*Making Incredibly Real Looking Fingernails: If you've been looking for a better way to make realistic fingernails on your cloth dolls that look like they are actually growing out the fingers instead of just laying on top to the finger try this technique.

For dolls made of natural fiber fabric like cotton or wool: Sew the hand as usual. Once the hand is turned inside out grab your hemostats, a bodkin and some polyclay like Sculpey III modeling compound. Roll a tiny ball of clay into a ball. The size of the ball will vary depending on the size of the fingers. The goal is to fill the tip of the finger with clay to just above where the first knuckle would be.

This is the tricky part... Dust the tip of your hemostats with a bit of corn starch and gently grasp the clay ball. Insert the clay ball into the finger and slide it all the way up to the tip. The clay will want to stick to either the hemostats or the fabric but with a little encouragement you can fill the tip of the finger. Once the end of the finger is filled insert a Q-Tip or the flat end of a wooden barbeque skewer into the finger to keep the clay in place during the next step of the process.

Now the depression in the fingertip is made. I love to use the end of a bodkin (not the ball side, the eye side) to make the depression as it is just about the perfect shape. You can whittle down the end of a craft stick if you need a different size or try the eye of your 12" jointing needle. Be sure you have the clay pressed into the tip of the finger with a Q-Tip or other tool and gently press the bodkin end into the clay filled finger tip. When the depression is exactly the way you want it, proceed to the other fingers until the hand is complete.

Pre-heat your oven according to the directions on the clay you are using. Place the hand on a disposable oven proof tray or dish and bake the entire hand to cure the clay. (Never use a tray or cookie sheet that has been used for curing clay for food preparation. And always have good ventilation while working with any polyclay.) Do not over bake! Watch the hand so that the fabric does not scorch! I've wrapped the hands in poly batting to prevent the fabric from browning when using delicate fabric. The batting doesn't burn or scorch and it will protect the hand and arm. As with any technique - TEST FIRST!

If you are using a synthetic fiber fabric such as Polyester knits you may want to use Paper Clay as it doesn't need to be baked.

The fingernails can be made from Sculpey or your favorite modeling compound. Dust the work surface with a small amount of corn starch. Roll a really tiny ball of clay in your fingers and then flatten it until it is paper thin. Cut the clay into shape of the fingernail using the thin tip of an X-Acto knife and place on the fingertip where the depression was made. Work the clay into the depression so that it adheres to the fabric. I really like using the transparent Sculpey as it looks like real fingernails when it is cured. By working very carefully you can create long lovely nails that extend out from the tips of the fingers.

Apply the nails to all the fingers and bake to cure. The clay is very thin and it will only take a few minutes to cure. Be sure to monitor the hand while it is in the oven. Once the hand cools the nails can be gently filed into shape just like real nails. You can, of course polish the nails, too!

If your fabric won't stand up to the heat of an oven because of it's fiber content you can apply false finger nails or try fish scales. They make incredible nails on dolls!