What materials do you use?

[Innovatora]

Hello,

I was wondering what types of materials you all use for your dolls. Many of your dolls are different, so the materials are likely to differ. Do any of you use vintage fabrics or even vintage doll clothes? I'd love to hear!

[Former_Member]

Thank you so much for inviting me to join - I am honored. Most of the fabrics I use are very soft fleece. I use old jewelry pieces to make new adornments for the dolls in many forms, as well as hand bead the dolls earrings etc. Other jewelry pieces are simply things I've collected over the years. They are hand stuffed with fiber-fill. The faces are cotton canvas, handpainted with acrylic paints. The hair on the dolls is usually made with soft yarns. I love making them, and I have several in my house that I must say I enjoy looking at over and over. I believe the "love" I feel to create them, is within in after I finish them, and is passed on to whoever purchases a doll.

[ThePineappleLibrary]

Thank you Monique - for inviting me to be a part of this fascinating community of doll makers!
I do love vintage old stock fabrics, and use them when they would work for a doll. The dolls that are currently in my shop are stuffed with poly-fil, but I have started to use wool to stuff prototypes I am working on now. I find the wool to be denser, have more weight in the finished doll and be incredibly soft and easy to stuff with. I prefer woven wool and linens for making doll bodies, and love going wild needlefelting and shaping wool roving hair. I am a big fan of using buttons to make eyes, and sometimes alter buttons to get the eyes I have in mind.

[Former_Member]

I love using wool felt, and also vintage feedsack materials for dresses.
Wool felt is a dream to work with. I also sometimes use wool stuffing if a customer wants and "all natural" doll

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for inviting me to join! I use wool and wool felt, cotton, old sweaters, and fleece mostly for my guys. I am sucker for button eyes so I often use those as well. I machine stitch all my visible stitches, it gives more of an illustrative look and I like me guys to look like a child could have drawn them.

[kitschandfancy]

i like sewing by hand so i use felt and embroidery floss and am always on the lookout for neat buttons, sequins and other doodads that i can use with them. each one i just cut out shapes and their images form as i'm playing which makes each one unique.

[TheAngelsCompany]

Thank so much for inviting me to join this team.....
I use muslin and kona cotton, recycled old sweater wool, vintage and new fabrics felt and alpaca fibers...... love this team.......xoxo

[Innovatora]

Hello everyone!

I enjoy using muslin and cotton for my cloth dolls, although I believe I am going to try to experiment with different fabrics, because from what I've seen in this team, all different materials could be used to create some very beautiful, unique dolls. Thanks for the inspiration!

Sometimes I use antique doll clothes for dressing my little creations. I give them a vintage vibe, while the face is painted new.

In the past, I have beaded the edges of some of my doll's clothes. Talk about time- consuming! But it's worth it, because the final product is detailed with an artful sense (I hope!).

Anyone ever use wood or clay to make their dolls? I've never tried, but am interested...

[Former_Member]

Thank you for the invite!

I use cotton or muslin fabric for my main doll bodies stuffed with fiberfill and sometimes along with craft pellets if they need some weight in bottom. The outfits are either store bought fabrics or recycled clothing. I started out making them with polymer clay but now I've moved on to creative paperclay because it is so forgiving. You just can't mess up with it!

Some are adorned with recycled jewelry or beads along with new ones, acrylic paint, wool, yarn, felt.... whatever captures my eye and inspires me :D

[PoppyBis]

I use ceramic for the base (sometimes wood too..... soon in my shop !).
after I dress my doll with ribbons, flower, strass, vintage jewel, cristal, etc.......

[DarlenesWorkshop]

Hello everyone. I'm very excited to be part of this group.

I use porcelain for the dolls themselves. I love to use vintage fabrics and beads but I also love some of the newer fabrics that are out there.

Monique I had to laugh when you said that you have beaded the edges of your doll clothes. I dislike making underclothes for my dolls. To keep myself interested I always bead the bottom edges of my underskirts and underwear. Even if the doll is a little country girl, she has beading on her underwear. LOL!