Making of the Roofus Doll

Because one person requested this, I present the step-by-step details of the creation of the one-and-only Roofus doll. I have always wanted a stuffed version of my comic strip character, Roofus. A couple of years ago, I asked a friend of mine if she could sew a doll. She referred me to her mother: a nice lady by the name of Jo Fountain. I called Jo up and she said she'd love to take on the challenge.

At our initial meeting, Jo and I discussed details of the doll: size, color, fabric. I gave Jo some sample of my Roofus artwork. I also made a rough sketch of how I envisioned the doll with detailed notes.

 

I also made a doll pattern. I'd never done this before, but I Googled doll patterns and did my best. She was impressed with the detailed directions and was eager to begin.

After our initial meeting, we met once again and decided on fabric types and colors. I ended up choosing a felt material because it reminded me of the Muppets. The color was perfect.

After a shaky start (due to my bad direction), Jo and I finally were on the same page and the doll started to take shape. We met once more and Jo showed me the basic construction of the doll: the size, the shape of the body and head. She also showed me what the eyes and nose would look like.

The final doll looks amazing. The most amazing part was that Jo did it for FREE! It was such a kind gesture and a priceless gift for me. Thanks again, Jo! Below are some festive shots of Roofus from Halloween and Christmas.

So you might ask, why only make one? Well, I can't really afford to mass produce Roofus dolls right now. Plus, there's not really a demand for them either. Professionally speaking, I see the doll as a promotional device. Whenever I have a personal appearance or a book signing, I display the Roofus doll with my Roofus books in an attempt to entice potential customers to buy my crap.

Personally speaking, it's just cool.