Cloth Doll Stuffing?

[Sarah]

What can I use for stuffing my cloth doll? I read an article in The American Girl's Book about using bran for stuffing, but I think that wouldn't be the best idea considering spoilage & such. I don't know about anyone else with dogs, but mine would probably try to chew the doll to get at the bran. So what other types of stuffing are period correct for cloth dolls, but don't involve food stuffs in the doll?
God bless,
Sarah

[Marta Vincent]

cotton or wool batting.  Probably cotton as the moths don't like it.

[Elizabeth]

Cotton or wool are very common, and hold up well.

The bran does well, too, so long as the dogs don't eat it, and it doesn't spend a lot of time being damp.

[Sarah]

I have another question concerning cloth dolls. What would have been used to make the faces? Paint? Thread, embroidery or otherwise?
God bless,
Sarah

[Elizabeth]

Yes.



The cloth dolls I've seen so far have a variety of face styles, including embroidered, inked, and painted. In my cloth doll pattern (Great Auntie Maude's Favorite Cloth Doll pattern), I give a face template, so the individual can choose which suits them best.

[Jennifer Hill]

I was wondering if I could use lentils or small beans to stuff my cloth doll?  Jennifer

[Elizabeth]

I've not handled one that's been done with beans/lentils. The downside is that those stuffings are relatively large, and the cloth doll is quite small by comparison, so you'll have a rather lumpy dolly. Wheat bran can be documented as a doll stuffing, though, if that's cheap and available to you. Many of the leather-body dolls have bran-stuffed arms, legs, and bodies; with cloth dolls, if the bran gets damp, it can stain through the cloth a bit.  Otherwise, stuffing with cotton, wool, or sawdust will be fairly common.

[Jennifer Hill]

Well, it will have to be cotton, then, as the moths love wool.  Bran is another item high on their favs list!
I cannot tell you how many species now live in our house, but ONE is the webbing clothes moth.  & it doesn't care if the wool is spun, woven, crocheted or knit.  boo hiss
Sunday, my dear friend & cleaning lady is coming out & we are going to go thru closets & chuck any wool that got open & take the rest to the shed.  There comes a time when you've just had enough!    Jennifer

[Melissa C]

What about Buckwheat hauls?  Like in the pillows? There is no spoilage that I know of?

[Elizabeth]

I've not personally handled one with buckwheat hulls, though bran was used.