How to Make a Baby Doll
Young children are naturally attracted to baby dolls. A baby doll for a young child to play with should be soft, like a real baby. Baby dolls are simple to make. The pattern here will help you create a doll your child will cuddle and love. It will also give her hours of healthy play.
Things You'll Need
- Off-white cotton fabric
- Quilt batting
- Acrylic paints
- Embroidery floss or yarn
- Doll clothing
- Needle and thread
- Straight pins
- Paper and pencil
- Scissors
Instructions
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1
Do a sketch of a baby doll figure on paper as in the illustration. Keep the lines simple, following them as they narrow through the neck and widen again at the shoulders. Cut out the paper pattern and trace it onto the off-white fabric. Cut two pieces of fabric for the front and back.
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2
Place the two halves of the doll with right sides together. Pin the two halves to each other. Starting beneath one arm, take your needle and thread and sew upward around the doll, making even stitches. Leave an inch or two open on the doll's side near the end.
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3
Turn the doll right side out. Stuff the doll with quilt batting, making sure she's not so padded that she'll burst, but not so floppy that she can't sit up. You want to keep the arms loose enough to move, not tight. Sew up the last section on the doll's side.
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4
Create simple fingers and toes using a needle and thread. Thread the needle, and knot the thread. Starting at the end of the hand on the back side, stitch upward and down again to make four separate fingers. The thumb is already in place. Measure to keep all fingers about the same width. Repeat the steps for the baby doll's toes.
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5
Use acrylic paints to make the baby's face. Give her a crescent for an eye and a few eyelashes so she appears to be sleeping. Dust her cheeks with pink paint to give her a healthy blush. Give her a couple of tiny nostrils and a seagull-shaped mouth. Very simple lines are used for each feature.
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6
Create fine baby hair by stitching on a few strands of embroidery floss or yarn. Knot the floss on the crown of her head, and bring the strands forward. Cut them the length you want and comb them out.
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7
Dress her in doll clothing or wrap her in a baby blanket. Put a bonnet on her head, and tie it under her chin.
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Tips & Warnings
If you prefer your doll awake, you can paint on eyes that are open, or use wiggly eyes from the craft store inside two painted crescent eyelids. You can also use embroidery floss to create her features. For a sentimental touch, dress the doll in baby clothes your child has outgrown.
