“Creativity takes courage. ” ― Henri Matisse

I'm working on my Fairy Doll.
MJ came over on Friday and helped me with the stuffing and a few other tricks of the doll trade. But, the problem is that she keeps leaving.
Remember her two dolls that she brings with her?

Well, she finally has the boobs covered with this cute little crocheted vest and her doll only needs hair.
She left me with instructions to draw a face, on paper and transfer it to the head. She also said to sew the legs and arms to the body.
Saturday I sewed the arms together...

 and realized that Amethyst only has three fingers... well actually a thumb and three fingers.Thinking I had made a horrible mistake, I looked at the pattern again. The picture of Amethyst has five fingers, but somehow I ended up with four. That was my first indication that something was seriously wrong.
Then I took a look at her head.

It seemed kind of small. I mean, I know that fairies are small... of course I do... but this fairy head was smaller than MJ's head and we both used the same pattern.
"Courage, Farmlady!"
I re-read the directions and they said that I needed to stuff the fingers, then lightly stuff the two finger unit and top stitch the fingers. 'Two finger unit'? I thought I did that, but there was still a finger missing. So, I followed the directions, but somehow I came out with a thumb and three fingers.
This little fairy doll is going to have three digits and a thumb, forever, because I'm not doing this over again and magical little people are... well... magical.  Maybe she'll just grow another one. I've decided that this little fairy is going to live with one less finger. It's called creative license.
But,it looks a little odd...

 That's only the beginning. Take a look at her thumb. (On your right.) I stuffed it too much and the seam popped. Now she looks like she had a badly wrapped up, wounded hand... I think she got it caught in my ineptness. But, she has a cute little dimple on her wrist, right where it's suppose to be.
"Courage Farmlady!".
By Saturday night, I felt like this doll looked... in pieces.

I left it all and went to bed. Sunday I walked past her from time to time but never picked her up. I rested from my doll making efforts for a whole day.
Today, I decided to be brave and draw Amethyst a face. That didn't happen either. I choked. I couldn't do it. I looked online for ideas. I drew a face on paper and then, when I started to draw it on the doll's face, I  froze. This was not going to happen without MJ right by my side. I've invested too much in this doll to end up with a face that looks like her three fingered hand... only in color.
So, I sewed her bloomer covered legs to the bottom of her body, using one of the Prospector's heavy duty pliers to pull the needle through the layers of fabric. Someone knows more that I do about all of this. There must be secrets to sewing into a stuffed body. Then, I sewed her ears and her arms on.
I can't even critique my efforts so far. I feel that I've failed her... but she is a work in progress and I will continue on.

One ear is bigger that the other. She has one arm that appears longer, because I stuffed the other one too much and stitched the elbow in the wrong place. Her head is not sewn on yet and she needs boobs... and clothing... and wings... and hair... and a FACE.
"Courage, Farmlady!"
I'm calling MJ tomorrow and bribing her (again) with lunch. I will ask her nicely if she will come over and help me finish Ms.Amethyst. Maybe I will cry a little over the phone for some sympathy.

I'm sorry Amethyst.I know that you are a wonderful little personality just waiting to be born. I will finish you ...and hopefully I can make you a sister too...  or maybe not.

I'm learning a lot. I know that I will never use old, unbleached Osnaburg fabric again for skin. It's not strong enough to be stuffed without a wider seam allowance.
And I know that your hand hurts, so I think that I may redo both of your arms.
And, at some point, you will have beautiful cloths, some wings and hair... and I give you eyes, to see us all and a mouth to sing some Gaelic songs.
Geallaim go mbeidh mé a dhéanamh go hálainn tú. 
(I promise that I will make you beautiful.)