Tools for Dolls & Puppets
How about a video to cover all the tools you need to become an expert at making dolls and puppets? Below the video you’ll find links to help you locate all these tools and time savers to making your doll and puppet making easy and fun.
Video Chapters: (feel free to skip around)
- 00:00 Intro
- 00:17 Something Stitchy (heavy Needle & Thread) 02:46 Scissors
- 04:19 Hemostats (Forceps)
- 06:21 Wire Tools
- 07:06 Glue
- 09:48 Clips, Clamps & Pins
- 11:20 Fabric Marking
- 12:33 Measuring Tools
- 13:35 Awl, Seam Ripper & Tape Roller
- 14:37 Wrap-Up & Review
Need Help Finding Tools?
All of the tools I’ve shared should be easily available no matter where you live. I’ll give you some links and places to shop so you can easily find these tools. Some links are affiliates and I will earn a small commission if you purchase. This helps me out and offsets the cost of all the stuff I buy and try out just to share with you what works and what doesn’t. But if you just want to see what the tools look like and buy them locally – that’s GREAT too!
| Tool | Where to Find it | Some Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Scissors | You can buy scissors anywhere that sewing supplies are sold. I showed Kai dressmaker shears and small curved applique scissors. They also have great applique scissors. Bandage scissors are available on Amazon. | cutting, applique |
| Hemostats | 10″ hemostats 5″ tiny hemostats 6″ medium hemostats (cheap but good!) | turning/stuffing |
| Awl | Found in the notions section of fabric stores or buy online: Clover Awl at Amazon | poking holes for doll joints or eyes with minimal damage to the fabric |
| Seam Ripper | Found in the notions section of fabric stores or buy online: Clover Seam Ripper at Amazon | removing stitches and mistakes |
| Strong Thread | Available anywhere thread is sold. Look for thread spools labeled: Heavy Duty, Extra Strong, Upholstery, or Button & Craft. Even hand quilting thread is stronger than regular sewing thread but not as strong as the others I’ve listed. | for hand sewing without worrying about thread breaks |
| Doll Needles | Usually found in the notions section of fabric stores or buy online: Hemline doll needles OR Dritz doll needles | easier to sew with heavy thread, also able to go through larger sized parts |
| Measuring | Any flexible tape measure will do and those are sold anywhere you can buy fabric and sewing notions. You may also want a flexible ruler or a seam gauge but those are optional. | measuring fabrics, seam allowances, everything else |
| Marking | Found in the notions section of fabric stores or buy online: Frixion heat erasable pens, Air erasable pens, Chaco chalk wheel liners, water erasable pens | transferring pattern markings onto your fabric |
| Wire Tools | You can find needle nose pliers are hardware stores or in the jewelry-making area of craft stores. Some of them have built-in wire cutters or you can buy a pair of wire cutters (also called nippers) as a separate tool. Here’s a whole set in pretty colors. | pliers for bending wire, cutters for, well, cutting it. |
| Glues | Fabric and Craft stores have many fabric glues you can choose from. Fabri-fix is an all-time favorite. I’m also loving the fabric hot glue sticks and fine tip glue gun from Surebonder. | Glue fabrics together, or glue other stuff onto fabric and fur |
| Clips, Clamps & Pins | Found in the notions section of fabric stores or buy online: T-pins or Clover mini-clips | holding parts together while you sew or wait for the glue to dry |
