How to make a yarn doll

Video: Easy craft: How to make a yarn doll

Content

Part 2 of 3: Make the hands
Part 3 of 3: Add the skirt, legs and other details
Tips
What do you need

1 Cut a piece of cardboard to a length that matches the height of the future doll. The doll can be of any size, but it is best to start with a toy that is about 17.5 cm tall.

Instead of cardboard, you can use another flat handy item, such as a book, DVD box, or plastic container lid.
The width of the cardboard does not really matter, but the larger it is, the more yarn you can wind around it.

2 Wrap the yarn around the cardboard 10 times for every 2.5 cm of the length of the cardboard. For example, if you took a piece of cardboard 17.5 cm long, wind about 70 turns of yarn longitudinally around it. Start and end wrapping at the bottom edge of the cardboard and be careful not to overtighten the thread. Once you've finished winding the yarn, trim the end.

For the doll, you can use yarn of any color at your discretion.
Wrap the yarn tight enough so that it does not slide off the cardboard, but not too tight so as not to stretch it.
One yarn turn should start and end at the bottom edge of the cardboard.

3 Tie a small thread of yarn around the top edge of the winding. Cut a thread of yarn about 10 cm long. Slip it under the wrapping at the top edge of the cardboard. Tie all the threads in a tight double knot.

Use yarn in the same color as for winding.
Tie the winding tightly to pull the yarn together. In the future, a doll's head will be made from this section.

4 Remove the yarn from the cardboard. You will have a skein of yarn tied from one end in your hands. Do not lose sight of the bandaged place. It is the top of the doll's head.

Do not cut the loops of the wound yarn at the bottom just yet.

5 Tie a skein with a short thread of yarn to form the doll's head and neck. Cut another strand of yarn about 10 cm long. Place it behind the entire skein a few centimeters from the top tied point. Wrap the ends of the thread tightly around the skein 2-3 times, then tie them in a tight double knot.

The position of the doll's neck depends on the height and thickness of the toy itself. You need to tie the yarn in such a way that you get a round head.
If you are creating a 17.5 cm doll, tie the neck about 2.5 cm from the top of the head.
Cut off excess ends or tie them in a bow.

Part 2 of 3: Make the hands

1 To create the arms, wind the yarn around the cardboard again. This time, you need to wind half the amount of yarn on the cardboard than the first time. For example, if you made 70 turns of yarn around the cardboard to create the doll's body, you only need to make 35 turns for the arms. This will be enough to make a pair of hands.
- If you forget how many turns of yarn you made when making the doll's body, just make 5 turns for every 2.5 cm of the length of the cardboard.
- As with making the body, start and end the wrapping at the bottom edge of the cardboard. Cut the yarn strand when finished winding it.
- For the hands, you can use yarn of the same color as for the body, or you can take a completely different color.
2 Cut the yarn wrapping along the bottom edge. Slip scissors under the yarn at the bottom of the cardboard and cut the threads. Carefully remove the yarn from the cardboard, making sure that the threads do not fall apart.
3 Tie the resulting bundle of threads at one end, stepping back about 2.5 cm from it. Cut another strand of yarn 10 cm long. Wrap it 2-3 times around the bundle of yarn about 2.5 cm from the end to create the arms. Tie the ends of the thread with a tight double knot.
- Use yarn in the same color as for your hands.
- Cut off excess ends or tie them in a bow.
- If your doll is over 17.5 cm, tie a bundle of yarn to create arms about 5 cm from the end.
4 Weave the yarn with a pigtail, and then tie them from the other end. Divide the bundle of strands into three equal sections. Alternately start the left and right sections in the center to get a braid. Stop when the braid is the same length as your doll's height, and then tie the bottom end of the braid with additional yarn. Cut off excess yarn to 2.5 cm.
- For small hands of a small doll, the loose ends of the yarn on both sides can be shortened to 1 cm.
- If you are making a doll that is more than 17.5 cm tall, tie a braid 5 cm from the bottom ends of the yarn.
5 Slide the pigtail through the middle of the doll's body, just below the neck. Spread the yarn under the doll's neck. Slide the pigtail through the hole, and then slide it up closer to the doll's neck. Make sure that the pigtail is located symmetrically relative to the doll's body and that its two ends, sticking out from the sides, are the same in length.
- Each end of the braid will represent the doll's hand. If you do not place the braid symmetrically relative to the body, then the hands will turn out to be different.
6 Tie the string around the doll's waist directly under the arms. Cut a long strand of yarn in the same color as the doll's body. Wrap it several times around the doll's waist just below the arms. Tie the thread with a tight double knot. Cut off excess ends or tie them in a bow.
- Make sure the arms look nice and are drawn tightly to the doll's neck, otherwise they may fall out.
- If you are worried about the doll's arms popping out, take a yarn needle and sew them from the side of the doll's back.

Part 3 of 3: Add the skirt, legs and other details

1 Cut the yarn loops from the bottom to form the body. When, when creating the body, you removed the wound yarn from the cardboard, it remained a complete skein (like when making a pom-pom). The upper tied end became the doll's head, and the lower loops remained loops. Now they need to be cut.
- If after cutting the threads turn out to be uneven, cut them a little so that the bottom edge turns out to be even.
2 To make a male doll, braid two braids from the cut threads that will become the legs. Divide the threads in two. Braid each section into a separate braid to create two legs. Tie the braids with short pieces of yarn 2.5–5 cm from the ends.
- For a simplified version of the boy doll, skip the braiding and just tie the legs at the bottom.
- When tying the legs with short strands of yarn, cut off the excess ends or tie them with bows.
- If you are creating a small doll, trim the tufts of yarn on the legs to 1 cm.
3 Prepare an extra bundle of yarn and attach it to the doll's head as hair. Wind the yarn around a piece of cardboard the same length as the doll's hair. At the upper edge of the cardboard, tie the yarn together with a short thread, and at the lower edge, cut them.Use a short strand of yarn to tie a bun of the doll's hair to her head. The doll's hair can be of any color you like.
- The hair preparation process is the same as for the doll body.
- Apply glue to the back of the doll's head and press the doll's hair against it. This will make them fit better on your head.
4 Give the doll a haircut if you like. For a simple doll, the hair can be left loose, or a hairstyle can be made from it to give the doll a special character. For example, the following options are possible:
- trim the front of your hair to create bangs;
- braid your hair and tie a beautiful ribbon bow on it (you can even braid two braids);
- Unfasten the twisted yarn into individual strands for curly or wavy hair.
5 If desired sew doll clothes from felt or cotton. You can skip this step if you want a simple doll. But if games are supposed to be with the doll, why not make clothes for her? Below are some ideas to get you started.
- Transform your boy doll into a girl by sewing a fancy dress for her.
- Sew a vest or tie for the boy doll.
- For a girl doll with a yarn skirt, tie a simple apron.
- Sew a small fluffy skirt for the doll, and then put it on her waist.
6 Mark the doll's facial features with buttons or embroidery if you want an even more beautiful toy. The last step is not necessary if you don't want to do it, but it will give the doll a more expressive character. The face can be as detailed as you like, the possibilities are endless. Below are some ideas to get you started.
- Use a floss to sew the doll's mouth and a pair of knotted eyes.
- Sew on the doll a pair of button eyes (like a rag doll).
- For simplicity, just glue on button eyes or eyes with movable pupils. It is best to use a special textile glue or hot glue.

Tips

Use yarn of different colors to make different dolls and create a doll family out of them.
The doll can be made from yarn of any color, it does not have to match the skin tone.
Make as many different sizes and colors of dolls as possible to make a whole family.
Dolls made from corn leaves and straw are made in a similar way, only using corn leaves or straw instead of yarn.