How to sew a head for a fabric doll. How to make a fabric doll with your own hands

Church holidays

Fabric dolls have their own special uniqueness and warmth. My grandchildren prefer to play only with rag dolls. My dolls get their names from my granddaughters. This doll, while still naked, has already received its name - Alina. I will describe to you the entire process of making it.
Cut out the drawing from paper. The head and body patterns can be swapped, as I did.

Trace the pattern on the fabric and, without cutting, sew all the details except the sole for the legs.

Now we need to turn out all the details of our doll.

Stitch them.

Prepare the soles of your feet. To do this, cut out the pieces from cardboard and fabric that you have already traced. Leave an allowance of 1–1.3 cm. This is for your convenience when you thread the edges of the parts for further gluing to the cardboard.

Apply glue to the edges of the sole, tighten the thread and press. Place a weight on them and let them dry.

Stuff the body tightly with padding polyester and sew the front to the back. By the way, when cutting, do not forget about the location of the threads: lobar and transverse. By cutting in the direction of the cross thread, you will get wider pieces, as happened to me. That's why Alina is so plump.

Stuff the head tightly with the filling and sew it on top.

Now put the head aside for now and start stuffing the legs.

Then baste the legs along the edge.

And sew it from the toe to the heel. There is no need to finish stitching right away, but add a little more filler to the legs.

This is what we got.

Let's start making hands. Let's make them on a wire frame so that you can bend them not only at the elbow, but also give different positions to your fingers. We twist the wire and wrap a little padding polyester around it, securing it with threads.

From five such sticks we form the frame of the hand.

Then we additionally wrap the padding polyester around the palm and between the fingers.

We insert this entire structure into our sewn handle. Add filler as needed.

We sew the finished hands to the body. They dangle in different directions, children like such arms - hugs.

Now comes the crucial moment - the design of the face. There are many options here, you can embroider, draw, or glue on purchased eyes. I love button eyes. Button eyes give the doll a special openness and warmth.

Since I swapped the head and body, we sew it in such a way that the back of the neck goes behind the head.

Now we admire our creation and think about how we will dress her.

Preparing the strands for the hairstyle.

Let's sew.

We sew a short strand to the head along the bangs and from behind we also grab it with threads along the back of the head to close the junction of the neck and head.

Sew on a long strand.

I decided to dress the doll in pantaloons, a blouse and a sundress. We cut out the details of the clothing on paper.

If you are a needlewoman, you probably have had the desire to please your beloved child with a homemade new thing. Children love handmade toys, as they are pleasant to the touch and, most importantly, made with love.

You can use old unnecessary clothes as material (tights, skirt, T-shirt, shirt, dress, pants, overalls, jacket, trousers, shorts, jacket, pajamas, panties, sweater, jeans, robe, jacket, sundress, swimsuit, T-shirt, socks and even a coat).

After choosing the material, proceed to the lesson with a detailed description of the entire process.

How to sew a doll with your own hands quickly and easily at home

Having detailed lessons from an experienced craftsman in his arsenal, even a beginner can quickly and easily sew a textile doll. To do this, you need to be patient and have the necessary tools (fabric, thread, needles, scissors, crayons, pattern). With such a minimal set you can create any model you like.

How to sew a doll from nylon tights (step-by-step photo)

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Head

We start the product with the most difficult thing - from the head.

For it you will need a cut piece of flesh-colored tights, a piece of padding polyester from an old jacket or pillow (although you can buy a new one in the store - it’s very inexpensive) and two darning needles with flesh-colored threads.

A lump of padding polyester is placed in a nylon bag, and another smaller ball is inserted in front - for the nose. First, the bridge of the nose is formed using a needle and thread. Then you need to make a depression for one nostril. The second nostril is decorated in the same way.

The nose is pulled together with a loop from below. Enlarge one nostril, then the second. Now, after shaping the nose, you need to enlarge the cheeks through the lower cut in the pouch - near the neck.

Having inserted the filler cakes on both sides of the spout, you should insert a small sausage into the lip area. We put the second needle into work and form the corners of the lips and the hollows for the eyes - the eye sockets. We stretch a loop between the corners of the lips - a smile.

While working, you should not cut the threads - all details should be completed “in one breath.” As work progresses, the filler needs to be straightened, laying it more evenly or collecting it in the right places. We also form the lower sponge using a loop.

As the lips are embroidered, the needle is brought into the eye sockets, thanks to which they begin to look like “boats” and not like dots, as they were at the very beginning. The needle should be brought to the middle of the upper lip to create a bow-shaped lips.

By tightening the eye sockets and the corners of the lips, the master achieves a charming smile for his future creation. On the other side, similar actions are performed.

You can achieve a smile in which the mouth opens slightly. Now you need to slightly lengthen the bridge of your nose.

Eyes for a doll can be bought at a specialized craft store or replaced with painted buttons. You can glue nylon rollers around the eyeball, which will imitate eyelids.

Hair

One wig is enough for two dolls if it is cut into separate strips of which it consists. The strip is twisted like a snail and secured with thread. This “shell” is then sewn onto the crown. The remaining strips, one after another, are secured around the snail, sewn with a needle. The hairstyle can be decorated with bows and hairpins for little fashionistas.

Torso

First you need to make a frame for the torso, which will support the entire body. If the doll is planned to be half a meter long, then it will require about thirty meters of wire. Having folded it in the necessary way, the “skeleton” needs to be secured in some places with electrical tape or tape.

Palms MK

1. For the palms, you also need to make a frame, which is wrapped with padding polyester. Small square pieces cut from tights will serve as leather for the hands.

2. A nylon stocking is pulled over each hand and tied in a knot at the “wrists”.

3. Fingers and nails are formed in an already known way.

Body

The hands are screwed to the skeleton frame, as is the head. Then the body is formed by wrapping the wire with padding polyester. The rest of the body is covered with nylon, the armpits are shaped using threads and a needle, and the joints of the palms and arms are hidden.

Dress

Every woman knows how to sew a dress for a doll, so at this stage you can give free rein to your imagination.

How to sew a tilde doll

There are a lot of options for Tilda dolls, and they all amaze with their different cute images - there are so many beauties among them! These amazing products are more than just toys. For many years now, Tilda dolls have been decorating the homes of millions of people around the world, and this is not surprising, because their fans perceive these little fairies and angels as a talisman and amulet.

To sew any doll you will need a pattern. Also prepare the necessary materials and tools.

For work you should prepare the necessary materials and tools:

  • first of all, as to create any such doll, you will need a pattern (you can simply print it from a computer);
  • natural flesh-colored or beige fabric for sewing the doll’s body;
  • filler (holofiber, padding polyester, cotton wool);
  • a knitting needle or wooden stick (to help you when stuffing);
  • fabrics for outfits;
  • ribbons, lace, buttons and other decorations;
  • acrylic paints or pencil and blush;
  • material for creating hair (threads, yarn, tresses - optional).

So, let's start with a master class on sewing a tilde in a cup.

  1. Choose a pattern depending on what kind of doll you want to sew - small or large. Print it out and transfer it to flesh-colored fabric (the fabric should be folded in half with the right side facing in).
  2. Then you need to lay a running seam so that it runs along the lower part of the tilde body.
  3. Take the filler and stuff the doll. When the stuffing is completely evenly distributed, sew the product up. The handles must be sewn to the body almost near the neck.
  4. For the dress, take two rectangular pieces of fabric and fold them together (wrong side out). Transfer the dress pattern onto the fabric and sew along the sides. Then you need to iron the seam allowance at the top of the garment and the small corners on the sides. Turn the dress inside out, also go over it with an iron and put it on the doll. Sew it first with running stitches (along the edges of the hem and neckline), tightening the thread well. Also with a collar. Then sew it on completely.
  5. The hair for this doll is best made from bouclé yarn, and the face is painted with acrylic paints and blush. Attach a small rose to the hairstyle and sew the handle of the tilde to the mouth.
  6. Now you will need a beautiful cup. Coat its bottom with glue and place the doll there. To hang it, attach a small loop.

To make your angels have legs that can be bent, first stuff them halfway, then stitch them across and only then continue stuffing to the end. It is better to fill all the details by helping yourself with a wooden stick or knitting needle. Complete the image of your tildes with different elements, giving them individuality and uniqueness: give them a heart, a bouquet of flowers, a stylish handbag, a basket or a book.

As an addition, you can come up with a beautiful handbag, panties, and boots.

A heating pad for a teapot made of fabric for the kitchen - a master class for beginners

The decoration is a national Russian folk costume, and the material is nylon.

Pumpkinhead

If you don’t know how to sew clothes for Barbie, Lalaloopsy, Baby Bon, Ever After High, Monster High dolls, in our article “” you will find a lot of valuable and useful information.

I must admit that of all the hobbies that I have taken up from time to time, sewing textile toys and dolls is one of my favorite pleasures. I am especially pleased that finally, during my next maternity leave (already the fourth!!!), I have the opportunity to return to my favorite hobby.

For those who have not yet decided to get carried away by this grateful creativity, I want to say that sewing a doll with your own hands is actually not that difficult. I hope my step-by-step photos of this fascinating process will help novice needlewomen try it, especially if you have girls in the house, like me.

In order to sew a simple doll from fabric with our own hands, we will need:

  • the fabric is preferably a beige shade, white can be, just not very thin
  • stuffing (cotton wool, padding polyester)
  • threads, needles to match the color of the fabrics
  • fabric for clothing, any to your taste and capabilities
  • acrylic paints, thin brushes for painting
  • felting wool for hair making
  • special felting needle with notches for tangling fibers

So let's get started:

The first step is to prepare a paper pattern for the future doll. Then we transfer the pattern to the fabric, folded in half, trace it, fasten the parts with needles to prevent displacement, and sew the parts along the contour. Only then we cut it out taking into account a seam allowance of no more than 5 mm.

In this photo, the parts are already stitched and turned right side out. In order for the parts to be turned out and stuffed, remember to leave unstitched: the bottom of the body, the upper part of the legs, the lower part of the head and part of the arms.

To turn out parts, it is very convenient to use the blunt end of a Chinese stick.

The next step is to fill the doll’s parts with stuffing. I almost always use padding polyester for these purposes and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, it is affordable, and secondly, this material perfectly holds its shape in the finished product and does not deform during use. For this I also use the blunt end of a Chinese chopstick.

P.S. And outside the window, winter is in full swing.

Now that the doll's parts are stuffed, the doll can be sewn together. Before sewing, I first fasten the parts with tailor's needles to see how the doll will look when finished.

We sew the legs and head, but do not sew the arms to the body yet. In the places for turning inside the handles we put a hidden seam.

We cut out the dress.

We cut the sleeves separately. After that, using a button fastening, we attach them to the body.

Let's start with the hair. For my doll, I prepared red wool for felting. We will also need a special needle for felting. For those who do not have the opportunity to purchase wool and a needle, I would like to recommend using ordinary woolen knitting threads for making hair. In some ways this option will be even better. In terms of practicality, it has no equal, because we are not sewing an interior doll, but a doll for games. I wrote about how to make hair from threads.

Attach your hair to your head. Experiment with the hair to see how it will look on the finished doll.

We begin to pierce the needle in the center until the hair fits snugly to the head.

We make several punctures on the sides.

Distribute into strands and braid.

Let's start shaping the face. I’ll say right away that I hardly know how to draw, unless I just sketch something, then there’s no point. Therefore, if you are new to sewing dolls, my master class is just right for you. Well, then, if you are interested in this matter, you can turn to more complex MK on the Internet from professionals who can convey emotions, make a deep look, etc.

And so, with light movements of a simple pencil we draw the contours of the eyes, nose and mouth, draw the eyelids and eyebrows.

All peoples of the world at all times considered amulets to be an indispensable attribute of the life and everyday life of any person: such magical objects not only protected their owner from any possible negativity, but also attracted prosperity and good luck into his life. In Rus', from time immemorial, the role of such talismans was played by amulets made of fabric, made in the form of various faceless dolls.

Fabric amulets

A similar craft was sure to exist in every home and every family, often more than one, since such rag dolls existed in various versions and were responsible for various areas of human life. Such amulets were made according to certain rules and exclusively with the hands of members of the family for whom such a magical item was intended.

Application of a rag doll

Amulet dolls, created from bright scraps of various fabrics, could be found in every home in Rus': it was these bright crafts that carried the most powerful magical meaning. In order for the strength and energy of such a doll to reveal itself in the best way and be able to effectively protect all family members from any negativity, as well as ensure prosperity and well-being for the home itself, such amulets were made according to certain rules and from special materials.

The main requirement was to make a doll with your own hands and without the use of various piercing and cutting objects (scissors, needles, etc.).

For this reason, the fabric and threads were wound on a solid base and secured with numerous knots. This is where other names for such amulets come from: motanka dolls or knotted crafts.

Fabric doll amulets

Such rag crafts were not intended for games: very often they were not just kept in the house, but were also used as ritual objects on major national holidays, for example, a Maslenitsa doll, which was kept in the house throughout the year and burned in honor of the arrival of spring in folk holiday Maslenitsa.

The meaning of amulets

Rag dolls very often accompanied a person throughout his life: the very first amulet was created even before the baby was born and then placed in his cradle.

Such a rag doll grew up with the child, accompanying him throughout his life, protecting him from the evil eye and various negativity. Often it changed along with its owner, and often later was inherited by a newborn family member.

Rag amulets

In addition, similar rag dolls were created on major national holidays and were used as ritual offerings. Such amulets not only protected the home, but also attracted wealth, prosperity and health to the family.

Basic requirements for the manufacture of reels

In order for the manufactured doll to carry not only aesthetic functions, but also to correctly perform all the magical actions assigned to it, the motanka had to be created strictly observing the basic requirements:

  • None of the rag doll amulets had eyes, nose or mouth. It was believed that by depicting facial features, the doll became susceptible to black witchcraft. In addition, the creator of such a doll could unintentionally give him a resemblance to a certain person, thereby entrusting his fate to this craft. To avoid this kind of negativity, the face of any motanka doll remained clean.
  • Traditionally, only women were allowed to create dolls from pieces of fabric with their own hands: men were often not even allowed to observe the process of making the amulet.
  • Since rag dolls carried a powerful magical charge, their creation with their own hands had to be approached very consciously and carefully. Most often, this process required special preparation from the girl and was carried out at a strictly defined time. The emotional mood of the craftswoman was also important, since the strength of the rag doll depended on this.
  • It was not recommended to start making a rag doll with your own hands on major church holidays and on Sundays.
  • In the process of creating the amulet, it was forbidden to use any sharp or cutting objects, since by cutting or piercing the fabric, the magical power of the doll was lost.
  • Rag dolls owed much of their protective power to the numerous knots that were tied on them. Therefore, there were certain rules here: there had to be an even number of nodes. For each such knot, the craftswoman could read spell words, putting into them wishes for well-being, prosperity and good luck for the family.
  • A cross made of small wooden twigs or slivers is used as the basis for the reel. This form of amulet doll carries a sacred meaning, since the cross has long been considered a special magical object.
  • The resulting doll should please its owner on an intuitive level. In this case, we can say that the reel has received the correct energy charge and will be able to successfully perform all the functions assigned to it.

Varieties of motanka among the people

The importance of such a knotted pupa is difficult to overestimate: it was trusted to protect and preserve the most valuable. Family, children, health, protection from evil spirits - all the functions of such amulets cannot be listed. For this reason, motanki among the people had many varieties and were made with their own characteristic features.

From the huge number of amulet dolls, the following main types can be distinguished:

Pelenashka

This amulet doll protected newborn babies from the evil eye, since it was precisely these babies who were most susceptible to the evil eye. The Pelenashka performed its functions until the child was baptized, after which it was removed from the baby’s cradle.

If guests came to the house where a small child lived, then Pelenashka was wrapped in the baby’s diaper, thus deceiving evil-minded people and protecting the child from the evil eye.

This is another rag amulet designed to protect the baby from any negativity.

How to make Kuvadka

The expectant mother made such a doll with her own hands long before the baby was born: Kuvadka was intended to warm the baby’s cradle. After his baptism, Kuvadka was placed above the crib and served both as a toy for the baby and protected him from dark forces, so there could be several such dolls, and all of them were made in bright, cheerful colors.

This multi-colored rag doll, always wearing three skirts, was a symbol of good news and good mood. She brought joy to the house, and it was customary to give such amulets to friends and relatives to wish them happiness in life.

A similar doll has another name: Baba Girl. This amulet is considered exclusively feminine, as it reflects the very essence of any girl: each unites two principles - beauty and carefreeness, and thriftiness and sedateness with time.

For this reason, Pinwheel has a unique design: she is always given two heads and two skirts, but each of them is visible only if the doll is turned upside down.

Changeling doll

This amulet doll is also quite unique in its structure: the Herbalist was filled not with the usual materials, but with a mixture of dry medicinal aromatic herbs.

Such a talisman purified the air and successfully drove away evil spirits, so such a doll was placed in the most important and honorable places, for example, above a child’s bed. The herbalist was required to be present in every hut, as she was one of the central figures among the motank amulets.

Such a talisman necessarily accompanied every pair of newlyweds at the wedding ceremony. Lovebirds were made as two separate dolls, personifying the masculine and feminine principles, connected by a common hand.

Such a talisman not only protected the new family from negativity at the wedding itself, but also accompanied them throughout their lives, preserving and increasing their mutual loyalty and respect.

At the wedding ceremony itself, Lovebirds were given a place of honor in the harness of the first three horses of the wedding procession, where they attracted all looks, including unkind ones, thereby protecting the newlyweds.

It was for this purpose that the appropriate outfit for the rag amulet was selected: the brightest scraps were used.

This small amulet, made by hand, was intended as a gift to a person setting off on a long journey. Such a miniature doll held in her hands a small fabric bag filled with a handful of the earth native to man and containing a small grain of wheat.

Such attributes of the amulet allowed the traveler to hope that he would avoid all the troubles of the long journey, that he would successfully return to his native land, and that he would not starve on the road. This fabric doll was created in very small sizes, up to 6 cm, unlike other winding amulets, which made it possible to conveniently place it in the smallest luggage.

This doll served as a man's amulet, personifying strength and endurance. Such a talisman necessarily contained the element of a wheel, representing the sun. This was done because such a craft was given into the hands of the most valuable thing in the world: the constant movement of the solar disk across the sky.

Spiridon the solstice could bring changes for the better into the life of its owner. A similar doll was also created exclusively by female hands, but as a gift to a man close to her: husband, son, father or brother.

Cleansing pupa

This motanka craft is of an exceptional nature; it is made not as a classic amulet, but as a ritual doll. Such a magical object was subject to destruction by putting it on fire after any negative energy was transferred to it: illness, quarrels or the evil eye.

Often such a doll was created in the form of a small broom, so that the mistress of the house could sweep away all the dirty linen in public, both physical and spiritual. This is exactly how the energy of the home and family as a whole was cleansed.

Broom - cleaning the house

Due to such a variety of hand-made motanka dolls, each house often had several amulets at once to help effectively protect all family members from any possible negativity.

It is impossible to imagine our life without such a toy as a doll. The modern doll is bright, fashionable and beautiful. Dolls are often accompanied by outfits, houses, cars.

But, despite all this splendor, hand-made rag dolls are becoming increasingly popular. They are used not only for play; interior dolls and amulets dolls are now in fashion.

When creating dolls, craftswomen put not only their skill, but also their whole soul into their products. A handmade toy will always be a great gift.

How to make a beautiful doll with your own hands, you ask? In our article we will talk about this.

History of dolls

The doll has accompanied humanity literally since the beginning of time. Carved from wood or sculpted from clay, dolls accompanied the rituals of shamans and sorcerers; they were animated and deified.

The Slavic peoples made bundles from bundles of straw and scraps of fabric; these were mainly talismans for the home against ailments, evil spirits and misfortunes.

Children's toys, too, of course, have always been there. Animal figures were carved from wood, dolls were sewn from scraps of fabric and stuffed with straw.

Much later, when porcelain dolls in luxurious clothes began to be produced, only very wealthy people bought them, and children of ordinary people played with rag toys.


Mechanical dolls were first made in the 18th century in China and also cost incredible amounts of money. Nowadays dolls are sewn not to save money, but to have something original and exclusive.

Amulet for home

The easiest doll to make is the fagot amulet, made from bundles of straw, thread and pieces of fabric.

Knitted, because the doll is not sewn together with thread, but its parts are connected to each other. Ideally, even scissors are not used when working on the amulet; the necessary pieces of canvas are torn off by hand, and the doll’s parts are tied together with threads.

The product will be a wonderful amulet if it is sewn from the owner’s used clothes, worn during the best moments in life.

The eyes and mouth are not drawn on the amulet. Externally, amulets may differ, it depends on who they are made for: newborns for intercession, newlyweds for happiness in family life, for the home for abundance and prosperity. Charms for wealth and an excellent harvest are decorated with wheat, seeds, and nuts. For good health, they make a herbalist doll, filling it with fragrant herbs.

You need to make the amulet in a good mood, sing songs, read prayers, talk about pleasant things.

The doll absorbs good emotions and words, and the same goodness will exude in your home.

Work on the amulet cannot be interrupted, so prepare everything in advance, choose a time so that you are not distracted and finish the work to the end.

To make a knitted doll you will need:

  • white flap for making a head
  • filler (sintepon)
  • scraps of colored fabric (10*10 arms, 5*8 ​​apron, 9*16 skirt)
  • floss threads for hairstyles and tying

Wrap the filler in white cloth and wrap it tightly with thread, the “tail” of the fabric will be the body.

Pay attention!

Gather the flap of the skirt into folds and tie it to the body, do the same with the apron, without tearing off the thread, wrap it around the doll’s head, making a beautiful body.

Gather a piece of fabric for the arms into an accordion length and wrap it with thread. Wrap your hands crosswise to the doll’s body. You can put a scarf on your head, or you can make hair from threads.

Stitched dolls

The world of sewn dolls is diverse, here you can find soft, cozy toys for children, sophisticated elegant interior dolls and wonderful options with irregular proportions.

The Tilda doll, which appeared not so long ago, has become extremely popular. Such a doll has disproportionately long legs and arms, and only eyes and cheeks are depicted on the face.

Below is a pattern for a Tilda doll to realize your ideas.

The creative potential of each needlewoman is diverse and each sewn doll turns out to be unique.

Pay attention!

A beginner can start by sewing small dolls from felt; the clothes of these beauties are embroidered from beads and don’t let this scare you, such dolls are always obtained.

For needlework, prepare:

  • felt fabric
  • hair yarn
  • filler
  • nylon threads
  • beads

You can use a ready-made pattern, or draw a template yourself, everything is at your discretion. Transfer the pattern to felt and cut out the blanks. Embroider or draw a face on one of the blanks.

Now you can embroider a dress with beads on each of the blanks. Sew dresses for the doll separately and change outfits regularly. To make a hairstyle, cut the yarn into 15-20 cm pieces and sew it onto both pieces along the forehead line and the nape line.

Pay attention!

The sewing method presented above allows you to create any dolls and change the patterns at your own request.

Nylon dolls

Recently, dolls made from nylon have become popular; nylon allows you to make any expression on the doll’s face.

How to sew such a magnificent doll? To create this type of doll, experience is required, and we will now present a simpler version of sewing from nylon.

You will need:

  • nylon tights
  • filler
  • beads
  • threads
  • floss threads for hair
  • safety pins.

You should start by filling and creating the form. After filling, tie or sew the top tightly. To create a face, use pins, for example, when marking the nose, stick pins in place of the nostrils and stitch between them, as shown in the photo.

  • Sew the nostrils and wings of the nose with literally two stitches; you need to sew each new detail of the face with a new thread.
  • The cheeks are pierced with a pin from top to bottom and stitched in the same way.
  • The line of the mouth is stitched, also after shaping it with pins.
  • The doll's navel is marked with pins and stitched; a running stitch is used to create the legs.
  • Sew beads in place of the eyes, and create a hairstyle on the head by sewing in floss threads.
  • Eyebrows and eyelashes are easy to draw, the doll can wear any clothes at your discretion.

There are many techniques for sewing dolls and types of toys themselves, don’t be afraid to experiment and you will succeed. We present photos of dolls for inspiration.

Photos of dolls with your own hands