Making Sawdust Doll Bodies

I've been making doll bodies

stuffed with cedar shavings.

I got the shavings from Louis Allen,

a local wood worker.  He is well known

for his wagon making skills, full scale

and miniature, like the one below. 

 

 

  

 

 He also makes presentation boxes and

small cedar barrel banks for Copper Run

Distillery.  The first "legal" moonshine

distillery in the Ozark Mountains since

the prohibition ended in 1933. 

http://copperrundistillery.wordpress.com/ 

These cedar shavings are the remnants of

the little cedar banks.  They are soft curls

and smell soooo nice!  Just perfect for

little dolls.  Thank you kindly Allen!
Check to see if your local wood worker
will save you sawdust, or try the local
pet store for cedar bedding.

I started by drawing my body and arms on

a cotton utility cloth.  It's heavier than

muslin, not as heavy as canvas and has a

dense tight weave.  Nice and sturdy for

stuffing and packing the sawdust.

I use a mechanical pencil.  The lines are

thin and the stitching covers it up.

I then sewed on the drawn lines.

I made a second row of stitching on the

outside of the curves of the neck and

underarms for added strength. 

For the legs I sewed black and a very bold

red and white striped cotton together.

I folded the right sides together and

drew the legs and shoes.  I stitched
on the drawn lines.

I cut out the pieces leaving a seam
 allowance of about 1/4 inch, then turned
 them to the right side.  I used a pair of
tweezers to grab the inside of the small parts.
At this point I lightly aged the pieces 
with a brew of PG Tips tea. 

I stuffed my doll bodies while they were 

slightly damp.  I keep a small

spritzer bottle filled with water handy.
When the parts are damp they have
a little stretch, when they dry, everything
is firm and tight.  I also lightly sprayed
 the sawdust when it became unruly!

I used a wooden knitting needle and a

wooden chop stick for stuffing. The

knitting needle has a flat bunt end I

use for tamping the shavings firmly.  The
 end of the chop stick is blunt so it doesn't

 poke a hole through the fabric.
I use the same tools and technique
when stuffing with wool.
 The key is to firmly pack the body parts!

 I stuffed the arms and head first.

I turned to the inside, the edge

of the arm holes.

 I inserted the arms inside the arm holes

and pinned the arms in place.

I used a heavy button hole thread

 and a large needle,

to sew the arms in place.

I stuffed the legs and part way

down the body, then turned under

the bottom edge of the body.

I pinned the legs in place.

I made sure the legs were pointing

the same direction!

I sewed the legs on, leaving the

middle section open. I finished stuffing

the body section then sewed the center

part closed.

Triplets with striped stockings, a

popular 1800's fashion.

I made 2 or 3 large stitches

just below the neckline, this 

 helps to keep the stuffing up

 in the neck of the doll, so

she doesn't get bobble head! 

 Simple little Ozark sawdust pancake dolls
ready for faces and clothing.

Happy Sewing!