The Art Of Reborning

Learning The Basics

Adding A New Body &

How To Get That Perfect Feel

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• I prefer to make my own bodies.
  

• You can also make your own body if you sew.
  

• I use cloth jointed arms and legs for my babies.
  

• If you buy bodies most of them will come pre-assembled with the cable ties and all you do is weight, stuff, and add the vinyl limbs and head.
  

• You can use a wide variety of  fabrics, in various textures and colors. 
  

• The most important thing is to always use the highest quality fabrics.
  

• Heavy weight cottons and duck twill make nice smooth bodies.
  

• Does suede's are popular and all type of velour and fleece fabrics make nice bodies too.
  

• Thin cotton, cheap flannels, and low grade fabrics, will deteriorate over the years and not hold up like they should, and all your hard work will be lost.
  

• So the body is very important when you are making a high quality baby.
  

• The one exception would be on signed Limited Editions, and I always ask the buyers preference on keeping  the Original body or changing it out.
  

• Most numbered, Limited Edition bodies, should remain with the doll.
  

Ready to Begin Stuffing & Weighting Properly

• Make  2 or 3 bags to use for the weight in the body and head.
  

• I bag for the head, one for the bottom,  and one for the backbone section are usually required.
  

Head Bag: 

• Cut  (2)   4" x 5"  pieces of fabric. 
  

• Sew around 3 sides and turn right sides out. 
  

• Fill with about 3/4 cup of weighting material.
  

For the Body:

• Make 2 bags for the body.  (4 x 8)
  

• You could also reuse the Pellet Bag that comes in the doll for the seat area for one of the bags if you wanted to. 
  

• The plastic pellets always make noise so this is why I don't use them.
  

• Use about a cup of glass beads.
  

• Start at the top section of the arms, closest to the shoulder.
  

• Work downward toward the opening
  

• Adding enough fiberfill to keep the shape of the arm, but not tight.
  

• Do the same for the legs, beginning at the hip area, and work downward toward the opening.
  

• Don't pack them too tight or they will be stiff, and not very poseable.
  

• It just depends on the age and type baby you are making.
  

• Most people love their babies very soft, cuddly and poseable.
  

When stuffing the body section, begin by adding a little fiberfill to the bottom of the seat area.

• Next add the bag of pellets from the original body or a new weighting bag you have made.
  

• Stuff more poly fill around the outside of the pellet bag  so you can't feel it and it still feels soft.
  

• Next, add the spinal bag of weight.
  

• Place it along the spine at the back and again keep it surrounded with the fiberfill for softness.
  

• Continue to add more fiberfill, but not overstuffing it.
  

• Keep the baby’s body feeling like an infant of the appropriate age. 
  

• If you want your baby to be able to sit up it will need to be stuffed a little more. 
  

• If it is going to be a younger infant, just stuff it less so it will be more floppy.
  

• Stuffing all depends on the age of the baby you want to make. 
  

• There is no right or wrong way.
  

• You are the artist and this is your creation. 
  

Attaching The Limbs & Head

• Lay out the limbs in the right position as they will be placed on the body.
  

• The thumbs go in the up position.
  

• I remember making one of my first babies and the hands ended up on the wrong side. I only did this once..lol but it's easy to do.
  

• Big toes together
  

• Thumbs together and upward.
  

• After the body is all stuffed properly, place one of the feet into the cloth section and hold the cable tie in the groove with one hand and pull gently on the cable tie to tighten it up.
  

• Make sure the head of the cable tie is also in the upward position when you insert the end into it.
  

• Tighten it up snuggly so it will hold the limb securely, and still be able to move if necessary.
  

• Do the same with all the limbs.
  

• The last thing you add is the head.
  

• Do it the same way and pull the cable tie gently, but tight enough so the head won't fall off.
  

• You would never want any of the limbs or head to come off.
  

• Once this is all done cut the cables tie off close to the head of the cable tie.
  

• Push the head of the tie up into the casing so it doesn't show.
  

• Hand stitch the openings shut to finish them off.
  

• All these little touches are important.
  

• You want the baby to hold its shape but be very poseable at the same time.
  

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