Yarn hairdos for cloth dolls: Five techniques to try!

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Designing a hairdo for a cloth doll is one important component for creating the unique beauty, cuteness, or character of your doll. There are so many techniques to consider when developing a yarn hairstyle for a cloth doll. Below are a few for you to consider. Use one technique or combine.

 

You can be traditional or nutty. Be inventive! So many varieties of yarn colors, textures and weights to consider when designing your doll!

SO LET’S GET STARTED! GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

In addition to your doll body, have a glue gun, thread and needle and one skein of yarn. A standard 4 ply yarn is good for experimenting and a first time experience.

ESTABLISH A HAIRLINE 

For all hair design techniques, mark a hairline on your doll.

Tip: Keep all pins raised, so that you can remove all of them upon completion of your hair design.

Above and below are photos of four yarn hair design techniques. Click below for complete instructions.

1) Wrap, tie and glue yarn hanks

2) Yarn hair wefts

3) Rooted yarn hair

Below are photos of

4) Wrapped yarn hank variations

5) Crochet cap with rooted yarn pieces

So get ready to make your cutie! Have fun! E

A QUICK SEW FOR A MERRY MERRY!

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SEW EASY ONE PIECE PATTERNS

Sew up cute little 11″ tall stockings! This quick and easy sewing project is perfect for a brand new stitcher to take a sewing machine for a little spin! If you are an experienced stitcher, this is a nice little project to introduce sewing to someone who is curious to start.

To begin this project, download the pdf pattern with instructions.  You just need some basic tools and equipment and some fabric to make a cutie stocking.

 

STOCKING PATTERN

FABRIC CHOICES

Use a knit, fleece, minky or a cotton print to make a cutie stocking. To make a cotton fabric a bit more beefy, back the fabric with interfacing, felt or my fave: iron on batting.

Be inspired to make heirloom memory stockings!

Repurpose a sweater or shirt to make a stocking loaded with memories. My stocking will always remind me how great my Dad was!

A fun way to commemorate childhood memories is to repurpose cast-off clothing worn each year. Add charms, photos, decorations and notes to add more nostalgia about that year. Have fun with this!

Stockings are an iconic decoration for the winter holidays. Perfect for gifting or creating memories. Sew easy!

If you make a cutie stocking too, we would love it if you share a photo and story on instagram with: #mycutiestocking . We look forward to seeing you there!

 

STOCKING STUFFERS!

If you enjoy one piece patterns for a quick sew or to mentor a new stitcher, check out the SEW EASY bow tie clip and SEW EASY petite pincushion.

Sew joy! Elaine

A doll wardrobe must have: Leggings! Make from socks.

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MAKE SOME FANCY LEGGINGS AND PANTIES FOR YOUR PLUSHLIFE® DOLLS, ANIMALS AND 18″ DOLLS.

Leggings are a must have staple for your PLUSHLIFE® doll or 18″ doll wardrobe. Here is a free pdf pattern with instructions for you to make leggings from crew socks.

There are such great sock styles out there, why not use some to make a trendy set of leggings for your doll friend?

Use a set of adult crew socks or leg warmers to make leggings. You can also repurpose a fine gauge sweater sleeve. Since socks are super stretchy, you can stretch a childs sock to fit the pattern within the sock shape.

 

ONE PATTERN PIECE, A PAIR OF SOCKS,

AND ELASTIC IS ALL YOU NEED

leggings pattern

Want some wardrobe choices to pair up with leggings? Click here to shop for current 18″ doll and toy patterns by Elaine Heigl Designs. Or if you like freebee patterns, then you are in luck! Pair up some leggings with a sweet little easy to make pinafore and collar or peasant top.

‘Tis always the season to sew gifts and togetherness projects!

Elaine

 

How to Sew and Create Your Wonderful Unique Cuddly Toys

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SEW PLAYTHINGS!

Thinking about sewing for fun? Try toys! Below are 4 pattern categories to create adorable playthings.

Are you a beginning stitcher or want to coach a beginner? Two piece animals and cut&sew bears are easy projects for someone with limited sewing experience. Dolls and doll clothing are great toy making categories for family sewing and gifting.

Making playthings is necessary FUN! Explore below!

Sew up some animals, easy does it!

Two-piece animal patterns are a great entry level to soft toy making. Once you make one of these, you will be amazed at how fast they sew up with great results. Two-piece animals can be made up in fleece, plush, minky, knits, and cotton as shown in the photos. 

The original!

With just 2 pattern pieces, you can sew an animal out of fleece, plush, Minky, knit or cotton. They sew up in a flash!

Click Here

Baby love!

Baby cuties to sew and cuddle. Make each animal and pair with themed fleece blankies. Happiness!

Click Here

Let’s Party!

With just 2  to 3 main pattern pieces, sew up a party of circus and zoo buddies!

Click Here

Sew some babies!

These cuties are made for some good hugging. Yes, just 2 pattern pieces do it!

Click Here

More sweet babies

These little guys are my personal fave, just saying!

Click Here

Big Lovies

These plump pets are made for giant hugs and kisses. 

3023

Sew doll clothes!

Many designers, including myself, began their sewing passion with making doll clothes. Today the 18” doll is the most accessible and popular doll to sew for. There are so many clothing patterns for them!

Below are some patterns by Elaine Heigl Designs for Simplicity Pattern Company. Many styles would be great for the cut&sew 17” PLUSH LIFE® bear… with a just few adjustments they can fit.

A day at the Ranch

Go west! Everything a doll would need for western wear. A must have!

9728

GIRLY GIRL FAVORITES

A must have wardrobe for play and parties.

Click Here

Modern girls

Fun fashion for the modern 18″ girls!

Simplicity 9500

Irresistible 80’s!

Wardrobe for 18” boy and girl dolls. Remember those 80’s! Memphis style and big hair!

Simplicity 9567

Boys and Girls of the 80’s

Wardrobe for 18” boy and girl dolls. Remember those 80’s! Party with style!

Simplicity 9567

Nighty night

Classic lounge wear is a must for your 18″ doll!

Simplicity 5276

Playtime!

Everything you need to go have fun with friends. Mix and match for an unlimited wardrobe.

Simplicity 4654

SHARING!

With some slight adjustments the 18″ doll clothing can fit the 17″ cut&sew animals and dolls. Find on this site free pdf wardrobe patterns that fit both!

SO MOD!

We love the 60’s Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

Simplicity 9768

Sew dolls! For play or display

Doll making is such a joy. So many options to create a unique character. Check out pattern packs below by Elaine Heigl Designs for Simplicity Pattern Company. You can make the dolls as shown, or get super independent and try different hair design techniques or try a soft sculpture face. Check out my Pinterest boards for inspiration. You can order knit and woven doll skin fabric at the print on demand site Spoonflower.com.

24” slender seasonal bunnies

9905

Easy going kids and pets

9910

Lovely lanky loungers

Pretty lanky loungers for fun or display. Great dolls for posing and hugging!

9621

Sew some Besties!

These boys and girls are designed to be that forever friend that shares daily adventures.

9440

Sweet girls

These adorable girls just might be that doll that is taken everywhere. Lovable and huggable.

Simplicity 8402

Sew up best friends!

Find the fabrics that were especially designed for Simplicity 9440. Click here to source fabrics at Spoonflower.com.

Pattern 9440

Create a PLUSH LIFE experience with cut-and-sew fabric panels

The PLUSH LIFE® animals and dolls are easy-to-sew projects that can be sewn up within an hour. Each PLUSH LIFE® cut&sew fabric panel arrives fully printed with all the pattern shapes, complete with graphics. How easy is that!
Choose from several easy-to-sew animal and doll styles and a growing selection of clothes. Collect and build your unique PLUSH LIFE® experience. Make to give or keep. Have fun with this!

Make memories

Make dressable bears, cats, dolls and their clothing. A bear is a classic toy for both boys and girls to nurture and comfort. These are created for sweet shared memories.

Start with a bear, cat or doll

Make one or all. There are several styles to choose from!

Sleep over

A sleepover theme is a must have! Choose from a blue or pink themed sleep set.

Cut&sew panels

Each project starts with a fat quarter cut&sew fabric panel. Download pdf guidesheet on this site.

My cat Stitch’s fave is the Panda. I wonder why!

Oh you doll!

Doll making is a great creative outlet. Sew and stuff a doll blank and build your unique character. Tutorials for hair design and free clothing patterns are on this site. Let your imagination go! Make one in every color for diversity!

Sweet dream dolls for baby

These babies are sure to be that favorite lovie. A sleeping mask encourages a good night sleep.

MEET THEM!
PLUSHLIFE®

And more hugworthy toys to sew!

Puppy love!

These big pups are 24″ sitting. Posable and expressive. A best friend for sure!

Click Here

SEW UP A PETTING ZOO!

What can I say…these animals are fun to march around! See them on instagram!

Simpicity 9666

BIG HUGS!

27″ tall cats, dogs and bears… poseable, loveable!

Simplicity 9583

FOREVER BEARS

Love for always. Sew up some of these for heirloom treasures.

Simplicity 8155

Want to sew? Toymaking is a great way to go. Have heart-warming satisfication with a project that will give someone joy.

Click here for some helpful tips for sewing toys.

Sew Fun! E

Success tips for sewing doll clothes

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Shopping for 18″ doll patterns? Below are current classics by Elaine Heigl Designs for Simplicity. Click each photo to link to product information.

Sewing 18″ doll clothes gives immediate satisfaction! You can sew a finished outfit with little effort, time, and fabric! If you are here hunting for some patterns, click photos for Elaine Heigl Designs current 18″ doll patterns.

If you are sewing “in the small” (doll scale) here are a few quick tips to insure you success:

Tips about fabric choices:

Woven cotton is the easiest fabric to sew doll fashions. Below there is a link to check out some doll scale mini prints.

If sewing knits, be sure to use a ball point needle: it’s a must!

You can use iron-on featherweight knit interfacing to back thin, slippery or finicky fabrics.  It provides just enough stability. (Handy stuff, I rely on this often!)

Stitching tips and aids:

Since seams for 18″ dolls are usually 1/4″, it’s handy to use a 1/4″ presser foot. (Specialty feet really do make sewing easier!)

When starting to machine stitch a seam, it’s good to hold the thread end. For some reason when stitching 1/4″ seams (especially knits), the beginning stitches and fabric sometimes get caught in the feed dog and won’t allow the fabric to move on. (Problem avoided!)

Have a long needle nearby, it’s a handy (sometimes necessary!) tool to help guide fabric along while machine stitching. I probably use my long needle 50% of my sewing time.

Have fun making doll clothes, Tell us about your experiences in comments. Any advice and questions are welcome!

CLOTH DOLL DESIGN: Create yours!

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Looking for a creative outlet? Consider doll making, a sewing hobby that allows you to design your unique world of little friends. 

Have fun with this!

START WITH A VISION

When creating a doll, it is helpful to have a vision for a character or theme. To start a vision board, collect favorite references of cloth dolls, and childrens clothing. Collect swatches of fabrics, yarn, buttons, and trims. Once you start this process, most probably you will come up with many ideas…no problem, make many dolls! Check out Pinterest for a wealth of ideas. Be traditional or eclectic, express yourself! .

DOLL BODIES

CUT & SEW

You can sew 17″ dolls using a cut-and-sew fabric panel. Make a doll blank or a fully illustrated baby doll. Cut-and-sew bear, cat dolls and fashions are also available.

Order a fat quarter to make one doll, order one yard to make four dolls. Be sure to order in recommended fabric.

 

SHOP

PAPER PATTERNS

If you prefer a home sewing paper pattern of doll sets with complete wardrobes, check out the doll patterns at Simplicity.com by Elaine Heigl Designs.

If you like total creative freedom, sew up a cut & sew doll blank. Choose from several skin colors, or sew up a diverse set.

A fully illustrated cut&sew baby doll is a quick sew. This is a perfect first doll lovie!

SHOP

DOLL HAIR

Yarn is my first go-to choice for doll hair.

There are many mays to create a doll hairdo with yarn,  click here for several techniques to consider.

EYES

For eyes, shank or dome buttons are acceptable. Use lock in eyes if this doll is for a very young child. Eye placement is totally up to you.

When deciding eye size and placement, I find  test eyes are super handy! Test eye assortments are available at CR crafts.

Design in progress! The vote is for a 10mm dome eye button.

A WARDROBE FOR YOUR CUT&SEW DOLLS

 

Build a doll’s wardrobe with the cut-and-sew PLUSH LIFE® clothing fabric panels. Download the instructions on this site.

OR you can use a pattern for 18” doll clothing and adjust the fit to your preferences. Check out my blog for current 18″ doll clothing designs by Elaine Heigl Designs.

START A WARDROBE!

You can start a wardrobe now with this free pinafore and collar pattern.

SHOP FOR FABRIC BY INDIE DESIGNERS

Spoonflower is a print on demand (POD) site for fabrics. Thousands of artists post unique designs that are available to you. If you would like to check out my growing collection at Spoonflower.com, click here. Perhaps you will find a fun print for your little cutie’s wardrobe!

Have fun with this! Will love to see your unique creations on facebook and instagram! Hope to see you there! 

Sew happiness! E