I want to enter a challenge to make a DOLL that is to represent ME...
I have never made a cloth doll and have no idea where to begin other than the body fabric...HELP...

any doll makers have a special fabric they recommend. THis is will be a n 18" tall doll..

the best dolls i know are made from stocking/pantyhose material. they can be so expressive.

dolskin (sp? )for the body fabric is good. I've made a few, and I like Stump dolls. For me, those are fun and I don't have to worry about fiddly parts.

Oh - for turning fingers, haemostats are great. I also have been known to use stamp tongs to help turn.

Well that wouldnt be hard for me thin skinned with a big mouth.

I made some amish dolls back in the 90's, used my husbands socks and tea to stain them. No faces just blush for the cheeks, no eyes no mouth. I stapple the stuffed sock head and arms to a block of wood.

you can also get doll parts at joanns

i used to make some cloth dolls and i made them out of muslin.

Me too. Dolls are so fun to make. I used a Simplicity pattern, they were bigger than you need but they could wear baby clothes. You might also consider a sock monkey (without tail). They are fun to dress and super easy to make.