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February dolls in the making

22/2/2023

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I have a full and messy sewing table again. There should be a new group of cloth dolls  available via my online store in the next week or so. I'll let you know exactly when they'll be listed :) 

​Hooray!
Willowynn doll in the making
Willowynn doll in the making
Willowynn doll in the making
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My work room

10/1/2023

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Work room - Margeaux Davis / Willowynn
I've been tucked away in my cosy work room for the past few months illustrating a picture book. I'm nearly finished (if all goes well) so will be sewing again soon!

I'm looking forward to making my Willowynn dolls or finishing the sewing pattern for the orca you can see patiently waiting on my sewing table.
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Dolls on my work table

17/5/2022

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I've spent the past few months working on the group of dolls you can see waiting patiently here on my work table... and I think they're nearly finished. Hooray!

It's taken me longer than usual to finish this group. My children have been home from school quite a bit these past couple of months, due to Covid isolation and major flooding in our area.

We are thankfully on high ground but our nearest town Lismore (where my son goes to school) was devastated. 

And it's still raining.

I should have a five new dolls available to purchase via my online store later this week. 
Willowynn work space
Willowynn doll
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Willowynn snail sewing pattern coming soon

25/2/2021

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Willowynn snail soft sculpture
I'm finally creating a downloadable sewing pattern for my snail soft sculpture!

There are snail prototypes all over the place here, and not just on my desk (pictured below). I have made so many snails, after first creating my design back in 2013, but offering it as a sewing pattern means I now have to make a proper template! So I'm tweaking and perfecting the shape, size and design. 
Willowynn snails in the making
Snail prototypes - perfecting, tweaking, changing...
I'm at the last stage of sewing pattern production, which is photographing the steps, so my snail sewing pattern will be available via my online store by early March. I'll notify via my email newsletter and social media as soon as it's ready to download. 
​
*EDIT - my snail sewing pattern is now available to download via my online store *

Picture
I took the photo above, years ago, upon discovering this little drawing on my work table. My family and I are fascinated by snails and have a very large (and growing) collection of huge snail shells. We live in a sub-tropical region of Australia, with rainforests nearby - where we regularly find the giant panda snail. 
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Illustration desk

5/10/2020

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I've shared photos of my sewing table here so many times but I don't think I've ever really shown you where I spend the other part of my working life... this desk on the other side of my work room / studio.
Picture
This is where I draw and paint - mostly with watercolour but sometimes with oils or acrylic paint. It looks out into our garden and holds all my precious bits and pieces for illustrating or designing. I found the old desk second-hand and I absolutely love it... lots of drawers and cupboards underneath and it even has a secret compartment (don't tell my kids). 
Picture
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Making elephants

11/6/2020

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Elephant sewing pattern by Willowynn
Elephant sewing patterns by Willowynn
I'm having fun designing new elephant dolls (which are now available as a sewing pattern). Right now I'm trying to perfect their elephant heads by sewing prototype after prototype... using the fabric from an old bed sheet.

This is my favourite stage of soft toy design - looking at pictures of baby elephants, trying out different shapes, testing the scale of the trunk / ears etc... trunk up or trunk down (I've decided to include an option for both). Lots of fun and also a bit of a brain strain, and I'm happy to report that they're coming along nicely.

These guys will be similar to my other animal dolls that can be downloaded as sewing patterns. I also have patterns to sew their little overalls, dresses and coats. 

* Edit / update... the digital sewing pattern for my elephant soft toys is now available to download and print. Happy sewing!
Elephant soft toy sewing pattern by Willowynn
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New owl and penguin sewing pattern designs

31/5/2019

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Willowynn barn owl and penguin sewing pattern
I designed a simple barn owl stuffed toy years ago which has been one of my most popular soft toys. I think I've made hundreds of them and have even adapted it to create a larger, more sculptural clawed barn owl that also has wings - which I still make today. 

Anyway, I've decided that it's time to offer my little barn owl softie as a digital sewing pattern, so that you can enjoy making them for your little ones. Their cute Babushka-like shape reminds me of the shape of a chubby penguin, so my sewing pattern also includes templates and instructions for making penguins! 

I've spent the past couple of months designing the penguin soft toy and putting together a new sewing pattern for both of them. It is now available to download via my online store.
Willowynn barn owl and penguin sewing patter www.willowynn.com
Sewing faces while soaking up some sun.
Willowynn barn owl and penguin sewing patter www.willowynn.com
Penguin design in progress.
Willowynn barn owl and penguin sewing patter www.willowynn.com
A little crowd growing on my work table...
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March worktable scenes

6/3/2019

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Willowynn work table. Sewing room, art studio, doll-making.
Willowynn work table. Sewing room, art studio, doll-making.
Willowynn work table. Sewing room, art studio, doll-making.
Here are some recent pictures of my work table this past month or so... doll making can be a messy business but also provides me with some surprisingly funny little scenes, when I walk into my sewing room / cabin of a morning. 
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Doll heads on my table

29/11/2018

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Willowynn doll heads
I'm busily working on some new cloth dolls which I hope to have available by end of November (but probably early December). Looking up just now, I caught sight of these two little heads resting in crochet cotton balls and smiled... they looks so content. So thought I'd share that with you :) 
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Doll petticoat and bustle making

31/10/2018

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Doll underclothes by Willowynn
I'm spending this lovely rainy day sewing clothing for my new collection of cloth art dolls. The dress I'm currently working on is Victorian inspired, and I've found that to get that lovely Victorian dress shape, the dolls really need to wear a petticoat and bustle underneath. 

This next group of dolls should be finished and available to purchase via my online store by the end of November. To see some of my dolls, take a look at my gallery page or have a look back through the Willowynn artworks category on my blog.
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My new workroom

5/9/2018

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Willowynn work room
Lovely rainy day rugged up and making things in my NEW cosy work space. I'm now in the tiny cabin in our yard, surrounded by trees. It's the work room of my dreams. Thank you Matt, for sharing it with me (it used to be his).
Willowynn studio / workspace
Willowynn studio / workspace
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Workroom

13/7/2018

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Margeaux Davis (aka Willowynn textile art) in the work room
At work, stuffing fabric snails while warming up in the sun. 

My workroom gets the winter sun and is the best place to be when it's cold. I've opened up all the windows to let in the fresh air, as it's been really wet here lately. I'll be closing them and lighting the fire soon though... once the sun disappears behind the trees. 
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Willowynn in Homespun magazine

8/11/2017

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So delighted to find this lovely article written by Janai Velez featuring my workroom in the November issue of Homespun magazine. It really is beautifully written and I love the way Janai has described my dolls. I always draw a blank when asked to describe my work so it's really helpful to hear someone else's words. ​
Willowynn feature in Homespun magazine November 2017
Homespun magazine November 2017
Homespun is a treasure of a magazine, if sewing is your thing, and is packed full of inspiring projects, tips and interviews.

​The magazine is available from Australian newsagents throughout November and is also available as a digital copy online at www.zinio.com.
​

Willowynn feature in Homespun magazine November 2017
Homepun magazine November 2017
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Platypus soft toy

22/3/2017

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My son needed a platypus (and this photo of me making it) for something at school. It took me several prototypes to get the shape you see here and there are still things I'd change... but I'm thinking of maybe offering it as a sewing pattern. Would you make a platypus? They're pretty fantastic creatures.
Margeaux from Willowynn making platypus soft toy prototypes. Sewing pattern coming soon.
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New dolls and mushrooms Thursday 15 December

13/12/2016

2 Comments

 
Willowynn dolls available 15th December 2016
There are four little cloth dolls on my work table, that are almost finished. I'm just making some finishing touches to their cloaks and little boots.  All four dolls will be available to purchase via my online shop from 10am (Sydney daylight savings time), Thursday 15th December. I'll also have two pairs of my mushroom hanging ornaments available to purchase online from Thursday as well.

Next week is the start of six weeks of school holidays here so I'll be slowing down on the sewing front while my children are at home. We'll be camping and painting mostly... 

I hope to have a new collection of work available by early February... maybe some large animals this time.

Wishing you happy and safe holidays,
Margeaux
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December 04th, 2016

4/12/2016

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The artisinal toymaker: Country style magazine, Dec 2016
The artisanal toymaker: Country Style magazine December 2016
Oh my goodness... Country Style magazine, here in Australia, have just published a heart-burstingly lovely article about me, my work, house, kids, world... in their December issue (in stores now). Above is one of the photos taken by photographer, Mark Roper. You can actually see a snippet of it on their website (here) along with a little video of me (made by Hattie Morgan) babbling about what I do for a living. The magazine is available to buy online or in newsagents and supermarkets from tomorrow. Hooray!
Picture
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Mushrooms

22/11/2016

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Thanks so much guys! Lots of hanging mushrooms (and fox and bunny dolls) in the post. It might not look like it, but that's a lot of work boxed up right there and it's such a great feeling to see them all finished and heading out into the world. Dolls, owls and whales next...
Fabric mushroom hanging ornaments by Willowynn. All boxed up and ready for the post.
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On my table...

22/11/2016

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This is where I work every day... my favourite room in this tiny old house. My boys like it in here too as this is where the buttons, scissors, string and good pens are. Right now I'm working on some owls, whales and four new dolls which will available via my online shop soon.
Willowynn studio
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Owls and mushrooms in my work room

9/11/2016

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My messy table is filled with work that I hope to have available via my online store over the next few weeks.

It's been one of those lovely steamy afternoons with the sound of thunder in the distance... ​
Picture
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Mushroom hanging ornaments - progress

25/8/2016

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Some mushroom hanging ornaments on my work table this week. I'm trying to get some sets of these ready for Christmas.
Making mushroom hanging ornaments - Willowynn
​I love it when the perfect material for what I need happens to be rubbish... like the plastic from old milk bottles.
Using recycled materials for fabric mushroom hanging ornaments by Willowynn textile art
Mushroom hanging ornaments by Willowynn
Mushroom hanging ornaments in handmade box by Willowynn
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Snails on my worktable

9/6/2016

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Willowynn snail soft sculpture
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Giant panda snail shell

10/5/2016

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My current fixation is this shell from a giant panda snail. It's helping me with what I'm working on right now.
My current fixation is this shell from a giant panda snail. It's helping me with what I'm working on right now.
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March 04th, 2016

9/3/2016

5 Comments

 
Behind each of my dolls are usually several failed attempts. There are rejected shapes, limbs, heads and ideas all over the place this week. I'm modifying, tweaking, improving and trying for curvier curves. Trying not to obsess or over think...
There are rejected shapes, limbs, heads and ideas all over the place this week. I'm modifying, tweaking, improving and trying for curvier curves. Trying not to obsess or over think...    
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New Owls and foxes

27/2/2016

4 Comments

 
Willowynn owls and foxes
This little group of foxes and owls is almost ready to go into the shop (just need to finish the stitching on the two fox's ruffs). They will be available in my online shop Thursday 25th February from 10am Sydney time.
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Fox and owl

3/2/2016

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Sometimes I walk in and wonder if I've just interrupted something...or maybe that's just me. Too long sitting in this room by myself?
Picture
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<<Previous

    Margeaux Davis aka Willowynn

    Hello

    My name is Margeaux Davis. I'm a doll-maker, sewing pattern designer and children's book illustrator, based in northern New South Wales, Australia.  

    ​Here I'll share what I'm making, as well as some hints and tips to help you sew your own soft toys... 


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    Sewing patterns

    Snail soft toy digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Bunny and bear stuffed animal doll digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Blue whale soft toy digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Fox and wolf stuffed animal doll / soft toy digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Fabric moth and butterfly digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Elephant stuffed animal doll sewing pattern / soft toy digital PDF download by Willowynn

    Pleated mushroom hanging ornament digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Barn owl and penguin stuffed animal digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Dolphin stuffed toy digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Platypus soft toy sewing pattern PDF by Willowynn

    Doll coat digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Doll overalls and pants digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Doll dress digital sewing pattern for 3 doll dresses by Willowynn

    Stuffed animal doll digital sewing pattern set. Bunny, bear, fox, wolf, elephants

    Doll clothing digital sewing pattern set / miniature dresses, overalls, coats and pants by Willowynn

    Mushroom / toadstool digital sewing pattern set of 2. Embroidered (beginners) and pleated (advanced)

    Whale & dolphin soft toy digital sewing pattern set by Willowynn (10% discount)

    Embroidered Mushroom / toadstool hanging ornament digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    FREE Embroidered hanging Christmas ornaments digital sewing pattern by Willowynn

    Miniature jumper & cardigan knitting pattern (digital download) by Willowynn


    Cards and prints

    'The fox and the crow' print by Margeaux Davis of Willowynn

    Pack of 3 Christmas greeting cards / Watercolour illustration by Margeaux Davis of Willowynn

    'Summer ramble' art print by Margeaux Davis of Willowynn

    'The fox and the crow (2)' print by Margeaux Davis of Willowynn

    Art postcard set of 7 / watercolour illustrations by Margeaux Davis of Willowynn

    Willowynn nature / soft sculpture postcard set of 6

    Christmas / holiday greeting card pack of 4 by Willowynn

    Toadstool / mushroom Christmas greeting card by Willowynn

    Baby in nest Christmas greeting card by Willowynn




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  • About
    • Bio
    • Press
    • FAQ
  • Shop
    • Textile art / dolls
    • Sewing patterns
    • Cards and prints
  • Textile work
  • Illustration
  • Blog
  • Contact