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!

Check out the link parties I love and have linked this on!