MAKE ·Dec 22, 2014

Make Yarn Dolls

It’s so wonderful to meet you this time of the year and we say: Merry Monday Making!

Come make these classic yarn dolls with us.

Make these just for fun, give them away as gifts (they make great ornaments) or make a garland like we did!

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This year Christmas and break falls so nicely that I feel like we have a few days for making and creating before the big day. We hadn’t made yarn dolls since the kids were in pre-school and had a ball making them. I hope you do, too. They felt so classicality Swedish but, I’ve heard that they originated in Russia. I remember my sister having a big yarn doll baby made by a Great Aunt when we were kids and I made small dolls with this technique.

This time, we make a doll garland for our daughter’s bedroom door. We’ve make extras, too, and will add these to packages for our nieces (which I’m certain will lead to more yarn doll making. They’re always ready to create!) We strung an extra ribbon from the tops so that they could be used as ornaments or even on key chains.

Let’s make Yarn Dolls:

Materials:

yarn, scissors, cardboard (we cut a rectangle that was 6 inches x 8 inches), needle, thread, felt, fabric glue or glue gun.

1. Wrap the cardboard 30 times.

2. Tie off top with extra yarn.

3. Pull wrapped yarn, that is tied, off of the cardboard.

4. Approximately 1 inch down, tie with a second piece of yarn.

Now that you have the head created, it is time to make the arms.

5. Wrap the cardboard 10 lengths for arms.

6. Approximately 1/2 inch in, tie hands

7. Slip this into the middle of the yarn bod.

8. Tie waist just below the arms.

9. Separate the legs and approximately 1/2 inch up tie feet.

10. Doll is now ready for embellishments.

To Embellish:

Cut clothes and features from felt and add hair.

To make hat:

1. Cut semi-circular cone of felt and connect in the back. Attach with fabric glue, glue gun or by stitching.

2. To make dress. Cut dress and attach straps and back of dress in the back similarly.

3. Cut eyes and mouths from felt and attach with the same technique.

Hair:

To make the braided hair, loop approximately 5 lengths of yarn around the cardboard in the same fashion used for the bodies. Cut and then, draw the yarn over the head and under one piece of yarn. Braid the hair and fasten it to the head with small stitches.

As always, happy making! I hope you’re having wonderful holidays. Time to come meet you hear feels so terribly short but, I hope you’re following us along on our 25 Creative Days Calendar! and that you can also find both projects and holidays treats right here at willowday. As always, I love to hear from you and love to see what you do. We’re getting ready and, in fact, after I push “post” will go out the door for some making with friends in town. We’re here in Stockholm right up until the holidays this year and I’ll be back to share 2 more posts in the next few days!

Willowday wishes!