Nancy, a free doll pattern!


This post is long over due.
I have a tendency to quickly move from one project to the next and that is why I haven't posted my pattern until now.  I did my doll hair over a month ago and am just now putting the doll pattern out!  (The links to the wig are at the bottom of this blog.)  For anyone who has waited, I am sorry.  However, at least it's in time for Christmas sewing!  :o)  I will put the dress and bloomers pattern link after the doll pattern pieces too.  There is a link to the facial embroidery tutorial too.  You should be able to make this all yourself!

Materials:
printer and paper
1/2 yard of skintone fabric
Iron on interfacing for the fabric
Something to draw on the fabric 
5" embroidery hoop
3-4 colors of embroidery thread for the eyes
Black embroidery thread
Hair color embroidery thread
Skintone embroidery thread
2 colors of embroidery thread for the lips

I have found fabrics in fair skin tones hard to find.  Many are either too pale or too yellow.  Hancock's Fabric has 2 nice colors, Hobby Lobby does too.  JoAnne's does not have any that I have found.  Beautiful fabrics for darker skin tones are much easier to find.  Here is a nice selection from Fabric.com to begin your search if you don't want to go out.

I have an embroidery tutorial for the face also.  I only used basic stitches and have very little experience embroidering myself.  I thought it would be hard to do, but it was very easy.  So, don't be intimidated.  You could use fabric paint if you would prefer it, but if you mess up with thread you just cut it out.  If you mess up with paint, you may have to begin again.  That is why I went with thread.  Well, that and it's cheap and durable--a combination I like!

*I have made a new and improved way to construct my dolls after step 4.  I show it in my pattern and photo tutorial for Betsy, starting with step 3 there.  Look at it and come back to this for steps 1-4 for a more detailed beginning.  Betsy's tutorial is an easier way to join the front and back together and it is a simple difference.  :o)

Step 1:
Iron on the interfacing.
Stick the face pattern piece under the fabric and trace it on.
Cut it out beyond the outline and put it on an embroidery hoop.
Set aside until the next tutorial.
Here is the tutorial for embroidering the face:

Step 2:
Cut out the leg pattern piece and draw it onto your fabric.
Fold the material wrongside (interfacing) out and pin.
Sew along the lines until the fold.  Go over the point where the fold and seam match with your thread a few times to reinforce it.  
Cut out the foot and snip along the curves for a nicer round surface.

Step 3:
Cut out the arm pattern piece and draw it onto your fabric.
Fold the material wrongside (interfacing) out and pin.
Sew along the lines until the fold.  Go over the point where the fold and seam match with your thread a few times to reinforce it.  
Cut out the hand and snip along the curves for a nicer round surface.
Stuff the arms and legs medium firmly in the bottom & gently in the stem leaving an inch unstuffed at the end.

Step 4:
Sew the face to the front of the body piece.
Sew the back of the head to the back of the body piece.
Pin the legs to the to the front of the body piece as shown and sew on.
Pin the arms to the to the front of the body piece as shown and sew on.

Step 5:
Tuck the arms and legs into the body and sew around the head and body leaving a large opening in the head area on the wrongside.  Turn rightside out and make sure that you have covered your original limb attachment.  
(I missed part of the arm, as you can see in picture 3.  I have to turn it inside out again and sew a bit farther in.)
I filled a sock end with natural aquarium stones to weigh down the body and sewed it close.  I dropped it into the body before stuffing.
Stuff with medium firmness.  Close the head by hand at the top and cover the opening with a wig.

Here's Blythe's Doll:

Here is my pattern:
(Right click on the sheet you want and left click "Open image in new tab," then print--Ctrl P.  Make sure that it is printing at 100% and not "fit to page.")  Since Apple users have reported a problem printing this pattern, I have a PDF of the pattern also click here to access it.
Nancy's final length is 15".  Her torso is approx 6.25" once sewn and stuffed.

Here are her dress and bloomers:

Here are the hair tutorials:

Here is a pattern for Lila, if you are interested in more doll patterns:

Craving Chocolate?  Try my easy Chocolate Fudge Cake!






Comments

  1. Wow! This is amazing! I know my little girl would just love one. You did such a fabulous job. Thank you so much for linking up at the Handmade Holiday Link Party! (Pinned!)

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    1. Thank you! I think I am going to make her another one with pink hair (here favorite color) for Christmas. :o) I have a friend that would like to make one for her daughter too. So, we may do it together. Thanks for hosting! I can't wait to see all the cute ideas that will be posted. The ones up right now are great and it just started.

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  2. SO cute. I have never tried making a doll but would love to give it a go. My girls would love it. :)

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    1. It's a very simple pattern. You could have it done in an hour if you don't include the face embroidery time. The hair always takes me a couple of days to make, but it is well worth it. :o) I want to encourage you to do it. My first doll was simple but took me a few days to make, now they are much faster and I love them almost as much as she does.

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  3. I'm marking this page in my favs. I would SO love to try to make one! I love dolls and collect all types. I've just never felt like I could make them. Happy holidays to you and your family!

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    1. Thank you! You should give it a try, I bet you could make a great one!

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  4. She is so cute. I love making dolls!

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  5. She's beautiful, had to pin her - She could be a perfect birthday gift for me dils :D

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    1. Thank you! I bet she would love it and especially because you made her!

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  6. Charlie, when I click on the pattern pieces, it comes up as photo in the viewer, and when I try to print, it just wants to print the whole blog post. Do you have this in a pdf? Could you email it to me? Thanks!

    Molly

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    1. Hey Molly!
      I fixed the instructions. You won't have a problem now. Sorry about that. You might want to wait a few hours to print though because I am posting a brand new doll pattern in just a minute. Are you making Jamie a doll?

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    2. There is a PDF of the pattern now that should solve Apple issues.

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  7. Hi, I'm having trouble printing as well. If I right click and open in a new window and then print, it prints at 39% automatically, with no way to change the settings. If I save and then print, it prints larger but some pages are cut off at the bottom, again no way to change the settings on my printer. Also there is no test scale to compare it to (ie a one inch box drawn on the page). I would hate the doll and her clothing not to be on the same scale. I also cannot print the instructions easily. Do you by chance have a pdf available of the patterns and instructions? Thank you again, your patterns and instructions are really cute, thank you so much for sharing!

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    1. I am sorry. Message me your email on from my FB page and I will email you the pattern for the doll and dress for your personal use. That should take care of your problem. I have never had a problem, so I am sorry I can't troubleshoot it for you. I am sorry, I don't have a PDF for my instructions. I just have them on my blog. If you print it all at the same size it should all fit your doll. I didn't put a scale on it. I am new at pattern making and I will make sure to add it to future patterns. That is a very good point. (Especially for clothes!) So, thank you!

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    2. There is a PDF of the pattern now that should solve Apple issues.

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  8. thanks for this page and all on it. I am a 73 year old, retired wife, mom and great grandmother. Since 2007, I have made and given away 173 nice sized cloth dolls of my onw design to kids with cancer and other devastating illnesses. they are free as in mailing. takes a couple days to get together. Girls are topsy turvy and real cute. They are 2 foot tall. boys wear 'street clothes and are 28inches high. go to
    www.dollsforverysickkids.com
    if you want more info I am a reired nurse, writer, sewer, knitter and crocheter.

    Vickey Stamps

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    1. You have a very special and sweet ministry. Thank you for sharing it. The stories on your website are simple, but moving. God bless you and keep you and the children!

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  9. This is awesome, I've been making dolls for years now and I've never been happy with the faces. Thank you Diane

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    1. I am so glad that it will help you Diane! I hope you love your new faces and check out my newest version as well in the doll making section of my "Patterns and Tutorials." I have just finished her up and am in the process of making her clothes right now. She should show up completely by next week! :o)

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