DIY dolls for beginners. There are different types of models, namely


Today I want to talk about how to make a doll with your own hands. I’ll tell you about soft fabric dolls - even a child is able to cope with the manufacture of such a toy, and the result looks simply charming.

What are dolls and how do they differ

What are textile dolls? There are cloth dolls for a long time, at first they were of a ritual nature, then they became amulets, and finally they moved into the category of interior decorations and children's toys.

You can divide the pupae according to the style of manufacture:

  • sewn dolls;
  • motanki.
You can also divide the pupae according to the shape of the body:
  • sedentary;
  • standing;
  • recumbent (they have a soft body, it is difficult to seat them).
And of course, the pupae can be divided according to their appearance - I will talk about this later, so as not to write one by one.

Different variants

How to make a rag doll with your own hands? There are a variety of DIY rag dolls, but in general you need to stock up:
  • fabric for making the body, face and limbs of the pupa - it can be fabric, yarn, nylon and even paper (some make the head of the doll from papier-mâché, and the body from fabric);
  • stuffing material (cereals, foam rubber, cotton wool, fabric scraps, polystyrene foam in balls or holofiber);
  • yarn or thread for making hairstyles;
  • beads, special eyes;
  • needles and threads;
  • knitting supplies (you will need doll clothes, and it is very easy to knit them);
  • cardboard, artificial and natural leather, various elements for making accessories for dolls.

Tilda and varieties

Tilda is the most famous soft doll, and most often they are made by beginners. These dolls were designed by a girl from Norway, Tone Finnanger. These are long simple dolls, they have simple faces - pink cheeks, beady eyes. A whole industry has developed around this doll, making animals and accessories. There are many books and master classes on how to sew a doll with your own hands. See how beautiful Tildas are, and how you can make bunnies and cubs in this style.

By the way, if you need a pattern for a doll in this style, then there is nothing easier - here are a few patterns that are suitable for creating from fabric.



Snowballs

And how to make a doll out of fabric so that it is standing? For this, Snowballs were invented, snow dolls - they have large legs, and due to the special stuffing scheme, such a doll turns out to be very stable. When making Snowballs, you will need the correct pattern for the doll, because otherwise the doll simply will not “get up”. By the way, visually Snowballs are similar to Tild - they have similar facial features, and the chrysalis is simplified to the point of impossibility.



Pumpkins

Pumpkinhead toys are somewhat reminiscent of Pumpkinhead Jack from the popular cartoon for adults. They were invented by Lena Kogan, and Pumpkins differ from all other dolls in the original construction of the head - it is sewn from several wedges, and a seam passes through the face of the doll. By the way, these dolls have original faces - they have wide-set eyes, but in general, facial features are more accurately worked out compared to Tilda and Snowballs.

Look how craftswomen make dolls with their own hands in the photo:


Attic toys

Simple dolls in the manner of the Scarecrow from the fairy tale about the Wizard of Oz - they are made literally from everything that was lying around in the closet or in the attic. Modern attic toys are made with the effect of aging, many even use vintage fabrics and buttons. A distinctive feature of such a toy is the author's pattern of the doll.

There is no single standard - these toys were sewn by the first settlers in America, and they made them, we admit honestly, as God puts on our souls. Lost a pattern of a textile doll? Estimate by eye, and make an attic toy - they are cute and charming, and giving them a twist is easy - use tinting and do not process the edges.

Charms and motanki

Slavic dolls are now very, very popular. Firstly, people are pleased to have their own concept as an answer to fashionable Western Tildas (which, of course, are very beautiful, but it's hard to imagine Tilda in a kokoshnik, isn't it?). Secondly, the cultural code is also included here. A Russian person may not digest Khokhloma and Zhostovo painting, deny Pushkin and not know how a motanka is made, but at the sight of an ordinary nesting doll, his heart skips a beat. Because everyone in childhood had a matryoshka or motanka.

Slavic dolls served as talismans for the home and women at different stages of her life, and they were also used as symbols. Cabbage - a beauty that symbolized the presence of a marriageable girl in the house, Rozhanitsa - usually a buxom beauty - promised a young mother a lot of milk.

Want to figure out how to make a doll out of thread? Watch a fascinating master class on this topic just below, and a magic doll made of threads with your own hands will develop by itself!

Interested in a do-it-yourself motanka doll? A step by step tutorial in photos will help you.

And also here is another master class on making yarn dolls.

Waldorf toys stand on a separate step in all this splendor of the puppet industry. This is not just a toy, but a kind of teaching aid. The main differences between this toy and others:

  • natural proportions (naturally, the size of the doll will be small, but it will be made proportionally so that the child can understand how a person will look like at different ages in full size);
  • the face is simplified, but without exaggeration;
  • natural materials are used, and colors are close to natural.


Interesting analogues of fashionable at all times Barbie and Cindy - but from textiles! Trypiens came to us from Korea, and I can say that making dolls with your own hands using this technology requires a lot of perseverance, but the result is a chic interior toy that has its own style and character.

Author's doll

Do you know how to make a paper and fabric doll? First you need to sculpt the head - according to your own sketch, then glue it with strips of paper and remove the papier-mâché shape. After that, you make a body and arms out of fabric, do not forget to pay attention to clothes and accessories, and in the end you will get your own designer doll. Interesting, right? And even more interesting if you imagine how many of these products can be made!

Let's start manufacturing

Well, am I interested in you? Let's try to make dolls with our own hands?

The easiest way is to make a toy from a sock. You don’t need a doll pattern, just cut the sock into two parts - you can cut out arms and legs from the bootleg, and from the part that you put on the foot you will get a body and a head. Stuff the main part with padding polyester or cotton wool, and wrap it with threads so that you get a head, and then stuff and sew up the body. From the remaining part, you need to cut out the legs and handles, and then sew up the parts and turn them out. For volume, you can add a little synthetic winterizer (it is convenient to put the synthetic winterizer inside the narrow handle or leg with the back of the pencil). Draw a face and make her hair from a bunch of threads - your beginner toy is ready!

DIY sock doll:

How to make a doll from a sock in the form of a baby? Watch a short master class, which explains the principle of creation step by step.

Want a little harder? Let's try to make a doll from kapron.

We make do-it-yourself dolls from tights step by step instructions

What you need in order to get a kapron doll:

  • sewing accessories - needles, strong threads of several colors, scissors;
  • nylon - socks, stockings or tights are suitable (instead of tights, the master can also use stockings);
  • cotton wool or synthetic winterizer for stuffing;
  • fabric for making clothes;
  • glue;
  • frame, glass or plastic bottle as a base (if you are interested in a standing doll);
  • ribbons and beads, buttons and jewelry.
A stocking doll can be both simple and complex. I will tell you how to make a simple doll from nylon tights. My guide is designed for beginners, so if you have already been involved in the manufacture of such dolls, then you better watch more complex workshops.
  1. First you need to form all parts of the body from nylon with your own hands. There is no pattern here, so we just sew approximately the same hands, make legs, head and torso.
  2. Then we start stuffing. You made separate elements from tights with your own hands, and now they need to be filled with padding polyester. Make sure that the capron is evenly stretched so that the chrysalis looks homogeneous.
  3. Connect the head to the body and work out the face - the easiest way is to make through stitches from the corner of the mouth to the eye - dimples will appear in the place where the thread comes to the surface. Repeat this operation on both sides, and then sew on the eyes. Form the nose.
  4. Make fingers - a few stitches are enough for this. By the way, do not repeat my mistake - the doll should have a right and a left handle, and not two left ones with the thought "no one will notice anyway."
  5. Collect the wig - for this you need to collect the yarn and sew it in the middle. Loose ends can be laid in pigtails or ponytails. The seam should fall on the top of the doll, it will play the role of a parting.
  6. Paint your face.
  7. Make clothes for the new toy, use glue and pins if necessary, but try to make the doll as safe and durable as possible.
  8. Dress up your product and give a name. So you breathe life into the toy.

Of course, each needlewoman will sew her own doll, even if all of them will be made according to the same drawing - we use different materials and pay attention to different details. But why do we still need schemes? For example, in the case of Pumpkinhead pupae - in order to comply with the technology.

Don't know what to do on Saturday night? DIY textile doll: master class.

By the way, the pattern of a textile doll can also be author's - develop your own shape and you will become famous (at least in the needlework community).

To get a rag doll of the category you need, proceed in stages - first a paper pattern, if needed, then assembling the parts made on its basis, and only then decoration and decor. you can decorate endlessly, but it is better to start with the study of the form.


To make dolls with your own hands, patterns are not so necessary - it only takes a little courage, inspiration and a few scraps of fabric!

Some more interesting patterns of toys that you can make with your child:

Handmade textile dolls are popular due to their uniqueness. These are not toys for children as they are fragile and should not be washed. Textile products can be decorated with various accessories (buttons, brooches, etc.). The sewing process is quite exciting. A master class will help novice craftswomen deal with all the intricacies of making such toys.

Rules for making textile dolls according to a pattern: a master class

  • the body is best made from natural fabric (cotton, linen, chintz and others are suitable);
  • the material from which the body is made must be white or flesh-colored;
  • as a filler, it is desirable to use a synthetic winterizer, cotton wool or synthetic winterizer (fabric scraps are also suitable);
  • you can decorate the product with beads, beads, use acrylic paints to decorate the face, and so on;
  • hair is best done from threads or fleece, cut into strips;
  • legs and handles are sewn or fastened with buttons, hinges;
  • When transferring the details of the pattern to the fabric, remember that you need to leave allowances for the seams.

On a note! A textile doll can be sewn in different versions and be of different sizes. Sometimes life-size patterns are used.

Patterns of author's textile dolls

When the experience of manufacturing standard products is gained, many craftswomen move on to creating original works. They change the head, the shape of the body, being in search of new options. On the Internet you can find many patterns from different authors.

So, we sew a toy with our own hands. Below is a drawing of a textile articulated doll. The red dot indicates the place where the cotter pin is attached.

Making a product is not particularly difficult if you master certain skills. The main difficulty lies in the design of the face. Below is a master class on making a hinged doll from textiles:

  1. First, the pattern is transferred to the fabric.
  2. Having pinned all the details to the fabric, they must be cut out, leaving room for seams (the exception is the element connecting the face and the back of the head). Please note that some elements need to be cut several times.
  3. Then all the elements are sewn together (small sections remain unstitched so that the product can be turned inside out and stuffed).
  4. The parts are turned inside out, stuffed with filler and sewn together in a certain sequence.

After registration, such an interesting author's work turns out.

On a note! The face can be framed in any convenient way. Some use special acrylic paints for these purposes, others embroider it, form a nose by pulling the thread.

Video: How to make a face for a textile doll.

Patterns of unusual textile dolls: a master class with step by step photos

On a note! The irrepressible imagination of needlewomen allows us to make various unique products. This is how real masterpieces appear, which have no analogues. Clothes for unusual dolls are selected at your own discretion and can also be special.

On Valentine's Day, you can give your soulmate a funny angel. Here is his pattern. Parts can be enlarged upon request.

First, all elements are transferred to the fabric. Usually start with the head.

Details are trimmed, leaving room to turn them inside out. Then the elements are cut and turned inside out. Then they are stuffed with filler. A small amount of vanillin can be added to the heart and wings.

Excess holes are sewn up, the angel boy is decorated using a coffee-cinnamon solution, and then dried in the oven or in another convenient way.

All parts are assembled in a certain sequence. The wings are sewn on at the back. The heart is put into the hands and grabbed with a thread.

Now you need to make an angel's hair and shape his face. Sketches are made with a pencil, and then the elements of the face are drawn with acrylic paints. The hairstyle is made of yarn and attached to the head with threads.

The angel is ready. You can admire the result. It will turn out such a funny "cupid", as in the photo.

Patterns of textile French dolls

French products are striking in their sophistication. Often they convey a gentle image. Here are a few examples of such "refined natures."

Clothing is selected in accordance with the image. The French in the manufacture of such products for the design of the face often use embroidery.

Patterns are not particularly difficult. Here is an example of an undercut.

The principle of tailoring is similar to other products. The French pay a lot of attention to the image itself, in particular, clothes, shoes and various accessories.

Patterns of textile German dolls

At first, the German industry specialized in the production of lady dolls. But it was the "kids" that gained the greatest popularity. German toys are very different from French ones, first of all, in the way. This applies to both textile and other products made from various materials.

Video: How to quickly sew a toy according to a pattern.

Today, handmade products are presented in a wide variety. There are such options: textile articulated, hand puppet, tilde and others. A piece of the soul is invested in each of them, therefore it is of value. It is not difficult for many needlewomen to sew a doll, but, on the contrary, it is even interesting.

The modern industry of children's goods is developed like never before. However, the tradition of making toys with their own hands still has not gone into oblivion. Many parents consider them more sincere and useful for the development of the child. One of the favorite options for a homemade doll is the Waldorf doll, the features of which cause tenderness and delight in girls around the world, and mothers and grandmothers are forced to remember their own childhood. What is her secret?

How is a Waldorf doll different from others?

The Waldorf doll was developed by Waldorf pedagogy in order to create the required play environment for the child. The philosophy of this school is based on the natural harmonious development of children as individuals, and this spirit permeates all Waldorf toys aimed at the systematic, but not ahead of the development of the crumbs. The main criticism of this direction of education in relation to modern toys is expressed in the fact that they are too thought out, technically perfect and leave no room for imagination.

The Waldorf doll has smooth rounded outlines, so it is pleasing to the eye. Her facial features are neutral, without pronounced emotions. This allows the child to endow the toy with any feelings, depending on the chosen game, which stimulates the child's imagination. Despite their apparent simplicity (especially compared to modern dolls with their carefully drawn faces), each of them is individual. In addition, it is soft to the touch, so it is pleasant to pick it up, hug it, and even put it to sleep next to you.

Materials for toys

As a prototype of the Waldorf doll, traditional folk rag toys were used, made from scraps of fabric, sheep's wool, straw and other natural fillers. Therefore, its undoubted advantage is that it is made only by hand and is completely natural: synthetic fabrics and stuffing are not used. In addition to the fact that this eliminates the possibility of allergies and irritations that can occur when playing with plastic and rubber toys (especially of poor quality), the child gets acquainted with natural materials at the level of tactile sensations.

Most often, the doll's body is sewn from cotton jersey or knitted, and sheep's wool is stuffed inside. The use of cotton wool for stuffing is not very desirable. Despite its naturalness, it is denser and heavier, so it can roll up inside the toy.

Types of Waldorf dolls for children of different ages

A distinctive feature of Waldorf pedagogy is that certain classes correspond to each age period. Therefore, the Waldorf doll "grows" and changes with the child. This is due to differences in the skills and abilities of the baby at each stage of its formation - the toy should not be ahead of the player's abilities.

In addition, it is known that the child often identifies with the toy, so the Waldorf doll goes through various stages of development: from an infant with a neutral appearance to an adult doll with more pronounced personality traits. This allows the baby to get the right ideas about his own body and its formation.

1.5–3 years

Dolls appropriate for this age have the following features:

  • the shape of a baby, often swaddled in such a way that arms and legs are not always guessed;
  • facial features are also often very conditional;
  • it is better to make clothes that are not removable or in the form of an envelope for a newborn, since the fine motor skills of a child of this age are still insufficiently developed, and he will not be able to change clothes on a toy;
  • hair is often left out, replacing it with a cap.

4–5 years

At 4–5 years old, the time comes for active games of daughter-mothers, when girls play family relationships on toys. The appearance of Waldorf dolls for this age becomes more complex and elaborated:

  • thumbs appear on the handles;
  • the legs are more shaped like a human foot;
  • facial features are still neutral in terms of emotions, but they show a lot of personality;
  • hair is made long so that girls can comb and braid it;
  • clothes are sewn removable, since the child’s motor skills already allow him to fasten buttons, tie strings, etc.

Scheme, instructions and photos of making a butterfly doll for a baby

The butterfly doll is considered the simplest of all Waldorf dolls. It is intended for the little ones, it can be played by 3-month-old babies. This is a wonderful and reliable toy for the baby.

To make a doll you will need:

  • piece of flesh-colored knitted fabric for the head and torso (12x12 cm);
  • natural and pleasant fabric for overalls (42x26 cm) and cap (15x18 cm);
  • a small piece of braid (16 cm).

All details are cut with an allowance of 0.5 cm.

Step 1: head

  1. Fold the square of fabric in half lengthwise along the grooves of the knitted weave and sew the edges along the long side with a seam back with a needle with an allowance of 0.5 cm.
  2. Make a basting seam along the upper edge of the "pipe" and pull it off so that you get a "pouch". The thread must be properly fixed - this will be the crown of the doll.
  3. Separate a long narrow ribbon from the wool and wind it into a tight ball with a diameter of 5 cm.
  4. Separate 3 more strips 20 cm long and fold them crosswise. Put the resulting ball in the middle and tightly tie the ends of the laid out strips with a thread so that they tightly wrap around the ball.
  5. Put the ball in the case and tie it well with a thread over it where the neck will be. The ends of the wool should peek out a little from the cover. The seam should be located on the back of the head, where the cap will be sewn.

Making the head of a butterfly doll - photo gallery

A piece of fabric for the head of a Waldorf butterfly doll A bag that will be the head of a Waldorf butterfly doll Rolling a ball of wool to stuff the head of a Waldorf butterfly doll Ready-made blank for the head of a Waldorf butterfly doll

Step 2: cap

  1. Cut out the cap according to the scheme and sew the side seam with an allowance of 0.5 cm.
  2. Tuck the edge of the cap or sheathe it with braid, attach it to the head with a seam back (for greater accuracy, combine the seam of the head and the seam of the cap), sew it firmly.

We sew a cap - photo gallery

A piece of fabric for a cap for a Waldorf butterfly doll Ready-made cap for the Waldorf butterfly doll

Step 3: torso

  1. Cut out the body-butterfly according to the scheme.
  2. Sew the edges with a seam back with a needle with an allowance of 0.5 cm, leaving only the neckline unsewn.
  3. Roll into 4 small balls and place them in the limbs, wrap tightly with thread and fasten.
  4. Finish the neck with a basting stitch, insert the head, tighten the thread and sew both parts together.

Torso toy - photo gallery

A piece of fabric for the clothes of the Waldorf Butterfly Doll Clothes for the Waldorf Butterfly Doll Decorating the limbs of a Waldorf butterfly doll Finished Waldorf Butterfly Doll

Master class "Waldorf Butterfly Doll" - video

How to sew a large Waldorf doll: a step-by-step master class

Having taken on the difficult task of sewing a large doll, it is very important to know that in Waldorf pedagogy, special attention is paid to the reliability of the proportions of toys. Since dolls completely copy children, it should be remembered that the ratio of head height and body length in them differs from the proportions of an adult:

  • in a newborn, the height of the head is 1/4 of the body length,
  • in 2–4 years - 1/5,
  • at 5–6 years old - 1/6.

The size of the doll pattern can be increased independently, using the following simple rules:

  • the length and width of the body do not increase in direct proportion;
  • an increase in body thickness by 1 cm gives an increase in height of 4 cm, 2 cm of which is the height of the body, and 2 cm is the length of the legs;
  • arms with the same increase in body width of 1 cm increase by 2 cm in length and 0.5 cm in thickness.

The following step-by-step description will give beginners an idea of ​​how to sew a Waldorf doll with their own hands. This will require:

  • white knitwear;
  • flesh-colored knitwear;
  • dense threads for constrictions;
  • wool for stuffing;
  • hair yarn.

Step 1: head and neck

The principle of making the head of a large Waldorf doll is the same as that of a butterfly doll. It is stuffed much denser than the body. This echoes the structure of the human body, because due to the bones of the skull, it is the hardest part.

Head sequence.

  1. 4 wide strips of wool (sliver) are laid out on the table in the form of a star, placing a ball in the middle to give the head hardness and volume.
  2. The ball is tightly wrapped with wool and tightened with a thread in the neck area, tightly tying a knot.
  3. A rectangle of white fabric is sewn together in the form of a tube and assembled at the top.
  4. The head cover is turned right side out.
  5. The cover is put on the resulting wool blank.
  6. Tighten the neck, securely fastening the ends of the thread into a knot on the side where the doll's face will be. Do not cut ends!
  7. The ends of the threads are brought up and tightened into a knot at the crown.
  8. The line of the eyes is drawn up with a horizontal constriction, and the knot is fixed.
  9. The horizontal constriction from the back of the head is lowered down and with the help of zigzag stitches, both threads are pulled together on both sides of the head.
  10. A small ball is rolled up or felted from a piece of wool and sewn on as a nose for a future doll.
  11. From flesh-colored knitwear, an upper cover for the doll's head is cut out and sewn together.
  12. The cover is turned inside out, put on the workpiece and the tucks are marked with safety pins.
  13. The cover is turned inside out again, the places of the tucks are marked with chalk and sewn up, and the extra corners are cut off.
  14. The cover is turned inside out and put on the head blank.
  15. The neck is pulled and fixed.
  16. Excess wool is hidden inside the cover and the edges are pulled together with a seam forward of the needle.

Step 2: hair

According to the method of making hair and purpose, Waldorf dolls are divided into "hugs" and "braids". The former are intended for play, and their hair is sewn to the head in the manner of a wig, the hairstyle is fixed. The second is made with strong, reliable strands that can be combed and braided. The hair for the boy doll is made in the same way as for the girl doll, but is made shorter.

This master class shows the process of making a braided doll, so special attention will be paid to the hair.

  1. A line of hair is marked on the head with chalk.
  2. The ends of the threads are left along the drawn hairline and move to the top of the head, making a bartack after each stitch, as when sewing a needle back. Having reached the crown, they return to the hairline in the same way. Thus, the entire surface of the head is stitched. An important nuance in the manufacture of Waldorf dolls is that the head tissue should not show through the hair, so the stitches are made quite dense.
  3. The thread is threaded between the resulting stitches at a distance of 5 mm and the hair of the doll is fixed on the head.
  4. Make out a bang.

Master class "Rag doll: how to make hair from threads" - video

Step 3: arms and legs

  1. Details of the torso, arms and legs are cut out of body jersey and stitched at the seams.
  2. Hands are turned inside out, stuffed with wool, pinned to the bottom of the head blank, as shown in the figure.
  3. The arms are sewn to the body with a strong seam so that they do not come off if the child pulls on them.
  4. The feet are stuffed with wool and a semicircle is marked with chalk, as shown in the figure.
  5. According to the markup, an inconspicuous seam is made to make a foot.
  6. The upper part of the legs is stuffed with wool.
  7. In the place where the legs pass into the body, a seam is made.

Step 4: torso

  1. The body is stuffed with wool and fastened with pins to the head and arms.
  2. The shoulders are stitched.
  3. Sew on the head carefully.
  4. Fasten hands.

The body of the doll is ready!

Step 5: face

Recall that the Waldorf doll is distinguished by neutral facial features. Eyes and mouth should be decorated with simple stitches, embroidering them with floss threads.

Face decoration of a large Waldorf doll - photo gallery

Eye embroidery

Step 6: clothes

Clothes for dolls are varied - simple and elegant. You can make a skirt and blouse, dress or sundress. The basic principles of making Waldorf toys are also observed when sewing a doll wardrobe - only natural fabrics of pleasant colors are used.

Ideas for designing clothes and patterns - photo gallery

Clothing options for a Waldorf doll
An example of a dress for a Waldorf doll

Step 7: shoes

Waldorf doll shoes are crocheted or sewn from dense fabric.

Many women are fond of making toys with their own hands, but there are those who just felt the need for self-expression and are wondering - how to make a doll? It is made from any material - yarn, fabric, felt, stocking, plastic, all kinds of modeling masses. Dolls can serve not only as a toy for a baby, but also sit on a shelf, decorating the interior. Made by hand, they carry a positive attitude that charges any person who is not indifferent to art with a positive attitude.

How to make a motanka doll from threads: step by step instructions

For modern people, a doll is a toy, but the ancient Slavs had a completely different attitude to this subject. Motanki for them served as a powerful amulet against adversity, and they made them with their own hands for a specific purpose or to get rid of a specific problem. Such functions of the doll left their mark on her appearance. Amulets were identified with the images of female deities, because the dolls of our ancestors did not have a face. It was believed that together with the face they acquire a soul, therefore they could be used to induce damage or other witchcraft rituals.

Only a woman was trusted to make motanki, men were not even allowed to observe the process, to touch the source materials. The quality of the work of the creator of the doll was reflected in the whole family, therefore, before work, the woman tuned in, read conspiracies. The doll amulet is wound, that is, needles and scissors are not used in the work. However, the outfit for her was allowed to be embroidered in advance, decorated with lace, beads, and performed in the best traditions of needlework.

In the manufacture of motanka, only natural fabrics, dry herbs, flowers, grains, corn cobs are used, and, if possible, handmade fabric. It does not use knots, since the ancient Slavs were afraid to tie their fate, and piercing objects could offend the motanka. The fabric was only torn by hand. When winding the doll, women shook their fate, forming images, plans, ideas. This was done during the manufacture of the head, the carrier of the energy of the idea, where only the correct mental images should be born.

The fabric is wound like a thread along the Sun so that the energy can develop and grow. The more twisted the thread, the more energetic the amulet was. If you started making a motanka, you must definitely finish it in order to avoid all kinds of troubles - our ancestors believed in this. Remember also that on Sunday and Friday the amulet should not be done.

Necessary materials

How to make a motanka? Below we give a master class for creating a doll “To health”. It is made exclusively with the help of linen threads, since this material is environmentally friendly, it takes diseases on itself, thereby helping to get rid of ailments. You need to do it in a state of peace, goodness, without haste, fuss, concentrating on a sick person. It is not necessary to decorate the doll, and when the disease goes away, the amulet is burned. At the time when you braid the motanka braid and pass it on to the patient, repeat the phrase "to health." To make a doll, you will need:

  • red threads;
  • linen threads;
  • cardboard rectangle for winding;
  • scissors.

Stages of creation

  • Step one - to make a doll, we wind a linen thread on a piece of cardboard three times without breaking it. For the body we make a thicker winding, for the hands and braids - twice as thin.
  • Cut on one side of the winding.


  • We knit a knot at the end for the braid, weave a pigtail for the hands and tie it at the ends.
  • We take a red thread 1 m long, we designate the neck with it, without tearing it off.


  • We put a blank for a braid in the head. So that the strands do not get confused, we tie the top of the head with linen thread.
  • We tie a knot on the head, weave a braid.


  • We bind the pigtail of the hands cross-to-cross, we designate the waist.
  • We make a headband, a belt.


Master class on creating a Voodoo doll at home

Africa is considered the birthplace of the ancient religious system of Voodoo, from where it spread throughout the world. The doll, which is often used in religion, after a special ceremony personifies a certain person, establishing a connection with him. In our master class, we will learn how to make this toy as a fun souvenir that you can present to your friends on Halloween.

Necessary materials

To make a Voodoo doll that does not carry magical properties, you will need:

  • cardboard box;
  • pattern;
  • dense coarse calico;
  • holofiber or cotton wool;
  • thread, needle, scissors;
  • two buttons for the eyes;
  • a sheet of kraft cardboard or paper;
  • sisal;
  • simple pencil, thin black marker, black watercolor pencil, oil white marker;
  • ink pad, black foam;
  • coffee for tinting, glue, sewing pins.

Stages of creation

  • We make a pattern of the outlines of the doll on cardboard.
  • To make a doll, we impose a pattern on a piece of calico folded in half, circle it with a pencil.

  • We sew both layers of fabric along the contour, leaving a small segment unsewn.
  • We cut off the excess fabric, departing from the edge by 2 mm.


  • We turn the doll inside out, stuff it.
  • Sew up the stuffing hole with blind stitches.


  • We make coffee, paint the fabric with a brush. Leave until completely dry.
  • Cut out a square of craft cardboard a little smaller than the box.


  • Draw a drawing on cardboard with a pencil.
  • We outline the shadows with a watercolor pencil.


  • Outline the drawing with a marker.
  • We place accents with a white marker, pastel pencil, so that the drawing looks more beautiful.

  • To highlight the contours of the cardboard, we tint it with a piece of foam rubber and a black ink pad.


  • Drawing with glue to the box.
  • We put sisal at the bottom of the box.


  • We embroider a mouth on the head, make decorative stitches on the body, sew buttons on the eyes.
  • We put Voodoo in a box on sisal, stick a few pins.


Do-it-yourself Tilda doll from fabric

The creative world of Tilda dolls is very exciting; for decades it has been inspiring handmade craftswomen to create beautiful toys and interior items. Angels, cats, hares, fairies, snails, bathers settle in our homes and become a great gift for any occasion.

Pattern and necessary materials

To make a toy with your own hands, you will need the following materials:

  • holofiber;
  • beige fabric for the body, colored fabric for clothes:
  • needle, thread, scissors;
  • ribbons for ties on doll clothes;
  • wool for felting;
  • pattern;

  • acrylic paint.

Stages of creation

  • To make a doll, cut out the details, stitch along the contour, cut out.
  • Fill with holofiber.


  • Sew on legs and arms.
  • We build the yoke of the dress, for which we measure the length of this part from the neck down along the body, the girth of the body at the bottom of the yoke. Do not forget to leave allowances on each edge. On the back we make an incision so that the head crawls through.


  • To make a frill on a yoke, cut off a long strip of fabric, sew, tighten the threads to make an assembly.
  • We sew a jabot, try on.


  • To make a shuttlecock, we cut off a long strip of matter, while the fabric should be folded in half.
  • We apply the expanded yoke to the fabric face to face, sew along the neckline.


  • We cut off the excess fabric along the contour of the neck, iron it. On the back of the dress we make ties with a satin ribbon.
  • On the front side, we lay a line along the contour of the neck.


  • We give a line along the bottom of the dress, tighten the thread, forming a frill. We tighten so that it is enough for the width of the coquette.


  • We build a sleeve and cut out two parts.


  • We attach the sleeves to the yoke.
  • Sew the bottom of the dress to the yoke.


  • The unfinished sides of the dress need to be sewn up.
  • To make the undershirt, we cut it out of another fabric and sew it.


  • We make hair from wool, draw eyes with acrylic paint, dress the doll.​

Video tutorial on making a doll from nylon tights

A stocking doll is one of many varieties of rag toys. It is made using a technique called sculptural textiles. More toys made with a stocking or nylon socks can be framed and frameless, garden, interior, small and large. With the help of synthetic winterizer and nylon, in half an hour, following the instructions in the video, you can create a funny, small baby doll. You can use such a cute baby in pink overalls as a keychain, a Christmas tree toy or hang a doll in your house so that she gives you joy.

Photo collection of handmade dolls

Making dolls is an art, but also a craft that practice and a great desire will help you master. Such an object carries a powerful positive energy. The hobby of making toys has gained great popularity, the hearts of many needlewomen - they are sewn, knitted, sculpted. What kind of improvised materials are not used! Be inspired by examples of handmade craftsmanship and create your own unique masterpiece. Learn how to make original clothes for them.

Today in stores you can buy everything that the child wants. Ranging from rattles to electronic gadgets. But for some reason, children are always drawn to dolls or animals made with their own hands from knitwear or fur. What is it that attracts them so much? Such a doll can be sewn independently, at home, together with the child.

How to sew a doll yourself?

Modern needlewomen have the opportunity and special material for making dolls. This includes special knitwear, fillers, accessories for eyes, eyelashes, hair from yarn and thread, ready-made wigs. Shops for needlewomen provide everything necessary for creativity. Therefore, many try to sew on their own. Making such a doll with your own hands (some of the patterns are available in this article) is an interesting activity that often becomes an exciting hobby.

You can do sewing without going to the store:

  • it is enough to choose a flesh-colored knitted T-shirt;
  • a little synthetic winterizer;
  • a couple of beads;
  • threads and needles for sewing;
  • yarn for hair;
  • pattern.

simple doll

A primitive rag doll-amulet was sewn by our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Children love them for the warmth and comfort that these toys give them. Not a single factory doll, even a very beautiful one, will become the toy with which the child will sleep for a long time. Children are guided by sensations: in a dream they touch the doll, and it is plastic, cold. There is an association not with a doll, but with a car or a bucket. And this is wrong. Therefore, the doll should be warm, soft and cozy.

Without thinking twice, you can independently make a pattern for sewing. While the child is sleeping, the contour of the torso, head, arms, legs is quickly drawn. Everything is transferred to knitted fabric. Be sure to leave a seam allowance - 5 mm. All this is stuffed with padding polyester - 80% of the product is ready. You should think about who it will be: a girl or a boy?

The clothes, the length of the hair, and the expression on the face depend on this. Having decided, you should mark the eyes, mouth, nose on the face. The simplest thing is to embroider everything. You can use beads or buttons to make out the eyes. But if the child is very small, then there is a danger that he can tear off or bite off and swallow the bead. Therefore, everything is embroidered. Hair is made from yarn: threads are wound on a cardboard of the desired length, sewn in the middle with a “forward needle” seam. On the reverse side - cut and the wig is ready. It should be sewn, trimmed and braided with ribbons. Having figured out how to sew a doll, you need to think about clothes for her.

Clothes for dolls

If a woman knows how to knit a little, then this is the best option for making clothes for dolls. Knitters always have a lot of balls of multi-colored yarn left - it's time to put them into action. You can make a blouse and a skirt. Or overalls and booties from the remnants of yarn. A dress made from a piece of calico will also look beautiful. The cut can be made simple, one-piece. Decorate with lace, braid, ribbons.

Great importance should be attached to the color scheme, select fabrics of the same texture. It is desirable that clothes can be taken off and put on. This develops a skill in the child, the desire to dress himself properly.

Patterns of other types of dolls

All fabric doll patterns should be transferred to material that can be used more than once. For this, a film or transparent tracing paper is suitable. Thus, the pattern for sewing a Waldorf doll should also be transferred. This type of toy appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century. In Germany, the first schools were organized in which teaching was conducted according to a special program. Toys were made by hand from natural materials: wood, cotton fabrics, pure camel or sheep wool.

It is the manufacture of rag dolls according to the Waldorf model that has gained wide popularity in the world. This is an ordinary toy made of fabric, which is made according to a pattern, but only from special knitwear. Feature - in the manufacture of the head.

Head decoration

For these dolls, a small ball of threads with a diameter of 5-6 cm is taken. Natural wool strips are folded in the form of rays, in the middle of which a ball is inserted. This is how a ball is obtained, on which an elastic bandage or knitted sock is pulled.

At the base it is pulled together with strong threads - it turns out the head. It is pulled with threads vertically and horizontally in such a way that it is shaped like a child's head. A place is chosen for the nose and a small bead or ball rolled from wool is fixed. And only now the upper puppet jersey is pulled on. Eyes are already marked on it, a mouth is embroidered.

The Waldorf rag doll is sewn for a short time: it takes the most time to make the head, and most importantly, the hair from the threads. To do this, take a skein of yarn and crochet a small hat. It should be tight to the head and match the hairline. Then it is sewn around the perimeter to the head and pre-cut identical pieces of yarn are already tied to it. This process is long, but the hair turns out great.

Another way is to embroider the entire surface of the head with a stitch. And then sew on threads of the same length. This way of designing hairstyles allows you to comb your hair, braid pigtails or make ponytails.

Assembly of the torso

The head should have a certain shape. Hands are sewn to the bottom of it and are well fixed. For a fabric doll pattern, the lower part looks like a jumpsuit. The legs and torso are stuffed with wool and sewn around the neck and arms. The lack of wool is supplemented through the side holes - sleeves, and then sewn up. Fingers are stitched on the legs and handles. But if this is not done, it will not be worse: both options are acceptable.

Now you can start sewing clothes and decorating the face. Clothes can be knitted, as in the previous version. The Waldorf doll turns out to be very soft, without a rigid frame and absolutely not dangerous for the child.

Tilda dolls

Many needlewomen who start with large dolls gradually move on to finer work: they try to sew Tilda dolls. Patterns for them can always be found in specialized literature. This toy was created by Norwegian artist Toni Finanger. She invented and released cats, bears, bunnies: they are all made in the same style. But not every pattern produces what is intended. How to sew a doll that has such thin arms and legs? Yes, it's not that easy.

But the difficulty lies not in tailoring, but in stuffing it. Wool is poorly stuffed into such narrow details - it lies unevenly. “Cellulite” appears on the arms and legs: lumps of six are visible on the surface.

But first you need to cut out all the details and stitch them. Then, using a pencil, gradually fill them. You should not take too large balls of wool so that the surface of the knitwear is smooth. All details are collected. A wig is being made for Tilda. For such a do-it-yourself doll, hair can be made from yarn or wool. Threads are wound on cardboard of the desired width. On the one hand, they are stitched, and on the other, they are cut and sewn to the head.

doll face

In the classic version, the Tilda doll has no nose, mouth, or ears. Beads are sewn on her - eyes, make a blush - and that's it. The hairstyle is a special part, a detail. Her hair should be just "chic". You can, of course, embroider eyebrows and mouth. But you can not do this. This is the beauty of the Tilda doll.

And they make different clothes for them. For a doll with your own hands, you can make any patterns of clothes, it's not at all difficult. Beautiful dresses, robes, pajamas, hats and even shoes - all needlewomen make themselves. It is very easy to dress a ballerina doll.

Tilda - ballerina

A ballerina dress consists of only two parts - a skirt and a gathered ruffle ribbon for the top. From a thin fabric, nylon, for example, a ribbon is cut, 40 cm long and 10 cm wide. It is sewn together and gathered on a thread along a wide edge. The assembled part is sewn to the body like a skirt. Another piece of tape, 2 cm wide, is assembled on a thread along the entire length, in the middle. Draped and sewn from shoulder to shoulder. This design makes the doll airy, light and looks like a ballerina. Accuracy in manufacturing plays a special role: threads should not hang anywhere, the edge is beautifully processed.

In fact, having learned how to sew a doll, everyone understands that it is not too difficult to do this. And with a certain skill - and quite simply. And you can do this hobby with your children. Such communication brings parents and children closer together, promotes mutual understanding, develops fine motor skills and imagination. Many sew characteristic dolls (even pregnant or very full ones). The way people can be in real life. Together they come up with outfits for them, sew and dress them.


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