This is the first article of a new mini course about making a bed and dress for a tiny doll. I received a doll in a cigar box bed as a Christmas gift when I was a young child and I never forgot it. That gift was one of my favorites, ever. I was so impressed with the thought and time that went it to it, and I'm sure you, or someone you love, would be thrilled with it as well.

This will be a fun project which will be rather inexpensive to create. It requires very small amounts of supplies and lends itself well to using up left over items.

Materials Required
One cigar box
white paint, or the color of your choice
one small doll, to fit in the cigar box when she lies down.
4 empty wooden thread spools
4 wooden, slip-on type clothespins
hot glue gun and glue sticks
scraps of fabric for the bedding and dress, coordinate the color of your fabric with your paint color, if you like.
scrap of quilt batting for the bedding
scraps of 1/8 inch wide satin ribbon
craft knife or exacto knife, or small hand saw
very fine sand paper
small paint brush, disposable foam brushes are fine.

Start to think about what color you would like to make your dolls clothes and bedding in. Pink gingham in a small check works particularly well for this project. The mattress and blanket only need to be the same size as the inside of your cigar box, so scraps will be enough.

The doll is available at craft stores for about a dollar, or so. Ask at your local tobacco store if they have any empty cigar boxes they would be willing to give you, you may be able to get it free, or for a small amount of money.

If you have any left over paint, any latex or acrylic paint will work. Whether it is wall paint or craft paint in the little bottles.

Gather your supplies and we will begin to work on this project with next week's article, Creating a Cigar Box Doll Bed.

To Make the bedding for your Cigar Box Bed Click Here.


Making and Dressing Cloth Dolls
Ebook with patterns and instructions to make 5 cloth dolls as well as chapters on general doll making techniques.The book includes 21 inch Lalena Doll, 21 inch David Doll, Bear Dolls, 9 inch Destiny Doll and 15 inch Annie Doll, all together in one handy book. 53 pages.Making and Dressing Cloth Dolls.