Stuffing Advice for Dollmakers

Here's the punch line: Buy the best stuffing (ex: fiberfill, polyfill, batting, cotton wool) that you can afford.

The cheap stuff may look the same in the bag. It may even feel the same if you squeeze it. You may think, "I'll bet this is a no-name brand made by the same company, and it's really the same stuff (so to speak), for half the price."

You'd be wrong.

In terms of how it lumps (or doesn't) in your doll, and how it holds up over time, there is only one way to go: Buy the best. You won't regret it.

I like Fairfield and Mountain Mist stuffing and batting. I buy their top-of-the-line products, and I'm always pleased with the results. Right now, I lean towards Fairfield, but that's a matter of personal taste, and what's available in your local shops. As long as you're buying a very good brand, and avoid their "bargain stuffing" (if they have one), try different kinds and see which suits your dollmaking style.

And...

While we're talking about stuffing, remember to stuff your dolls so the filling is tightly wedged into the doll. If it's too loose, the doll will look lumpy after she's been picked up, hugged, and otherwise played with for a few months.

To get the best results, collect a variety of stuffing tools. There is a great tool, called a Stuff-It, sold by Dritz. It can be used to stuff teensy fingers, as well as turn nice corners. There's a mini version that's worth owning, as well.

Your dollmaking kit will also include a chopstick or two. The lacquered kind with the fine point on one end and a round or square end on the other, is amazingly handy. You may want to sand the lacquer a bit with a very fine sandpaper, so the lacquer doesn't slip through the stuffing too easily.

The idea is to have tools that are pointy, but not too pointy for the job. If you try to use a pencil point, it invariably slips through the stuffing, leaving a lead-black mark that shows through the fabric. Ick.

Likewise, trying to stuff with scissors results in unexpected holes when the scissors slip, despite your best intentions and efforts at control.

But mostly, buy great stuffing. You'll need at least two or three times as much as you think, looking at the bag. It will compress to about one-quarter the size it fills in the bag. Or more.

Never, never, NEVER buy cheap stuffing. It's not worth it. The doll just won't look quite "right." I don't know why, as the stuffing's weaknesses usually doesn't show up right away. But I learned quickly; the dolls don't look as good, if the stuffing isn't top quality.

If you have to cut corners, select a budget fabric rather than purchase cheap stuffing.

Buy the best stuffing, and your dolls will thank you for it.

Articles at others' websites:

Tips and Tools for Creating Soft-Sculptured Dolls by Miriam Gourley.