How to Make a Baby Doll Crib Without Wood
Children of all ages enjoy nurturing stuffed animals and baby dolls. What better way to take care of a favorite doll than to give her a personalized crib. While you can purchase small wooden cribs, making a doll crib out of cardboard is an enjoyable and rewarding task. Not only is the end result unique, but a one-of-a-kind piece can be tailored to match a room's decor or a doll's unique size, for example. Beginning with a cardboard box and finishing with adornments of your choice, a baby doll crib can be made for the special child in your life.
Things You'll Need
- 17-inch-by-11-inch-by-11-inch box
- Scissors
- Paper
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Utility knife
- Cutting mat
- Spray paint, color of your choice
- Pompoms, sequins and other embellishments
- Glue gun
- 17-inch-by-11-inch fabric for bedding
- 17-inch-by-11-inch fabric for blanket
Instructions
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1
Cut the four lids off the cardboard box.
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2
Fold a piece of paper to measure 8 1/2-by-5 1/2 inches. Turn the paper vertically and cut a design in the top half with the paper still folded. This decorative design will go on the top portion of the crib.
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3
Unfold the paper. Place the paper up to a shorter side of the box at the top. Trace the design using a pencil.
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4
Lay the box on its side on top of a cutting mat. Place the utility knife into the cardboard and carefully cut out the design. Discard the cutout pieces. Turn the box around and repeat the design and cutting on the opposite side.
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5
Cut the side panels down with the utility knife. This can be any shape, such as a crescent, or another unique pattern, such as the one you made for the sideboards. Make sure to keep the sides tall enough so that the doll cannot fall out.
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6
Shake the spray paint bottle to mix the color. Turn the crib over and spray the back starting at the top and moving down the back of the crib. Spray the sides. Flip the crib over and repeat until the entire cardboard box is painted. Allow to dry overnight.
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7
Plug in the glue gun. Wait five minutes until hot. Squeeze the gun in a zigzag pattern on the inside of the crib. Place the fabric on top of the glue, and carefully smooth it out with your fingers.
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8
Gather your adornments and choose where each will go on the crib. Place a drop of glue and adhere the pompom, sequin, ribbon or other accessory to the cardboard box. Press firmly for five seconds.
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9
Add the second piece of fabric to the crib. This serves as the baby doll's blanket.
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Tips & Warnings
Cut the sides off the crib and wrap in a decorative fabric. Use a hot glue gun to put the crib back together.
Use fabric to add a bed skirt to the crib.
Place 1/2-inch-thick foam in the crib before adding the sheet and blanket.
Children always should be supervised around a hot glue gun.
References
- Photo Credit David De Lossy/Photodisc/Getty Images
