BASIC DOLLMAKING SUPPLIES & TOOLS |
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MY OWN FRAY PREVENTER 1 oz. jar $2.00 Add to Cart |
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GINGHER SCISSORS If you are serious about your work, these are the only scissors to own. Very sharp and cut right to the points. 6" - doll-size general sewing $32.00 Add to Cart 4" - embroidery, small detail, clipping, handsewing (one of my own most important tools in dollmaking) New bigger finger holes - easy on/off. I strongly recommend you own two pair - one for fabric, threads, one for snipping patterns. $29.00 Add to Cart |
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FAVORITE PINS These pins are so nice, I give dire threats to anyone caught using them. Made by the Japanese who are the masters of fine sewing needles and pins along with fabric. These are particularly nice glass headed pins (a bit longer than1 inch), but unlike so many others, just melt into the fabric. With delicate small glass heads. They are expensive, but just a treat to have and make a nice gift. THEY ARE BACK (these had been discontinued) - but now we get them only in little tins in the longer length instead of the cute little bottle, but the tin is nice. $9.75 Add to Cart |
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FAVORITE
NEEDLES This is a package of my favorite needles for all purposes due to requests from people in my classes. They are ones that are largely hard to find, especially in a good quality. Other than that, there is nothing special except they are the ones I use for everything and I put them all together in a package with notes about their uses. Now with two more needles added including a leather needle. A package of 14 in 8 specific sizes. $4.75 Add to Cart |
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FELTING NEEDLES
These needles which have been used in industry for a long time can also be used in dollmaking. They are three-sided needles that have tiny barbs in them that pull fibers with them and leave them behind when the needle is removed, so that an in and out movement with the needle, felts or wefts fibers together. They can be used to attach fiber hair to cloth dolls' heads without sewing or gluing, and although this is not totally secure for playworthiness, it is fine for most "just to be looked at dolls". I also use them a lot for just securing the hairdoes themselves, not to the scalp but just to pull the hair into line or tidy up places that have become messy, especially with roving hair. Four needles come with a small instruction sheet. $2.75 Add to Cart |
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NEEDLE LIFTERS |
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TINY CLAMPS FOR DOLLMAKING - Important new tools. Perfect for tightly holding small pieces together during sewing and gluing constructions, as hair clips while styling doll wigs, plus many more uses. Smooth jaws on these tiniest of clamps (about 1" long) will not leave marks. Recommended for working with mesh below. Package of 5. $4.50 Add
to Cart |
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TINY TAPE MEASURE JUST
FOR DOLLMAKING Frustrated by needing people to measure curved areas, such as the circumference of a doll head or where to place a nose, and that rulers are flat and tape measures are too wide and thick, I printed up tiny paper ones that once laminated are fairly permanent. These started out just for classes, but all the students kept wanting to take them home, so now they are available and come two to a package in case you lose one. They are thin, brightly colored with easy to read numbers, and only 1/8" wide. $1.00 for 4 Add to Cart |
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STILETTO For years I passed this one by. But one day I tried one and now I wouldn't be without it for dollmaking at the sewing machine. What it does is guide gathers or easing through and under the presser foot with ease - also great to get lace and other things just started. I used to use the tips of my 4" Ginghers, but this is so much better. We make these ourselves (as the commercial ones are so expensive), using a very strong needle point fixed into a turned and stained wooden handle with a linen string loop to hang. $8.50 Add to Cart |
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CLOVER IRONS NEW LARGER HOTTER CLOVER IRON (45 watts) |
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MAGNIFICATION MagEyes $29.00 Add
to Cart |
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PORTABLE NATURAL LIGHT BY
DAYLIGHT Being able to see is as important as your sewing machine. I found these lights that are just like Ott lights but not as costly. They are wonderful for taking with you to classes or to take from room to room or just to have for regular work. You can get it up close and the light quality is perfect. These are the same 13 watt types that fold down for portability and provide light that is as close to natural as possible. $48.00 Add to Cart Replacement Bulb $19.00 Add to Cart |
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IRONS NOTE- I have discontinued this iron because I cannot compete with the prices at discount places. If you want one of these irons, be sure you get the Professional model. In the meantime, iron companies have now all upgraded irons to Rowenta standards so you can find much cheaper and still excellent irons by most other companies for under $50. The truth of it is, none of them last forever, sadly. |
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STEAM-A-SEAM ~ A new
double stick fusible web. Has a temporary stick on both sides without
ironing and is re-positionable, then bonds permanently when ironed.
Not as likely to bleed through cloth and great for covered boxes
or doll bonnets. 5 sheets 9" x 12". $5.00 Add
to Cart |
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PROPORTIONAL SCALE ~
I began using one of these when I had real jobs (in another much
younger life) as a graphic artist. But since I still use them all
the time, you might like to have one too. They useful for re-sizing
pictures and patterns (both doll and quilt). Example ~ Say you have
a doll pattern that makes a doll 17"
tall, but you want it to be 11" - this will tell you the percent
to reduce to. Or, let's say you have a picture that is 2" x 3-1/2"
and you want to know if you make it 4-1/4" wide, how long the length
will be. Or, I have a doll chair that is all in the right proportion
but too big, and the only thing I really know is how tall the back of
the chair should be. I can then use this to find out the measurements
of all the other pieces. $6.00 DISCONTINUED BUT AVAILABLE AT ONLINE ART SUPPLIES. |
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BODKIN FOR TURNING MOST ANYTHING RS OUT ~
Long before turning tubes, there were bodkins. This is a long smooth
metal bar with a large eye at one end. Slip the eye up inside the
narrowest of tubes and then with a regular needle and thread, sew
through the cloth that you want to turn RS out, going through the
eye of the bodkin. Pull the bodkin out and it will pull with it the
far end that you temporarily tacked to it. Easy and efficient. GW
illustrated instructions come with it. $3.50 DISCONTINUED (usually found at places like JoAnn Fabrics). |
TRACING VELLUM FOR TRANSFERRING FACES |
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| FREEZER PAPER SHEETS 20 sheets of flat freezer paper (heavy duty to keep flat) which are good for running through your printer. Freezer paper is great for printing out paper pieces for certain quilt designs or for doll patterns - just iron on, no pins, pull off and even re-use. $3.50 Add to Cart |
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| GLUE Best all-purpose glue and recommended in many of my kits. 4 oz. Aleene's Tacky Glue in squeeze bottle. $2.75 Add to Cart |
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THE LITTLE EXTRAS |
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HITTY CORAL BEADS |
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PEARLS - 2
mm (very small - 14 per inch) glass faux
pearl beads. A good size for dolls from 6" to 12" tall. Packages come with instructions
for stringing on fine beading wire included. Enough for 2.5" with
extras. $3.50 Add to Cart |
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EARRING POSTS - Tiny brass looped posts for dolls with pierced earrings. Build your own earrings on these posts using wire and beads or even Sculpey made forms. Package of 6. $1.00 Add to Cart |
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PRINTED DOLL APRONS - There is something so dear about doll aprons,
bonnets and shoes. These are aprons popular in the late 1800's which
show up on many antique dolls, notably, Izannah Walkers, Springfield
Woodens and many others. This is a common design - there were many
- that I adapted and now print out in brown on extra fine overdyed
batiste (for drape). These are mini-kits to make your own with sewing
template, instructions, pre-printed and pre-overdyed (antique white)
apron fronts plus lining and button for waistband. Even Hitty has one
her size. Lengths are given so you can better gauge the |
PRIMITIVE ANIMAL
SUPPLIES |
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EYES NOTIONS |
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WIGGING ~ DOLL HAIR FIBERS ~ WIGGING TOOLS |
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DYED WOOL FOR DOLL HAIR MOHAIR
(Fine English) FOR WIGGING - Smooth and realistic for small
dolls. One yard lengths for wefting or other types of wig making. You
can apply the wefting to a wig cap made from molded cotton knit, or
use the sturdy moldable linen (18 mesh) with instructions for a wig
cap. Note: The Ash mohair listed below looks like flax which is often
used on Queen Annes. Flax can be stiff, so this is a perfect substitute. If you do want real flax fiber, see below. Click here to see a color chart REAL FLAX - many Queen Anne wigs are made with this both old and contemporary. $4.75 for 1 yard lengths. Add to Cart CURLY MOHAIR FROM BRAID TINY CLAMPS FOR DOLLMAKING - You have to have these great little tools! Perfect for tightly holding small pieces together during sewing and gluing constructions, as hair clips while styling doll wigs, plus many more uses. Smooth jaws on these tiniest of clamps (about 1" long) will not leave marks. Recommended for working with mesh below. Package of 5. $4.50 Add to Cart NEW SIZE MESH FOR MAKING STRAW HATS & BONNETS - Make many styles of molded crown straw bonnets for smaller
dolls (up to 16") using linen even-weave mesh. New size given will make the necessary double thick for more than one hat or bonnet. New full width cut (39" x 6") also allows for peeling off threads for twisted edgings as needed. Once you understand how well this product molds on a form, you can use household objects to mold many shapes, even small baskets for dolls. Adaptable basic instructions included. $7.50 Add
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SNOODS - adding a snood to your doll is not only charming and historical, but it makes short work of hairstyling. FINISHED
HAND CROCHETED SNOODS -
These are crocheted in dark brown rayon extra fine thread with brown
silk ribbon ties. Sizes of dolls are only approximate as amount of hair
and size of doll's head will make differences, however, the snoods
have some degree of stretch plus cinching in. Please check the chart in the link at left to be sure for your doll. CROCHET YOUR OWN
DOLL SNOODS - Directions for four
sizes of snoods that cover dolls from about 9" to 14". You will need
Perle Cotton, Size 10 hook, and some 4mm silk ribbon. $3.50 Add
to Cart CROCHET HOOK - size 10 for above work. $1.85 Add to Cart BROWN SILK RIBBON FOR SNOODS - 1/8" wide. 5 yards $3.00 Add to Cart |
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CURLY SHEEPS WOOL Use for Santa beards. Small bag will do several small Santas. $6.75 Add to Cart |
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COTTON YARN FOR RAGGEDY HAIR This is the same soft brown as I use in my 14" Raggedy kits. Not for the smaller sizes. This is a full skein which will make about 4 dolls. $5.75 Add to Cart |
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FIBER COMB FOR DOLL HAIR In a lot of my kits, there is a need to use a "hair pick" to sort, smooth and thin the fibers. This is particularly true for all doll hair made from roving. Roving cannot be combed or brushed or it will fall apart, so this tool has been made here to solve the problem - real human hair picks with thin metal tines are hard to find. You could make one yourself with 5 needles and some sculpey (see my Hints page), but here is a nice one with a wood handle. $7.50 Add to Cart |
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DOLLMAKERS WIGGING CLAMP These came about because wherever I go to teach and use this, people want one. It is good for dolls from 2" on up to 18". Has a clamp to hold the doll steady on your work surface so both your hands are free and a little felt pincushion and place for your small scissors and thread. $30.00 Add to Cart |
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FELTING NEEDLES These needles which have been used in industry for a long time have recently hit the dollmaking world too and once you use them, you will see why. They are three-sided needles that have tiny barbs in them that pull fibers with them and leave them behind when the needle is removed, so that an in and out movement with the needle, felts or wefts fibers together. They can be used to attach fiber hair to cloth dolls' heads without sewing or gluing, and although this is not totally secure for playworthiness, it is fine for most "just to be looked at dolls". I also use them a lot for just securing the hairdoes themselves, not to the scalp but just to pull the hair into line or tidy up places that have become messy, especially with roving hair. Four needles come with a small instruction sheet. $2.75 Add to Cart |
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STUFFINGS ~ TURNING AND
STUFFING TOOLS
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HEMOSTATS |
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BARBARA WILLIS STUFFING FORKS: Large Fork (all general stuffing) $15.00 Add
to Cart GW STUFFING FORKS - We make some stuffing forks to take to classes for student use. They are not as professionally made as Barbara's, but will do the job and keep class costs down. These have wooden handles. My large fork is less apt to bend than hers, but her small fork has a better tip. Large Fork (all general stuffing) $10.00 Add
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TURNING TUBES ~ Inexpensive but good turning tubes very helpful for things like doll fingers. I was going to make fancy ones from brass and searched out ones from clear or white poly, but these brightly colored ones will do the job (3 appropriate sizes for my sizes of dolls) and are very reasonable. $10.00 Add to Cart BODKIN FOR TURNING MOST ANYTHING RS OUT ~ Long before turning tubes, there were bodkins. This is a long smooth metal bar with a large eye at one end. Slip the eye up inside the narrowest of tubes and then with a regular needle and thread, sew through the cloth that you want to turn RS out, going through the eye of the bodkin. Pull the bodkin out and it will pull with it the far end that you temporarily tacked to it. Easy and efficient. GW illustrated instructions come with it. $3.50 Add to Cart |
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NEW SET OF STUFFING TUBES - My invention for better stuffing. Faster, easier and little or no stress on your hand/wrist. This is a set of two cut Aqua Cones (large and small) and two tubes (large and small). You should use them best with wool roving, though they also work with good poly by feeding the poly in like roving and you will need a regular sized stuffing fork. Set $7.50 Add to Cart |
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LOWER PRICES ~ I would
be amazed if you found a good supply at a lesser price. 8 oz. - enough for 4 - 6 smaller
dolls $6.50 Add
to Cart Shipping Note on lightweight stuffings below: Due to new shipping rates imposed on us that involve dimensional weight (the size of the box is factored in even if lightweight and low cost, such as a bag of stuffing), we must figure orders with bags of stuffing on a box by box basis so that regular shipping rates may not apply. This means it is best to order stuffing with other items to keep your shipping reasonable. Of course, if you need stuffing, you need stuffing and we are happy to ship and we do squash it down as much as possible. Be especially forwarned that and offers of reduced or free shipping during a promotion will not apply. MY
FAVORITE WHITE POLY STUFFING (IF YOU NEED TO USE POLY) COTTON FOR STUFFING: |
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MOLDING SUPPLIES |
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GAIL'S SPECIAL WOOD TOOL: LIQUID PAPIER MACHE POURING
MEDIUM for PLASTER MOLDS: PAPERCLAY:
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Click here to see inspirational historic pictures and dolls made by others. |
SET OF MAKE-YOUR-OWN-DOLL-MOLDS: SET OF PRE-MOLDED MAKE-YOUR-OWN-DOLL
PARTS PATTERNS FOR THE 11" MAKE-YOUR-OWN-DOLL: PACKAGE
STARTER SET - This
includes a set of molded parts to start, a set of molds, a quart of
the casting medium Flumo, my special wooden tool, a package of PaperClay,
a set of necessary drill bits for sew holes and all patterns and instructions.
There is even a link to many photos of genres of old dolls to be inspired
from and to look at for your ideas, plus a gallery of students' dolls.
$165 Add
to Cart
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