Doll Tutorial

We are sending dolls, teddy bears and necklaces with our 500 dresses to Sierra leone in June.  Because of this I have started playing with doll making and it is sew much fun.  As I have been playing I have learned quite a bit!  First please make your dolls out of cotton.  The dolls made out of knit and corduroy end up weighing quite a bit more and weight is often a problem for people taking items.  Also, size and be a problem so please do not start with a piece of fabric larger than 12" x12"...

12" x 12" square is easiest to work with... neither too large nor too small

Choose a ball of batting large enough for the head, remember that it will squish down...

place it in the center of your 12 x 12 square

Turn your fabric with the batting inside and tie yarn around neck to form the head

Then spread out the fabric to form a rectangle

Make three cuts...

one on each side and one up the middle from the bottom of your rectangle

                                              Cut the length of the arms down to about 2"

Tie a knot at the top of the arm... leaving the tail and one long end

Go down the arm wrapping tightly but leaving spaces

 Then go back up the arm wrapping and filling in those spaces

When you get to top top tie the end of the yarn to the tail

Repeat for all arms and legs

Now we are going to dress the doll in two different ways

The first is the simpler of the two and is fun for children

cut a piece of fabric double the length of your doll plus 1"

And the same width as your doll

Fold the fabric

Cut a SMALL hole on the center of the folded edge

Put the dolls head through the hole

Choose a fancy ribbon and tie at the waist

Double knot the belt so it will not become loose and get lost

Cut a triangle at least 5"along the longest edge

The scarf can be tied under the chin but I prefer this look

Place doll face down and either glue or stitch hat at back

Fold hat down and either glue or stitch

Tie a ribbon at the neck

And here is the doll

The second dress is a little more complex...

Cut a 6" x6" square

(I chose to do a rolled hem but this is not necessary)

Sew up the back seam and then sew a running stitch near the top

leaving the threads long

Pull the skirt onto the doll and gather

Use the long threads to tie around the skirt and secure

Attach a ribbon above the skirt

Glue or sew in place

I then used lace

Glued it in place as a shawl

Cut a triangle at least 5" across the bottom

Place doll face down and either glue or stitch hat at back

Fold hat down and either glue or stitch

I added a ribbon at the neck and here is

The completed doll

Fun Fun Fun!!