String Voodoo Doll

Cute String Voodoo Doll d.i.y.

     If you would like to give a personalized gift, a doll replica of a love one or just wanted to make a kawaii doll this tutorial is for you.

     You may also dress up this doll to your liking, use this as a decor for your holiday tables or  trees.  Whatever you choose, enjoy making the doll. Good Luck! -dian

1. Gather your supplies.

  

   a. Strings, thread or yarn.

       length: undetermined

        -This will be the face of your doll, choose whatever color you want your doll to look. You will need a whole lot of this. The length will be determined on how fat or slim your doll will be. So choose a color you can easily find if ever you will need the additional string.

         - You will also be needing another color for your doll's hair.

    

   

 b. Stainless steel wire. 
      length:  2 feet.
     -I apologize for I could not give you the exact size or thickness of the steel wire I have used for the doll. Because the wire I used is the standard stainless steel wire available in any hardware store in my country.  But looking at the picture you might get the idea on how thick the wire should be.

  c. Wire cutter and a pair of Scissors.
      -For obvious reasons LOL! This will be the only tools you will be needing.

d. Styrofoam ball
    size: 1/2 inch round ball.
    -Either you can buy this Styrofoam ball or make one. 
     How to make a ball from a block of Styrofoam: 
       Cut a piece of foam from the block by 1 inch x 1 inch then carve your block into a ball presto! You now got a Styrofoam ball. =)

e. Glue
    size:1 small bottle
     -For sticking and strengthening your doll. You will not be needing a whole bottle just enough to stick the strings together.

f. A pair of small round head push pins.
    size: small
    - This will be the eyes of your doll, so choose a nice color that will compliment the color of your string doll.

g. Masking tape. 
    size: small piece.
    - Securing your wire and foam in place.

h. Marker and measuring tape.
    - For measuring purposes and marking =).

i. Needle
   size: large
    - for sewing the yarn hair into your dolls head.

j. Scrap of cloths, ribbons, beads or anything that you would like the doll to wear.
     size: undetermined
   - This will be the exciting part, dressing up your doll to look like any person or character.

2. Making the voodoo doll. 

a. Get your wire and measure it, you will be needing 2 feet wire for the base of your doll.
b. Now hold your wire find the middle part and use your wire cutter or fliers to bend it. It has to look like the one in the picture.

 

 c. From the tip of the bended part, measure an inch on both the half bend wire then mark it. On the marked part bend both the wire outer sideways.This will be the neck and the arm part of the doll.

 d. From the second bended part measure 1 1/2 inch on both wire and marked it. On the marked part bend it inward this will be the complete arm of the doll.
 

 
 

e. Your bended wire would look like an unfinished star. Now you will proceed on making the trunk or waist of the doll by twisting both the wire together thrice. It has to look like this.

f. After twisting you will now make the leg of the doll by measuring 1 inch from the twisted part down on both wire. From your 1 inch mark bend it outer sideways.

 

















g.You have to twist the raw edge back to the trunk part. Then cut the remaining wire using your wire cutter or pliers.

 

 


h. Tape the whole trunk with the raw edge to avoid getting wounded from the exposed wire ends. 

i. Now get your Styrofoam ball. Put a little glue on the neck part of the wire and insert the wire base into the ball. The Styrofoam ball is your doll's skull and the twisted and bended wire is now the skeletal body.

j. Put some masking tape on top of the doll's Styrofoam skull to avoid the wire neck from penetrating out of the foam.

k. Now the skeletal base of the doll is complete we are going to proceed with the cover part or the stringing part of the doll.

l. From the Styrofoam ball which we will now call the head put a little glue on the top part and stick the raw part of your chosen string or yarn.

m. Start wrapping the head with the string. Use a crisscross motion or down and up motion around the head. Repeat until your doll's head is fully covered with the string.

 


n. Now continue covering your doll with the string from the head to the neck. Shoulders to the arms.Upon reaching the edge of the arm put a little glue to secure the string on the tip then slowly wrap the string to the tip and continue wrapping the arm until your reach the desired thickness you want the doll to be.

o. Complete covering the wire base with your string. Put some glue to secure the string to the wire for added strength.

p. When the doll is completely covered it will look like this. To make sure that the string will not loosen, secure the string by making a knot on the trunk part or on the part where you can easily hide it. Put some glue to secure. Then cut the remaining string. Now you have the complete blank doll.

 
















 



q. Let's proceed with the eyes. You will need a pair of round head push pins of any color you like. Using a wire cutter or pliers cut the pin's metal. Leaving a little metal and the round head.

 



r. Put some glue on the metal part of the pin and insert it on the face of your doll.



















 
   g.Do this to the other pin too.

t.Your doll is almost complete. What is left is the hair and accessories. It is now your choice whether your doll is going to be a long haired girl or a short haired boy or vice versa. I choose my doll to be a long haired girl with bangs and highlights. Stitching the hair takes a bit more time than wrapping your doll with strings. But once you mastered it, it will be easier.
u. First choose a string or yarn that has a different color from your dolls body. Grab the needle and put your chosen string in it. Next prepare the doll's head, swab some glue on the back of your doll's head to make sure the strings will not loosen or move anywhere. Let it dry for a while.

v. Sew the hair in to the doll's head. Starting from the bottom then upward.

w. Pull the string into the head, make sure that it is tight but not too strong or you might loosen a few strands of string. Slowly but surely. Pull the string until you have the length of the hair you desire.

x. Lock the hair in place by knotting the hair together tightly as possible.

y. Cut the hair at your desired length. Repeat the process until you covered the whole head with hair.

 




z. After stitching all the hair, you can do the doll's hair style. Put bangs, a ribbon perhaps or tie the whole hair in a bun or do pony tails. It only limits to your imagination.

 

Thanks for viewing and hope you will try making the doll. Take care and Enjoy! -dian