Hi, Kim. Sorry to hear about your husband.

I'd like to help if I can. Do you know much about sewing, or have you ever made a doll?

Okay, to do a face would not be hard, if you have a picture of your husband, full face to the front. You can get a photo transfer done at a copy place, or scan a picture and print it out on t-shirt transfer paper which you can get a office supply stores. I've seen this paper at Wal-Mart, too.

I'm thinking the easiest way to do the body would be to have someone roughly the same size as your husband lie down on the floor on a piece of paper (like taped together newspaper or grocery bags, etc.) Trace around this person, like a cookie cutter or gingerbread boy, and use this as a pattern. You could be more detailed, but if you don't know how to make cloth dolls, a simple shape, when dressed in your husband's clothes, would be ok, I think.

Cut the body from muslin, sew up, leaving an opening for stuffing. Turn the body right side out, transfer the face following the type of medium you use, stuff and dress.

I know there's at least one book about transfers, but for a one-time project, I don't think it would be worth the expense.

I do have an article from Soft Dolls and Animals magazine that gives a short how-to on doing the photo transfer from your computer. If you'd like, I can get my son to scan it and email it to you. Also, here is a link to one website I found.

Let me know if I can help further, Kim.

Sheila

Here is a link that might be useful: photo transfers