Making a Doll - Part One

I've been meaning to post some pictures of the storybook dolls in process. Sort of a mini tutorial for those that might be interested.

First I start by making some small Waldorf doll heads. You can find a much better tutorial than I could give here. Mine are quite small, about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter. I use cotton stockinette for the underhead but you can also use nylon stocking material if you want to use a recycled material. The heads are then covered with cotton knit fabric and the eyes are indented.

Next I usually paint the face. I use gel pens for the whites of the eyes and pencils for shading and cheeks. Everything else is done with nontoxic Micron Pigma pens which have extremely fine points and won't run or smudge. (LOVE them!)


Now I attach the head to its wire skeleton. I use two pipe cleaners twisted together, and then twisted back on themselves, for both the arms and the legs. This creates a doll that is very sturdy and won't break with play. I also sew the head to the wire skeleton so it can't be pulled off...I have boys so I've learned to make toys that can withstand a lot of active play.


Next I wrap the bodies with wool roving and hold it in place by wrapping with thread.

Now you have a doll that is ready to dress. I hope this isn't too confusing, you can click on any of the pictures to get closeups. If you have any questions or can think of a shot that might explain things better feel free to ask and I will try to answer in the next post. I'll have to cover the dressing and hair later because I need to take more photos so, to be continued....