memory Pen - Pure Brown

Glue – Beacon Fabri-Tac

Darning Foot

Tapestry Needle

Universal size 16 sewing machine needle

Sewing Machine, Scissors, Straight Pins, Matching thread, Bobbins, etc.

Tools: Large & Small Forceps, Needle Nose Pliers w/ wire cutter, Fasturn( variety of sizes), Stuffing Fork, Awl, Freehand Embroidery Foot or Darning Foot

For Questions about the supply list, please feel free to email Ute ute@neb.rr.com

Class: Felted Pouches

1 day class: Sunday, August 12, 2007.

Kit fee: $5.00

Sewing machine required: No

Skill Level recommended for this class: All

Homework: No

Description of Class:

Wear it or use it as an accessory for a doll! Learn to make a felted pouch using Wool Roving or Top, a little soap and water, a bamboo mat and a little elbow grease. Ute will guide you through some basic steps of wet felting. You'll absolutely love it. Join me for a day of fun & felting!!!

Bio: MY STORY.....AND I'M STICKING TO IT!

If you had asked me…What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm sure the answer would NOT have been a dollmaker. Actually when I was a little girl, I always dreamed of being a flight attendant.

To make a long story short, I was born in Hanau West Germany. At the age of twelve, I moved to the US with my mom. I had to learn a new language and a new style of living. So let's just say my life has been a challenge from an early age.

Sewing was never a strong interest of mine, not until my daughter was born. I wanted to make her a dress. That, I think opened the door to a new beginning! I tried many things; Macramé, Basket Weaving, Tole-Painting, even made some Teddy bears. True inspiration didn't hit, until I attended a local Doll Show. Being able to see in person, some of the most wonderful creations ever. It was that day that was going to change my life forever!

I was so inspired, that I joined our local Doll Club. This is where knowing how to sew would have been a real plus. Determination and the help from many Doll Artists helped me get my feet off the ground. A newbie to dollmaking! Inspired, buying patterns, taking classes, I started to create dolls. I had finally found something that I totally loved.

Soon after having made a few dolls, I decided to create my own. Of course, I wanted and had to make something different. This is how I came to creating Trolls. Not because they were mean ugly creatures, but because they had great big features, lots of texture and each one was so uniquely different. Those little or big creatures, with the big noses and those fuzzy tails. It really did something to me. Literally!!

In the spring of 1999 I released my first pattern. I try to make each pattern uniquely different, giving each doll its own personality. Some of my dolls have been to exhibits as far away as Japan & Australia. Others have been recognized by publications listed below.

Recognitions in Publications:

Soft Dolls & Animals ~ July 2005, Artist Trading Cards - pages 18 & 19

Soft Dolls & Animals ~ July 2004

Art Doll Quarterly, Spring 2004

Doll Crafter, pages 26 - 29 ~ August 2003

Soft Dolls & Animals ~ July 2003

Soft Dolls & Animals ~ April/May 2003

"Creative Cloth Doll Making" Book, by Patti Medaris Culea

Soft Dolls & Animals ~ March 2003

Soft Dolls & Animals ~ November 2001

Soft Dolls & Animals ~ June/July 2000

Doll University, DollU, Camp DollU