Rag Doll

Two of my nieces have their birthday this month and I wanted to make them a fun present. Here it is: an adorable Rag Doll.

Difficulty: ❥❥❥

Cost: ❥❥

You will need:

❥ Fleece for the hair - 1/8 yard

❥ Cotton fabric for the body - 1/4 yard

❥ Stuffing/Fiberfil

❥ Thread

❥ Tissue paper 

Here are the printable patterns, one for the body and one for the hair. Click on the links below:

Doll Body:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwGC9pS0wPAZdEx4OElvbll4VTA/view?usp=sharing








Doll Hair:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwGC9pS0wPAZTHdBakkweDJfamM/view?usp=sharing

Print the pattern and cut out the pieces. Lay them out on the fabric. The hair pieces are made from fleece and the doll's body and head and arms and legs are made of cotton. I used a nice quality muslin. 

Cut out the pieces.

Trace the hair texture patterns on to the tissue paper. Set aside.

First we will assemble the body. Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance unless otherwise specified.

Arms/Legs: Put the pieces right sides together and sew around, leaving the end of the arm/leg open. Be sure to back stitch at each end so your stitching doesn't come undone when you turn them right side out. A short stitch will help you make nice curves.

Clip the curves almost to the stitching but not though the stitching.  

Turn right side out and stuff with Fiberfil. Leave about half an inch unstuffed at the openings to make them easier to pin and stitch through.

Body: Place the front body piece face up. Lay the completed arms and legs on the body, matching them to the markings on the body pattern, crossing them like this: 

Pin them securely in place. 

Baste them on using a 1/8 inch seam allowance. 

Place the back body piece on top, face down, making an arm and leg sandwich. (It seems crazy but when you turn it it will work. Like magic).

Stitch from the neck down each side, stopping at the bottom. 

Turn the body right side up, carefully pulling the arms, then the legs out the bottom opening. Top stitch on the body where the arms are attached.

Tuck in the seam allowance of the back of the body in place and pin. Stitch across the bottom with a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Make sure to back stitch.

Stuff the body.

Hair/Head: There are a few extra steps to this but it gives the hair texture and it's adorable. 

Place the corresponding tissue paper pattern on the back of each of the pieces of fleece, matching up the outline of the piece. Pin in place. Stitch through the inside lines on the tissue to create texture in the hair. 

Tear the tissue away and trim the threads. It doesn't matter too much if you can't get every bit of tissue paper off because it will be inside the head. (But do more than I did in the photo).

Pin the front hair piece in place on the front of the head and the back hair piece in place on the back of the head. Stitch the hair down along the bottom edge of the hair, about 1/8" from the edge.

Place the head pieces right sides together. Stitch from the dot at the neck all the way around to the other dot, leaving and opening for the neck. Clip around the curves and corners. Turn and pull through the neck opening. Stuff the head.

Attach the body by slipping the neck into the neck opening. You can stitch through all the layers with your machine or you can hand stitch around it.

Your dolly is done!

Now to give her a face, hair bows, clothes, blankets...

Happy creating!

-Sugar❥