"CoCo"

copyright Di McDonald 2002
Basic instructions for basic doll body
 "Black & White" challenge.
Lesson 1
a:Class Notes : Please read!
You choose how big your doll is. You may down size it or upsize it as you like , but please please do all the pattern pieces at once so they stay in proportion.
If you want the doll to be the same size as mine you need to print off the pattern then enlarge it till the arm measures 7 inches in length.
When sewing dolls you need to use a small stitch ..around 1.5 or 2 is Ok. If you have one use an open toed or clear foot on your sewing machine so you can see the edge of the Freezer paper as you sew. 
If you are new to doll making it is a good idea to learn how to sew around curves by leaving the sewing machine needle in the fabric, lifting up the foot and swivelling your fabric with your hands to where you need it..then, needle down and on again. Take your time and enjoy!
These are the instructions for making the Basic doll body only. You will then have to devise some clothing for Coco or just embellish her body as she is. This mini class will only teach you how to make the head, arms and body. You will need to refer to books or your imagination to finish her.
For Flesh fabric I just use calico ( muslin in USA) and tea and coffee dye it in the microwave. What I do is cut or rip off around 1 meter ( 1 yard ) at a time . I fill a plastic bowl ( LGE) with hot water and add about 6 teabags and a couple of tabelspoons full of coffee. I stir to disolve, then squeeze out the teabags and discard them. I wet my fabric then plunge it into the bowl and cook on high for around 10 mins. I then rinse carefully using tongs ( very HOT) and then squeeze the excess water out and throw it in the dryer. When it is nearly dry I steam iron it. Then it is ready to use.
b: Getting started
1; Print off the pattern then cut out the two body pieces and tape them together. Now trace them out onto Freezer paper. Now also trace out two arms onto freezer paper and a head. Cut them out.
2:Iron the 4 Freezer Paper pieces with the plastic or waxy side down onto your fabric which is doubled and has the right sides together.
3;All pieces of the pattern are Templates.....so with your sewing machine set at a small stitch..around 1.5 or 2
4;Sew all around the edges of the Freezer paper BODY leaving NO OPENING! Reinforce the starting and ending stitches on all sewing. NOTE: If you catch the very edge of the freezer paper in your stitching it is not the end of the world. It will still peel off ok!!:-)
5;Next cut around the edge of the body leaving a 8 mm seam 
6:Peel the freezer paper off, you can use this again over and over again.
7; Carefully SLASH through ONLY ONE SINGLE THICKNESS of fabric on the Body  with sharp scissors or snips. See where to slash on your pattern pieces. This will be the back of the  body part.
8;Snip all the inward facing curves right up close to the stitching lines.
9:Now turn the Body  through the Slash opening, carefully , gently and slowly ease each corner through. The slash will indicate the back of the Body .
10:Push the haemostats inside and all around the  Body to smooth and even out the seams . 
d:Stuffing the Body
1:Cut a chenille stem so you have a piece about 3 inches long.  Bend it in half then turn in the two sharp ends.Insert this into the neck, and hand sew it in place to the fabric on the outside of the neck, if you would like it to stay put easier.( this will be covered by the head later) 
2:Stuff the body while keeping the stems in place.When you are happy with the stuffing carefully sew up the slash at the back of the body.
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