Tomato Cage Dolls
Carol Duvall Show : Episode CDS-541 -- More Projects »
Guest Dian Thomas has come up with a way to make dolls using a tomato cage, wire hanger, paint, foam balls, hot glue, and a few other decorative pieces. An angel, a ghost, a flower girl, a witch and Father Christmas dolls are the charming results.
Materials: tomato cage
wire hanger
masking tape
thin wire
newspaper
wire cutters
craft doll eyes
pins
hot glue and gun or tacky glue
six-inch foam ball
foam egg
16-ounce string mop head
acrylic paint - flesh color, red, and black
1/4 cup glue plus 1/4 cup water
1-3/4 yards heavy fabric
two feet of four-inch wide fake fur
8" x 8" piece of muslin
optional - cording or rope, floral spray, eyeglasses, ribbon
Steps:
- Pull wire at top of tomato cage together and tape in place. Cut off top of wire four inches above tape so foam "head" can be secured on them (figure A).
Straighten wire hanger. Bend hanger and secure around the three wires that have been taped to create arms (figure B). Fold newspaper around the arms and tape in place. Using one yard of fabric, seam along the selvage edge to make the robe. Turn under a three-inch hem. Use fusible webbing for hem if desired (figure C). Cut 1/2 yard of fabric on fold. Fold in half and sew seam. Make a five inch hem on one end (figure D). This piece is for the beard. Set it aside for later use.
Using the other half of fabric from step 5, cut a triangle shape and sew along seam to create hat. Using a 1/4 yard of fabric, make the sleeves. Cut the fabric diagonally into two pieces, and sew a seam along each piece (figure E). Pull sleeves on to arms and wire at neck (figure F). Pull robe up and over the bottom of the cage, and wire robe at the neck. Leave robe so that it hangs on the floor a little. Sew felt, curving the top to make mittens. Turn right side out and stuff. Push the mittens onto the wire arms and glue into place (figures G and H).
To make the head, indent the middle of the six-inch foam ball by rolling it on the edge of a counter top (figure I). Cut the foam egg in half lengthwise. Indent half of each side to make the nose. Push into head and secure with pins (figure J).
Cut the other half egg in half again and pin onto the head for brow line. Using the glue and water mixture, dip the 8" x 8" piece of muslin into the glue and let it soak. Place the muslin over foam face. Pin muslin into place and let it dry overnight. Remove pins after muslin has dried. Paint entire face with flesh color paint. Add a little red to the flesh color for blush on cheeks and nose. Paint mouth red with black in the center. Once paint has dried, cut a slit in the muslin where eyes should be. Pull back the muslin somewhat and insert eyes. Position muslin over and under eyes to look like eyelids. Brush a small amount of black around the eyes to look like lashes, being careful not to get paint on the eyes. To make the beard, fold the mop head in half and glue it along the fabric band from step 5. Attach the beard to the face along the chin, using pins to keep it in place. Cut a few strands of the mop to fashion a mustache and eyebrows. For a fuller beard, hot glue separate strands of the mop head and trim as needed. Glue the hat on to head. Use pins to hold it in place. Glue fur trim around the hat and face. Push head into place on wires. Add a floral spray, ribbons, wreath, or any desired items in arms to make the doll look festive.
Guests Dian Thomas
Craft Creator / Author, The Dian Thomas Company
PO Box 171107
Holladay, UT 84117
Toll-free: 800-846-6355
Fax: 801-278-0202
E-mail:
dian@dianthomas.com
Website:
www.dianthomas.com
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