To start, choose an apple for the doll's head;
the bigger the better--the carved fruit will shrink to about two thirds its original size. Red Delicious works especially well, but any variety will do. Peel and core the apple. Carve a face on one side,using the tip of a potato peeler to hollow out deep-set eyes and a paring knife to make a slit for a smile or a frown. For a nose, incise a triangle that extends from between the eyes toward the mouth. Ambitious carvers can add ears, dimples and extra facial creases. Store the carved apple in a dry spot until it shrinks. (You can hasten the wrinkling process by using a dehydrator.) Once the head is dry, use colored markers or water-based paints to enhance the eyes, lips and rosy cheeks To make the body, cut the base off the plastic bottle. Plug the top with a cork to serve as the doll's neck. Wrap the fabric around the body so that it extends beyond the top and the bottom of the bottle. Secure the fabric around the bottleneck with a rubber band and then fold the cloth down. Tuck excess cloth at the base into the bottle. Now top off the doll by gently pushing the cored apple down onto the cork. It generally takes two weeks for the doll's head to dry (longer in humid climates), but kids will agree that the result is worth the wait.
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