Good Luck Gracie's Chinaman Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!  Each year I forget how much I truly enjoy this remembrance.  I got so caught up in Chinese New Year this February that I almost forgot how much I loved all the adorable, vintage Valentines of my youth and before.

It was while browsing and picking out some new ones to share this year, that I happened upon this crafter's blog called Creative Breathing.  I instantly liked the name of the blog, but this woman's felt dolls and anthropomorphic toys sent me reeling with delight.  I instantly decided to make a mini version of her New Year Chinaman.

She'd posted a pattern for her readers to make one for themselves and shared the story of how one of her readers had seen him and asked her to make one for her for her newly adopted children from China.   

The artist's husband traveled a lot and she spent her time, as I 

do, amusing herself with her creations, and filling her space with joyful things.  Sadly, her last post was in 2014, or I would have followed her religiously.  

With pipe cleaner legs, and wool felt, she created come-to-life vintage Valentines.  Her embroidered faces are divine and making Gracie a mini version of the New Year Chinaman, gave me further practice with this.  That pink clock is to die for!

Since I was making him up so close to Valentine's Day, I decided to create for him a heart banner instead of the New Year's one.

This also made him unique and special just for Gracie.  As you can see, he's about the same size as her Lucky Tiger.  About 4".  There was no indication in her blog posting how tall her Chinaman was, but I'd guess about 9" - 10", maybe a bit larger.  The pattern was free drawn and had no directions on how to make or assemble him, so once again, I was winging it.

The little Valentine Chinaman has pipe cleaner attaching his head to his body.  I folded the end of it up on the pipe cleaner stem for his arms.  His two black pipe cleaner legs are not locked so I can adjust them to help him stand.

He has a full body that's stuffed with fill, and his ears are sewn into the sides of his gently stuffed head.  

He "wears" red gloves.  The embroidered frog closure design has French knots on the ends. Since he's so small, I used only one thread to embroider his face.

I added a Chinese collar to the outfit.

Since the hat was so tiny, I added a pom-pom to the top instead of the frou-frou she added.

Not being able to see the back of her doll, I decided that his little head need a Chinese queue. 

The black pipe cleaner for the legs is bent at the bottom for his feet and poked through the top shoe piece with the bottom shoe piece finishing the feet.  I used a 2mm crafting hole punch to push the pipe cleaner through the wool felt.

Now Good Luck Gracie has two dolls to hold or display with.  As the year goes on, and other Chinese celebrations come along, I may make her more toys.  She can help me celebrate all year long.

I would like to explore making my own anthropomorphic felt dolls and may have to find a little Valentine clock to begin with!

Below are some favorite Valentines for this year.  The two with the pink floral back drop are ones I purchased for my collection.  Attached, also, is the Valentine display in Creative Breathing's room.  It's absolutely awesome!

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day!  My husband's kind of a stick-in-the-mud when it comes to Hallmark holidays, but I create my own fun and with the help of Creative Breathing this Valentine's Day was a joy!

Love, Melissa