Once you have put together the parts for a kit doll, or created your own by sculpting it from polymer or air dry clay, you need to soften the wire armature of the doll and turn it into a shaped body. There are several ways to do this, including creating a body suit or sock. The three easiest methods are similar in that they wrap the wire armature in a soft surround.

Wrap The Body With Yarn - you can also use string or thread for smaller dolls.

To do this, lay a piece of light colored soft yarn along the wire section you wish to wrap, from the centre of the wire towards a section of the doll's body. Beginning at the arm, foot, leg or torso, wrap the yarn back around the wire and the yarn you laid out, covering the end of the yarn and creating a thickness which is suitable for your purposes. Wrap the yarn tightly around the armature but wrap it in a single layer so the limbs don't become too thick. You do not want the body If you will be gluing clothing to the doll, make sure you make the wrapped body smaller at the areas where fabric will be gathered- the waist, neck, shoulders, or wrists.

As you wrap the yarn around the armature, try to make it even and free of lumps. At points where the doll may need to bend (elbows, knees, waist), glue the yarn strands to each other to stop them from shifting position when bent.

Wrap the Body with Cotton - Instead of using yarn, you can unroll cotton balls and use this small form of batting to wrap the doll's body.

Use the same method as for yarn (above) but make sure the batting is evenly applied and that you do not create visible lumps on the armature. Batting is a better method than yarn on doll bodies which require some bulk - character dolls for example.

Wrap the Body with Strips of Quit Batting or Rags - If you have soft quilt batting, pillow stuffing or material that will make fine fabric strips from rags, you can create a rough yarn from the batting or fabric by cutting it into strips and twisting/rolling it into a thin roll. You can then use this as a soft yarn to wrap the doll's body. This method is easiest to use for bulkier bodies.

If you will be sewing outfits in place on the doll, you may want to use thin fabric strips to wrap the body, as woven fabric will give you a better stitching attachment point than soft batting.

Note: Some people add a thin layer of glue to completely cover the batting after they have wrapped the doll. I prefer to glue only the ends that touch the doll parts or the areas where there are joins. If you choose to entirely coat the body wrapping with glue, make sure you do it in a thin layer by drawing your fingers along the body, and leave the body to dry for twenty -four hours before you work further on the doll.