It was a most unusual viewer contribution from the shoebox that's offered up here. Not only did I discover a very nice letter from 14-year-old Amber Love of Babson Park, Fla., but also included was a delightful little doll that was actually a working ballpoint pen. Amber had designed the pattern herself, having been inspired by making toothpick dolls that were popular a few years back.
Along with the letter and the "Pen Pal " (Amber's name for the dolls) were very clear step-by-step directions, a page of illustrated directions that Amber had drawn and a photograph! Amber covered all the bases!
Following Amber's directions, I made several dolls of my own and was so delighted with the entire idea, as well as the presentation, that I called Amber during the show. Because Amber is home-schooled, she was able to be home to take the call. In answer to the questions asked, Amber said that she had been crafting for about nine years . . . since she was five years old . . . and had most recently sold about 20 of the Pen Pals. Prior to selling them at the craft show, she made them to give to friends as a gesture of friendship. To make your own Pen Pal, follow these instructions:
Materials:
four colors of embroidery floss
Bic round pen
white glue
two round toothpicks
scissors
Steps:
1. Discard cap from pen. Spread some glue along the last inch of the lower cylinder part of the pen. Select a floss color to be the skirt and secure the end of the strand with glue . Starting at the writing end of the pen, wrap the floss about three-fifths of the way up the pen. Snip off the floss. Secure the end with glue.
2. Apply a bead of glue at the top of the skirt. Begin to wrap the blouse floss (can use one or two strands of different-colored floss for this). Wrap a little more than another one-fifth of the pen. Snip the floss and glue (figure A).
3. Glue and wrap the rest of the way with skin color floss. Snip and glue. Snip all four ends of the toothpicks. Make sure they are all the same length.
4. Apply glue along one side of each toothpick. Place a toothpick on each side of the blouse with the tops at the top of the blouse. Let glue dry (figure B).
5. Glue the same floss used for blouse to the back of the pen and start wrapping around the top of the toothpicks and pen. Wrap down about 1/2 inch. Snip and glue.
6. Glue strands of floss for hair to the top of the pen (figure C).
Note - To make curly hair, soak some floss in water then wrap the wet floss around a toothpick (figure D). When dry, carefully unwind the floss, and glue it to the top of the pen. Floss can be wrapped around a small piece of cardboard, slipped off and glued to the top of the pen. When glue is dry, cut the ends of the floss "hair ." Floss hair can be left straight, pulled into a ponytail or braided. Keep your pen or give it to a friend.
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