You can easily make your own paper dolls along with clothing and accessories to go with them. I offer several printable templates here for you to use. All of them are simple, black and white designs so you can print and decorate them as you please; or, if you prefer, colorize and decorate them using your favorite graphics program on your computer. Another option is to print out the desired items and use them as a pattern to create felt, craft foam, or fabric dolls. The possibilities are endless!
1. Start Out With a Paper Doll Body
When you print out your paper doll body, you have a few options. You can use a variety of colored cardstock, print out the desired templates on magnet sheets or even use printer sticker sheets. Color in your doll body and make facial and other features using crayon, markers, or whatever method you prefer. You can use yarn or embroidery floss for hair or even make wigs using felt scraps. Another idea is to make paper dolls that look like you and your friends by using photos. If you use cardstock or regular paper, you might want to glue your paper doll onto a lightweight cardboard base to make it sturdier. To protect your finished dolls, you can laminate it or cover it with clear contact paper.
2. Printable Shirts
You will find a large variety of shirts in this collection. Many of these shirt styles will work for both boy and girl dolls. Decorate them with paint, crayons, or markers. You can also embellish the shirts using fabric scraps, buttons, ribbons, and just about any other items you can find. As with your doll body, you can create any of the clothing and accessories here using magnets, stickers, felt, craft foam, or fabric. Use your imagination!
3. Printable Pants and Shorts
This offering of pants and shorts is not quite as vast as the shirts category... Let's face it, there are not quite as many basic designs you can come up with. However, you can print out the templates and design fancy jeans, khakis, and dress slacks. You can even use these designs as stencils to cut pants for your paper dolls out of old jeans. One helpful hint when working with fabric is to back the fabric with iron on interfacing just so it is a little stiffer.
4. Printable Dresses and Skirts
Of course, if you are making a boy doll, you won't be the least bit interested in these dress designs; but who knows, he might want a girlfriend one day! There are several different dresses and skirts to choose from and a variety of ways you can decorate them. Try making fancy patterns on the printed design using dimensional fabric paint - this works well on paper, felt, craft foam, or fabric. If you want to use fabric, you can use the printed template as a base by simply gluing the fabric to the template. For one of the dresses I made, I even cut the fabric wider than the template and then gathered it with the help of craft glue for a nice effect.
5. Printable Outerwear
No well-dressed doll would venture out in questionable weather without the proper attire such as rain gear or a warm winter jacket. You can dress up a winter coat by gluing a little fake-fur trim around the collar and sleeves, and don't forget to decorate a cap and boots to match. If you want the rain jacket to have a 'slick' look, try painting it with a few thin coats of shiny, dimensional fabric paint or I even used stained glass paint. If you can think it, you can probably do it.
6. Printable Underwear and Swim Wear
A modest paper doll would not be caught with out his or her under garments. Most of these can also double as bathing suits. You can print out and make a bathing suit to match yours, and you can even make a cut little beach towel by cutting a rectangle out of an old towel. One helpful hint for these smaller pieces, and for any of the paper doll templates, is to color or paint the template before you cut it out. Believe me, this will make coloring them a lot easier!
7. Printable Accessories
Once you make special outfits for your doll, why not make some matching accessories. What fashionable paper doll wouldn't love to sport a pair of sneakers, a book bag, or a baseball cap? Instead of drawing or gluing hair on your paper doll, why not use one of these hat patterns and create a variety of wigs for your doll. While your at it, keep your creativity flowing and design a house for your paper doll. When I was a kid, I made my paper dolls a house out of an old photo album, with each page being a different 'room' in the house. I bet you can think of something even more creative!
8. Paper Doll Photo Gallery
No matter what kind of doll, clothing, and accessories you create, make sure you have fun and use your imagination. One last thing, remember to take a picture of your finished paper dolls, clothing, and even home-made houses. Submit that picture using these simple directions and it will be posted in the paper doll photo gallery for everyone to ooh and ah over. What a great way to show off all your creative talents!
