How to Create Your Own Gothic Doll

This Gothic doll is the perfect accessory to take to a Halloween party. You can, in fact, make yourself up to look like the doll. The doll is made from simple, inexpensive items. What you don't have at home, you can pick up at the dollar store. These directions are for a primitive doll with a simple black dress and cape and frightening face. Make her as elaborate or as scary as you like--if you dare.

Things You'll Need

• Black fabric
• Tan cotton material
• Quilt batting
• Craft sticks
• Black yarn
• Googly eyes
• Black marker
• Hot glue gun

Instructions

1. 

   Make a rag doll body. Sketch a simple gingerbread-boy pattern on paper as the illustration shows. Cut out the pattern. Trace it twice onto tan or off-white cotton fabric. Pin the front to the back. With right sides together, stitch around the body, leaving an inch or more open underneath one arm. Turn the doll right side out. Stuff it with quilt batting. Sew it shut.

2. Make a long, loose dress by cutting two identical pieces of black material following the pattern provided. Cut long pieces with long flared sleeves. Widen the dress toward the bottom. Give it a round neckline with a hole wide enough to fit over her head. With right sides together, stitch the dress up the sides, leaving the neck, sleeves and bottom open. Turn the dress right side out. Slide it over the doll's head and arms.

3. Make a black cape by cutting a rectangle of black fabric large enough to fit around her. Cut two simple long narrow rectangles to serve as ties. Sew these to the front of the cape to keep it closed.

4. Cut two small half circles to make shoes. Sew the front to the back with right sides together. Turn them inside out. Put them over the feet. Stitch them to the legs at the top of each shoe.

5. Cut the ends off a craft stick, making each about two inches long. Use these as hands. Hot glue them over her cloth hands. Use a fine black marker to give her fingers.

6. Make hair from strands of black yarn. Cut a bunch of 5-inch pieces of yarn and one 6-inch piece. Wrap the 6-inch piece around the 5-inch bunch, and knot it at the top to hold the strands together. Repeat this step until you have enough to cover her head. Stitch the loose ends of yarn to the top of her head, letting the hair hang down over her shoulders. Leave a bald spot.

7. Make the face, starting with the eyes. Hot glue googly eyes to her face. Outline them with thick black marker to look like eye makeup. Draw a triangle on a craft stick to make a scarecrow-like nose. Cut it out and hot glue it to the face. Cut off the rounded ends of several narrow craft sticks. Hot glue these to her face to make a row of scary teeth. Lay them in opposite directions. Outline them with a fine black marker, then color in the lips with thick black marker. Tie a string around her neck to separate her head from her body.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to give your doll a scary appearance, attach safety pins to her face and body.