DIY Network

Muse Dolls, Part 1 Make an easy, exotic muse doll. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-110

Make your own inspiration with these marvelous muses.

Artists often talk about finding their muse—their creative inspiration. You can turn your creative energy into making your own muse, in doll form, with help from fabric artist Julie McCullough and B. Original host Michele Beschen.

Julie McCullough shows how to craft her signature "muse" dolls and, in a related project, dress them in exotic fabric you create yourself. B. Original and make your own muse today!

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Build Your Doll's Body

Materials:

½" dowel, approx. 18" long
velour fabric (in doll's skin color)
heavy paper for pattern template
chopstick or skewer
polyester batting
sewing machine

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

• Draw and cut out a paper template for your muse's body on sturdy paper. Julie McCullough's muses tend to be tall and willowy, with long, slender necks. Her pattern (figure A) starts with a long neck at the top, flares out to slim shoulders, then gently tapers down from there. The overall body is about 18" long, the same length as your dowel.

• Draw and cut out a paper template for your muse's head. Like the body, the head isn't very detailed—you'll be adding that later. Instead, draw an oval shape that comes down to two small bumps at the narrow end (figure B). In the final doll, the oval will be the back of the head, and the bumps will be the nose and chin.

• Fold your velour double, with the fuzzy side facing out, and trace your templates directly onto the fabric. Julie McCullough uses velour as the fabric for her dolls, with the "wrong" side facing outward and the fuzzy side facing in. She prefers velour because it's slightly stretchy and gives the dolls' features a more rounded look; cotton doesn't stretch as well and makes pointy-featured dolls. Velour comes in a wide variety of colors to match whatever skin tone you want for you doll.

• Sew your doll's head and body directly on the lines you traced, leaving a small gap at the side of the body for stuffing and one at the bottom for the dowel to come through. On the head, leave a gap just behind the chin where the neck will attach. Trim the excess fabric, clip where the seam curves and turn the pieces right-side out.

• Insert the dowel into the doll's body, stitch the bottom of the doll-body fabric tight around the dowel. Stuff the doll's body tightly with polyester batting, using a chopstick or skewer to poke the stuffing into all the nooks and crannies. This isn't a cuddly play doll—it needs to be firm. Also stuff the head tightly (figure C).

	Figure D
	Figure E

Build Her a Stand

Put your muse doll on a pedestal by crafting a custom stand. Julie McCullough likes to use a large finial from a fence post plus a square of corner molding.

• Decide how you want to use your finial—there's no rule that says you have to use it right-side up.

• Once you know "which end is up" for your stand, drill a ½" hole in the top of your finial if there isn't one already (figure D). The bottom of your doll's dowel will go here.

• Attach your finial to a square of corner molding or other wooden base. Stain or paint as desired. Julie McCullough likes to dress up her stands as well as her dolls with different colors of paint, fabric and paper decoupage (figure E). Experiment with different colors and embellishments. Once you're happy with the result, apply a coat of protective varnish.

• You also can create stands from candleholders or other wooden objects. B. Original and see what works for you!

Your muse is starting to take shape...

Go to the next part of this project to finish her up!

GUESTS :

Julie McCullough
Website: www. magicthreads.com
E-mail: julie@magicthreads.com