How to Make an Old Fashioned Cloth Doll

Use all those leftover quilting scraps to make these fun no-sew dolls with the kids.

Cloth dolls comes in many different designs from elaborately embroidered collector's pieces with dainty porcelain faces to simple dolls made from scraps of recycled fabric. A favorite doll of the Sioux Indians of South Dakota is a "pieces doll" made from scraps of fabric. The dolls can be any size and do not have faces. There is no sewing involved, and the doll stands by bunching the fabric from which they are made underneath it. This is a fun project for even the youngest crafters.

Things You'll Need

• Scraps of plain and colored material, old cut-up t-shirts, jeans, etc.
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• String, embroidery floss or strong thread
• Small safety pin

Instructions

1. 

   Cut up old clothes for fabric scraps to make these cute dolls.

   Measure and cut three, six-inch squares of cloth; two for the face and body, and one for the head covering. Measure and cut one, five-inch square for the cloak. Measure and cut one, eight-inch square of fabric for the dress.

2. Roll one piece of the body fabric into a ball to make the head. Drape the second body fabric square over this ball for the body and tie it around the neck with string.

3. Fold the head-covering fabric square in half and drape this over the head leaving the face exposed. Tie the head covering to the body at the neck.

4. Find the center of the dress square by folding it in half, and then in half again. Cut a circle in the center just big enough for the dolls head to fit through. Slip over the doll's head and tie the dress to the body at the neck.

5. Make the cloak by folding the five-inch square into a rectangle. Drape over the shoulders of the doll overlapping slightly in the front and secure in place with a safety pin.

References

• "The Family Creative Workshop"; Plenary Publications International; 1974