How to Make a Solft Sculpture Doll

Materials:

sewing machine
5-1/2" soft sculpture needle
scissors
3 paint brushes (5/0 spotter, 10/0 round, 0/0 liner)
white, black, red, brown acrylic paint
measuring tape
hot glue gun and glue sticks
'long' quilting pins
extra-heavy thread to match doll skin
1 yard Windsor fabric
1 yard African fabric
package of elastic
2 yards lace
beads
hook-and-loop tape
pre-braided hair
large jump rings
doll shoes (pick size as needed)
doll socks
hair accessories
clear coat polish
2 bags polyester stuffing

1. Draw doll pattern pieces on the Windsor fabric and pin in place (figure A). Use a fabric marker that fades.

2. Do not cut the body from the fabric. Sew the body on the fabric (figure B) and then cut it out along with the head (figure C).

3. Sew the head 1/4 inch from the edge and draw it in around three of your fingers.

4. Stuff the head and the body (figure D).

5. Twist and tack the leg at the doll's crutch (figure E).

6. Finish the neck by sewing 1/4 inch around the edge; then draw to close and anchor.

7. Soft-sculpture the head starting with the ears (figure F), then the nose and finally the mouth (figure G).

8. Sew around the head attaching it to the neck.

9. Draw the eyes and the eyebrows. Paint the white part of the eyes first, and then fill in the brown part of the eye. Finish up the eye by adding a black dot in the center of the eye using the back of your paint brush as a guide; then overlap the black dot with a white one to make the eye sparkle.

10. Fold the braided hair in half and tie off with your heavy-duty thread. Now find the center back of the doll's head. Find the center of the braids and tack the ponytail to the doll's head. From that point, measure 2 inches in all directions to form a circle around the doll's head. Using a chainstitch, sew the braids down close together, one by one.

11. Finish her outfit with a bow, jewelry and hair accessories.