THE LITTLE SINDY MUSEUM
#SAVEASINDY
from the makers of Mam’selle
THE LITTLE SINDY MUSEUM
OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
THE LITTLE SINDY MUSEUM (TLSM) IS A SMALL MUSEUM DEDICATED TO SINDY IN SWEDEN.
EMAIL: THELITTLESINDYMUSEUM@GMAIL.COM
WWW.THELITTLESINDYMUSEUM.COM
This year is a very special year for our girl Sindy and, of course, TLSM will be celebrating. What better way to do it than to reveal ten Save A Sindy 2023 60th anniversary dolls. The Save A Sindy project began in 2020 as a way to restore, makeover and create some OOAK Sindys that normally wouldn’t get displayed in the museum. The dolls are then offered up for donations and the donor gets to own a OOAK Save A Sindy - all whilst knowing they are helping keep the museum open and to keep the history of Sindy alive.
a n i t r a M x
WELCOME
Hello, I’m Martina Söderström, the founder and owner of The Little Sindy Museum, in Sweden. TLSM is a nonprofit hobby that started in September 2020 and, at only 45 square metres, it’s little but filled with Sindy love. I first opened in Örebro, after I got the permission from Pedigree. I relocated in 2022 to the east coast, in Kramfors, Västernorrland, and I had a grand museum re-opening in September.
> Save A Sindy project by TLSM: From top left, The S-POWer Sindy Playdolls (2020); The Warrior Sindy Collection (2022); The Party Sindy Playdolls (2022); The Geisha Sindy Collection (2020); The Emm E Sindy Playdolls (2021) and The Terrain Sindy Collection (2021).
#SAVEASINDY2023 Sindy needs to move with the times! This was what inspired my Save A Sindy 2023 collection. I had such high hopes for the KK Sindy dolls when they were released in 2021. They are really lovely, well-thought-out dolls, and just like the Sindy we all knew and loved. However, I had hoped they’d have bodies that could pose like humans, or like the Made-to-Move Barbie dolls, so I contacted both Kid Kreations and Pedigree but they told me neither was planning anything like that for Sindy. So, I wanted to see if I could create something myself - especially as I have a Masters Degree in Fine Art as an Industrial Designer! In truth, I’ve been working on a more movable body for Sindy - that could fit onto a vintage Sindy doll - on and off since 2020. My thinking was...
01 02 03
Social Influence Lately, I've seen so many collectors putting a Sindy head on the Made-toMove Barbie body. So, it’s clear a lot of us have the same ‘need’ for a more modern, flexible body for our girl!
60th Anniversary Since this year is so special for Sindy, I wanted to make the 2023 Save a Sindy Collection special too! So, there will be a very limited edition of ten 60th anniversary dolls that move! They will each have a unique ‘Weekenders’ inspired outfit designed by me, but made by my mum Mai.
Donation to Save Sindy To help keep the history of Sindy alive and to support TLSM, donors can submit a donation via email or Instagram. This year one of the 60th anniversary dolls will be given to the first ten people who want to donate 1000 SEK (approx.£75) and they can choose a remaining doll. She then becomes a reminder of their good deed.
PROJECT TIMELINE The start of the Save A Sindy 2023 project first began in 2020 when I downloaded Meshmixer (a 3D computer program) to create a new body for Marta (my mini-me Sindy that I share on my Instagram feed). I had started by carving out a body for her in oven baked polymer clay to make her limbs more movable. I then wanted to try and create arms and legs more compatible with a Sindy torso - that could also be printed out on my 3D printer so I could eventually share this with other Sindy fans. It took a lot of testing, and small changes here and there, but there was light at the end of the tunnel. Here’s how it started...
> Above: TLSM's very own chemist! LOL
> Above: This is the printing area in my basement. After the parts have been printed they need to be washed in 99% Isopropyl alcohol (the yellow liquid, should be like water but is coloured by resin residue). After washing, the supports need to be cut off and then I rewash the parts in new and fresh alcohol. Then the parts are dried and I put them in the box with the yellow lid, There they get more UV light to harden completely. When that’s done it’s time for assembling.
> Left: The evolution of TLSM’s Save A Sindy limbs from hand-crafted polymer clay (Fimo/Cernit) to a Meshmixer computer 3D model and 3D printed in UV resin.
> Left and below: Marta became my test doll. Here she is with her new body parts made out of polymer clay, carved out of a cylinder baked in an oven.
01
02
03
designing
printing
colouring
The initial 3D modelling on the computer using Marta as a test doll. Every little change or update took forever! But I continued to print out parts, test, change a bit, test again and so on.
The UV Resin in the red tray and the printed parts (hardened resin) hanging on the print plate.
The mixing of the resin in different colours to get the best skin tone.
04
05
06
slicing
warning
releasing
The picture in the display is one of all the slices the parts were sliced into.
Liquid resin is very toxic, but once it’s cured by UV light there is no danger to the environment like before.
Using a metal scraper to get the parts off from the print plate and down into the washing alcohol.
07
08
09
cleaning
curing
counting
The released parts were then cleaned in an alcohol bath/wash.
The limbs curing in the UV chamber.
The various different body parts. I tried ball jointed and hinged fixings. For the ten anniversary dolls it ended up somewhere in-between.
10
adjusting
11
assembling
Some of the vintage Sindy I needed to be able to print torsos have smaller holes than them out and assemble others, so I had to drill them without any further work or bigger. other components like screws and such.
12
evolving The evolution from polymer clay (far left) to the UV resin test parts of the legs and arms. On the tray are more test prints that lead to the decision of how the final limbs turned out.
> From my Save A Sindy spare box: I used ten Pedigree Sindy heads that were in quite good condition, but didn't have their correct or complete bodies. Then I chose ten Pedigree Sindy torsos with no arms or legs.
MADE TO MOVE
It was really interesting to see how many different skin tones there are on the Pedigree Sindy torsos and pelvises. If you look closely you will notice the size and form varies also. These torsos and heads are going to be the basis for the Save A Sindy Anniversary Collection. But first they need some TLC and some time at the Sindy spa (that is a magic sponge and green soap).
Heads and ‘body’ matched together to fit best in colour.
Even though each part of the arm or leg are identical, there might be some tiny differences depending on the temperature in the printing room, the resin mixture and so on. So, in a way, they are all hand-crafted and OOAK. I have printed out four different skin colours, to best fit the vintage torso, pelvis and head. That also took some time, to get the best mixture between the basic colour and the added red and black.
MEET THE TEN Save A Sindy 60th Anniversary Collection by TLSM Each of the ten dolls will be dressed in a unique ‘Weekenders’ inspired outfit designed by Martina. Each will have a different look to include the original red, white and blue striped t-shirt, denim bottoms and white shoes.
Sewing for Sindy Save a Sindy Fashions The clothes will be made by Martina’s mum, Mai. She is the seamstress behind all the fashions and accessories sold in The Little Sindy Shop on Etsy. The shoes are made in the same 3D program and printed out.
Stylish & Sustainable Sindy 2023 The tops are made from some fabric I bought from Sellpy, an online vintage shop.
Oona
01
Towa
Fiona Theresa
02
03
04
Fay
05
Sue
Cess
06
07
Aita
Tia
Neive
08
09
10
HOW YOU CAN HELP! I will show all the Save A Sindy 6oth anniversary dolls live at a Sindy meeting in Örebro on September 9th 2023 and the dolls will be available there. After that just contact TLSM and we can arrange a donation. They may also end up in The Little Sindy Museum Etsy shop, where all the profit goes to TLSM.
! u o y Thank
@thelittlesindymuseum www.thelittlesindymuseum.com thelittlesindymuseum@gmail.com
www.etsy.com/se-en/shop/TheLittleSindyShop
Image: Maria Blomkvist @sindydockan
SAVE A SINDY (MUSEUM) ALL YEAR ROUND...
The Little Sindy Museum is a non-profit hobby and is free to visit. If you want to help TLSM by donating, please send an email to thelittlesindymuseum@gmail.com or visit TLSM’s Etsy shop, The Little Sindy Shop.
FOR 1:6 DOLLS OF ALL KINDS, ALL OVER THE WORLD!
W W W . E T S Y . C O M / S E - E N / S H O P / T H E L I T T L E S I N D Y S H O P
