Making doll accessories
Making doll accessories: 10+ DIY ideas
Doll accessories make playing even more exciting - and the best thing about them? You can easily make them yourself! With a few everyday materials such as fabric scraps, cardboard boxes or buttons, you can make creative furniture, cuddly blankets or chic accessories for your favorite doll in no time at all. Crafting is not only a great activity for children, but also boosts their creativity and self-efficacy.
This guide shows you simple DIY ideas that are easy to implement and invite your child to join in. So, grab your scissors, glue and paints - and let's get started!
The most important things in a nutshell
Don't have time to read the whole guide? Here are the most important points at a glance:
✂️ Making doll accessories makes playing even more exciting - children can get creative, design their doll world and proudly use their own creations.
🏠 Simple household materials - shoe boxes, fabric scraps, cardboard and buttons are often enough to make doll beds, clothes or furniture.
🎨 Crafting boosts creativity and self-efficacy - your child develops their own ideas, tries out new things and trains their fine motor skills through play.
🪵 Doll bed & furniture made from cardboard & wood - Create cozy sleeping areas, small chairs or tables for dolls with little effort.
👗 Doll clothes without sewing - Scraps of fabric can easily be converted into skirts, capes or headbands - without the need for a sewing machine.
🥘 Play food & accessories for everyday dolls - plates made of cardboard, food made of felt or shopping baskets made of egg cartons make doll play even more realistic.
🍽️ Play food & accessories for everyday dolls - plates made of cardboard, food made of felt or shopping baskets made of egg cartons make doll play even more realistic.
🍃 Sustainable & affordable - upcycling old materials is not only creative, but also environmentally friendly.
👨👩👧👦 Crafting with children - join in & try it out! - Let your child create as much as possible themselves and encourage them to contribute their own ideas.
🕑 No time or desire to do handicrafts - Corolle offers high-quality doll accessories that perfectly match your child's dolls.
Why homemade doll accessories are so special
Homemade accessories make playing with dolls even more exciting, as they are created entirely according to your own ideas and needs. It's also a great opportunity to get creative together, discover new materials and make sustainable use of things that might otherwise end up in the bin.
Whether it's a small doll's bed made from a cardboard box, a cute doll's outfit made from fabric scraps or a miniature table made from cardboard - there are endless possibilities when crafting with everyday objects. If you don't have the time or the crafting skills, you can find lovingly designed doll accessories at Corolle that perfectly match your child's dolls.
Tips for crafting together with children
Find a project for the right age
Children develop their fine motor skills and creativity with each year. While young children can implement simple craft ideas, older children often enjoy trickier projects. Here is some guidance if you want to make doll accessories with your child:
For young children (aged 3 and over): A doll's bed made from a cardboard box or a simple blanket made from fabric scraps are easy to create.
For older children (from 5 years): Small furniture made from cardboard, doll clothes or even small accessories made from wire or wooden sticks provide creative challenges.
Let your child try out as much as possible themselves , which is not only fun, but also boosts their self-confidence and dexterity. What's more, the doll's clothes have to please your child - and the doll, of course.
Sustainable & inexpensive crafting - with things you already have
You already have many of the materials you need for crafting at home:
📦 Shoe boxes and cardboard scraps - perfect for furniture and small storage units.
🧦 Fabric scraps, old T-shirts or socks - ideal for doll clothes and blankets.
🧶 Wool and pipe cleaners - for accessories such as doll scarves or hair accessories.
🦪 Colors, buttons, beads - to personalize the masterpieces.
This not only makes crafting fun, but also playfully shows your child how easy it is to reuse things.
Safe and child-friendly crafting
It is particularly important with young children that crafting remains safe. It is best to use craft glue or double-sided adhesive tape instead of hot glue if your child is gluing things themselves. Scissors with rounded tips are also a good choice. If you do use a hot glue gun, make sure your child is well instructed and supervised.
Making a doll's bed - cozy sleeping places for little friends
Every doll needs her own bed - after all, she should be really comfortable when she sleeps ! Here are a few simple craft ideas for cozy doll beds.
Small doll's bed made from a shoe box 🛌
A shoe box is perfect for a doll's bed. Simply remove the lid, cut out an opening as a headboard and line the box with fabric or wrapping paper as desired. A mattress can easily be made from a rolled-up towel or a piece of foam.
Doll's cradle made from a fruit crate 🍇🍐🍋
A small wooden fruit crate is a great base for a stable doll's cradle . Sand down the edges, paint the crate a nice color and place a soft blanket or cushion inside. If you want a rocking cradle, you can attach two round, curved wooden sticks as runners at the bottom.
Create blankets and cushions from old fabric scraps 🛏️
A small doll's blanket can easily be made from old T-shirts, pillowcases or tea towels.
Cut a piece of fabric to the right size for your doll.
Fill the blanket with wadding, old fabric scraps or rice - this will make it soft and cuddly.
You can either sew the edges together or seal them with fabric glue or a hot glue gun.
For a personal touch, you can paint the blanket with fabric crayons or decorate it with small appliqués . Perhaps you still have some iron-on pictures at home?
Tip: Always think about the size of your doll before making the bed and sleeping accessories. A bed that is too small will restrict play, while a bed that is too big will take up unnecessary space.
Furniture for dolls - creative from everyday objects
🛋️ Tables and chairs made from cardboard 🪑
Old cardboard boxes are perfect for doll furniture. A small shipping box can be turned into a table by simply turning it over and gluing on legs made from thin toilet paper rolls. You can make a chair by cutting a seat out of sturdy cardboard and gluing it to a backrest. The table and chairs are built in no time at all and the dolls' coffee klatch can begin.
🪡 A doll's cupboard made from a shoe box 👟
You can make a small doll's cupboard using a slightly taller cardboard box. The sides of the box are the cupboard doors. Attach two small buttons as handles and line the inside with fabric. If your doll needs clothes hangers, you can make them out of pipe cleaners. You can find the matching doll's clothes to hang up in our Corolle store.
Doll clothes without sewing - quick & easy to make yourself
Reuse old baby clothes as doll clothes
Baby hats, little rompers, socks or sweaters often fit perfectly as doll outfits. If something is too big, you can make it tighter with a piece of elastic.
Poncho or cape made from leftover fabric
An old pillowcase, scarf or piece of fabric can be turned into a cape if you cut a hole in the middle for the doll's head. This creates a cute piece of clothing in a flash. If you like, you can add beads, sequins or buttons to the poncho. This is how to create completely individual doll clothes.
Simple skirts & dresses without sewing 👗
Wrap a strip of fabric around the doll, attach it with double-sided tape or a bow - and you've got a pretty skirt! You can also use hair clips to fasten it. These can be used again and again, hold well and give your doll's clothes that certain something with bright colors, glitter or motifs.
Making doll accessories - small details, big impact
It's not just clothes and furniture that bring puppetry to life - it's often the small details that stimulate your child's imagination. You can easily make cute accessories for dolls with just a few materials.
Hair accessories & headbands for dolls 🧶
A cute headband or bow in the hair gives every doll more sparkle. All you need is a small piece of ribbon, wool or a thin fabric ribbon.
🪢 Tie the ribbon loosely around the doll's head - and you have a pretty headband!
🎀 If you like, you can decorate it with mini bows, buttons or beads to create an individual look.
🪮 Alternatively, you can also glue a small piece of felt to a hair clip. Our dolls with hair are sure to look beautiful with your self-made barrettes.
Glasses for dolls made from pipe cleaners or Draht🕶️
Whether round Harry Potter glasses or trendy sunglasses - you can make great mini glasses for dolls with a few pipe cleaners or thin craft wire.
Bend two circles for the glasses out of a pipe cleaner or wire.
Connect them in the middle with a short piece of wire - this is the bridge of the glasses.
Cut off two small pieces and bend them into temples that are attached to the sides.
If you like it even fancier, you can use small beads or glitter glue as decoration.
Cuddly toys for dolls - the perfect mini companions 🐻
Every doll needs its own cuddly toy! With simple materials, you can make a mini version of a cuddly toy that fits the doll perfectly.
Felt scraps: Cut out two identical animal shapes (e.g. a bear or bunny). Glue or sew the edges together and fill them with absorbent cotton - and you have a soft cuddly toy!
Sock scraps: Cut off the top of an old sock, fill it with absorbent cotton and tie it off at the bottom to make a cute sock animal. You can also glue on a few wiggly eyes or sew on buttons as eyes.
Make your own doll's kitchen & play food
Dolls don't just need clothes and a cozy bed - they also love to eat! With simple craft ideas, you can create a great doll's kitchen with miniature food.
Cardboard plates & tinker cups 🍽️🍶
A little tea party with the doll? No problem! You can easily make plates and cups out of cardboard.
Cut out round plates from sturdy cardboard or cardboard.
Use colored pencils, watercolors and stickers to create patterns and edges.
If you want sturdier plates, glue several layers of cardboard on top of each other.
Making play food from simple materials 🍪🍰
Whether fruit, cake or cookies - many materials can be transformed into small doll dishes.
🪨 Stones → Paint them with color and they become cookies, buns or chocolate stars.
🍒 Plastic or salt dough → Perfect for fruit, vegetables or small cakes.
🍕 Felt or fabric scraps → Sew or glue together to make pizza, sandwiches or fried eggs.
🍞 Cotton balls → Can be used as marshmallows, cream puffs or small loaves of bread.
Then the finished meal just needs to be served on the colorfully decorated plates and the baby dolls can fill their tummies. Enjoy your meal!
DIY doll's pram & transport options
Doll carrier bag made from Stoffbeuteln 🛍️
An old cloth bag can easily be transformed into a carrier bag for dolls. Cut it to the right size and attach the handles so that your child can carry the doll comfortably. This project is perfect for a rainy afternoon. Grab the fabric bag and a few fabric paints and get painting.
Baby carriage made from a shoe box
A sturdy shoe box can be transformed into a doll's pram. Glue on wheels made from bottle caps, make a canopy from an old baby blanket and the doll can set off!
If you prefer a sturdy doll's pram that can also drive on uneven surfaces, take a look atthe Corolle doll's pram - perfect for every doll's adventure.
Making doll accessories - simple, creative & sustainable!
With a little imagination, you can make beautiful doll's things from simple materials - from a cozy doll's bed from a cardboard box to cute doll's clothes from fabric scraps.
The best thing about it? Your child can take part in making doll accessories! Creative crafting strengthens the imagination and your bond, trains dexterity and is simply fun. And if you don't have time for crafting: At Corolle you'll find the perfect accessories for dolls - designed with great attention to detail! 🩷
