How to Make a Wood Doll Stand for Primitive Dolls
Primitive dolls often are made of soft or flimsy materials and typically do not stand up well on their own. Wooden or metal stands provide the necessary support to stand the doll up in a child's room, at a craft show or as part of a larger display. Retailers and craft suppliers offer a wide range of stands for dolls and primitive crafts. However, making a stand yourself is an easy and affordable option and also allows you to customize your stand to fit a specific doll.
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Things You'll Need
- 4-inch or 6-inch round or square unfinished 1/2-inch thick wood plaque
- Drill
- 1/4-inch drill bits
- 1/16-inch drill bits
- Measuring tape or ruler
- 10-inch or 12-inch long piece of 1/4-inch diameter wooden dowel
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Wood glue
- 6-inch piece of thin sturdy wire
- Pliers
- Wood stain or varnish
- 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch paintbrush
Instructions
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1
Sand the edges of the round or square wooden base piece until smooth. Fit the 1/4-inch drill bit into the drill and drill a hole in the base 1 inch from the back edge and equidistant from the two sides. Don't drill all the way through the base; stop just before breaking through the bottom of the base. Sand the edge around the drilled hole until smooth.
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2
Measure your doll from the bottom of her feet to just under her arms. Cut the wooden dowel to that length. Sand the ends of the dowel until smooth. Using a 1/16-inch drill bit, carefully drill one hole through the dowel 1/2 inch from one end; this will be the top of the dowel.
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3
Position the nondrilled end of the dowel into the hole in the base. Turn the dowel as needed to make sure that the hole drilled in the top end of the dowel opens to the sides. Glue the dowel into the base and allow the glue to dry completely for one to two hours.
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4
Thread the wire piece from side to side through the hole at the top of the dowel. Use the pliers to shape the wire on each side into "arms" that will fit around the back and under the arms of the doll you are displaying. Don't join the ends of the wire in front -- leave an opening of 1 to 2 inches (or wider as needed) to allow the doll to fit snugly into the wire arms.
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5
Stain or varnish the wood portions of the completed stand. Allow to dry completely until no longer sticky to the touch for three to four hours. Some stains may require longer to dry.
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6
Place the doll into the wire arms of the stand with the doll's feet level with the top of the base. Arrange the doll and the doll's clothes to achieve the desired appearance for display.
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References
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
