Meet "Penelope P. Piggins"

This is Penelope in her diva hat

This is Penelope, so cute

See Penelope's piggy tail?

Which hat to wear?

A New Pattern Coming From Dinky Baby

To find out more about this new pattern join my VIP email list, just go to www.DinkyBaby.com

Stuffing Ams & Legs

Here is a question about stuffing arms and legs from Ann, thank you for the question Ann.

I'm not sure if I'm over stuffing my legs and arms, do you stuff the whole leg and arm till firm? my dolls are starting to look like the Pillsbury dough boy or as my mother says that Michelin tire guy Thanks Ann

Stuffing is a very important part of doll making. I use two different types of stuffing for making my dolls. Crafter's Choice® Polyester Fiberfill for the body and Nature-fil™ Bamboo Fiberfill for the head, these are both manufactured by Fairfield Products©. When your doll is stuffed properly it will keep its shape for years to come and wash after wash. (If you do not have access to the Fairfield products, use something similar.)

Since Ann asked about the stuffing of the arms and legs we will focus on those two areas. This information is for the 14 inch size Dinky Babies, for smaller or larger dolls this will differ.

Using a stuffing tool (pencil or chopstick) stuff the hand and thumb area fully with polyester fiberfill. There is no need to make this too hard or packed too firmly, just stuff it fully.

Stuff the hand fully

Continue to stuff the arm up to about two inches from the end. This allows plenty of room to be able to insert the arm into the body.

Leave about 2 inches unstuffed
Arms ready to be inserted into the body

Legs are stuffed just like the arms. Fill the foot area fully with polyester fiberfill using a stuffing tool if necessary. Continue to add stuffing to the leg area up to about two inches from the end of the leg. This allows plenty of room to be able to insert the arm into the body.

I hope this helps in your doll making. A doll’s arms, legs and bodies should be huggable. Over stuffing will make it difficult to do proper sculpting and distort the look of your finished dolls.

Please email your doll making questions to Vicki@DinkyBaby.com

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FABRIC


Have you ever purchased a doll pattern and became very disappointed or discouraged when you tried to make it? You followed the pattern and the instructions, but somehow your doll did not turn out like the picture on the pattern.

The reason may be the fabric. We all want our dolls to look just like the pattern we have purchased. Some times we just use the fabric we have on hand or fabric we think would work, only to find out that all the time we put into our doll was for naught! The doll you made did not turn out like the pattern. It is very important to use the proper fabric in doll making. Most designers recommend the correct fabric to use for their patterns. Each Dinky Baby designed is made with craft velor with the exception of the mini's, they are made with Windsor or Doll Skin.

Craft velour is found on my website, www.DinkyBaby.com, unfortunately you will not find craft velour in any store. I do wish you could, it would make our lives so much easier. As this is not the case, please do not frustrate yourself; purchase enough craft velour when you purchase one of my patterns. Since I have designed my patterns using craft velour the use of any other fabric will not produce the same results.

When first designing dolls well over 30 years ago, finding fabric was the most difficult thing I ran across. Since soft-sculpture dolls were relatively new, the fabric was non existent. At that time I purchased a white nylon backed flannel fabric and took it home to dye. This was not an easy process and required a lot of trial and error. Getting the right shade of light pink was not always easy and each dye lot was always just a little different. When I made dolls I had to make sure they were all made from the same bolt I dyed. I won't even mention what it did to my washer.

Craft velour is 60 inches wide and comes in the perfect shade of pink, called "Doll Face Pink" and sometimes referred to as light pink as well as a variety of other colors. One yard will yield about three 14 inch Dinky Baby dolls with some scraps left over.

Always save your scraps for the small projects. I have designed patterns just for this purpose. My mother taught me to save scraps and to find a use for them. You will find the newest pattern "Dinky Dots" and the "5-little monkeys" a great way to make use of any of your craft velour scraps. The "Pocket Dolls" are also a great way to make use of any of your craft velour scraps.

To help you get started I am offering a discount coupon that you can use on my website for 20% any of the light pink craft velour, minimum purchase $20. All orders will ship in one week.

This is a great time to stock up and start making all those Dinky Babies. Just use the coupon code in all caps CRAFT VELOUR, this offer will end July 19, 2010.

www.DinkyBaby.com

My Booth at the Denver Show

The "Dinky Dots"

Inside the quilted booklet, see all the clothes.

Two little dolls with four different faces.

What could be more fun?

My First Dinky Baby by Ann Soper

This is what Ann had to say about her first Dinky Baby: I just finished my doll, she's not as great as yours, but I wanted to tell you your instructions are great! I have never had any pattern that I could follow as easily as yours. Each time I did something on the doll I would have to show my husband. I love her, and plan on keeping her for myself.

Ann did a great job on her first doll, I am so happy for her!

Another Fashion Design Just For "Dinky Dots"

How do you like this dress?

Sneak Peek at "Dinky Dot" Clothes

These little dolls will be coming soon. Remember paper dolls? I have based these on the same concept. A padded book with a pocket in the front and the back to hold two little dolls. The inside will have pockets to hold the wardrobe of clothes.

Each doll will have two faces, one awake and asleep, the other happy and sad. The clothes will be removable and easily stored in the padded books inner pockets.

Ruffled pants

Cute little dress

"Dinky Dots" are Coming!

A Wonderful E-mail

Hi Vicki,
I just wanted to share a quick story with you to tell you how much I love your wonderful dolls. When I was 8 years old, my best friend was given a set of boy/girl twin Dinky Dolls that her mother had purchased from a craft fair in Phoenix, AZ. It was from that point on that I was determined to adopt one of my own.

Two years later, my family moved to Prescott and I came across your dolls at craft fair.. Oh, I wanted a doll so bad, but my parents would not buy one for me. They told me that if I wanted one, I'd have to earn my own money and buy one at the next fair. Every time a fair rolled around, I excitedly went with the anticipation of buying a doll. Unfortunately you were never at any of the fairs I attended.

Just as I was about to give up hope of ever getting my own Dinky Doll, my Gram and Gramps came for Christmas bearing the best gift that year. You guessed it! I finally got my Dinky Doll! I named her Holly since she was a Christmas gift.

For the next several years I continued to look for your sales tents at the craft fairs, but never did come across them. I had hoped to add one of the smaller dolls to my ever growing doll population. I thought it was a cute touch to embroider the little heart on their bum next to your signature. I have always wondered what happened to you and your Dinky Dolls, and as I was looking up doll patterns, I stumbled across your website. I just wanted to say thank you for having been a part of my childhood and all the happy memories with my Dinky Doll.

I have since passed Holly down to my daughter who also loves her. I am a native Arizonan who has been displaced in Oregon. Currently trying to move back home to the Phoenix area.

Tabitha Little

"5 Little Monkeys"

the newest pattern and a must have

5 little monkeys with their bed, ready for travel

5 Little Monkeys is the newest pattern from Dinky Baby. Make these cute little 4 inch monkeys and dress them in your choice of outfit. They are complete with a little bed for jumping and for storage. Make one or all five and create your own memory. "5 little monkeys" is the second in this flat doll series of patterns. Coming soon "Dinky Dots"....this is going to be a fun one.

Two New Distributors Join Dinky Baby LLC

Meet Michelle Wash of Queensland, Australia. Michelle currently works in childcare and wants to turn her love of arts and crafts into a profitable business.

This is Deborah "Lovie" Rogers of Elberta, AL. Deborah wants to teach doll making and to sell what she makes at the local shows.

"Poppie" the puppet baby coming soon!

Security Bankies

new from Dinky Baby for your babies

This is my newest pattern and one that has been suggested several times. It wasn't until I saw how much my granddaughter enjoys these that I realized why not? This new pattern contains 4 different head designs that are quick and easy to make along with 2 cuddly blanket ideas. This pattern will be available on my website May 7, 2010.

Desert Cancer Foundation Wine Tasting Event

This is "Hope" the Breast Cancer Awareness doll. She is a new design and comes in a kit that contains the fabrics and ribbons to make her. A portion of the profits are donated to Breast Cancer research. To purchase your kit please go to http://www.dinkybaby.com/



The Desert Cancer Foundation here in the Phoenix valley puts on this wonderful wine tasting event to help raise money for the foundation.

This is Paul Wirth, a cancer survivor (one of the founders of the Desert Cancer Foundation) speaking at the wine tasting event. Paula just recently underwent treatment for her Cancer in Houston at M.D. Anderson.

This is Paul and Dave Graybill coming together to help fight Cancer. Please visit Dave's facebook page and become a fan. For more information on what Dave is doing with the pink firetrucks and to get involved please contact Dave at dgraybill911@yahoo.com Visit the website at http://www.pinkfiretrucks.org/

"Hope"

the Breast Cancer Awareness Doll

This is a new little doll to help bring awareness to Breast Cancer. Being a survivor I wanted to give back in a small way. This doll will help me do that. She is available in a kit that includes the fabric to make her as well as the ribbons for her hair. She is just 4 inches tall and could be made into a pin. A portion of the profits will go to Breast Cancer research. She will soon be available on my website. www.DinkyBaby.com

2010 Great PBS on-Line Auction

Dinky Baby is a proud supporter of PBS. I invite you to take a look of what is up for auction on PBS and participate in this event. Preview runs now and until the auction opens for bids April 16-30, 2010. There are thousands of items and the bidding starts at just 30%.

Go to PBS AUCTION and type in Dinky Baby as the Key Words.

Thank you for supporting PBS television.

Squirt and Cowboy Coyt Go to Tombstone

The boys were so excited about their trip to Tombstone. They were patiently waiting in the car this morning. They had such a good time when we went a year ago.

This is a picture from the new book about Squirt's Tombstone adventure. He is day dreaming here of being the Marshall of Tombstone.

Dinky Baby is the Featured Designer

for Fairfield (Poly-fil) Products

If you would like to get this pattern for FREE visit the Fairfield site. This pattern is a FREE download and a great way to experience a Dinky Baby pattern.

First Entry for the Pocket Doll & Purse Contest

Back side of the dolls, look at the hair.

Inside the purse, so cute!

Outside of the purse.

See the details and enter this fun contest with great prizes. All the finished entries will be donatesd to a great charity. This entry was submitted by Sarah Alford.

Dinky Baby Web Site Launched

It is truly an exciting day today to have my new and improved website up and running. It was a lot of hard work but well worth the effort.

Special thanks to my web designer Krista Garren, the best web designer there is, take a look at her website and take advantage of her great services.

I hope you all enjoy the new site and that you find it user friendly.

Krista's site http://www.superbwebdev.com/index.htm

Dinky Baby Web Site Updated & Opening Soon

Some of the changes are:

1. Copy of detailed invoice with accurate shipping emailed right away

2.Easy VIP sign up

3.Thumbnail photos will reveal larger detailed photos of products

4. "Patterns of the Month" have a separate tab & are emailed immediately

5. New addition-Closeout and Sale items-always something new to look at

6.Show schedule always visible

7. Links to this blog site and the FaceBook Fun Page

April's Pattern of the Month

"Kenna's Pretty Petti Dress"

Order this months pattern and you will love how easy this dress is to make. This is the perfect dress for your Dinky Babies or for those real babies you know. What a great shower gift. To order yours go to DinkyBaby.com

Keegan is not very happy in her new petti dress

Your Dinky Baby will be happy in this cute little dress

Dinky Baby and Keegan both in a petti dress

The Sacramento Trip

Snow capped mountains are so beautiful when the weather is mild.

I just had to stop to take a picture of the beautiful flowers growing wild.

California poppies are just so pretty.

My trip to Sacramento was wonderful and productive. I gained some new friends and lots of new pattern ideas. I will be revealing a wonderful new "Pattern of the Month" for April. I know you will love it.

A Dinky Baby from my past!

A big thank you to Kim DeMoise of Buckeye, AZ. She sent these photos to me of a doll she purchased years ago at a craft show. She thinks it may have been in the early 90's. The time frame is correct and the markings show I made it. Wow!

This was a christening doll with a bed

Hand crocheted booties, I made.

A face only a mother would love!

Look at those bloomers!

She came with her own bouncy bed.

Cute little fingers.

My signature red embroidered heart and my signature.

Mary & Miss Petal-a topsy turvy doll

This is brand new from Dinky Baby and will soon be offered at www.DinkyBaby.com.

This pattern comes with the history of how this unique and unual doll came to be just before the civil war.

First Show of 2010 will be in Phoenix, AZ

Jan. 28-30, 2010

Thursday through Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Arizona State Fairgrounds

1826 West McDowell

Phoenix, AZ 85005

For discounts or more information visit: RustyBarn Promotions Group

See you all in January, 2010