The Complete Photo Guide to Doll Making: *All You Need to Know to Make Dolls * The Essential Reference for Novice and Expert Doll Makers *Packed with ... Instructions for 30 Different Dolls

I am giving this 3 stars, although if I could have had two choices I'd give it 4 stars for beginners and 2 stars for experienced doll makers. That said, there are some interesting techniques - especially the crayon on the hotplate face, which I've never seen before - and some of the book dolls were good ideas. Overall, I like the variety of dolls described and thought that was one of the strengths of the book. One thing that bothered me, as a long time cloth doll maker, was the loose weave of the fabric and big machine stitches on the cloth faces shown as examples. One of the first things a cloth doll maker learns is to use a tightly woven, top quality cotton fabric and to use the smallest machine stitches your machine can do without balking. This is so the seams don't pop open when you turn them - and the doll, particularly the head of the doll, doesn't stretch out of shape when stuffed. If you went by the photos - and I saw no text that contradicted this impression - you would think you could use a fairly loosely woven fabric and regular length machine stitches. You will end up frustrated and redoing your doll head many times if you try this. I thought there was a good variety of dolls presented, and the clay hands and feet instructions were quite good - you should be able to learn how to do that process from this book. I would suggest that you track this down in your local library before purchasing it, just to be sure you haven't got this information in other books you already own. If you don't own any at all, you may well be pleased with it.I thought the idea of using lots of photographs of techniques was a good one - but if you really want to learn how to make a good quality doll - particularly cloth, but also clay - buy one of the first two Susanna Oroyan books. They are still the definitive "how-to" books of doll making, and include the whole spectrum of dolls from simple to silly to artsy to rag. Elinor Peace Bailey's DVD is also a good investment if you want to focus on cloth dolls - although it does have a bias towards her own style, it's easy enough to translate to your own style using the basic info. Patti Medaris-Culea's books are also very good - but she makes a certain type of doll and her books are aimed towards that type of cloth doll specifically, with not much variety. The same is true of Barbara Willis' book, her dolls are very "pretty," but she has some great ideas for dressing the dolls. Li Hertzl's book is my favorite for fun and funky dolls, lots of good ideas for going off the beaten path. There are a lot of choices out there, and more due to come out in the next couple of months, so be sure this is what you want before making the purchase unless you are okay with buying all of them.

The methods used and explained were good however the dolls were not to my style. It was priced well so will add to my doll making books for the tips it did have.

This is a fun, whimsical book that showcases different types of dolls from the simplest to the most complex. There are step-by-step instructions with photos provided for different types of dolls. But because of the wide scope of the subject matter, it's a little simplistic if you want to know more about a particular type of doll or see more examples of each. The book is a general introduction to the variety of dolls - a good starting point to compare and choose the types of dolls you want to get deeper into.

A book on several ideas of how to make dolls, from simple flat dolls to 3-dimensional dolls. If the reader wants to make 3-dimensional dolls, they may want to pick up more books on that subject.

The book is just what I needed to get started on my doll project. I was looking for something explicit, detailed with lots of pictures, not just instructions. And the bonus was patterns I could trace, cut out and keep for my own personal use without worrying about copyright infringments. The negative side, (if you want to call it that), I have to save up for the purchase of the next book on sculpting faces, it's a must have. There's so much to learn and so little time (and money).

I am a true novice at doll making, and this book will help turn me into a pro in no time. My 6-year-old grandchildren are visiting this weekend and we will be making a couple of the art dolls made with sticks. Not that this book is meant for children, but it almost goes without saying that MY grandchildren are exceptional! The book includes a wide variety of types of dolls and it, therefore, a great overview of the genre.

There are dolls for every skill level and loads of ideas. The photos fulfill the old adage that one picture is worth a thousand words. I put sticky notes on the pages that had ideas that I want to try. Now the book looks like it has dozens of flowers growing out of the top.

A great doll collector's item. The pictures are colorful, though my interest is mainly clothe dolls. But this book show other techniques that one can experiment with.

A great doll makers book. Full of big clear photographs. Clear and concise instructions that are very easy to follow. You'll find yourself itching to try out new ways to make dolls. Even fledgling doll makers will find this book easy to understand. Definitely one for your collection that won't sit on the shelf gathering dust.

This book covers most types of doll making and highlights all the skills necessary to produce a variety of dolls. The patterns are very good. Very suitable for beginners or for classroom ideas.

good ideas

je suis ravie d avoir acheté ce livre qui correspond tout a fait a ce que je voulais je le recommande vivement