Meet Wingnut!

Then there were three.

She's far less sinister-looking in the flesh, honest.

She's currently named for her ears in reference to one of my favourite Terry Pratchett phrases, where he describes an imp as looking rather like a 'small malevolent wingnut'. Fans of the novels will agree that she looks a bit elvish, which is not necessarily a good thing (even if she does work down the chip shop).

The new joints are a dream. They look much tidier than the old-style hinges and add to the feeling that since the first generation of Makies, the overall quality of the product is much higher. Everything feels more polished and put together. I think (and someone from the lab correct me if I'm wrong) that the print resolution has changed too, so the body feels smoother. This is going to have a great effect on the joint durability over time. Only downside so far is that she's got rather obvious facial print lines, so I'm going to have do go a bit careful when applying any pigments. I think a gentle sanding will probably help here and I might go for an initial dye bath to even things out... but I can't decide on the colour at the moment!

Continuing plotting on what her final look is going to be.

Northern Blythe Meet

We met Fil's Velvet Minuet

Some people weren't keen on Makies

Quite a lot of dolls!

Some were really cute 

Everybody say CHEEEEEESE

O Hai Millie!

*sigh* If only I could paint that well... 

Makie Curious

The amazing standing Kenner!

This Blythe looked like her owner.

Drusilla the sleepy vamp

More Makie examination

Thanks to all the terribly friendly Blythers for a lovely lunch, here's hoping I'll see some of you in October at Blythe Con!

Expectations

Put the books down and amuse you? Would love nothing more than to do that, but scary exam(TM) is on Monday!

See you when it's over.

The New Batch

Huzzah and hooray!

Today, MakieLab announced that batch 2 are being released in the next week!

Badge by the amazing Poklfil. Check out mok.me.uk

But... who do I get to join Plink? She's been petitioning for a lab assistant (apparently the Giant Squid breaks too much valuable glassware) and there have been three applicants. So, dear readers...

Should it be Melchett?

Or perhaps Puck?

Or maybe the super-organised Jocasta? 

If I'm honest, I think it's probably going to be Melchett. She looks like the right mix of fun and mischief to get along with Plink like a house on fire, and quite frankly I'm a bit of a sucker for redheads. But Puck definitely has to join the crew at some point, perhaps once the green wig comes out?! Now. Off to persuade the bank balance that a second Makie is an investment...

Treasure!

It's always nice when something really cool attracts enough really cool people to make a little community. So far, the Makie forum has been a bouncing-ground for enthusiasts of all backgrounds, from slightly geeky people with a magpie complex to serious and dedicated doll collectors who've been purchasing tiny shoes since nearly before I was born.

One of the most knowledgeable people on all things doll is the splendid Poklfil. Millie, her Makie, has been keeping us all amused with her antics and access to a seemingly endless wardrobe...

Punk Millie is the coolest thing ever.

Fil generously offered to send me some Mr Muscle Magic Eraser to help remove a few blue bits from Plink, but we weren't expecting the epic box of wonders that arrived!

I love parcels! I really, really love parcels! Squeee!

Yup, that's a whole heap of stuff, including some summery patterned fabric, an excitingly fluffy wig (which we've not tried on yet!) and a handmade voodoo doll necklace. Even more exciting was a cast-off knitted jumper, which is the perfect size for Plink to wear as an achingly fashionable tunic dress, which accessorises perfectly with a snazzy blue poodle brooch  that was also in the box!

I'm quite jealous and may have to make a human-sized version. 

Thanks so much Fil... I'm having a lot of fun constructing a return package!

Unboxing the Makie

After the relative trauma of receiving the Makie, the next hour in her company was one of deep joy, attempting to take photos in the rain and dark and failing miserably. But hey! The blog needs feeding, so here we go...

Makies arrive in a very chic cardboard tube travelling case. These things are robust! The outer bag of the package looked like it had been thrown around a depot a couple of times but the tube didn't have a dent on it.

The TUBE OF AWESOME

Once you open your tube, you extract your Makie, who is attached to a sort of spinal board affair* by grosgrain ribbon. Mine was a sunny yellow colour. The Makie is in the nuddy (le gasp!), but modesty is preserved on extraction by the careful positioning of your chosen outfit, beautifully packaged. 

Modesty preserved, wig sliding...

Also tucked into the Makie's tube-capsule is a guide to Makie care and maintenance, and your new-found friend's birth creation certificate. Mine has a pleasing 'divisible by 5 theme'. I'm a bit OCD like that.

25/05 65/100. if it divides by 5 I'm a happy bunny.

Of course, the next step was to detach Plink from her board and let her try on some of my home-made Makie creations... the photos of which I've already posted. 

First thoughts? 

She feels so delicate, but I'm reassured after a day or so of forcing her through multiple contortions that she's not a lady to snap easily. Removing the hands and feet is easy, although I'm a little concerned that the joints will wear with repetitive removal. Things that do need repeated moving are the hip joints, which are very tight on Plink. I'm guessing these'll loosen up with a bit of use, but it's very difficult to pose her in a sitting position unless the thing she's sitting on is at exactly the right height and has a compensatory degree of head-tilt; I think the pelvis comes down slightly too low preventing the formation of a 90 degree angle with the lower limbs and that's causing the problems here.

Balancing her standing up is relatively easy, it's all in getting the ankle joint positioned. Pleased to say she stood on the dining table all night without falling over, despite probable attention from curious cats. The upper limbs are easy to pose. 

Most annoying thing? Keeping the wig attached to the head! The skull has a couple of bits of sticky goo attached to them, but they quickly got covered in fluff and became less effective. I seem to have the knack of it now though, today's haircut (a much needed fringe-trim) went off without a hitch! 

Yay, non-wonky fringe! Happily Makies don't wriggle.

Oh look! A custom silk/cotton jersey mix shirt?! How fab... 

Makie overall is excellent. I've not photographed the clothing here, but I'm really impressed (and wondering how in the hell they do it) with the jeans, lab coat and shirt I received as my costume; not an unfinished seam in sight. The face is flawless, the head opens really easily and the wig is of a good quality and easy to style. 

Have you unboxed your Makie yet? Drop a comment... or better yet, link to some photos! 

*Spending at least 80% of my time working in an environment where exposure to spinal boards is a daily possibility, I can happily say that they look far more comfortable and chic than the real thing.

Makie Couture is not affiliated with Makie Labs in any way, shape or form. I just think what they do is really cool. 

Hullo, welcome and a tutorial!

Every time I start blogging, it ends in a heap with me saying I'm never going to do it again, I don't have the time, I don't have the... the... 'bothered'. My blogger dashboard is like a graveyard of failed diary keeping as one project gets binned, then another doesn't work out, and eventually I either stop doing whatever it is that I was blogging about in the first place, or I keep doing it but stop telling the world about it.

Then I get excited about something else and LO, there is a new blog. I'm too bloody predictable.

Photo by Makie Labs

Anyway. This time, it's Makies. Makies are a new type of totally customisable action doll, designed to be as individual as their creators. Of course, as someone who about three weeks ago came perilously near to parting with a large chunk of cash for another small-scale fashion model, I had to get my hands on one of the alpha releases... and then I had to start sewing a wardrobe for the poor girl (called Plink and perhaps bearing a slight resemblance to my good self in a poor light if you squint your eyes up and turn your head sideways) before she even arrives!

Although most of the wardrobe pieces I've assembled so far are going to need fit-checking once she gets here, I've managed to create a cute little messenger bag that I think is going to suit her down to the ground, assuming I've got the scale more or less right and that the strap goes over her head. It's a great use for scraps that are lying around from other projects and can be made with or without the aid of a safety net sewing machine.

Go forth and ELEBAG

If I've got my blogger voodoo right, the full tutorial should MAGICALLY APPEAR around lunchtime tomorrow... perfect to plan to pop into a craft store on the way home and gather the supplies* to make your own bag :)

In the meantime, go forth and design some more Makies! 

*You will need a scrap of fabric around 6 by 4 inches (ish), approx 10 inches of ribbon or twill tape, scissors and a needle and thread. Tiny buttons are optional but ADORABLE; find them in the scrapbooking or cardmaking section. 

Makie Couture is not affiliated with Makie Lab or any of their employees. I just think what they're doing is really cool.