Monday, September 26, 2011

Feature & Giveaway: DENTS DE LOUP ~CLOSED~

For this week's feature and giveaway, I have Paula of dents de loup here at the Urchin Knits blog. Paula is an expert at minimalist knitting for the young children. All her toys have a unique sense of style that is all her own, yet hints at her French background- classic stripes and long, lean hand knit dolls. It has been such a fun time conversing with Paula as I got to flex my french skills, and keep google translate bookmarked ;) Here is the lovely Paula with some words on her brand...


How long have you been knitting, and how did you learn?

I learned to knit with my Grandmother  when I was little. I must have been between 8 and 10 I think. I tried to make clothes for my doll.
And then I went back to knitting with my first pregnancy. Small clothes for my baby, then stuffed animals, little people ...

Why did you decide to open an Etsy shop and sell your dolls?

My friends and friends of my children loved my items. I opened the shop to be able to offer my creations to children who live farther away, or those I don’t personally know.

Pink striped doll - bonhomme

Can you explain your creative process 

My "creative process" ... I find a lot of inspiring things on the internet. In magazines, toys, beautiful photos and beautiful illustrations. I observe and listen to my children playing, inventing stories. All of this gives me lots of ideas, objects, characters, colors and shapes ...
I make a first attempt, I correct, then show my children. And when I like what I make, I’ll post pictures to show on my blog.


I love the minimalist approach you've taken with your striped doll, What process did you take to design these dolls?

To test the size, the thread appropriate, etc. I did some tests doll very simple. I wanted to work the "cotton twine", the thread of raw cotton, undyed. But we had to mix it with some color and I love stripes ...



Your superhero doll is both clever and sweet, perfect for a little boy! Do you have your own super-hero running around the house that inspired these creations?

That's exactly right! I have two boys who often play with a long cape. I thought a superhero their size, a hero who would be between 2 and 6 years old. With a little round belly, short legs that run very fast, the head of a "very sweet bandit" who is very strong and brave but who needs a big kiss from Mom when he hurts his knee 



The dancer dolls and dancing bunnys are so whimsical and soft, I know that my daughters would love these! What kind of yarn do you use to create such a sweet doll with both structure and style

The dancers are more "sensitive" by the facial expression and the colors chosen. For all my dolls and characters I always use cotton.
Cotton thread in color and cotton twine that is more neutral, more basic.


Can you give us a peek into your knitting / creating room? Perhaps an ongoing project as well;)

Of course! I work in my home, with children playing around me. It is never stored and presented as in decorating magazines but I'll show you a little.


Thank you Paula!


dents de loup is offering a Dancer Doll to one lucky Urchin Knits readers!

dancer doll

How to enter: 

1. Become a public follower of the Urchin Knits blog via Google Friend Connect

2. Visit the dents de loup shop and add it to your Etsy favorites


3.Once you complete these two steps, leave one comment below telling me what your favorite
toy from the dents de loup shop is - leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!



For extra entries:

-Follow me on Twitter

-Tweet about this giveaway mentioning @URCHINknits

-Follow dents de loup on twitter

(Be sure to leave a comment for each extra entry in order for it to count! )


*The giveaway closes on Monday the 3rd at 7am pacific time*

UPDATE: Please read the 'How to Enter' carefully! Only post ONE comment confirming you are a follower,that you added the shop to your favorite, and what your favorite toy is. DO NOT leave a separate comment for each. Only leave a separate comment for each extra entry. ( So the max number of comments you can leave is 4) THANK YOU!
 *all invalid comments (commenters who are not followers, or extra mandatory comments -3 comments when only one should have been left- will be deleted before the winner is chosen by Random.org*

52 comments:

  1. MANDATORY ENTRY:
    1. I couldn't find the Google Friend Connect to publicly follow Urchin Knits. But I added your RSS feed to my Google Reader! :-)
    2. I added "dents de loup" to my Etsy favorites (I'm Oaxacaborn there).
    3. My fave toy is the "Little doll - red dress"

    My email address is on the "Contact Me" page of my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  2. EXTRA ENTRY:
    I follow you on Twitter (@gmunsey)

    ReplyDelete
  3. EXTRA ENTRY:
    I follow dents de loup on Twitter (@gmunsey)

    Thank you so much for this giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the Liz Little Doll- so very sweet.
    (I'm also a new GFC follower and added this shop as a fave as kitchycoo on etsy)
    meangreenmom[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Following dentsdeloup on Twitter

    http://twitter.com/#!/modernbuttercup

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tweeted about this giveaway:

    http://twitter.com/#!/modernbuttercup

    ReplyDelete
  7. Following this blog via GFC!
    "Hearted" dents de loup on Etsy

    I visited dents de loup's shop and loved the Bunny knitted plush! :)

    Modern Buttercup on Etsy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Following Urchin Knits blog publicly via GFC as lyndaclark81
    Added dents de loup to my favorites on Etsy (Etsy: LyndaDClark)
    My favorite toy from dents de loup is the Red Shoes Doll and I also like the Cotton Sheep in purple.
    lyndaclark81(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Following @URCHINknits on Twitter @lyndacooks
    lyndaclark81(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Following @dentsdeloup on Twitter @lyndacooks
    lyndaclark81(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tweeted this giveaway @lyndacooks
    http://twitter.com/#!/lyndacooks/status/118576712819806208

    lyndaclark81(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. gfc follower
    i like Liz little doll

    gustosagiveaways atymaildotcom

    ReplyDelete
  13. @gustosagiveaway following @URCHINknits on twitter
    gustosagiveaways atymaildotcom

    ReplyDelete
  14. @gustosagiveaway following @dentsdeloup on twitter
    gustosagiveaways atymaildotcom

    ReplyDelete
  15. tweet
    https://twitter.com/#!/gustosagiveaway/status/118852212528119808
    gustosagiveaways atymaildotcom

    ReplyDelete
  16. following your blog via gfc
    My fav is the hippo
    brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Following you on Twitter
    @BeeWBedard
    brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. tweeted:
    https://twitter.com/#!/BeeWBedard/status/118859820098011136

    brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com

    ps - oops - forgot to mention i hearted on etsy
    beewbedard

    ReplyDelete
  19. Following dents de loup on twitter
    brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. following you publicly on GFC as Kristen, added your shop to my etsy favorites, my favorite toy in your shop is the Pink sheep!

    krisfritsche@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. following you on twitter as kristenfritsche

    krisfritsche@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. now following dents de loup on twitter as kristenfritsche

    krisfritsche@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I <3'd dents de loop on etsy. I'm GypsiesJewels there! =)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love the blue striped doll-bonhomme in dent de loops etsy shop!

    dee {dot} hausker {at} gmail {dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I would love to win this dolls. I am a fan

    ReplyDelete
  26. My favorite in the shop is the the picture in the listing of "little boy doll". The doll has a yellow hair and a red dress.
    goldiez at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Follow you on Twitter @goldiez
    goldiez at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  28. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/goldiez/status/119184686324002816
    goldiez at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Follow dents de loup on twitter @goldiez.
    goldiez at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I already public follower of your blog via Google Friend Connect! (ksyshenka)!

    I visit the dents de loup shop and added it to my Etsy favorites (oksana2372) - adorable creations! My fave is lovely cat! http://www.etsy.com/listing/63448803/cat

    Thank you for the chance!

    ksyshenka(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Following you on Twitter! (@oksana2372)

    ksyshenka(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Tweeted:

    https://twitter.com/#!/oksana2372/status/119351175597391873

    (@oksana2372)

    ksyshenka(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Following dents de loup on twitter! (@oksana2372)

    ksyshenka(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I became a follower and added to etsy favorites.
    Sarah
    s_hock04@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. 1. public gfc follower of urchin knits . va

    2.added to my faves / squirrel33

    3.swimmer doll is my fave

    tumblemumbo at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I have two boys, now 18 and 21, and love the superheroes - I am sure they would have loved them, and probably would not
    robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  37. follow you on twitter
    robinlscott
    robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/robinlscott/status/120376191952760832
    robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. follow her on twitter
    robinlscott
    robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  40. GFC follower=Lyudmila
    I would love the Little doll - red dress
    lusizova at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  41. tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/Ludmilochka/status/120551225384120320
    lusizova at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  42. I follow via gfc! I also added it to my etsy favorites! I love the Superhero doll!!!!

    michellehaskell at gmail .com

    ReplyDelete
  43. I follow you on twitter! @michelleriebeek

    ReplyDelete
  44. I tweeted!
    http://twitter.com/#!/michelleriebeek/status/120708300030484481

    michellehaskell at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  45. I Follow dents de loup on twitter! @michelleriebeek

    michellehaskell at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  46. te sigo en twitter!!

    @saritalove03

    ReplyDelete
  47. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  48. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I realized I did it wrong- I am following you and I faved dents de loup on etsy!

    Jaime
    Aronsen40@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  50. I think my favorite is the dancer doll or the hippo. Both super cute!

    ReplyDelete