Indian Woman in Sari SWAP

one piece wood clothes pin
chenille stem, cut in half
ribbon, lightweight, about 2 inches wide, with pretty pattern or border (might use several different patterns to make it interesting if you are doing a lot)
tacky glue
Ultra fine point markers, or acrylic paint and toothpick

(If making a lot, make one test SWAP then remove ribbon to measure how long to cut, so you can cut a lot of segments the same length. It will be about 8 inches, depending on how stiff your ribbon is when you make the last twist.)

Wrap chenille stem around neck and twist to form arms. Twist will be in front.

Put two dots of tacky glue just to side of the mid back to anchor the corners of one end of the ribbon. (If you do it exactly in the middle, there's no place to glue the bottom corner.) Let set.

Wrap ribbon completely around waist. Put a drop of tacky glue over the first drop you put at waist level, but do not tack down the bottom of the skirt this time. Let set.

Start wrapping around again, but when you get to the side of the doll, squish the ribbon in little accordion pleats (so both borders will show after you finish). Pull upward and twist so a narrow bunch goes over the shoulder. Put a pretty big drop of tacky glue on the shoulder. (It has to soak into both the chenille stem fibers and also several layers of ribbon.) Hold a few minutes to set, then tack down the back trailing fabric with a drop of glue over the middle of the waist in back, but let most of the fabric float free. Let set.

Dot on eyes with black paint/ink. Paint on mouth and dot on bindi (red dot on forehead) with red paint/ink.

(Yarn hair in braid is optional. Attach middle of segments with tacky glue to top of head and let dry thoroughly. Pull around and braid. Works best if you separate the strands of three ply yarn, then pull and braid. Put tack down bottom of braid to back of doll with glue.)

Either attach bar pin in back, or put safety pin through chenille stem at back of neck when glue is very dry. Attach tag with troop number in back.

(this SWAP is one I made up)