Making a Doll With a Cardboard Tube

Cardboard tubes are available everywhere, and come in many different sorts: paper towel tubes, toilet paper tubes, wrapping paper tubes, aluminum foil tubes, wax paper tubes, carpet tubes and many more not listed here. With such an available supply, it seems wrong not to use them to your advantage. Making crafts with cardboard tubes allows you to recycle, make something creative and save money in the process. The following is a basic doll that can be made with a toilet paper tube. Check out the tips at the end for ways to add to this design and other ideas for making crafts with cardboard tubes.

Things You'll Need

• Toilet paper cardboard tube Muslin Holiday novelty fabric Black poster board Felt to match novelty fabric Black acrylic paint Small flat button Blush and cotton swab Embroidery floss Craft glue Sewing machine Ruler Scissors Wood skewer Pencil

Instructions

1. Cut a 2-inch tall by 6-inch wide piece of muslin. Wrap the muslin around one end of the cardboard toilet paper tube. Overlap the short ends and glue, for the back seam. This will be the head.

2. Cut a 3-inch tall by 6-inch wide piece of the holiday novelty fabric. Wrap the fabric around the other end of the cardboard tube. Overlap the muslin head and the novelty fabric in the back. Glue the back seam. This will be the body.

3. Draw a 3-inch heart shape on black poster board for the crafted cardboard tube's feet. Cut out the heart and round the tip.

4. Apply craft glue to the body edge of the cardboard tube. Set the body edge onto the feet, with the rounded point of the feet lined up with the back seams of the cardboard tube. Allow the glue to dry.

5. Cut a 6-inch square of felt for the hat. Fold the felt in half. Sew the two layers together on the long raw edge side, using a 1/4-inch seam.

6. Turn the hat tube right side out. Fold a cuff on one end and tie embroidery floss around the other end, one inch from the top. Place it on top of the crafted cardboard tube character. Do not glue.

7. Apply cheeks to the face using the blush and cotton swab. Dip the blunt end of the wood skewer into the black acrylic paint and dot two eyes. Glue the button to the face for the nose. Allow the paint and glue to dry.

8. Remove the hat, fill the party favor with goodies and replace the hat.

Tips & Warnings

• Add craft doll hair for beards. Add ribbon bows, raffia, fabric patches and feathers to create a wide variety of characters, such as Santa, Cupid, a scarecrow or a turkey. For different sized cardboard tubes, adjust the basic head and body pieces. If the cardboard tubes are wider than the toilet paper tubes, adjust the feet and hat sizes.