Doll Tutorial: Part III

Part III of the doll tutorial, yay! The last few steps to a finished doll. Here are part I and part II. 

First you'll need to print out the doll pattern. Click on the image and print it out. It should fit on an 8.5"x11" piece of paper. (Please let me know if this doesn't work... it was the best I could come up with as I failed to figure out how to add a pdf into the post.)

Out of the doll fabric cut 2 of the Body and Legs section. Pin them together and sew with a scant 1/4 seam, leave the top open where indicated on the pattern. Cut 4 arms out of the doll fabric, pin two together and sew. Turn both the arms and the body/legs right side out.

Tightly stuff the first 4" of the arms with wool batting.

Turn the head over and tack the arms to the should area. You will have excess fabric to cut off.

Next, stuff the body and legs. Start by tightly stuffing the feet and then place a safety pin across the ankle. Continue stuffing up the leg and place another safety pin across the hip area. Stuff the rest of the body area.

Insert the head piece with the arms attached into the top of the body section. Pin together the shoulders. Stitch the body to the neck right above the string, so it is hidden, using a ladder stitch.

After the neck is stitched closed, stitch the shoulders leaving just an opening at the arms. Add more stuffing through the opening at the arms until the doll is nice and full and fluffy. After the body is completely stuff use the ladder stitch to stitch the armholes closed.

Now bend up the foot and stitch the top to the front of the leg. Don't stitch all the way through the leg.

Stitch across the hips going completely through the leg. And you have a finished doll.

I used this tutorial from Starry Sheep for the hair, but if you do a search for doll hair there are a lot of options.

Hopefully this all makes sense and will be useful. If you make one, send a picture my way; I would love to see your end result.