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In using plastic wood, keep the fingers moist, and smooth it well down onto the body, or there will be a noticeable dividing line. After the surface is thoroughly dry, sandpaper first with rough and then with fine abrasive, as it must be very smooth for the painting. To make the cowboy's face I used a light wash of pale pink color, then used water-color pencils to make the features. I gave the cowboy a tiny moustache, as otherwise he looked too girlish!

I used pipe cleaners for arms, fastening them just below the neck with adhesive tape. This gave me a chance to arrange the arms in a realistic manner. I dipped the ends in the pink water color to match the face. I used a dark tan wash for the hands and later used the same wash for the faces of Indians.

I made a "ten-gallon" hat of gray felt, by cutting a circle the proper size, then slitting the center crosswise several times until it would fit the head. I cut and sewed up the crown, sewed it to the points of the brim, using a chain stitch in brown or black for the band. I glued the hat on in proper relation to the position of the features.

His shirt was of tiny checked material, jeans of blue, kerchief of red silk jersey (it doesn't ravel). I made chaps of tan felt, with conchas of silver sequins, sewed on with a bead over a wee strip of dark brown felt (leather can be used when available) to simulate the leather strings that fasten on real conchas. I made a belt of dark brown felt, embroidering the buckle in gold color thread and also applied "nailheads" of the same color (these were of French knots). He carried a lariat of ecru crochet thread, having a coil in one hand. I turned over the end of the pipe cleaner for this, and made a noose for the other hand, which was placed in a throwing position. He was so realistic that I sold a number before making any other type of doll.

ONE OF the most popular of the feminine dolls I make is the Dutch girl. I make her a wig of yellow yarn, in two long braids, glue it over the head, making bangs in front; there is no need to fill in the back hair as the cap is glued over the top of the braids. Her cap is of white felt in the traditional Dutch shape. Her skirt is of bright material, her blouse white and she wears a laced girdle of black felt, and a tiny apron of white with lace trim. Her skirt is of rather stiff material and she can stand alone. I have now worked out a stiff paper petticoat, of cone shape fastened on with adhesive tape, which allows the feminine dolls to stand, as their skirts all have to be floor length, because the legs of the clothespins are so shapeless. The male dolls are attached to a square of cardboard with Scotch tape, which helps them to stand.

I wanted to make fancy felt hats for my old-fashioned ladies, and was advised to try blocking them. This is the procedure: I cut a circle of felt a little larger than the hat should be, wet it thoroughly, and pulled it down over a plain clothespin, and wrapped a rubber band around where the brim should begin. When it was dry, I trimmed it and learned to shape it while wet into a scoop bonnet or other fancy shapes. I trimmed the hats with tiny feathers, very narrow ribbons and wee flowers and green leaves of felt. Sometimes I embroidered the ribbon before placing it around the crown.

I made a group of a bride and two bridesmaids, using three-inch ribbon for the dresses, as this width is just right for skirts, and the blouses cut in nicely too. The bride's dress was of white satin and the bridesmaids' of pink and blue. The bride had a veil of fine white net, a bouquet of the smallest everlasting flowers, in lavender, and tiny flowers of white felt. The bridesmaids had hats that I blocked from straw lace (this is used by some florists). They were trimmed with baby ribbon, on which I embroidered wee flowers, and their sashes were of the same ribbon. Their bouquets were old-fashioned nosegays. I cut a "jagged" circle of green felt on which I appliqued tiny flowers of felt in two colors, then put a ruffle of lace around it; this was placed at the waistline with the hands covered. They all had lace fichus pinned with brooches, made with a sequin fastened with a colored bead in the center.

I NEXT made a pioneer woman who wore a print dress (like calico in pattern), a checked apron and sunbonnet. The sunbonnet was quite a problem at first, but I learned to make a very good one by trial and error. She carried a baby wrapped in a blanket. The baby had features made of two blue eyes, a dot of red for a mouth, and a wisp of yellow yarn for hair. It was about an inch long, just a tight roll of white cloth with a wee bonnet and a blanket.

I was asked to make a Dutch boy to go with a girl, and had to make sabots for him as his bloomers didn't cover his feet. I used plastic wood and filed and sandpapered them to a point in front. His hair was cut in a Dutch bob. He wore a white blouse, and wide full bloomers of dark blue, a vest with two rows of buttons made of sequins. It was of felt in a blue shade to match his brimless cap.

Then came two Indians—a boy and a girl. Their suits were of a pale beige colored material that ravelled easily, so were fringed. The girl had leggings and a tunic, and the boy had pants and a jacket. I beaded the fronts with tiny stitches in several colors. Her hair was two long braids of black yarn, the ends wrapped with red thread, and held with a red band, also "beaded." I crocheted a little basket of ecru thread. His hair was like a Dutch bob held with a red band, which had a feather sticking up in back. I made a tiny bow and arrow for him, the arrow being a broom straw.

I made a Negro mammy, but covered the head with dark brown felt and embroidered the features. She had a bright print dress and kerchief, also a white apron.

I had an order for a sailor, a nurse and three storybook dolls, and worked out their costumes in a satisfactory manner. Later I was asked to make a Norwegian doll, and given a picture to copy. The customer was very pleased to see the result, as I had achieved a realistic model of the original.

These dolls are all original, every one different. I have no patterns, and work out each doll's expression and costume as I go along.

IN THE last several years I have sold dozens of these little dolls, so it has been a profitable as well as a fascinating hobby. I started by charging $1, but raised my price to $1.25 as my work improved with experience. It has also been a great help to me to keep my hands and mind busy, as I am a shut-in and spend most of the day in bed.

I began by selling the dolls to nurses and other patients in the hospital. Last year I sent a group of fifteen to my local (San Diego County, California) fair. I had help in setting them up in a manner which showed them to best advantage. There was a large hatbox set on a lazy Susan, divided into three "stages," with appropriate scenery in the background.