How to Make a Yarn Doll With a Face

Create your own doll from yarn.

You can make a doll, complete with a face, by using yarn. Use craft scraps such as buttons, fabric and the yarn from previous projects to make new creations. Include elementary school age or older children in your home, in your Scout groups or at school for an interesting craft.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn
• Scissors to cut yarn
• Fray block
• Book or rectangular cardboard
• Beads, craft eyes, buttons, sparkles, ribbons and other decorations
• Embroidery thread and needles
• Small ball

Instructions

1. Create a wrapping board from the rectangular cardboard you get from drinking glass packaging or other medium-size cardboard packing. Use a book if you do not have cardboard packing. Tape or hold a yarn end at the bottom of the wrapping board. Loop the yarn vertically and lengthwise around the wrapping board. Do not loop the yarn tightly because you will have to remove the yarn at the end of the project. Wrap the yarn 80 to 200 times. Do not stretch the yarn tight because this will break the yarn or make it difficult to remove. End the yarn wrapping at the bottom of the wrapping board.

2. Slip a piece of yarn about 10 inches in length under the wrapped yarn at the top of the wrapping board and tie this with a tight square knot. Slip the tied yarn off the board. Hold the yarn, as an alternative, tightly until you slide it off the board. Tie this with the yarn piece.

3. Bunch the top of the yarn into a ball. Tie another piece of string an inch down from the top of this ball to create a head and neck. Alternatively, use a small ball underneath the yarn to form the shape for the head. Tie the yarn underneath the ball to form a neck.

4. Lay the yarn on a flat and even surface. Pull out loops of yarn from the main body on each side of the doll for the doll arms. Tie the arms where you want to place the doll’s wrists. Trim the looped ends of the yarn to give a fringe look to your creation or leave the ends whole for ends that will not easily unravel. Spray fray block on the cut ends to keep these from unraveling. Secure the middle of the doll with yarn to create the doll’s waist.

5. Press a ruler or other straight edge across the doll one-half inch from the bottom. Clip the yarn loops on the bottom for a girl doll. Split the skirt in the middle into two parts from the waist down. Tie these two parts to resemble pant legs for a boy. Spray the ends with fray block regardless of the type of doll you choose. Glue one-half inch of red or pink yarn where you want to place the mouth. Glue craft eyes, beads or buttons above the mouth for eyes. Decorate the doll with ribbon, sparkles and other decorations.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use a ball or craft eyes if the yarn doll is for a young child. Stitch the eyes and mouths with embroidery thread. Craft eyes, small balls, sparkles, beads and buttons can loosen to present a choking hazard.

References

• Just In 5 Minutes: How To Make a Yarn Doll In Just 5 minutes
• Artists Helping Children: Ideas for How to Make Yarn Dolls
• Crafty Classroom:Pioneer Crafts-Yarn Dolls
• AOK Corral: Easy Yarn Dolls
• Kids Activities: How to Make Yarn Dolls
• Little House Living: Living Like Little House in the Big Woods ~ Homemade Dolls

Resources

• June Tailor: Fray Block
• CES: No Sew Products for Repairs
• Softie Making
• Spud and Chloe: Old Fashioned Yarn Dolls
• Study English Today: Martenitsa - an Ancient Bulgarian Tradition
• Under The Bee Tree:Martenitsa!