Sew a girl rag doll :: free sewing pattern :: toys to make

Sew girl rag doll: free sewing pattern - All Sewn Up - Toys to make - free sewing patterns - Craft ideas for kids - Craft - allaboutyou.com

'Dolls are one of my favourite makes', says Chloe Owens, who designed this doll. 'It’s always exciting to see how they evolve into little characters. Perfect for children, and the child inside of you!'

Choose your fabrics carefully. Cotton and soft canvas fabrics work best; make sure they are durable and not too thin. You need plain cream or pale pink fabric for the face and arms and legs and a pretty patterned fabric for the dress. The doll’s hair is made from felt, as are her cheeks.

You will need

● Templates - see page 2
● Fabrics and felts
● Iron
● Pins, needles, and scissors
● Sewing machine
● Sewing threads to tone with fabrics
● Toy stuffing
● Brown felt for hair and orange for cheeks
● Embroidery threads
● Ribbon for hair bows
● Fading fabric marker
● Buttons for eyes and to decorate dress

1 Enlarge the templates on page 2 by 200 per cent and cut out four arms and four legs, two heads, two dresses, and one of each of the hair pieces. If the skin fabric has a right and a wrong side, remember to flip the templates over to make left and right arms and legs.

2 Let’s start with the arms and legs. Pin two matching pieces right sides together. Set the sewing machine to a medium straight stitch and sew around the edge, taking a 1⁄4-in (5-mm) seam allowance and leaving the square end open. Turn each arm and leg right side out, and stuff them lightly with toy stuffing. Set these aside.

3 Pin the felt front hair in place on the face piece. With embroidery thread, work running stitch along the lower edge of the hair to sew it to the face.

4 Now do the same for the back of the head, then sew on the pigtail pieces, as shown. Tie two lengths of ribbon into bows and hand-stitch one to the top of each pigtail.

5 Draw the eyes, nose, and mouth onto the face with the fading fabric marker. Using embroidery threads and running stitch or backstitch —whichever you prefer — stitch over the lines. Cut circles of felt for the rosy cheeks and sew them in place with straight stitches. Sew on buttons for the eyes.

6 Right sides together and matching the necks, pin the face to one dress piece. Sew along the neck seam, taking a 1⁄2-in (1-cm) seam allowance. Repeat with the back of the head and the other dress piece. Then press the seams open. Sew buttons to the front of the dress for decoration.

7 Find the arms and legs you made first of all. Tack the arms to the right side of the front dress piece, facing inward and with the tops at the position of the shoulders. Tack the legs to the dress, with the tops aligned with the hem and the feet facing toward the head. It all looks odd at the moment, but when the doll is turned and stuffed, the arms and legs will stick out.

8 Once the arms and legs are tacked into position, place the back body piece on top of the front, so that the right sides are facing each other. Make sure all the limbs, the pigtails, and ribbons are tucked in (this can be a bit tricky), and pin in place. Sew around the head and body, taking a 1⁄2-in (1-cm) seam allowance and leaving an opening in one side that’s big enough to fit all the limbs through. Notch all the curves so they don’t pucker and turn the doll right side out. Fill her with toy stuffing and slip stitch the opening shut.

All finished! Give her a name and admire your work.

This project is from 'All Sewn Up' by Chloe Owens (CICO Books, £14.99), available from all good bookshops. To save £2 and buy 'All Sewn Up' for £12.99, call 01256 302699, and quote GLR7PB.