Scout Clothespin Doll Crafts

Examples of clothespin scouts, left to right: Brownies, Campfire Girls, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts
and Girl Scouts of America.

       Scout troops come in all different shapes, sizes and agenda. I have made examples here of clothespin dolls representing vintage uniforms from: Brownies, Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of America. Give young crafters plenty of time to add details and character to their clothespin dolls and don't be surprised if they take two or three days to complete them. Remember the more details, the more charming the finished craft will look!

Left, Campfire girl clothespin doll.
Center, Boy Scout with his merit badges.
Right, a Cub Scout clothespin doll.

Supply List:

• acrylic paints or poster paints
• wooden clothespins
• felt: green, blue, brown, red etc...
• tacky white glue 
• hot glue gun and hot glue (optional)
• embroidery floss for hair
• wire for eye glasses
• seed beads for 'patches' and painted noses
• trims like: lace, buttons
• chenille stems for arms
• cotton batting to wrap chenille stems
• masking tape to hold things in place while drying
• wooden stands for the finished dolls (optional)
• Fine tip magic markers (permanent ink only)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Start this craft by painting the clothes pin figures using the primary colors of the doll's uniform and flesh color. Let dry.
2. Next cut small felt pieces and glue these on for simple fashion details like skirts, vests, kerchiefs, hats and merit badge sash.
3. Make the wigs using embroider floss and attach this hair with very tacky white glue or hot glue.
4. To make the arms this time, I covered the chenille stem with white glue and rolled on the shredded cotton ball over it's surface.
5. Cut shorter lengths to wrap around the neck and glue this wire in place using hot glue.
6. Paint the sleeves and arm portions of the wire. 
7. Using beads, glue on the nose of your doll and let this dry before painting it a flesh color to match the rest of the head.
8. Paint on eyes and mouth. You may need to use the tip of a toothpick to get your facial details tiny enough for the clothespin face. 
9. I use a permanent ink, fine tip marker to draw on the tiny eyebrows of these wooden dolls.
10. The tiny caps, shaped using felt, are permanently glued onto the clothespins so that these won't be lost during play.
11. I use a needle and thread to attach seed beads to the merit badge sashes. Gold metallic beads were also threaded through the kerchiefs for the Boy Scout uniforms.
12. I painted the wooden stands green to look like grass and also added a few tiny clay flowers as well.
13. Lace trim was added to the cuffs of our Girl Scout, Brownie and Campfire girl clothespin doll versions. (An obvious reference to vintage uniforms, I think.)

Crowd of Scout troop clothespin dolls, front to back.

Girl scouting sample dolls, front to back.

More links to dressing your doll like a scout:

• No Sew Scout Vests for Slender 18" Dolls
• Scout Doll photos at Dorsey Dolls
• Send your dolls to Nature Lover's Camp this summer and find crafts to make for them...