A Tutorial for a DIY Peg doll Circus Troupe

There aren't many of us who haven't made peg dolls with kids or didn't made them when we were little. We love making them here at Red Hand Gang HQ but to be honest me even more so than the kids. So, I guess this tutorial is aimed at slightly older kids who want to have a go on their own and for grown ups to make peg dolls for their own kids, for themselves or for friends!

Imagine giving someone a pegdoll version of their favourite film character or artist or musician or politician! Frida Khalo - Bowie - Beyoncé - Kusama Yayoi - Minnie Mouse?! The principles of the post are the same whoever you make.

You will need:

Glue - PVA will do
Peg dolls
Acrylic Paint
Pom poms
Pencil crayon for clothes and cheeks
A paint brush with a little pointy end for good detail - worth buying one if you don't have one otherwise the details end up a bit splodgey.
Biros if you don't have acrylic paint (don't use felt tips),
Pencil,
Paper if you want some dumb bells for your strong man,
White felt for the dog and clowns ruff.
Scissors

Practice the face you want:

I use a spare peg doll to two to practice on. For the face and clothes acrylic paint is good because it doesn't bleed into the wood but a black Biro is good for if you don't have acrylic paint and colour pencils work well for the cheeks.

circus pegdoll DIY tutorial by Red Hand Gang painting faces

Pencil it on:

Pencil your final design onto the peg doll before you paint. It keeps facial features more even and stops you painting on a slant.

Glue and Paint:

Choose pom pom colours for hair - cut out felt ruffs - cut out dog ears and glue them all in place - paint clothes on the doll - saw the bottoms off the peg dolls you want to be shorter - the dog and the sturdy strong man?!

pink pom pom trapeze artists pegdoll for circus troupe DIY tutorial by Red Hand Gang