Easy Doll Making Tips For The New Year

The best way to learn doll making tips is to do them by trial and error. Unfortunately, that means you have to actually do it wrong before you get to share the easy doll making tip. No worries though, I've decided to share some of my easy doll making tips (or my trial and error learning) with you on Fridays here on the blog.

This weeks top 2 easy doll making tips come from my most recent rag doll that I made for my niece.

Easy Doll Making Tip #1
Dollar stores are your best friend.

Seriously... I ran into to the dollar store the other day to pic up some wrapping paper and a few last minute stocking stuffers. While there, I found a couple of items that I could use for my crafts.

For example, their really cheap dolls for just $1 have LOADS of hair on their heads - in the craft store I'd pay $3-$6 for doll hair, and here it is on a dollar store doll. In the doll section you can often find small chairs for propping your doll on and doll stands. It was also a great place to pick up some doll accessories - hair ties, blush, small toys to attach to your doll. I also found some squeakers and rattles that I plan to use on an upcoming baby doll toy.

So before you make the craft store your first stop - be sure to pop into your local dollar store and see what you can salvage there.

Easy Doll Making Tip #2
When cutting your pattern out from the fabric, cut along the inside of the lines. In one of my most recent doll making experiences, I cut out the pattern following the line as normal, sewed the entire doll together, and then the clothes that I made for her didn't fit.

I found that the small differences between cutting the inside of the line and just outside the line actually make a BIG difference in the size of your doll. Cutting this way will actually affect the size of the fingers on the doll as well and could take out any space you may have wanted when it's turned right side out. So, lesson learned - cut the lines off of the pattern.

Easy Doll Making Tip #3
Add some great flare to your doll by giving her an adorable ballerina tutu. It's a super simple process that is very low cost, but can give your doll some great character and add more texture.

All you need is a simple elastic hair tie that fits around your doll (I picked these up at the dollar store). Then you'll need some Tulle - a BIG roll of it is only $4 at the craft store, and I'm sure if you search the ads you can get it cheaper. Then cut strips of the tulle that are 2x the length between your dolls hip and knee. So if you are making a BIG doll then each strip will be between 8-10 inches.

If you're doing it for a smaller (barbie size doll) the length would be closer to 3-5 inches. Next loop each strip of tulle around the hair tie until it's a full tutu. Then attach to your doll. This makes the doll young and fun - and is great on fairy dolls.

There you have it - this weeks edition of Easy Doll Making Tips... most learned from my trial and error. If you have some you'd like to share feel free to send them in or comment below.

Easy Doll Making Tips - Sewing how To's

The more and more I dive into cloth doll making the more I learn about different sewing techniques. I don't have a sewing machine just yet as I really enjoy hand sewing (so far). I'm sure I'll find a free cloth doll pattern that will force me to use the sewing machine sometimes soon, but for now I've been working on tons of different sewing techniques.

I figured for today's easy doll making tips I'd share some of my favorite tutorials that have helped me jump into making cloth dolls.

Here are my top 5 favorite "sewing how to" tutorials:

• Blanket Stitch
  I used this on my very first doll. I chose it because it seemed to be a very strong stitch that would last with a little girls constant use. I also chose it because it seemed to really close the hem line so that the poly-fil stuffing wouldn't pop through. It worked great too! Once the project was complete I was very pleased with the outcome. My only adjustment was that future projects need to have each stitch much closer together.. spreading it apart like the video shows is too much space.
  
  
• Back Stitch & Embroidery Back Stitch
  The first video here shows exactly how to sew a back stitch. On my second project I tested using the backstitch around the entire edge of the doll to keep the thread from showing once it was stuffed (one of the problems I had on a past doll). I was also using a MUCH thicker material - terry cloth. It worked out great... I feel very secure that the seems of the doll aren't going to get ripped apart as easily because of the added strength that the back stitch gives.
  
  The second video is actually for embroidery, but I felt gave a very clear look at how the back stitch works - where the first video just shows you what to do, the second gave you a clear "how to" visual.
   
• Ladder Stitch (invisible stitch)
  This is a MUST learn stitch... one that I needed immediately. In this "Sewing how to" video you learn how to close the seem of the doll without seeing all the thread on the outside. It's also called the invisible stitch for this reason. I've used it to stitch up pillows that popped at the seems, but you'll use this to close up the last inch or two in the side of the doll once you've got it stuffed to your liking. It seemed a little difficult at first, but I suggest practicing on some scrap material a little to really get the hang of it.
   
• My Favorite Knot
  The final Sewing how To Tip for today is "my favorite knot." I found this researching free cloth doll patterns, but it was such a simple tutorial for tying the knot on your thread that I just have to share. It really makes a decent knot and takes very little effort on you part. I've used it every time since I started sewing... never fails.

Hope you're moving along on your new sewing projects whether it's for cloth dolls or just hemming pants. If you have questions - I'll find the answers. Feel free to comment below :)