How to Make a Waxed Muslin Doll

Sewing

• 1

  Cut out two oval shapes from muslin and sew them together on the sewing machine to make the doll's head. Leave the bottom open. Turn the head right side out and fill with stuffing.

• 2

  Cut two rounded rectangular shapes from muslin for the doll's body. Sew the pieces together, leaving a small hole, and turn the body right side out. You will not coat the body in wax. Stuff the body with stuffing. Sew the open seam closed.

• 3

  Outline the arm and leg shapes onto a piece of muslin. Cut two of each shape and sew together, leaving a small opening. Stuff all parts of the body. Sew the arms and legs to the doll body.

• 4

  Make a rough hand and foot shape from the muslin. Cut two of each piece and sew together. Turn the muslin right side out and stuff with stuffing.

Shields

• 5

  Cut a piece of flexible plastic to the same size as the neck opening and each hand and foot opening. You will have one large plastic piece and four smaller pieces.

• 6

  Pierce several holes about ¼ of an inch apart all around the edges of the plastic piece. This shield will anchor the waxed pieces to the body of the doll. The holes will help you sew the two pieces together. You will use this piece to sew the head to the body of the doll. Cut a hole in the middle of the shields large enough for the dowel rod to slip through.

• 7

  Sew the openings of the hands, feet and head to the shield. Sew several times around each hole to make a secure attachment. Slide the dowel rod through the hole and into the head, hands and feet. This will make it easier to dip the pieces into the wax.

Waxing

• 8

  Heat the beeswax on the stove until completely melted. Melt enough wax to completely submerge the hands, feet and head. Add enough red dye to the wax to create a light pink color.

• 9

  Dip each wax piece into the hot wax one at a time. Do not submerge the plastic shields or dowel rods. Coat each piece of muslin thinly with wax. Allow excess wax to drip off until the wax hardens. Apply three to five initial coats of wax for each piece.

• 10

  Heat the metal spatula over the stove. Press the hot spatula onto the head shape to indent a space for eye sockets. Indent spaces for cheeks, lips, nose and ears. The shapes do not have to be exact. You may have to dip the head several more times to build up enough wax to shape a 3D face.

• 11

  Shape the toes and fingers on the hands and feet by pressing the hot edge of the spatula against the edge of the pieces to give the illusion of separate fingers and toes. Make four dents to make five fingers and toes.

Finishing

• 12

  Allow the wax to dry for several hours. Glue the eyes into the eye sockets. Paint on eyelashes, eyebrows, lips and additional cheek color if desired.

• 13

  Glue the doll's hair to the crown of the head. Remove the dowel rods.

• 14

  Slip the plastic shields inside the body. Make sure the shields are covered by fabric. Sew the body fabric to the shields using the holes just as you did before. Dress and style the doll as desired.