How to Make a Rag Doll

Want to know how to make a rag doll?

I made this rag doll a few years ago but it's still in really good condition. I used shiny fabric so that's probably helped to keep it nice and clean looking. It's very tightly woven fabric too so will last longer and won't open up at the seams. It like taffeta. 

How to make a rag doll

I first drew out the outline of the doll on thin card. The doll is only stitched (hinged) at the armpits and top of the legs. I did make a similar doll before this one but as I stitched across the neck, the head was floppy. This doll has quite a wide neck that is well packed with stuffing to ensure it doesn't flop.

How to make a rag doll

The legs are straight down but they could have been hinged at the knee after the calf was stuffed. The arms are banana shaped to curve into the body slightly. The head was an oval shape with a wide neck. I only had two fabric parts...front and back.

How to make a rag doll

I pinned and stitched almost all the way around the outside, turned it the right way out and stuffed the legs. I then stitched across the top of the legs, stuffed the arms, stitched across the armpits and stuffed the head, neck and body. Then I stitched up, by hand, the entrance hole.

How to make a rag doll

I made the face after it was stuffed. It's a bit tricky but if you start off with a knot at the end of your thread then you can do it easilyenough. You'll need to do each stitch in the buttons with three moves...one to take the needle through to the back of the button, one to catch the fabric and another to point the needle back up through to the front of the button.

How to make a rag doll

The clothes were made using the original card cut-out but a little larger. The neckline wasn't very exciting so I made the ruffle. It's not removable as I pulled it to a ruffle on the doll and then hand stitched it to secure it. I also stitched the knickers to the doll.

How to make a rag doll

The hair was made using a big handful of wool all cut to equal lengths. I carefully laid it across the head in small sections and stitched at the centre parting as I went. I then scooped the hair together to form ponytails, tied the ponytails and stitched them to the doll.

How to make a rag doll

The dolly hat was made by cutting out a circle of fabric quite a bit larger than the doll's head. I stitched a very close zig-zag hemming stitch around the edge of the fabric and, as the fabric was thin, the stitching caused it to curl. I then ran a running stitch around the hat where you would normally put elastic and pulled the thread until the hat fit the head. I then tied it off and stitched over the running thread to secure the gathering and keep the hat firmly on the head.

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