Doll-making

Does anyone know how to make dolls? I'm talking simple, cloth dolls--I've looked at how-to books and they look very complicated. I thought this would be a fun project, as I really like art dolls and maybe I could start with something simple and progress up to something more artistic.

Anyone ever try this?

[Stella]

The only kind of dolls I've ever made were mop dolls.



Here's the magic formula.

Materials:

16 oz mop refill
Hot glue and gun
Paint for face
Straw Hat
Infants clothing
5" Styrofoam ball
Scrap piece of canvas
Kerchief for around neck

Instructions:

Push a large craft stick through the styrofoam ball (about 1 1/2 inches in) and secure with a little hot glue (low temp works best). Cover your styrofoam ball with a scrap piece of canvas or white cotton fabric and securing the fabric down the craft stick.

Lay your mop flat with the mop strands facing out to the left and right of you and centre seam in the middle. Glue your craft stick to the top centre seam of the mop and secure with a few mop strands tied tightly around the stick.

Divide your mop strands into four sections (two for the arms and two for the legs) Make the legs a little thicker than the arms.

Braid each of the four pieces (as you would braid hair) and secure at the end with a mop strand.

Trim away the excess strands at the ends of the braids and keep these pieces to use for hair.

With the reserved mop pieces, glue around the top of the head to create a border of hair. Place your straw hat on top of the head and glue in place.

Paint eyes, a nose and mouth (you can use buttons for the eyes and nose and a pipe cleaner to shape the mouth).

Dress the little guy in infants clothing, tie a kerchef around his neck and you're all done!

Here's a link to a bunch of good patterns:
http://www.a1craftpatterns.com/mopdoll.htm