Miniature Art's Miniature Doll Making Tutorials

Dressing Camille. Please note this is an INTERMEDIATE level project...mostly because I used a silk satin, and silk tissue lame in my kits and sample. And the fray level can be a bit time consuming. You might want to practice below techniques on muslin first.

1. Cut out gown pattern. Turn under hem to wrong
side and lightly glue. Turn under 'kick pleat' section
on back of gown to wrong side and glue..
Lastly glue under top of gown (for bodice).

2. Put a glue line around bust, smear down on torso
and let get tacky. Then lay gown piece on glued
front, and gently wrap both gown sides to back where
you glue in place like photo. Remember the jacket
covers entire gown but bodice and below hips.

The main thing to remember here is to pull material
firmly to back to get that nice fitted look. This way
you can leave the jacket open (we glued it shut) as an option.

3. Cut out jacket pattern from silk satin. I made a sandwich of typing paper, silk and pattern piece (pinning together) to get it cut out straight.

4. Fold over so sleeves and bodice
match up. With right sides together,
place a line of glue from hem to cuffs
up each side. Gently press together
(remember LIGHTLY or glue will bleed
through) and let dry thoroughly. Next
turn under bottom edge (hem) and
glue. Set aside to dry.

5. At this time, glue porcelain arms
onto pipecleaners and insert into torso.

6. When THOROUGHLY dry, take
a needle nose pliers, gently slide into
arm, and pull so jacket is right side
out. Slide on doll. to check fit. Don't
worry about raw edges on cuffs or
neckline as these are covered.

7. Take doll torso, and smear light layer of glue on BACK. Let glue get tacky to almost dry stage. Slide on jacket, and pull excess material to front as photo to right shows. This is VERY imporant to give her a nice shape!

8. With jacket front JUST meeting (butting together actually), lightly glue to front of doll. While letting jacket dry thoroughly, cut out small rectangle pattern of gown silk, and folding both long sides inward (making finished edge) glue flat. When dry, glue around neckline of jacket covering raw edge.

9. Now its getting FUN! Figure out the pose you want. When desired position is reached, glue on faux fur to sleeves. Pin doll in position desired on styrofoam block and spray jacket, gown, with hairspray (lightly) to keep draping in place. Glue on rhinestones as buttons.

Believe it or not, this is probably one of the easiest hair styles to create. Because a hat goes on top of her head, you literally just lay your viscose in a 1" pleater, spray lightly with plant mister, pleat away.

Next take your diffuser blow dryer and dry hair.
When cooled down, roll out of pleater.

Put a line of glue around dolls head at hairline, and
let get tacky. Then lay strip of pleated hair from
ear to ear. I made a special effort to have a wave
fall naturally by her ear (to show off that earring),
and on opposite side of face to show off cheekbone.

Take a corsage pin to gently spread hair out as
necessary to make ends meet in back.

After hat is on, I simply added a few more curls made on a knitting needle.

Additional Decorating Idea's....

1. Included in kit was a very fine gold wire, shaped in curves. You can cut off two pieces and glue to ears for earrings (and add the tiny tiny pointed rhinestones in holes). OR you can cut off a bit, stretch it and glue it to front of jacket for button holes (and then glue rhinestones in for buttons).

2. Hat...simply cut an oval of size desired from an index card. Next spread a thin layer of glue on top, and let dry to tacky. Place on silk gown material, cut out a bit wider then cardboard. Now wrap this excess material to underside and glue down flat. Cut hole out of middle so hat fits nicely on her head. Glue hat to her head, and while glue is still wet, shape with fingers into desired position. Cut another circle out of silk, gather edges, pull tight into a 'puff' and glue on hat to cover 'head hole'. Decorate as desired.