This is a very basic doll design that can be altered in so many ways. Photos are included to give you the general idea but it really is up to you how large or small and what proportions to give your doll. In making a doll that will fit your child’s clothing, use the basic pattern as such.
Basic Body Structure for Child Sized Doll
Materials Needed:
- Muslin-amount will depend on size of doll
- Sewing machine
- Stuffing
- Needle and thread
- Scissors
- Pencil
- A top and pants of the child
- Computer
- Printer
- Photo to fabric transfer sheet
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Doll hair
Remember, there is no right or wrong with this. That is one of the great things about this project. Every doll will be unique because of the artist’s own flair and perception.
Lay out your child pants. Fold them in half. See picture number 1 for the basic idea. Use your pencil to draw out the design from the crotch of the pant to the foot. Make sure you are adding a seam allowance.
Cut out four of those pieces.
Without removing the pants, lay out the top over the pants approximately where they would fall. Now draw out the torso beginning at the crotch and continuing to the top of where the head would stop. Once again allow for seam allowance. Cut two.
Using the shirt, from the shoulder to the fingertip, draw an arm and hand. Cut out four.
Personalizing the Doll
There are a number of ways to personalize this doll. You can embroider the child’s name on the chest, attach doll hair or yarn the same shade as the child’s hair. You can embroider or paint on a face with the same eye color and freckles. With this project though we are going to really personalize it. We are going to use a blown-up close photo printed from the computer onto a ‘photo transfer to fabric’ sheet. Once dry, sew it right onto the head.
Assembling the Doll
Sew together two arm pieces. Leave an opening where it connects to the body to turn it inside right. Stuff. Repeat this step with the other arm and both legs. Sew the torso together with the face on the inside. Leave an opening to turn it out. Stuff and stitch up. Fold in the end of the arm and hand stitch it thumb up to the side of the dolls upper torso. Repeat for the left arm.
Sew both legs by tucking in the excess fabric and hand stitching across torso’s bottom seam.
Hot glue hair in place and dress in your child’s clothes.
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