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How to Make Primitive Doll Stumps

Stump dolls are indistinctly shaped and are a kind of doll known in the craft community as a "primitive doll" Primitive dolls have less distinct shapes and features. Stump dolls are made from a single continuous shape and lack arms, legs or a neck. These dolls are often made from a rough-woven fabric, such as burlap or canvas, or from wood, and have cloth accents from traditional folk patterns of any national origin. They may lack facial features, or may use buttons or wires to make a crude face.

Things You'll Need

Old T-shirt
Scissors
Canvas
Marker or fabric pencil
Pins
Needle
Thread
Decorative fabric
Wooden spoon

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the old T-shirt into small strips that are approximately a 1/2-inch wide and 4 inches long.
- 2
  Fold a piece of canvas or burlap in half, and draw the shape of the doll on it. The shape is essentially a head and body.
- 3
  Cut out the shape from both pieces of fabric, leaving an inch of spare room outside of your doll pattern. The spare inch will ensure your doll is not too small once you stuff it.
- 4
  Pin the two pieces of doll-shaped fabric together at the edges.
- 5
  Use a needle and thread to sew together the two pieces of fabric along the cut edge of the fabric. Start around the head and neck area of the doll, and work around the head until you get to the neck on the other side.
- 6
  Stuff the T-shirt strips into the head of the doll until it feels firmly packed.
- 7
  Sew around the body of the doll until you near the place on the neck where you began sewing. Leave 2 inches unsewn.
- 8
  Stuff the body of the doll with more T-shirt strips until it feels firmly packed. Use a wooden spoon handle to push in T-shirt strips if you are crafting a larger doll.
- 9
  Pinch together the last 2 inches of fabric near the neck of the doll, and sew them together from the outside. Take care to make the stitches as small and unnoticeable as you can.
- 10
  Decorate the doll in the style you prefer, with an ethnic fabric, string or ribbons.

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