How to Make Nylon Sock Dolls

A nylon sock doll with doll hair.

Dolls made from nylon socks make delightful little figures with plump little bodies and chubby faces and arms. Color choices depend on sock colors available to make a variety of multicolored dolls or dolls with realistic skin tones. The dimensions of the doll depends on sock size--the larger the sock the bigger the doll. Choose toddler-size socks to make smaller dolls. This project requires only needle and thread stitching but machine stitching is optional.

Things You'll Need

• Nylon sock
• Scissors
• Needle
• Matching thread
• Polyester stuffing

Instructions

1. Lay the sock flat and cut beginning at the topmost part of the heel straight across to the front of the sock. This is the body of the doll. Cut the arms and legs by cutting lengthwise from the top center of the sock's ankle through the bottom of the ankle making two sections. Cut crosswise the two pieces making four sections. Move up the ankle about 1/2 inch to make two of the pieces shorter. The shorter pieces are the arms and the longer pieces are the legs.

2. Sew the legs and arms. There will be one open side, one fold, and two end openings. Fold the material right side in. Leave one end open and sew the open side shut. At the corner, curve the stitching to make a curved corner. At the second corner, stitch a little beyond the fold to match the first rounded corner (clip the square corners off after sewing). Turn the material right side out.

3. Stuff the body, arms and legs. Pack enough polyester into the foot of the sock to create a chubby body. Stuff enough polyester into the legs and arms to make plump arms and legs.

4. Sew the open ends shut. Fold the open ends inwardly to form an inseam. With matching thread, use a whip-stitch to sew the body, arm, and leg ends shut.

5. Create the head. About half way down the body, using doubled matching thread insert the needle from the back center to the front center. Pull the thread though and wrap the remaining thread around the neck area of the doll pulling enough to delineate the head area. Tie off and knot thread.

6. Attach the legs and arms. Position the legs at the bottom of the body with the seam of each leg to the center and fold edge to the outside. Sew in place. Position the arms just under the sides of the head. The seam should point downward and the fold should be on top the arm. Sew in place.

7. Sculpt the eyes. With matching thread, insert the needle where the inner edge of the left eye begins. Push the needle behind the eye, catching polyester filling, coming out the outer edge of the eye and reinsert the needle into the inner corner. Pass the needle behind the nose area to the inner corner of the right eye. Push the needle behind the right eye, catching polyester, coming out the outer corner. Reinsert the needle into the inner corner of this eye and push the needle up through the center of the doll's head. Pull the thread taunt to indent the eyes giving the illusion of eye sockets. Tie and knot off the thread to hold it in place.

8. Sculpt the mouth. Use a whip-stitch at the mouth area, catching polyester, making the stitch about 3/4- to 1-inch wide. Without cutting the thread, whip a tiny stitch around the center of the thread to form the lips inserting the needle to exit the back of the neck. Pull the thread taunt, and tie off to hold in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Make doll clothes from fabric scraps.

• Use embroidery thread for hair.

References

• "Scrap Saver's Christmas Stitchery"; Sandra Lounsbury Foose; 1986