Techniques for Primitive Doll Making

Primitive fabric dolls can be made from simple fabrics.

The charm of primitive dolls is in the simplicity of their look, a kind of earthy handmade appeal. Whether the dolls are made of wood, fabric, clay, leather or any other material, their lines and features evoke a feeling of old world innocence. The dolls made of fabrics or hides are some of the warmest looking of the primitive-type dolls.

Skin

Primitive cloth dolls have skin made of different fabrics or even leather.
Use muslin or an open weave cotton fabric to make the body of a fabric primitive-style doll. To make it look more aged, soak the fabric in a large bowl or pan full of tea and water. Experiment with scraps of fabric and different types of tea bags to find the variation in color that best suits your dolls. The more tea you use and the longer the fabric soaks, the more color the skin tones will have.
Use the same fabric or groups of fabrics to form the body and face that you use for the clothing. The skin can be rough or soft fabric. Make the skin out of a course burlap fabric or try a softer cotton fabric with a tighter weave.
Try cutting leather instead of fabric to make the body and skin. The doll will be more durable although tougher to stitch. Make the doll out of thinner leather for a more squeezable feel. Use different colors of leather to make dolls of different races.

Clothing, Hair and Face

Make hair with strips of fabric. Rip the strips instead of cutting for a more primitive look. Use short pieces for hair that stands up or has a thick mane-like look. For a leather doll, cut a single piece of leather, then cut strands of hair in it. Attach hair by sewing or gluing.
Use quilted fabrics or traditional fabrics such as an Indonesian batik, an American quilt or an African print to give the doll a homemade cultural feel. Make a female doll with a full skirt that creates the illusion of a formed doll's body underneath if you do not want to make a body.
Use acrylics or fabric paints to paint facial features. Try stitching the facial features using thread or embroidery floss. Use simple running stitches to create the face or add bead work to make the parts of the face. Make no facial features at all and leave the fabric or leather plain.

Body Composition

Create the doll's body with stuffed fabric. Use muslin, calico, cheesecloth or pieces cut from old clothing or bedspreads. Cut two matching pieces in a body shape, much like a gingerbread cookie-cutter shape. Stitch the two pieces together by hand or machine, leaving an opening for stuffing. Turn right side out and stuff the doll body with cotton batting, dried flowers, straw, wood shavings or dried foods like beans, rice, flax or corn. Stitch the opening shut. An alternative look is to leave the stitched doll wrong side out and stuff it so the seams show.
Use the clothing to form the body instead of sewing or cutting a body. Try stiff, coarsely woven, lined or layered fabrics to make clothing that will be the body for a primitive doll. Make a head to attach out of fabric or leather.
Make the doll body out of wood, cut to shape with a coping saw or a jigsaw. Use sticks found in the yard. Put the stick pieces or wood pieces together by drilling holes and tying the joints together with twine, string, strips of leather or strips of fabric that allow for movement of the joints. For a stiffer standing doll, cut the body, limbs and head in one full piece.

References

• Primitive-Folk-Art: How to Make Primitive Dolls