I remember a couple of years ago I dummied up a craft tutorial on my blog to much merriment. How times have changed. I haven’t published many of them over here, but I made crafty stuff for Kidspot on a weekly basis and I thought I’d like to repub the especially cute ones over here from time to time.
This is one of those activities that just keeps on giving. First you get to make a cute dress-up doll together, then your child gets to play with the cute dress-up doll. And THEN a week or so down the track, when you’re all a bit over the dress-up doll and, frankly, each other you can say, “I know what, rather than hitting your sister repetitively for no apparent reason whatsoever, why don’t you make a new outfit for Peggy the dress-up doll instead?”
See, this stick dress-up doll is genius! What’s more, it’s EASY genius (my kind of genius). I bought everything I needed from my local $2 shop (except the fabric scraps), but you can substitute just about any item we’re using here. Don’t be afraid to make this out of the scraps you have on hand:
- Use a flat stick or small wooden spoon if you haven’t got a craft or ice cream stick.
- Draw on the eyes if you haven’t got googly eyes.
- Use fasteners or Velcro to stick the clothes on if you haven’t got craft magnets.
- Use fabric if you haven’t got felt; paper if you haven’t got fabric.
Hopefully you’ve got all you need to get to it! You’ll note from my photos that I was so excited to make this tutorial that I couldn’t even wait for the glue to dry… you can see it now, can’t you!!?
What you need
- 1 jumbo craft stick
- 1 small craft stick, cut in half
- printed clothing template (see below for PDF)
- felt and fabric scraps
- beads and ornaments (optional)
- scissors
- craft glue
- embroidery thread or wool
- 2 small googly eyes
- small craft magnets (or cut a magnet strip to size)
- permanent marker
What you do
1. Download the clothing template and print out.
Click the image below to download and print the clothing template
2. Put the paper template over your felt or fabric and cut around with sharp scissors.
3. Once cut out you can add fabric scraps, beads and other crafty stuff to make the clothes extra-special. Or you can just decide they are special enough as they are and skip this bit.
4. Attach the magnets to the back of the clothing, ensuring they are ‘-’ side down (so you can put ‘+’ side up on the craft stick and it will all work … last thing you want is the clothes being repelled from the doll by magnetic force!)
5. Set the clothes aside to dry.
6. To make the hair, wind a piece of wool over and over around your fingers (short hair) or hand (longer hair). Snip a piece of wool from the end and use it to tie a knot in the centre of the wool strands. Carefully cut through the loops at either end. Trim to neaten.
7. Chop the small craft stick in half and glue on as the doll arms.
8. Glue the hair, googly eyes and magnets onto the craft stick. Make sure you glue the magnets ‘+’ side up and position them to line up with the magnets you attached to the clothes.
9. Set aside to dry for a good hour or more.
8. Once dry, draw on the mouth using the permanent marker, click the clothes into place and off you go! You can make as many changes of outfit as your heart desires. Just a warning, though … designing clothes for your doll is kind of addictive!
You could even make a shoebox dolls’ house for your new friends. Look how easy it is:
Are you a crafty mum? Would you give it a go?
Debs says
These are very cute and right up my daughter’s alley. I just bought a whole bunch of felt so that will be great with your little clothes templates. Thanks, pinned 😀
Maxabella says
Aw, thanks Debs. I’m chuffed that you’re on my blog at all!! Hello! x
Debs says
Hello! haha. Yes, see, I learnt something in your talk and I am making myself find the time to once again read and comment on blogs of people that I adore. x
Maxabella says
Good on you, Debs. It’s time to bring the comments back!! x
Lauren says
Maxabella, I am new to your blog and I must tell you: I just ADORE these little dolls!
What a perfect rainy afternoon craft! I have an almost 4-year-old with an amazing imagination and she would play with these for hours.
Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful idea!
xo, Lauren
Maxabella says
Hello and welcome, Lauren. It’s so nice to hear from you and I’m so pleased you stopped by. I hope you enjoy making these cuties – they were a big hit at my place and making new outfits has become something of an obsession with my girls (6 and 9 years). x