Instructions
Things You'll Need:
- Tights that are pink or any shade of brown
- Knit fabric for the head in a shade similar to tights; the top portion of a second pair of tights will work.
- Long-sleeved knit fabric shirt
- Socks
- Gloves
- Curly doll hair or yarn (available at craft stores)
- Buttons
- Long sewing needles and heavy-duty thread
- Embroidery thread
- 4 bags polyester fiberfill stuffing
- Fabric paint (optional)
- Fabric glue (optional)
- Hat (optional)
- Stiff cardboard tube (optional)
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1
Stuff the tights with fiberfill. Use a large ball of stuffing (about one quarter of a bag) and roll into a long tube shape, then slide the tube carefully into one leg of the tights. Be sure to push the fiberfill all the way down into the foot; stuff feet firmly, then stuff legs up to the waistband. Try to avoid lumps.
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2
Stuff the chest area of the shirt with fiberfill, leaving sleeves empty.
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3
Stitch waistband of tights to the bottom of the shirt, using a long needle and heavy-duty thread. Add more stuffing through the neck opening or sleeves, if necessary.
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4
Stuff the sleeves. Stuff gloves and stitch to the ends of the sleeves. Add stuffing through the neck opening, if necessary, to make the arms firm but not lumpy.
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5
Create the doll's head: Stitch the outline of a round head on a doubled piece of fabric, leaving an opening to turn inside out and stuff. You can use the chest and back of a smaller knit shirt for the head. Cut off sleeves and stitch sleeve and neck openings closed. Stuff the head firmly.
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6
Decorate the head. Using commercial doll hair or loops of yarn, begin adding rows of hair from the back of the neck to the forehead, stitching in place every inch or so. This is the most time-consuming part of the doll making and can take an entire evening. Or add a fringe of hair around the edge of a hat and stitch hat to the top of the head, as a shortcut.
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7
Decorate the face. Using fabric paint or embroidery thread, create eyes, eyebrows, nose, ears and mouth. Add button eyeballs and thread eyelashes, if you wish.
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8
Attach the head to the body. Use a stiff cardboard tube, if desired, for neck support. Bury one half of the tube in the head, insert the other half in the body and stuff around both with extra fiberfill. Carefully stitch the head to the body.
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9
Dress the doll in any way you like. Use lightweight shoes, if desired; use fabric glue to reinforce the attachment at the doll's ankles, if necessary.
