How to Make a Tiny Bead Doll
Tiny, beaded dolls are decorative and can be collected or given away as gifts. If you are interested in making a tiny bead doll yourself, come up with a color scheme for the beads you want to use. Stick with one color or to create a multicolored doll. Additionally, if you have a cultural or ethnic theme you are going for, the colors can influence the theme. For example, if you wanted to make a tiny bead doll for Christmas, you could use red and green beads.
Things You'll Need
- Assorted beads
- Larger beads
- Measuring tape
- Craft wire
- Wire shears
- Needle-nose pliers
- Card stock
- Hot glue gun
Instructions
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1
Measure 9 inches of the craft wire. Cut the wire at 9 inches with the wire cutters.
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2
Thread the beads onto the wire. Leave 1/2 inch at each end of the wire unbeaded. Close the ends of the wire -- so the beads do not spill off -- with your needle-nose pliers. Grab the very end of the wire with the pliers and curl it under until it connects with the wire, forming a loop. The closer the end is to the wire, the tighter the loop is and the more-secure the beads are. Do this on both ends of the wire.
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3
Form the shape of the doll out of the beaded wire. Loop the wire in half, lengthwise, so it looks like an upside-down U. Mold two smaller loops on either side to form the legs. Bring both ends back up to mold the arms on the upper sides.
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4
Cut out another 3 inches of wire. Thread the beads onto the wire and close the wire in the formation of a circle. Bring both ends of the wire together to make a round shape. Use the needle-nose pliers to twist the two ends together so none of the beads will fall off.
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5
Place the beaded, circular head onto a piece of card stock. Trace the head and cut out the card stock so you have a round shape. Glue the shape to the back of your doll using a hot glue gun. When you look at the doll's head from the front, you will see the card stock backing.
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6
Glue beads onto the card stock backing to fill in the head. Connect the head to the doll's beaded body with the hot glue gun.
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7
Paste a larger bead onto the bottom of the doll's legs to make the feet. This allows the doll to stand. Do the same to give the doll hands.
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Tips & Warnings
You can bead and use safety pins for extensions to the doll's arms and legs.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
