Dorrie: Little Dorian Corey

Project info
Name: Dorrie: Little Dorian Corey
Pattern: My Little Buddy Doll by Ornicka Owens
Hook: 3.75 mm (F)
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Solids
336 Warm brown

09-08-2018
I’m putting the start date as September 8, but the truth is that I made the head some months ago. The head languished with no eyes and only one ear. But this evening I felt the need to cast on for a different doll, and thus this kid was pulled into action.
Note: some dollmakers that I admire greatly refer to the “doll graveyard” as that space in which dolls languish in a state of limbo. unfinished, awry, perhaps never to be finished.
I prefer to think of them as in doll rehab. They disappear from view for a while but will return with a renewed determination and a stronger sense of self.

09-09-2018
From my recent experience with the Stylin’ green dress, I’ve decided to incorporate nether garments when the pattern does not do so.
I used two full rows to get to the starting stitch count (this is a deviation from the pattern that has the full stitch count on the first row) so I’m making the legs 1 round longer than called for by the pattern.
To achieve nethergarments, I’m subtracting two from the adjusted leg count, changing yarn color to white, doing 1 color change row and 2 regular rows before finishing off.
Starting the body (from bottom up), I’m using color: white for rows 1-4 and then a color change row.

09-28-2018
At the eleventh hour, I decided to attach the legs with button joints. I didn’t do a perfect job (to say the least).
In part, I was hampered because I’d made underpants instead of a singlet/leotard/unitard. Any of those three choices would have looked better, I think.

But I really wanted her legs to be able to move, and wasn’t comfortable sewing them on in either standing or sitting position if they couldn’t move.

So I’m happy with the way they came out.

The face is more “soft sculpture” than any I’ve done so far.
The pattern is very clear and very easy. A few more photographs on sewing on the legs would’ve been helpful, but then I didn’t end up doing them the way the designer did.

I haven’t yet decided what to do with their hair…

09-30-2018
I’ve named this doll Dorrie, as they remind me more and more of Dorian Corey (ca. 1937-1983), of Paris is Burning fame.

I’m sure this is because I did the button jointed legs, so this person is my first doll who sits down. And Dorian Corey was seated at a vanity table, applying makeup and telling truths, in PIB.
Once I decided to embrace Dorian Corey, I felt more inspired and took more risks.
I embraced the wig cap--because for most of their interview in PIB, Dorian Corey was wearing a wig cap.

So I didn’t have to try to make the wig cap look like hair, or NOT look like a ski cap. Instead, I made it of crocheted mesh (i.e. sc1 ch1) and did the decreases the easiest way (skip one stitch) so it would be comfortable and not make their scalp sweat. Then I latched on the hair strands one at a time to the wig cap. I used cherry cola yarn, because it’s always made me think of fabulous hair, and I cut out any colors I didnt’ like (there’s this one weird brownish green…)

I embroidered their mouth with metallic thread.
I mastered eyeliner for the first time. I drew bold eyebrows.
I even dressed this doll in a bralette from a dress that hadn’t worked out, because I didn’t want to have them all naked.
What they really need is a kimono, though…
She looks fabulous.