francine s. alphabet dolls

!"p#$b%& D'""( Francine Shamosh

This is the progression of my prototyping process. It all began with my desire to create dolls from something I love,

letter forms.

I explored and got to know the fashion district very well. I went into many different fabric stores that ranged from

helpful to snobby.  

I went in without any knowledge of what I was doing. I did my research but when push came to shove, I was unhappy

with the results.  

I am continuously exploring the fabric stores that line the fashion district, feeling my way through, trying to find which

will be the perfect fabrics for these alphabet dolls.  

So far I have tried felt, faux fur, cotton, fleece, printed cotton, muslin, and wool suiting. The wool suiting has been my

favorite.  

The first letter that I attempted to create was the letter L. Here are some pictures…  

And finally…  

One was complete. After that the process was the same but the fabrics were different.  

I found the faux fur the hardest to control on the sewing machine but I think it came out really cute.  

The ‘Z’.  

After spending more time in fabric stores, I found an awesome fabric that had a great subtle pattern and looked expensive (because it was). This fabric adds a more upscale

and personalized look to the doll.  

The ‘F’ posed some new challenges that I hadn’t dealt with before. I had to play with fabrics that had patterns on them as well as dealing with the complications of a new fabric.  

But it turned out alright in the end...  

As I continue on with this project, I would like to solve some of the problems that I am having. It seems that stuffing the doll with stuffing is creating irregularity in the shape of the doll in an unflattering way. To solve this I plan on trying to

use foam.  

I also intend on finding many more expensive looking fabrics to add that extra special touch to the dolls.  

My goal for the end of the semester is to find the best way for me to make these dolls. What I mean by that is to find the right materials and the right look for the doll overall.  

For next semester I plan on branding the dolls, from a name

to a logo to everything else that goes with it.