You can approach this in one of several ways.

You could sculpt clothes using  plaster bandage [used by hospitals for broken limbs]  This can be made to drape as it is an impregnated cloth.

Alternatively you could use starch to stiffen the cloth.  I gather it is still easily available in the US and is cheap to buy.  Follow the instructions on the packet but up the amount you use to increase the stiffness.  This won't last long but would allow you to pva/varnish the cloth without moving it out of shape too much.  You could make this fairly easy to do by buying a spray varnish that would allow coverage without disturbing the form overly.

You could probably just paint clear shellac right onto the otherwise untreated fabric, arrange as you want, and let it dry.  It might take longer for it to dry and harden (about 30 min. for use on wood).  And I would brush it on, don't dip it.

Starch is subject to humidity, and will break down with handling.

Sue

I wanna make some clothes for dolls, but I want them to be stiff like paper mache. I'm thinking I can get the cloth to drape like cloth does, but when it dries, it has to harden. Has anybody got a technique for this? What glue? What weight of fabric? How?

Thanks!

Lengo, this is easy and I do this alot.  You can pretty much use any type of cloth.  I usually use old bedsheets that I get at yardsales.  Get a coffecan of regular white glue and thin it just a bit with water (about 1 part water per 8 parts glue).  Soak the cloth in the glue, wring it out & let the excess glue fall back into the can, and drape it over the piece.  You can put folds or wrinkles or whatever you want in it.  And when it dries, it is stiff...when it fully cures in a few weeks it is really, really stiff.  I use this technique regularly.  This is a very versitile technique.  Here are a few examples:

Grim Reaper: http://thepapierboy.blogspot.com/2006_0 … chive.html

Gold Fish: http://thepapierboy.blogspot.com/2007/04/gold-fish.html

Super Hero: http://thepapierboy.blogspot.com/2006_0 … chive.html

And here is a book by a guy who has mastered this technique: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Something-Ug … amp;sr=8-1

His books are usually in the library system.  If not in the Spfld library, ask for an interlibrary loan. 

Sue

His books are usually in the library system.  If not in the Spfld library, ask for an interlibrary loan. 
Sue

Huh...I don't know why those books (A Simple Screamer, too) are so expensive.  Maybe they are out of print.  I got my copies just over a year ago from Amazon and they were only, like, 10 bucks a piece.  Anyhoo, the library should have them.  If not, certainly eBay.