How to Make Fleece Dolls
Fleece dolls, such as the ever-popular Uglydolls, are a huge hit among children and teens. Crazy shapes and nontraditional, unique faces add to the cuddly charm of each doll. Fleece dolls are washable and soft, making a snuggly toy for young children. Fleece dolls can be created at home for a fraction of the cost of retail dolls and can reflect the individuality of the creator. Make the dolls one-of-a-kind to give children a sense of individual ownership. There is no right or wrong design.
Things You'll Need
- One yard fleece
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- Fleece scraps in two contrasting colors
- Two 2-inch diameter black buttons
- Embroidery or crewel floss in contrasting color
- Embroidery or crewel needle
- One-lb. bag of polyester fiber stuffing
Instructions
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1
Fold one yard of fleece in half and cut a 15-inch by 10-inch rectangle from it.
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2
Cut a 4-inch by 5-inch square from the top center of the rectangle and one from the bottom center of the rectangle.
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3
Round corners from top and bottom remaining segments (ears/horns and feet).
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4
Sew around all the sides, leaving one "foot" open at the bottom. Turn inside out.
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5
Cut a 5-inch wide circle from a fleece scrap in a different color.
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6
Using embroidery/crewel floss, blanket-stitch around the circle onto the "face" area. There should be two ears/horns and two feet.
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7
Cut a 2-inch diameter circle from a fleece scrap in a different color and blanket stitch the circle onto one of the "eye" spots. Repeat for the other eye.
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8
Sew on two black buttons for eyes, putting one button on top of each eye circle.
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9
Sew a 3-inch line for a mouth on the doll's face.
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10
Stuff the fleece doll and sew the foot closed.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Experiment with contrasting fleece colors and embroidery or crewel floss colors. Circles for tummies and bums can be added to enrich character of the fleece dolls. Try one eye, three eyes and changing the shape of the fleece dolls. Individual arms can be sewn if desired and attached to the sides of the doll. Experiment with multiple limbs.
As with all toys given to small children, make sure the buttons are securely sewn and do not pose a choking hazard. If you're unsure of the choking risk or are making fleece dolls for resale, omit the button eyes and simply sew two fleece circles onto the face as eyes.
