About this Product
Queenie
The queen Of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland handmade in the USA, she wears red silk accented four types of fancy gold trim accented with rhinestones, red lace, and hearts. Her necklace features sequins and rhinestones. Her white Satin petticoat features three rows of white lace, gold trim, and flowers. Underneath, red satin shorts have lace ruffles, flowers, and gold trim. Shimmery red stockings go down to heels featuring gold trim, rhinestones, and hearts on her stiletto heels.
The Queen of Hearts accessories include a removable heart hair accent featuring rhinestones and gold trim(held in place with included hat pin). There are also nonremovable red bows accented with faux pearls.
Approx 18 inches in height.
Ships from Florida.
Handmade in the USA one of a kind felt frogs and friends, completely hand stitched by artist Gerald Lopez. Each creation starts with a sketch then becomes a one of a kind pattern. Felt is then stitched together with needle and thread— not on a sewing machine(also not “felted”. There is wire inside for stability and some slight, careful bending then the stuffing starts. Body is not articulated.
Original, couture costumes are hand stitched onto the creation and not removable. Unless otherwise stated accessories, including shoes, are also unremovable. Hems are stitched neatly, turned up, and tucked under.
Individual strands of yarn are hand stitched for hair which is not brushable. You can touch it or carefully arrange the hair just not tug on it hard. Every creation is hand painted by the Most also have painted nails and thread eyelashes.
Handmade in the USA
Fantastic Felt Frogs and Friends Dolls
Meet the Maker
This shop features one of a kind felt creations made in true artistic and couture style by Gerald Lopez. Made completely by hand using needle and thread-no sewing machine. Even the costuming is original and done by hand. Faces are hand painted and each strand of yarn hair is stitched individually into place. The bodies are felt which is wired and stuffed. There is some basic poseability because of the wire but the figures are not jointed and mainly meant to be used as display works of art.
How it’s Made
Each one of a kind figure is made completely by hand using needle and thread-no sewing machine is used in any part of creation. Only one person is involved with making each item- myself the artist, Gerald Lopez.
I start with either a sketch or with a fabric that has captured my attention and interest. Then I decide on a character and design and whether it will be on a frog, mouse, cat, fairy etcetera. From there I make a quick sketch which I use as a pattern from which to cut out my figure from felt.
The next step is to cut out the torso and separate body pieces- legs, arms and head. These are then sewn halfway then a non rusting 17 gauge aluminum wire is cut to size and inserted. The wire offers some limited poseability but the figures are not articulated at the joints(I don't like the way that looks so don't ever do it). These are meant to be more decorative pieces than toys. After that the piece is stuffed and finished off. The body pieces are then sewn onto the torso.
Each drawing/pattern is a one of a kind because the bodies are made to go with the specific clothing design. Also the shoes are part of the body and are different on ever creation. I really love to create high heels when appropriate. Obviously in regency style clothing a slipper would be more fitting.
My great love is creating not just the shoes but the costuming. All of my costumes are original and couture. Fabrics are draped on the figure, pinned and cut to measure. Clothing is not removable. But details are impeccably done.
Usually I start with stockings(if the character is wearing them-most are) then covering the shoe form in the chosen fabrics. And I add a sole usually in dark felt. Then I move onto underwear which I love to adorn with lace, trims of various sorts, flowers and/or bows. Depending on the costume I will move on to petticoats or netting which I usually trim with lace. Then the main gown and bodice are done. These can be adorned with all manner of trims .
Everything is neatly hemmed-no raw edges.
Finishing details are also done by hand by myself. I hand paint the faces using acrylics and most times will also paint the fingernails.
The final touch is the hair which is yarn. Oftentimes I will use various colors together such as shades of yellow or browns and reds. The yarn is cut to the desired length then looped and sewn onto the head in individual pieces. Brushing is not suggested as the hair could pull out but one can gently run their hands through the loose hair. Updo styles are sewn into place.
What sets my work apart is the fact that I never use mass produced patterns for clothing or figures. All work is created from my own sketches and clothing is draped and pinned- no patterns are made for it even by me-so it'd be impossible to reproduce something even if I wanted to do so.
Also I never use a sewing machine. Everything is done with my own two hands using just needle and thread- and occasionally needle nose pliers to pull the needle through. Oh- I do use a cutting tool and the pliers for the wire.
My desire is for my work to become heirloom pieces to be enjoyed and treasured as small works of art.
