How to Make Fabric Matryoshka Dolls

Create colorful designs to mimic the cheerful designs of the wooden dolls.

Russian Matryoshka dolls, also known as nesting dolls, come in sets of dolls in decreasing sizes. They are crafted from wood and have a nesting feature, in which each doll fits into a doll slightly larger than it is. When all dolls are in place, only one doll is visible. The dolls are painted in bright colors, representing the Russian folk art style, and their smiling faces and colorful clothing make them difficult to resist. Make your own set of Matryoshka dolls out of fabric. They make a charming gift or unique home decor.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Photocopier or printer with enlarging feature
• Scissors
• Fabric
• White felt
• Black marker
• Thread
• Needle
• Sewing machine
• Pins
• Polyester fiberfil
• Coordinating felt

Instructions

1. Create a pattern for one Matryoshka doll. The pattern will be shaped like a peanut, with the bottom slightly larger than the top. Experiment with different shapes until you are happy with the result.

2. Decide how many dolls you want to create. Using your photocopier or printer, reduce or enlarge the original pattern to make as many patterns as you need. The patterns should be in graduating sizes to mimic the sizes of the wooden nesting dolls.

3. Cut two pieces of each doll pattern out of a different brightly colored fabric. Coordinate your fabric colors so the finished dolls will look they belong to a set.

4. Cut a round pattern to use as the doll's face. Copy and graduate the size of the pattern until you have one for each doll.

5. Cut each doll face out of white felt.

6. Embroider or draw eyes and a mouth on each of the white felt circles.

7. Sew the round face on the smaller end of one piece of each size of fabric. Use a decorative stitch on your sewing machine or hand sew it with an embroidery stitch.

8. Pin the fabric for each doll with right sides together. Sew around each edge, leaving a small section open to turn the doll right side out.

9. Stuff the dolls and stitch the opening closed with a blind stitch.

10. Cut flowers out of coordinating felt and glue on the front of the dolls.

Tips & Warnings

• Making the face out of felt eliminates any worry about the fabric unraveling. If you prefer, you can make the whole doll out of felt and use a decorative blanket stitch to sew the sides together.

References

• "Fa La La La Felt"; Amanda Carestio; 2010

Resources

• Creative Park: Matroyshka Doll