Help Me repair store bought doll please.

[Encinalien]

My mom sent ds one of my old dolls. *She's a great doll, large, almost baby-sized. *Ds loves to take care of her, or bring her to me if she's "crying".*

She's stamped on the back of her neck 1982. *She's got plastic arms, legs, and head, but a cloth body. *Due to age she's got a small tear in her armpit. *I don't think just sewing it will help because the materials so old and thin.*

What measurements do I take to buy her a new body. *I've never done doll-making, but this is an emergency. *

[Encinalien]

The doll pic is here on my MDC page:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/member.php?u=78991
I don't know how to post just the picture, but I uploaded it here.

[E.V. Lowi]

Is the fabric body sewn to the plastic limbs? Sometimes these joined connections are sewn and sometimes there is a casing with a cable strap threaded through a casing. If it's the casing type, you can cut the cable strap with an exacto blade and disassemble the doll easily. Then you could use the cloth body as a pattern to make another one. You can purchase the cable straps at the hardware store and reassemble the doll.

If the joins are sewn-- that is, the fabric body is sewn directly to the soft plastic limbs, the you would have a harder time disassembling the doll, but it still could be done. If you pick the join seams apart carefully then make a new body using the old one for a pattern. The, using a heavy needles with waxed double thread or heavy upholstery thread, hand sew the the fabric body to the back on to the plastic limbs.

It's only worth the effort if there is great sentimental value on the doll for you or your child. Otherwise, I would just purchase another as they aren't very expensive. Repairing it properly is a lot of work! You could also try patching the tears with fabric and fabric glue.