Booping Along

My Betty doll has been languishing untouched for a while. First I wasn’t sure how I could make the arms and legs bendable – not a necessity, but I thought it would be nice. Finally the light bulb went on, and it occurred to me to use pipe cleaners. I couldn’t believe I didn’t think of that sooner, but it’s been years since I’ve even seen one. Fortunately I was able to pick up a large pack of foot-long white pipe cleaners for under a dollar. So I assembled the doll and spent forever trying to stuff it and figure out how to get the pipe cleaners inserted and somehow contained in the doll body. But I think it worked out pretty well in the end.

Then I had to figure out how to do the hair. I followed the basic instructions in Knitted Icons for the loop crochet technique, and came up with something that worked pretty well.

Her face and dress are just mocked up at this point – I need to find some bright red felt (suggestions for a good source, anyone?) for the dress, mouth, and shoes – and I’m thinking I’ll probably do the eyes with felt too, instead of embroidery. My embroidery skills aren’t the greatest, and I think I’d make a mess out of trying to embroider them on knitting. So I’ll probably only embroider the eyebrows, and maybe a little nose.

I think she’s turning out pretty cute, even if I do say so myself.