After making the lady doll (see previous post on making dollhouse dolls for instructions) Water-color pencils are used to draw on the eyes and mouth. Dip the tip of an azure-blue pencil in water, shake off the excess, then draw two small circles for the eyes. Fill in the circles. Don’t press hard, or the pencil tip will tear the soft paper face. A semi-circle in red will give the bride a pleasant, halfway smiling expression.

It is wise to practice using these water-color pencils on pieces of crepe paper before you actually use them on the face. Lay a scrap piece of the paper over a wad of cotton and then try making different kinds of features. When you feel that you have the knack of it, draw the eyes and mouth on the doll.

 Wig

Let’s plan a blond bride. There are two ways of making her hair: with crepe paper according to the pattern shown here, or with strands of fine pale yellow yarn. The crepe-paper wig is easier.

Cut pale yellow paper to the size and shape shown. The curved edges of it are finely slashed to make it look like hair. Cover the top, sides, and back of the doll’s head with a thin, even coat of library paste. Paste the wig on as shown, molding it to the head. If the bob is too long, trim the ends carefully with a very sharp scissors.

The yarn wig is a bit more difficult to make but it does look very natural when done. Cut twelve 2  1/2 in. lengths of very fine yellow wool. You may need more lengths, buttwelve is enough to start with. Place a line of glue from the forehead straight back across the top of the head. Lay the center of each strand on the line of glue, so that the strands touch each other completely. Start at the forehead and continue back to the crown of the head, pressing the strands down against the glue. The ends fall down on either side of the face. Turn the doll around so the back of her head is toward you. There will be a spot on the head that is still bald. Put a thin coat of glue on this bald spot. Press some more stands of wool straight up and and down on the glue. The end of each new strand must touch the last strand of top hair.

When the glue is dry draw all the strands together at the back of the neck. Tie them with a piece of matching wool, then cut off the ends quite close to the tied part. This makes a little pompon that looks just like a little bun.

Gown

The bridal gown is one of the most striking costumes you can make. It can be made of white, ivory, or any pale pastel crepe paper. Only five pieces are necessary to make it: two sleeves and a bodice, and a straight skirt which is shirred at the waistline. In cutting out the various parts, be sure that the crinkled grain of the paper runs up and down.

The skirt requires a piece of paper 9 in. long and 4 in. wide. Gather the top of the skirt (along the 9-in. edge) with a needle and thread. Pull the thread just tight enough to fit the waistline of the doll. Tie the gathering thread with a double knot. Put the skirt on the doll and bind it in place by winding the thread tightly around the waistline. This wrapping thread goes over the gathers. Tie it securely. Paste the back seam of the skirt, lapping one edge over the other.

Hold the doll upright with her feet flat on the table to test the length of the skirt. Trim off the bottom if it is too long. Stretch the bottom edge of the skirt by gently pulling small sections of it sideways. This will make a series of small puffs around the bottom which are very pretty.

Cut sleeves and bodice according to patterns above.(click on the patterns to enlarge and print) The grain or crinkle of the paper must run from top to bottom of each piece. Use a needle and thread to gather the bottom of each sleeve. Gather the tops between the points marked A and B. The sleeves can be made to look fuller by gently stretching the center part. Tie the bottoms  of the sleeves to the wrists, wrapping them on like the top of the skirt. The tops of the sleeves are pasted to the doll’s shoulders. Paste the seams together by lapping one side over the other. The lap should be as narrow as possible.

The front and back of the bodice are identical. Rub a thin coat of library paste all over one side of each piece. Carefully fit one piece on the back, smoothing it to remove wrinkles and making sure that the piece covers the tops of the sleeves and the top of the skirt. Fit the front on in the same way.

Accessories

Narrow white satin ribbon may be tied around the waist, finishing it with a bow and streamers at center back.

Fold the ribbon in half, lengthwise, and tie a piece of ribbon around each wrist; make a double knot and then cut off the ends.

The neckline may be finished either with a little flat collar cut from a lace-paper doily or with a tiny lace ruffle. For the latter, cut a strip 1/4 in. wide and 3 in. long. Gather it to fit the neck. Put it on with the ends meeting at center back. Tie securely.

The nicest kind of veil for the little bride is made from silk or nylon tulle or net. A piece 4 in. wide and 6 in. long will do nicely. Lay it on the head so it will fall to the chest in front and flow gracefully down in back. Hold the veil in place by pinning it with two very short straight pins stuck right into the head. By slipping a tiny pearl bead on each pin and sticking a number of them in side by side across the top of the head, you make a pearl coronet which is very beautiful.

Paint silver or white slippers on the bride.