Maisie

Hello, I'm Maisie and I am from Australia where it is very very hot and full of fires and crazy hotness right now. I came here on a plane and it wasn't even one bit scary. 

Geoff came with me, cause he is my best friend ever in the whole world. Mostly, on the plane we slept and Geoff was a bit grumpy but he is happya again now cause there are biscuits and tea parties in England.

I was maked by Jodie and she maked me some clothes and stuff but no clothes for Geoff cause all his naked is hidden inside his shell so he doesn't need clothes. 

Me and my new friends Blossom and Mac and Poppy are going to all get new forever homes really soon, and we are going to help raise money for Red Nose day.

Did you see my Red Nose? It is the bestest ever present in the world what I have ever been given. Dottycookie made it for me with a special hooky stick thingy. I am going to wear it everyday and even at night time but not to bed.

Jodie told me that lots of really famous makers have maked things for me and my friends and I think that is really nice but I am not really sure do I have to do that bobbing down thing when I meet them?

In Australia we don't do bobbing down much, we just wave.....maybe I'll just wave a lot and they won't mind.

It's a small world

Hello! My name is Alexandra Smith, I am a seamstress, designer, author and Mum. I'm "Lola" from the blog Lola Nova - Whatever Lola Wants and I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be a part of this wonderful project called Red Nose Day Dolls!

One day not too long ago, I was wandering around the interwebs, as you do and I heard a whispering about a project that the lovely and talented ladies, Emma Mitchell and Ros Badger had started. Intrigued, I investigated and learned a little more about Red Nose Day Dolls. A great cause and a truly sweet project. After that I sent a little bird to ask them if I too could make something to add for the auction for Comic Relief. Happily, they said yes!

So I started making small for the dolls. First something simple, a wee blouse made from a vintage cotton print.

As I was making, I kept hearing about more wonderful artists and crafters contributing to the project. To be in such good company is such a gift.  I love how a little idea has grown into a global project. It really is a small world.

I had quite a good time thinking up all sorts of items to make, but I did limit myself and settled on capes for Poppy, Blossom and Mac.  For who doesn't feel dashing in a cape?

The girl's capes are made from wool felt, applique, trims and lined with Liberty of London fabric.

A tad more manly version for Mac with a dapper collar and lined with a handsome plaid.

The lovely Tallulah agreed to model one for us.

It has been a real joy making for the Red Nose Day Dolls and I know that they will do some real good.

Please keep coming back here to find out the latest on the auction and see what else the makers have been up to!

Little knitted things

Hello I'm Julie and I'm a knitter. That sort of sounds like a confession doesn't it? And I suppose it is really, because truth be told I'd rather be knitting than doing almost anything else.

So when Emma from Silverpebble asked if I'd like to knit something for the wonderful Red Nose Day dolls I jumped at the chance and decided I'd make a dress and some teeny tiny teddies.

To help me with sizes I had the lovely Lily come to stay with me and act as my model. She was made by Jodie and belongs to the small Silverpebbles.

Lily has been a perfect house guest and very helpful in modelling what I've been making as I go along.

Infact she was so helpful that I made a cardigan to go with the dress.

I've also made four of the teeny tiny teddies.

All of them are made with aran or worsted weight yarn on 3.25mm needles and the yarns I've used are organic undyed manx loghtan (the darkest one), organic manx / whitefaced woodland blend (the speckly one), kid mohair and silk (the fluffy one) and alpaca / cotton blend for the polar bear. If you wanted to make a teeny tiny teddy of your own there is a free pattern that you're welcome to use here.

You can see the other things that I make over on my blog Little Cotton Rabbits.

I've really enjoyed joining in with this wonderful project and seeing all of the fabulous variety of things being crafted by different people around the world. It's a lovely idea and hopefully will do a lot of good in helping others when the dollies and their possessions are auctioned off.

Please keep checking the blog here for more details of the auction and the other wonderful things being made for these dollies.

Thanks, now I'm off to do some more knitting xxx

Tiny Books for the Red Nose Day Dolls

My name is Celia and I am an illustrator and printmaker; you can find out more about my woodcuts and linocuts here, or you might already know my blog Purple Podded Peas or come across my Tweets.

I knew Emma and Ros were up to something . . . they were being furtive . . . hatching a cunning plan! And what a fabulous creative plan it is :-) Four dolls, hand made by a host of creative folk and all for Comic Relief.

I put up my hand and offered to make something . . . I said I'd make some little books.


When I was very small I used to love little books about flowers and birds and animals (in fact I still do) so I thought the Red Nose Day Dolls would like to have their own tiny wildlife books.

I put on my illustrator's hat . . .

. . . and did some drawings on my iPad.


Then I dusted down my book-designer's uniform - black Monsoon dress c.1985 and it still fits! (yes, that's how I earned my crust for many many years) and laid out the pages so that one book would print on a single sheet of A3 paper.

I cut and folded the pages and made little covers for them (I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I forgot to take photos of that bit) but here they are newly bound.

 

The Tiny Book of Garden Birds and The Tiny Book of Wildflowers were almost finished.

They just needed pressing, so I popped them into my antique copy-press, screwed the heavy plate down tight and left them over-night.

The Tiny Book of Garden Birds and The Tiny Book of Wildflowers are ready to send to the Red Nose Day Dolls . . .

. . . but I don't want any squabbles, so I'll now have to make two more books . . .  mmmm? The Tiny Book of ....... ?

The four beautiful Red Nose Day Dolls will be auctioned in aid of Comic Relief.

Many creative people have contributed their time and skills to make lovely things.

You can help too . . .  please bid for one of the Red Nose Day Dolls (and all their gorgeous little accessories) to help to raise loads of money for a very important cause!

Salty the sea dog, a pet for a lucky Red Nose Day Doll.

May I introduce you to 'Salty'!

My Name is Emma and I'm behind the blog Sew Recycled.

I have been creating crafty things ever since I can remember which has now evolved into a fun and creative job!

I write regularly for Making Magazine and  teach various workshops in needle felting and sewing.

This is how I became involved in the great Red Nose Day Dolls!

One afternoon whilst tweeting, I came across @RedNoseDayDolls, intrigued I clicked on their page and that was the moment I knew I had to take part.

And what fun I have had!  This amazing and brilliant way of raising money for Red Nose Day was the crafty and creative idea by the very talented Emma and Ros!

A pet was needed for one of the lovely dolls, so from humble beginnings......

....Salty emerged, gaining his ears........

.....then his markings, eyes, nose and tail!

As I was making Salty, his character would became quite clear, he is a very friendly and devoted little dog. Those eyes would melt my heart as he gazed up at me, he even managed to persuade me to make him a spotty red neck-chief!

Look at him, so proud of his little outfit!

Wouldn't you just want to kiss that little fuzzy nuzzle!

Now if you are lucky enough to be the winning bid, here are a few details that need to know about Salty.

He was named 'Salty' after a very cherished dog that Ros once owned....

...He is a needle felted Wire Fox Terrier....

...and is made of New Zealand  carded sheep wool.

He is about 10cm in height and about 10cm in length.

He comes with a little neckchief and a small detachable little felted red nose.

He is not really ideal for small children due to small parts and he really doesn't get on well with cats!

So PLEASE help and support by bidding for one of these gorgeous dolls, its a super idea, full of gorgeous and stunning pieces of work made by various crafty peeps, raising money for a very important cause!

 Salty will be chuffed if you do (even if he feels a bit daft with a Red Nose!)

Thank You

x

A Little Crochet Dress for a Very Special Doll....

When Ros and Emma approached me about making a little something for the Red Nose Day Dolls, I couldn't think of lovelier project for a crafter to be involved with, so instantly I said 'YES'!  With images of Blossom, Maisie and Poppy in my mind (sorry Mac, this one isn't for you!), I set to with my trusty hook and some Debbie Bliss 'Eco baby' cotton yarn. Using my daughter's somewhat neglected doll, Ursula, as my model (her measurements are similar to those of the RND dolls) I worked up the bodice, edged it, made a tiny birds eye button (if you've never made one, give it a try, they're quick, easy and brilliant for using up odds and ends of yarn) to fasten it and then turned my attentions to the skirt.

Whilst we live a very simple life at our cottage in the Dorset countryside, I still dream of floating about in a 1950's dress complete with net underskirts! And inspired by '50s glamour, I gently increased the basket stitch to give the dress a full skirt, which I then lined with plenty of soft tulle. And what dress would be complete without some tiny crochet blossom?!

The finishing touch, a pretty satin sash held in place by fine crochet chain loops, to make sure it fits perfectly.

When I'm not raising my two children, feeding our brood of hens and running a cookery school with my Sicilian chef husband, I write the onechurchillsgreen.typepad blog - gentle musings about my life in the country, far from the city where I grew up. Little by little I fill it with crochet patterns, crafty ideas and ramblings about country life. I've written my first book, 'Simple Crochet', and love writing a monthly column for 'Inside Crochet' magazine. I'm afraid I still don't make a living from my craft, but it does give me immense pleasure and it keeps me calm and content. 

I love sharing my skills with anyone who will sit still for long enough and I am just delighted to have the opportunity to create something that will contribute, even in a small way, to this awesome charity. The children and I are huge fans of Comic Relief and the work they do both here in the UK and further afield. I am proud to be a part of it and wish the Red Nose Day Dolls lots of success on the day. Here's hoping the dollies raise a whole heap of lolly!

#Goodwork postcard for the Dolls from Team Honk in Ghana

Red Nose Day is 25 years old this year and, astonishingly, has helped over 50 million people around the world, by making people laugh and raising money. In the last few days, three ace bloggers, Mummy Barrow, Mammasaurus and aresidence (known collectively as TEAM HONK) took a trip to Ghana to visit some of the wonderful projects supported by and derived from the money raised by Comic Relief and Red Nose Day in the last quarter of a century. 

In particular they helped out at a bakery (the same one featured on the Great Comic Relief Bake Off recently), visited a mental health project and joined in at a school on the edge of a slum. They have been live tweeting and vlogging about their visit and you can see their record of their adventures by visiting their blogs (links above) or using the hashtag #Teamhonk and #goodwork on Twitter.

Team Honk met up with Jonathon Ross and Davina McCall whilst in Ghana and VERY VERY EXCITINGLY they have sent the Red Nose Day Dolls and the designer-maker team their very own postcard from their travels. 

HERE IT IS:

Hey Red Nose Day Doll Team!

Here's a shot of Davina chatting to a small child at the bakery project. The children were so friendly and happy and it was so great to spend time playing with them!

This is a digital postcard sent from TeamHonk (www.mammasaurus.co.uk; www.aresidence.co.uk; www.mummybarrow.com ) during their travels with Comic Relief in Ghana celebrating #goodwork.

For the past 25 years the money raised through Red Nose Day has been changing the lives of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa. Let’s Keep Up the Good Work. Find out how at rednoseday.com

For other digital postcards please do check out the linky on www.teamhonk.org

Thankyou so much to Teamhonk for sending this postcard from Ghana. It was wonderful to see the support and practical help that Comic Relief has given to these fantastic projects. 

We have SO much news about the doll project. In our next posts we'll introduce the dolls and the designer-maker team. It has been growing since our first post and is now 20 strong! What's wonderful about this group of makers is the willingness and glee with which they're giving their time to make unique, handmade tiny clothes and accessories for these very very lucky little people made of fabric and knit. 

We so hope that when they are auctioned the dolls will help to raise some funds for fantastic projects like the ones visited by Team Honk.

We'll leave you with a sneak peek of some very beautiful small somethings that are being crocheted as I type: