Uptown Ladies

Create a fashionable hat and scarf for a doll with pliable plastic.

By Lisa Galvin, CCD, CPD for AMACO

Materials:

• AMACO® Porcelain-Like Face — Item No. 14142D
• AMACO® Friendly Plastic® in colors of your choice — used here were one 3" piece each of: Metallic Solid Red/Red and Metallic Solid Purple/Black
• E6000® Glue
• AMACO® Friendly Plastic® Needle Tool
• AMACO® Work Mat
• Scissors
• Non-stick Electric Skillet or Saucepan

Steps:

1. Heat an electric skillet (or sauce pan) filled with approximately 2" of water until it steams (should not be boiling). Fill a small bowl with cool water.
    
2. Cut a 1" piece of Red/Red Friendly Plastic® and place face side down into the steaming water. Touching one corner only, maneuver the piece around bottom until it becomes soft and pliable.
    
3. Dampen fingers with cool water then use needle tool to remove the softened 1" piece of plastic and place across top of head, resembling a swimming cap. Work with dampened fingers to maneuver the softened plastic in place, wrapping slightly around edges to back side of head. With face side up, press lightly onto work mat to smooth back while still soft.
    
4. Cut and place a 2" piece of Red/Red Friendly Plastic® into steaming water, softening face down just as before. Remove from water with needle tool then with dampened fingers fold in half lengthwise, with wrong sides folded together. Pinch lightly between fingers to remove air pockets trapped between the fold. With fold side facing you, work quickly to press the opposite plastic edges directly onto side edges of the plastic “swim cap” so that it sticks together. Continue to manipulate hat to shape as desired. Let cool approximately 5 minutes to harden.
    
5. Cut a 3" piece of Metallic Solid Purple/Black Friendly Plastic®. Heat in steaming water same as before. Remove and pinch at center, then press it lightly onto doll head’s neck to attach; maneuvering sides and corners of the softened plastic to create scarf shown here.
    
6. Glue pin back on using E6000.

Alternative Hat Making Option: Hats can also be made using a single 3" piece of Red plastic that has been heated just as instructed above; then draped lengthwise as one piece over top two thirds of head. Form excess around edges of head and press onto work mat to flatten back. Shape brim as desired.

Tips:

1. Accent by creating bows and other jewelry effects from Gold and Silver Friendly Plastic® colors!

2. In addition to a wide assortment of other colors, Friendly Plastic® is also available in shades of pink and lavender.

3. Friendly Plastic® should not be heated in microwave.