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How to Get Clothes on Wax Dolls

Wax dolls existed both before and at the same time as porcelain dolls. In the early 1800s, wax dolls were mass-produced to the extent that porcelain doll companies began to mimic the production methods in order to make porcelain doll parts. Wax dolls can be either jointed or "frozen," which means the doll is one piece, like a figurine. Jointed wax dolls typically feature cloth or kid-leather bodies with wax limbs, half limbs, heads, or heads on shoulder plates. Dressing a jointed wax doll is accomplished as you would dress any jointed doll, but dressing a frozen doll requires back-opening clothing or clothing alteration.

Things You'll Need

Seam ripper
Iron
Ironing board
Needle
Thread
Scissors
Buttons, snaps, hooks and eyes - optional

Instructions

Altering Clothing
- 1
  Attempt to put a dress or shirt onto the frozen wax doll. Because a frozen wax doll's arms do not move, the dress will have to slide over the arms, possibly one at a time, and then be buttoned or hooked from the front or back. If the shirt or dress will not stretch or fit the doll due to the rigid arms, the clothing will need to be altered to slide onto the doll. Do not alter irreplaceable, antique clothing unless you consider yourself an excellent seamstress.
- 2
  Turn the dress or shirt inside out so all seams are visible. Pants and skirts typically can slip over the legs of a wax doll without needing alterations. Examine the opening of the dress to determine if the dress or shirt is put on from the front or the back.
- 3
  Use a seam ripper to remove the stitches from the front or back seam (depending on which way the dress is worn). Insert the hook of the seam ripper beneath a stitch, pushing the hook forward until the sharp cutting implement in the center of the hook engages the stitch. Push the ripper against the stitch and the stitch will be cut. Continue until all stitches are removed and the dress seam is open.
- 4
  Place the dress or shirt onto an ironing board. The seam will fold onto the wrong side of the fabric because it has been sewn to the other side. Iron both sides of the divided seam flat.
- 5
  Hem each side of the divided seam on the dress or shirt with a hem stitch using a needle and thread in a coordinating color.
- 6
  Turn the dress or shirt right-side out. Sew on additional buttons, hooks and eyes, or snaps, if necessary, to allow the dress or shirt to fully close.
Dressing the Doll
- 7
  Slide the right sleeve up over the doll's right arm, adjusting the cuff or sleeve opening in the appropriate position.
- 8
  Pull the dress or shirt across the front or back of the doll's chest/back so the left sleeve is over the left arm.
- 9
  Insert the left sleeve up over the doll's left arm, positioning the cuff or sleeve opening where appropriate.
- 10
  Adjust the garment on the doll by moving the shoulders, sleeves or bodice into the correct position. Snap, button or hook the front or back of the dress or shirt.

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