How to make a pipe cleaner doll

Take a ball of wool.  This lovely bubbly wool comes from

 Rainbow Wools . Carol supplies many of the Steiner schools in Australia.  She'd love to help you too!

 

You need a few pipe cleaners.  The ones with tightly woven cotton are easier to work with than the standard pipe cleaners you find in cheap (and nasty) shops.

Start about a centimetre from one end, and wind the wool tightly towards the tip.

When you reach the end, fold the tip over to secure wool, and continue winding back the other way.

Repeat the fold at the other tip, then tie off the wool as neatly as possible.

This pipe cleaner forms the legs and body.

Take a second pipe cleaner and thread a bead into the centre of it.

Wind one side of this pipe around the centre of the leg piece. Repeat with the other end too, so this pipe cleaner now becomes the head and arms.

Wind the arms in the same way as the legs, but do it in two separate pieces.

Start on one wrist and work towards middle, then tie off.

Repeat with the second arm.

This will keep the bulk of wool formed in the tying motion hidden underneath the clothes.

Your body is complete.

Now for clothes!

This shape becomes a shirt.

Lengthen the top and bottom ends to make a dress.

I gave Grandpa a set of overalls!, a beard and white fleece hair.

These dolls stand about 5cm tall so the stitching is quite intricate. 

At times like this, I almost need glasses!

Grandma is clothed in a shirt and separate skirt, with a little felt apron.

And stereotypically, a white plait bun.  I couldn't resist, even though I have never known a Grandma who looks like this!   Many Grandma's today are more 'with it' (as my mother would say!) than me.

Here is the boy, a smaller version of the Grandpa doll.

And the farmhouse dog!  He was more challenging, but he does the trick for the story!

Can you guess what story it might be?

Hint:  The wire dolls are perfect for this story as the pipe cleaner arms can be bent to demonstrate that they hold one to one another!

Here is the mini mouse!  Ned loves her, and I keep having to search for her when Ned takes her away to play! 

Do you like this?  Let me know.  Leave a comment here.

It is always good to know when something is useful or not.

Happy sewing!!