Nowadays, dolls have become extremely popular not only among children, but also among most adults who prefer to collect them. Some series of dolls (for example, Monster High) are sold with ready-made plastic stands, which are decorated with individual attributes for each doll. But it’s not cheap, and it’s much more interesting to do such a thing yourself. Therefore, in our article we will talk about how to make a stand for a doll from a wide variety of materials with your own hands.
You can make a stand from almost any material that you have at hand. This could be plaster, paper, old discs, seaming caps and much more. There are countless options for creating a doll pedestal. But today we will tell you how to make beautiful and practical stands for dolls of the most popular series.
What parts does the stand consist of?
Many dolls cannot stand upright without support because they have a small support area or an inadequate center of gravity. Special removable stands give stability to such products. Both store-bought and home-made models consist of a disk-shaped or square base and a vertical stand fixed on it. The upper part of this rack can be in the form of a ring or a small rectangle. Their diameter should be slightly larger than the width of the product’s hips. The height of the stand should be close to half the height of the pupa.
Those who want to learn how to make a stand for dolls should remember the aesthetic design of the support. The composition should look coherent so that the appearance of the doll does not deteriorate. Tasteful details will enhance the expressiveness of the outfit and its decor. You need to carefully consider the diameter of the stand so that it does not fall when tilted. For large toys, the base should be massive.
Making hangers
You don’t have to make hangers for doll clothes, but use ready-made ones, for example, from sock packaging.
The hook can be removed from the packaging
If desired, they can be wrapped in thin foam rubber and covered with fabric.
Decorating hangers
If there are not enough of them or the right size, you will have to take their production into your own hands.
Hangers made of paper clips or wire
The easiest way is to make hangers from paper clips. They come in different sizes, metal, colored, with plastic braiding - there are plenty to choose from. The manufacturing process is simple, you can do it with just your hands, but it is more convenient to use pliers.
It is enough to bend the paper clip slightly on both sides, and then lift the long part and bend it with a hook. For rigidity, the tip of the short part can be wrapped around the neck of the hook.
Clothes clip hanger
Video - How to make hangers for dolls
If dolls need hangers larger than those made from paper clips, use wire. It is quite difficult to make neat and even products out of it; a simple device made from a piece of plywood or a plank and several small nails will help with this.
| Image | Description |
Step 1 | On the board, draw the outline of a hanger of a suitable size and drive several nails into it, without recessing the caps. |
Step 2 | Cut a piece of wire and wrap it sequentially around the nails, forming hangers. |
Step 3 | Remove the workpiece from the template, cut off the excess wire and make several turns with its tip around the neck of the hook. |
Methods for attaching dolls to a frame
How are toys attached to these stands? The holder can be made with the following three attachment methods:
- In the form of a pointed stick onto which the doll’s body is inserted. Intended for toys that serve as interior decoration and are rarely removed from the frame.
- Fastening using secret pockets that are sewn to the doll's clothes. The stand stick is inserted into these pockets.
- Fastening by “hanging” the toy in the area of the armpits or waist. This is the most popular, versatile and easy-to-use type of stand. It is the modeling of such supports that will be discussed in our article.
It is worth noting that stores sell such devices made of plastic, metal, wood, and plexiglass. What can you use to make this support yourself?
DIY cardboard doll stand
We offer you a simple and quick way to make doll supports. For such a case, stock up on the following materials:
- a 2 mm piece of cardboard, which can be purchased at an art store;
- a bottle of PVA glue;
- tube of Moment glue;
- a piece of sandpaper;
- set of acrylic paints;
- a jar of acrylic varnish.
We offer you a master class on cardboard paper doll stands. It is performed in the following order:
- The cardboard is cut into several parts (6-10), depending on how thick the support is wanted to be made.
- Identical circles are cut out from these squares.
- The round parts are glued together using Moment glue. You get a kind of disk.
- This semi-finished product is placed under a press for an hour.
- All uneven edges are processed with sandpaper. You get a perfectly round washer.
- This washer is covered and pasted over with ordinary office crumpled paper or a napkin.
- The workpiece is dried in the oven.
- Use your imagination and paint the support with acrylic paints and varnish it.
- Holes are made in such a soft stand and the doll is installed in them.
Very simple and convenient!
Paper coasters
This type of coaster is made from cardboard (2 mm thick) or newspaper tubes. Let's look at how to make a base from these materials.
For a cardboard stand you will need:
- cardboard;
- office paper or napkin;
- PVA glue;
- glue Moment;
- sandpaper;
- acrylic paints;
- acrylic lacquer.
Depending on the desired thickness and size of the stand, cut 6-10 pieces of cardboard. Cut out identical circles from the pieces.
Glue the circles together with Moment glue and place under a press for an hour. Use sandpaper to smooth out any uneven areas on the sides.
Cover the workpiece with crumpled office paper and dry it in the oven. If desired, paint and varnish. Make a hole for the holder.
Base made of newspaper tubes. Prepare newspaper tubes. To do this, cut a newspaper page into 4 strips. Start winding the newspaper strip onto the knitting needle from the corner. If the knitting needle is covered with newspaper, move it aside and continue winding. When the newspaper runs out, glue the tip with PVA glue.
Take the first tube and screw it onto the future stand. When the first stick is finished, the stand can be removed. Wind up enough tubes so that the diameter of the base is sufficient for a stable stand.
Related article: Plush fabric is not only for toys and furniture
Make several such disks, but each one is slightly smaller than the previous one.
Assemble the stand onto the stand. To do this, it is good to glue each new disk to the previous one.
Decorate the resulting pyramid as desired.
Wooden support
Wooden accessories for dolls have their advantages. Wood emits a special aura and warmth that can complement the toy. The wooden support has an expensive and presentable appearance. They can be decorated using decoupage. This stand can be made to individual measurements. If the preparation is done manually, the result will be an environmentally friendly product.
To make a wooden stand, take a flat block of the required size. The top and sides of the workpiece are carefully processed to level and polish the wood. They step back a little from the edge of the block and drill a hole through. A wooden stand will be inserted into it. After this, the workpiece is painted and varnished several times.
The stand is made from a wooden plank. A narrow ring made of wire or elastic plastic is screwed to it. To place this ring in the rack, a small groove is cut into it. Secure the ring with small nails. All that remains is to assemble all the details into one whole. To do this, lubricate the lower end of the stand with glue and insert it into the hole in the base.
Furniture for a dollhouse made of cardboard
You can try your hand at making furniture for dolls using cardboard. The material is inexpensive, accessible, you can try and make mistakes, redo it. Cardboard is usually joined using PVA glue; you can use a glue gun or any universal glue that can glue cardboard, fabric, or wood. By simply making furniture for dolls with your own hands from cardboard, you will also use these materials. If we talk about convenience, then a glue gun is preferable - it glues quickly, it’s convenient to work, and the connection is reliable.
Without finishing, doll furniture made of cardboard does not look very good
To make furniture for dolls, you can use regular packaging cardboard. It is cheap, but the furniture it makes is very delicate. It is unlikely that it will be enough for a child for a long time. But, as a “first experience”, this is a good option. Cardboard products for scrapbooking are more reliable. It is more dense, homogeneous, has different thicknesses (from 2 mm and more), and can have a textured surface, embossed monochromatic patterns, or a pattern on one or both sides. The disadvantage of such cardboard is that you have to buy it, and some types of such cardboard are not very cheap.
Cardboard bed for a doll
This cardboard doll bed is designed for a large doll - up to 50 cm in height. If necessary, all specified dimensions can be reduced.
You can make such a bed out of cardboard in a few minutes
This option can be done in literally 10-20 minutes. There is no need for glue or other fixatives. The parts are held in place by grooves cut into the cardboard. The width of the groove is equal to the thickness of the cardboard, the length of the slots and the dimensions of the workpieces are indicated in the diagram.
Bed diagram for dolls
Green and yellow dots indicate compatible cuts. They are inserted one into the other, where the assembly ends. If you like this model, it can also be made from plywood.
Schemes for making cardboard doll furniture
Basically, furniture for dolls made of cardboard is glued. It is unlikely that it will be possible to make something delicate or very complex from this material, but making simple models will not take much time. Having a diagram with dimensions, you can even do without explanations. Everything is clear.
Chair diagram for dolls
Such models can be made “by eye”. Without the “upholstery” they look unsightly, but after that they look quite decent
It’s not difficult to make a bed, but with kitchen cabinets you’ll have to be a little tricky
A bedside table with doors and an open shelf - one design, different designs
Another bedside table model for making from cardboard or plywood
Making a toy table for dolls with your own hands using this scheme is not a problem
Floor lamp for dolls made of cardboard
Furniture patterns for dolls can be used not only for making from cardboard. They can be transferred to plywood and cut out using a jigsaw.
Gypsum is an excellent base material.
Small items can be mounted on plaster stands. They are quite heavy and do not tip over. To perform this work you will need the following raw materials:
- gypsum powder;
- thick copper wire;
- metal tube of the required diameter.
First, a stand is made from wire. The length of the wire should be three times the height of the stand. The dart is bent in half and a ring is formed for the stand. The ends of the wire are passed through a metal tube.
Next we begin making the base. To cast the gypsum support, formwork (a special mold) is prepared. Liquid plaster is poured into the mold and the lower part of the wire stand is immersed in it.
After the workpiece has hardened, the formwork is removed and possible irregularities are rubbed with plaster. Such a product can be covered with any dense fabric, for example, a piece of velvet.
Wardrobe for dolls made from scrap materials
The toy cabinet can be made of plywood, painted or covered with wrapping paper or self-adhesive film. There probably won’t be any questions here - everything is clear, and if you have questions, you can see their solution in the “natural” closet. But it can be made from very inexpensive materials. The good thing about making do-it-yourself furniture for dolls is that its cost is very low.
From a cardboard box
The main task is to find a thick cardboard box of the appropriate size. Moreover, it will be easier to work if it is packaging - with folded edges. This folding part is a ready-made door. All that remains is to finish it - hang a mirror, attach a handle, etc.
One of the options for homemade furniture for dolls is a wardrobe
What do you need for work?
To work, you will need good tape, preferably paper-based, as it will be easier to glue the trim to it later. If you have a glue gun or a construction stapler (a large stationery one will do) with staples, that’s also good. If you will use other materials in addition to cardboard and paper, it is better to find a universal glue that glues paper, cardboard, fabric, and plastic. You will also need scissors, a stationery knife, and a ruler.
How to make a doll wardrobe from a cardboard box
If the box you find is too large, you can make it smaller by cutting off the excess. To ensure that the folds are even, take a ruler. We apply it to the place of the future fold, we pass along the ruler several times with a blunt hard object (the stem of a spoon or fork). After this, the cardboard will be easy to bend.
Filling for a toy cabinet
We cut out shelves from scraps or another box. They should be slightly - 5-8 mm - longer and wider than the internal space of the cabinet. We bend the excess so that sides are formed on all sides. Folds form in the corners; carefully cut them off. We bend one of the parts 180° and glue it to the shelf itself. This side of the shelf will “look into the world.” We bend the other three parts at an angle of 90°, coat them with glue and glue the shelves into the cabinet. The photo on the right shows how the shelves are glued. But so that the gluing points are not conspicuous, it is better to turn the sides down.
Making furniture for dolls with your own hands is no less fun than playing with it later.
In addition to shelves, you can also make a crossbar for hangers. It can be made from bamboo skewers, for example, you can try using a juice straw, wire, etc. Hangers can also be twisted from colored wire or cut from juice bags, plastic bottles, etc.
Finishing is a creative process
Next comes the finishing touches. You can paint the cardboard with watercolor or acrylic (preferably) paints, glue it with wrapping paper, fabric, felt. You can imitate a mirror surface by covering it with foil (food foil, for example). If you want to make a “plastic” surface, look for water bottles of the desired color, cut off the neck and bottom, and use the “body” as a finishing material.
Finishing is a creative process, but first, use simpler, softer, thinner materials; they are easier to work with
Handles can be made from wire, beads, or long beads. For larger toy cabinets, you can find buttons or buttons. We glue all this “beauty” after we have “lined” the cabinet.
Doll wardrobe made from newspapers
You will need old newspapers, PVA glue with a brush, a glue gun, a couple of pieces of wire or thread, wrapping paper for finishing the cabinet or paint.
We roll up tight tubes from newspapers, coat them with PVA around the edges and leave them to dry. Then the tubes can be glued together. A glue gun is better suited for this operation. There are two ways: first collect large blocks, then cut them into fragments of the required length, or immediately cut the tubes of the required length and immediately glue the blanks to size. The second way is more painstaking, but there is less waste.
Assembling planes from newspaper tubes
The finished cabinet walls must be fastened together. To firmly fix an angle of 90°, it is better to use a thin wire. First coat the joints with glue, then use wire to pull the walls together. If the wires are in the way, they can be removed after the glue has dried.
We glue holders under the shelves
Using the same technology, the bottom, top, and shelves are glued. The doors will need to be made a little differently. To make them open, two strips about 1.5 cm wide are cut out of tape. Tape is glued along the edge of the door so that a little more than half hangs in the air. We glue the door to the wall with this loose tape, but so that there is a gap of 2-3 mm between the wall and the door (it’s just tape there). This will make it possible to close the doors. We fix the glued door on the other side with a second strip of tape.
Fastening the door with wire
The second way to secure the doors is with wire. Only this time it should be tough and thick enough. Cut a piece that is 2 cm longer than the height of the cabinet. Immediately make a loop on the wire on one side using 1 cm. We bend the loop at an angle of 90° to the wire. We make holes in the bottom and roof, pass a wire through the bottom, the loop remains at the bottom. We put the door on the wire, using the outer tube instead of hinges. Slightly bending the wire, we thread it through the hole in the cabinet roof, bend the excess, fixing the door. We repeat the same operation with the other door. Please note that you need to attach the door with tape before finishing the cabinet, but you can attach it with wire after.
Ready-made wardrobe for dolls made from newspapers
There are still some little things that need to be said a few words. Cabinet legs and handles can also be made from paper tubes. You just need to roll them from the paper you use to decorate the toy. Roll it into a tight roll, glue the edge with glue, then cut it into pieces of the required length and glue it in the right places. Instead of tubes there can be wooden sticks, beads, etc.
Old computer disks are good helpers
In a very original way, you can use old CDs to model stands. To work, take one old disk, a balloon stick, a piece of soft wire, a ball of twine, Moment glue and PVA.
First, a wire ring is made on the shelf. Then this stand is inserted into the hole of the disk. Then glue is applied to the disk in a circle and wrapped with twine all the way to the ring. They get something similar to a lamp stand. Such an original little thing will delight little housewives.
Doll furniture made from matchboxes
The easiest way to make furniture for dolls with your own hands is from ordinary matchboxes. They are glued together using PVA glue, creating certain structures, then covered with paper or fabric, self-adhesive film, etc. You can use wooden beads as legs, handles for drawers can be made from small buttons on legs or from long beads.
Simple homemade doll furniture from matchboxes
You can make chairs, a table, a chest of drawers, a bed, and a bedside table from matchboxes. Another thing is that furniture is made for very small dolls, no more than 10 cm high. Although, you can use a larger number of boxes, gluing them into blocks, and from these blocks create furniture for dolls about 15 cm high. Also an option, but work with others materials are not much more complicated, but they are more flexible and allow you to create products of more elegant shapes.
Toy dressing table made from matchboxes
DIY doll desk
Dining table and chairs made from matchboxes for a dollhouse
How to glue boxes
Several design techniques for finishing a homemade toy chest of drawers from matchboxes
This may be your first experience in making doll furniture. Later you can take on something more serious.
Tripods with corsets
Doll beauties with labile, soft bodies can be placed on a stand by placing them in rubber band corsets. It is better to make these rubber belts narrower than the waist. First, a base and a stand are made from scrap materials. It can be a wooden base and a metal tube. The loop for the stand is made of wire. Some people manage to saw off the top of the paper towel holder.
How is the doll secured? First, a rubber corset is put on her, and then she is placed on a metal loop. This corset stand is very convenient.
The simplest support option
There are several options for the simplest frame models. The first is a wire stand. The base is made in the form of a ring and a stand with a hook is attached to it.
The next option is just a base with a stick. The doll is attached to it using a pocket on the back.
For dolls in dresses, a simple option with a holder is suitable. Under clothing, such a product is not visible at all. The frame of the stand is made of wire. Plastic tubes or cambrics are put on the ends. The base can be a wooden cube. Everything is simple - brilliant!
Stands for Monster High dolls
Monster High dolls have gained great popularity. While children simply have fun with them, adults use them as collection exhibits. To make the cute dolls look nice on the furniture, you should build a simple support for them. How to make a stand for Monster High dolls? All of the above methods of making products are definitely suitable for these cuties.
Before execution, it is important not only to look at samples and master classes, but also to use your imagination. Using available tools, you can make a stand in the form of a seat. In this case, the doll simply sits on it like a bike saddle.
For “Monster” dolls, it wouldn’t hurt to make an option from a plastic bottle cap. Perform this product according to the following instructions:
- Using a hot knife, cut out the bottom of the lid.
- Another small piece is cut out on the wall of the resulting ring.
- An old computer disk is used for the base.
- The ring from the lid is glued to this disk.
- The doll is inserted with its feet into the ring.
For cute monsters, special multi-colored plastic stands with specific symbols are sold. But, with care and patience, you can create the perfect complete composition for the doll yourself. You may need some lace, fabrics, paints, ribbons, decoupage napkins, felt scraps and other decorative elements. Try it, dare, make your little ones happy!
Beautiful design
When decorating the stand, you should take into account that it should optimally fit the image of the doll, being its organic continuation.
You should adhere to a simple rule: the stronger the visual load on the doll’s outfit, the simpler the stand under it should have. Options for this design include pasting with felt in a harmonizing color and tying with contrasting ribbons.
Real collectors often have the need to make a stand for a doll with their own hands.
To decorate wooden coasters, you can use the aging effect. You can do this in several ways:
- Cover the workpiece with stain or dark acrylic paint, then apply Vaseline to the areas for aging, and on top - a second paint of a contrasting color. Once completely dry, the paint must be wiped off and the stand coated with a medium or aging wax. When all layers are dry, the base should be coated with acrylic varnish.
- Sand and treat the workpiece with an acrylic primer, then cover it with two layers of dark paint. Sand with wrapping paper and treat the stand with a candle in those places where a worn effect is needed. Next, cover the wood with light paint in one layer and leave to dry, then melt the wax using a hairdryer. Remove excess wax with a rag.
It is important that not only the collection surprises with its originality, but also that the holder suits the favorite one hundred percent.
Before you make a stand for a doll, you need to decide on the mounting method and design style. The resulting product will become a functional addition to the collection, ensuring its convenient placement.
The stands can be decorated at your own discretion. You can paint it with paints, cover it with fabric or corrugated paper.
