Although I make my living primarily by designing, teaching, and writing about contemporary quiltmaking, I’ve become a most enthusiastic dollmaker and mixed-media and surface design enthusiast, as well. I find working with the figure (human or non-human) to be very therapeutic, as well as lots of fun. Although my quilts are all original designs, at this point in time, most of my dolls are not. I am learning by making, adapting, and combining patterns by other artists. You’ll find designer credits next to each photo below.
Some of my favorite sites to take classes or to buy patterns & supplies for cloth dollmaking and figurative art:
Cloth figures by Beth Ann Williams. Pattern by Allison Marano of Faewyck Studios.Cloth figure by Beth Ann Williams. Pattern by Allison Marano of Faewyck Studios.
Angela Jarecki
Cloth figure made by Beth Ann in online class with Angela Jarecki
Black Madonna figure made by Beth Ann Williams in class with Pamela Hastings.Hot Flash cloth figure made by Beth Ann Williams. Pattern by Pamela Hastings (clay face added by Beth Ann)
Cloth figure by Beth Ann Williams, Interpretation of pattern by Patti Medaris CuleaMorwenna, cloth figure by Beth Ann Williams. Interpretation of pattern by Patti Medaris Culea.
Sarah Jones
Cloth figure by Beth Ann Williams. Pattern by Sarah Jones.
When health challenges made hand-sewing (and hand appliqué and hand-quilting) no longer physically viable for her, Beth Ann’s first instinct was dismay and discouragement. But Grandma Baldwin gave her a loving (but stern!) “No pity parties – just figure out a different way.” So Beth Ann turned to her trusty sewing machine and began devising ways to achieve the fine quality appliqué look she craved faster and easier than she ever thought possible. And a career was born!
Now Beth Ann enjoys sharing her accessible “invisible” machine appliqué and creative machine quilting techniques with other quilters and fiber artists around the world.
