Interview with Janine May

By this point in chilly July, we here at the Homespun office certainly hope you have snuggled up with a warm mug of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows, and indulged with this month's issue. Brimming with ideas for the fast-approaching festive season, the issue includes the rather unique Tinzel The Elf doll by Janine May. We caught up with Janine to get the inside scoop on the thinking behind this Christmas critter.

Janine's interest in design began with admiration for the historical American painted cloth dolls from the 1860s onwards. At that time, doll making became an industry in the United Stated following the Civil War, and dolls were made from a variety of materials including cloth, leather, rubber, and paper-mâché.

With her imagination firmly captured, Janine was surprised to discover in 2003 that the art of creating historical painted cloth dolls was alive and well. She of course had to try it herself, but quickly found that it wasn't quite living up to her expectations. "I ordered my first commercial pattern and was immediately disappointed with the way it was written and the shape of the doll hidden under clothing," Janine says. "I have, over the years, had many unfinished dolls lying around the house because I didn't like the end result of someone else's pattern. Slowly, I started to make alterations to the dolls I made and eventually realized that I could create my own patterns."

The rest, as they say, is history and this month Homespun is happy to present Janine's own Tinzel The Elf. "Most people immediately think of a Santa for a Christmas doll but I wanted to do something a little different," she says of the project. "I always enjoy the finer details of a project so I include all the little bits that would make her unique."

Creativity seems to come naturally to Janine who had a wonderfully inspirational upbringing. "I had a lot of encouragement from my mother as a child," she admits, "I was always surrounded by good books, music, film and live theatre and my fondest memory was attending Saturday afternoon matinee performances by the Australian Ballet." With no shortage of imagination, ideas usually come to Janine after she has decided to make an item and she can usually picture the finished doll clearly in her mind. Celebratory holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Halloween feature often in her dolls, while she also enjoys creating country-style and quirky animal dolls. "I describe this style as a cross between primitive and whimsical," Janine says.

She also likes to return to the source of her passion for the craft, American dolls from the 19th Century. "I also like to make historical-style dolls," Janine says, "There are many versions of these doll patterns available by modern-day American designers. I rarely buy patterns by other designers these days, and if I do, they are usually for a historical doll. I am yet to create my own historical-style doll pattern but I am sure that it will happen some time soon."

Overall, it took Janine a few days to create Tinzel as she wanted to create something truly different and unusual. "I like the idea that my dolls might be just that little bit different from the others out there," she says. For her, the doll making process should be a learning experience for the maker, and Janine was eager to include elements people may not have tried before, such as the doll's large wired ears, attached hat, and the striking articulated hands. If any difficulties are encountered, Janine resolve is to stay positive and keep trying. "Sometimes things can be a little more difficult in the creation process but after a few trial runs I can solve the problem quite easily," she explains. "Sometimes all it takes for me is a little quiet time to think things through in sequence and then I can put the steps into action."

Tinzel's articulated hands are certainly a noticeable aspect of the doll, and as many can attest, hands are often the most difficult part to make. Janine acknowledges this and notes that, while her favourite fabric is calico, making the hands from this can often cause finger seams to split. "As I work with lycra on a regular basis in my day job, I decided to use it for the hands because it does not fray and it would be easier for readers to turn out," Janine says. "I am hoping that readers who decide to make Tinzel will find that they have learnt a new process; something that they will continue to use in all their dolls and not just with my pattern.

To all doll makers, and potential doll makers, thinking of creating a Tinzel of their own, Janine has the following to say, "don't be frightened off by thinking it looks difficult. The finished doll can sometimes seem a little overwhelming. The important thing is to remember that the final doll is a collection of smaller processes. If you just concentrate on each process as it comes, eventually all the processes will come together to create the finished product." Janine also stresses the importance of trying new things as a means of learning and improving, good advice that certainly applies to crafters of all skill levels and interests alike.

Jeannette Vermeulen