Wigging: I wrote a comprehensive piece called "One Inch Scale Doll Making: A Workbook " which includes all aspects of doll making and costume patterns. The first book I wrote was for half inch scale and it is also available. http://www.lsisson.com/TheFootInfo/toOrder/

Laurie Sisson

Costuming Books: I have a book "Elizabethan Costuming - For the Years 1550-1580." It is a paperback and costs $16. I don't remember where I bought it, but it does have lots of nice illustrations and instructions for making full size costumes. For miniatures you would have to shrink everything down but it shouldn't be that difficult. In fact, I do it frequently. On the inside front cover it says they also have "Victorian Costuming: Volume 1 1840-1865" and "Medieval Costuming: Volume 1 1066-1300." These books are published by Other Times Productions. The ISBN on the Elizabethan book is 0-9630220-0-8. It also gives some history and lifestyle information that would be useful in making miniature scenes.

Marsha Hedrick

Costuming: Look (at the library, or an on-line book store) in the theatre section. There are all kinds of books on costuming for theatre designers. Also, here is another site for costuming:

http://www.costumegallery.com/

Kaye in L.A.

Costuming Links: Stagecraft pathfinder has links to costuming resources. The direct address is:

http://www.BetsyDa.com/etc/stagecraft.html

Betsy Vera

Clothing of ALL periods/styles: http://members.aol.com/nebula5/costume.html#toc

I want to warn you. If you go there and start following the links, you may never return. An absolutely unbelievable amount of information on historical costumes, buildings, etc. You find things like "Lighting the Virgin's Way" and plans and instructions for building a Gothic candelabra. I recommend you start looking on a Friday night, so you won't miss the next couple of days of work (and you probably think I'm joking).

Tom Berkner

Costume book: Just another reference for those looking for costumes for period dolls, with patterns. The Doll Book by Estelle Ansley Worrell 1966, ISBN O-442-29555-3, Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold Ltd. This book contains patterns for many costumes dating from 1600 to 1890, it also includes accessories. The patterns are not 1" scale but a photocopier can be used to adjust them. It also contains instructions for making cloth dolls.

Robyn Sunderland

The X Files dolls: I want to make it clear that I did not make the dolls. The figures in the scene were designed by Todd McFarlane. He is an artist who became famous for his comic book covers (Spiderman) and then his own creation "Spawn." He has built a very successful company called McFarlane Toys and manufactures action figures based on film and TV characters. They are mass produced and available at many toy and comic book stores. He just launched a new line of sports figures this year. The clothes on his figures are actually sculpted on and part of the mold. The realistic look of them is one of the reasons I like his work so much. These three in my box are jointed at the shoulders and neck, but the legs are fixed in position. I had a chance to meet him last year at the New York Toy Fair and included a page of his figures in my coverage of the event. Here is the link if you are interested:

http://www.mastercollector.com/neat/toyfair00/mcfarlane/

John in Yonkers

Animals for 1" Scale: There are some great mini animals out there for 1" scale. Here are a few links to get you started:

http://www.customcreationsbyrika.com/ and http://www.catworkz.com

Linda in GA

Chimps: Todd Kreuger is still in business and can be reached at T K Designs, 33 N Highpoint Court #160, Madison, WI 53717. He also makes wonderful dragons.

Pat Bauder

The new newsletter for dollmakers: She doesn't have a web page yet, but there is a link with brief information under "more minis" at http://www.lollyinc.bigstep.com

DollsMini

Bendable dolls: I've used the poseable Town Square Miniatures and the Horsman dolls from Hobby Lobby for miniature scenes/roomboxes quite effectively. Sometimes they are sold very reasonably on eBay. I think most miniature shops can order them directly from the manufacturer.

Pictures with examples of the poseable dolls are here:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/8157/bridal.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/8157/dhxmas.htm

http://wilmakinder.hypermart.net/vest.htm

Wilma Kinder

Mermaid's Tail: I suggest you use velvet upholstery fabric. Sew two fins together, leaving 1 inch on the side open. Place the doll's legs into the fins, sew snap on the 1 inch opening and snap closed. If you don't want to remove the fins, glue shut. Also, you could wire the fins. That way you can get her to set on a rock or whatever you want. You can make your own pattern by measuring from lower waist to below the toes. Then draw the fins on one side. Cut 2 pieces, 1 front, then turn pattern over and cut 1 back. You can use a sea green color and use gold thread to make the scales and tips of fins.

Sherri of Texas

Mermaids: When I make "merfairys," I do not use the legs. They will make the tail too bulky. I use white basic Sculpey and make the shape I want for hips to tail fins, bake for about 15 minutes (depending on size) at low temperature. Or, halfway through, I coat the entire tail structure with green scales starting at the bottom and working upward, overlapping as I go. Then bake the entire item all the way through. DO NOT wig your doll until it has finished baking. Very time consuming, but with great results. A less time intensive way is to add a thin layer of clay over basic tail structure and emboss scales using a press, again tail to torso overlap. You can do it with a cloth stuffed tail also, but I don't believe in sewing.

LadyBug

Male Hair: At a workshop we wigged babies by painting the head with watered down glue, then gently rolling head in fine brown, yellow, tan, etc. landscape foam. Looked great and gave some texture. Also, you can finely chop Bunka and paint/glue and roll in that. Gives a great curly look. Can even give him a curly beard with longer pieces.

Diane from SF Bay area

Doll Clothing: I have had a hard time finding dolls in everyday clothing. My house is set in the 20's or 30's and I want people in the house who are not wealthy looking or dressed up in "going out" clothes. I decided to make my own and I discovered a great place for ideas - Mary Engelbreit's artwork! I have one of her calendars and it has been perfect inspiration for neat, colorful clothing that is "old fashioned" looking.

The hair styles pictured are also perfect! I copied one little girl's dress and I am so pleased with the results! Off to dress more dolls! This is SO much fun!

Mary Jensen

Dyeing dolls hair: If it is manmade materials, you should be able to color it with permanent markers. You should be able to get different colors in a craft or art supply store. It probably would work for natural fibers too.

Susan from St. Croix

Floating Your Fairies; Use very fine wire coated with silver paper and wrap one end round a flower fairy and gently curve the wire, poking the end into a fairy scene wall, for example. Well, it makes the flying fairies sort of move as one walks up to the scene, a bit like the diamonds set in that 'trembling' way on tiaras in the 19thC, so as one moved one's head, the diamond flowers trembled. And if you jump up and down, it makes the fairies airsick. Also, if you have spare flowers and were making the flower dolls, you can snip petals from the spare flowers to make a little bodice for the front and back of the doll.

Helen from York

In making my dolls, I find the hardest thing for me to do is getting the folds of the fabric to lay convincingly and naturally. This is also a problem in making curtains and bedding. I've tried steaming them in place, spraying them with hairspray, pinning them, etc., but all these methods have drawbacks. Yesterday, in desperation, I tried touching the doll's costume with a LIGHTLY dampened sponge and drying with a hairdryer on its hottest setting. This worked wonderfully. I was working on a doll already dressed in cotton and fine linen. I can't suggest using this method on silk since I haven't yet tried it on silk. Another tip is one that I read here ( thank you!) and decided to try. I used very strong coffee to age a piece of rayon seam binding that I wanted to use to make fringe. I've always used tea for "aging" but coffee worked so much better. It took that "new" brightness away and since I sponged it on, it dried very quickly. I've saved the remaining coffee "dye" in a small jar to use again.

Darlene from L.I.

Portrait Dolls: My specialty is portrait dolls. I hand sculpt, using polymer clay blends, an exact likeness of the subject. I work from photographs you provide. I also create furry dogs--never attempted a cat, yet. If interested, please take a look at my web site: GALLERY 3 portraits. I have photos of many familiar faces! http://minipearls.homestead.com/Weewilliewinkies.html

Pearl Jordan

Portrait Dolls: I know of several who make them.

Connie Hanson of P & C Dolls http://pcdolls.com/

JoAnn Berry of Blackfoot Daisy Studio http://blackfootdaisy.com/portrait.htm

And possibly Dorothy Haw of Abigail's Fantasy http://home.flash.net/~txva/

Anne Gerdes