Making Your Own Dollhouse Dolls & Doll Clothing

There is a plethora of information out there if you are handy and want to create your own dollhouse or adapt a dollhouse kit to make it unique. If you are interested in having a one of a kind dollhouse family for your dollhouse it can be hard to find helpful resources. What if you want a family of dollhouse sized bunnies or bears or correct period dolls at the right scale to fit your dollhouse? You might want to think about making your own dolls or in creating clothing for your dollhouse dolls that individualizes your dollhouse family.


If you want to try your hand at making your own dollhouse family of dolls it helps if you have either artistic skills or sewing skills or both but there are resources for the beginner. There is a wonderful vintage book called Dollhouse People: A Doll Family You Can Make by Tracey Campbell Pearson. Using fairly basic sewing skills and the directions in this book you can make simple dolls either in a realistic mode or in whatever style or animal you like. The basic supplies include scissors, needle, straight pins, pencil, paper, ruler, and an iron along with fabric, trim, thread and yarn. Pearson’s book does give very good instructions on how to sew using the assumption that you have never picked up a needle before. There are also patterns that can be traced and then used for cutting out the fabric shapes for the dolls. She includes patterns for a mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, and two children and an infant. In addition to dolls, Pearson also supplies instructions for making clothes for the doll people.

Maybe you are better with clay than fabric. Then you will want to check out
directions on creating dollhouse dolls using polymer clay or epoxy putty provided by Lesley Shepherd on the About.com Miniatures page. Lesley provides instructions on making either fixed or posable miniature dolls. The basis of both types of dolls is a wire armature and then the head, feet, hands, and torso are created separately. Instructions include information on sizing, proportions, and ideas for padding the doll and for making wigs for the dolls. Some experience in working with clay and artistic talent is required for this project.

Another resource is the book Making & Dressing Dollhouse Dolls in 1/12 scale by Sue Atkinson. This book details how to sculpt porcelain dolls using modeling clay and pipe cleaner bodies. There are also great patterns for miniature doll clothing covering many historical periods. Even if you are not up for creating dollhouse dolls you will get great ideas for making doll clothing in historical periods that fit your dollhouse style adding realistic detailing to your dollhouse. In addition, the great color photographs are perfect to use for ideas for a dollhouse with authentic period style.