“Girls”

We made linked paper dolls a while ago, and my daughter has never tired of them. In fact, she asks to make them again and again very often. She calls them “Girls”. These “Girls” won us a craft book from the huggies craft ideas competition. It’s an old classic, but it is so much fun. I think I had more fun than she did.

Paper Doll Chain

Materials:

• a piece of white/beige paper (A3 makes bigger dolls, but A4 works too)
• marker pen
• glue
• paper or fabric scraps
• ribbons, yarn, buttons, stickers, etc

What to do:

1. Fold the paper into 4 equal columns.
2. Draw a shape of a girl/boy with linked hands, feet or skirt. You can trace a gingerbread man cutter for this.
3. Cut out the shape, making sure that you keep the hands and feet of each column joined together. (I joined the hands and dress shape).
4. Unfold, then use paper or fabric scraps (wallpaper samples are good too) to make clothes, shoes, decorate with ribbons, buttons (even dried beans/pasta will work), make hair with the yarn.
5. Draw the eyes (you can use goggle eyes too), nose and mouth when you are done.

Decorating the "Girls"

It’s the decorating process that’s the most enjoyable – it’s gotten to the point where I have pre-cut “Girls”, clothes and hair ready to go for when she wants to make some “girls”. Single dolls are good too – they are called “Girl” and they are much bigger than the girls as they take up a whole sheet of A4 paper/card. Just trace an outline onto some paper and decorate to your hearts’ content.

"Girl"

Our prize from the competition

Check out my related posts:

1. Ladybugs
2. Outlines
3. Cardboard House(s)
4. Herb window box
5. Usborne Craft Books