How to Make a Rag Doll Out of Just Yarn & No Sewing

Doll Head and Body

• 1

  Make a ball -- about 1 1/4 inches in diameter -- with the polyester batting. Begin wrapping yarn firmly around the ball until it is completely covered and is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Cut the yarn, and tuck the loose end under the wrapped yarn. Place the wrapped ball aside.

• 2

  Place one end of a long piece of yarn at the bottom of the book, holding in place with your thumb. Begin wrapping the yarn around the length of the book. Continue wrapping for about 75 turns. Cut the yarn, and tuck the loose end under the wrapped yarn.

• 3

  Cut a piece of yarn about 6 inches long. Run it under the wrapped yarn at the top of the book. Loop it over the yarn and tightly tie it. Slide the yarn off the book. Cut the loops of yarn at the bottom, opposite the tied end.

• 4

  Cut another 6-inch length of yarn. Take the ball you made earlier, and put it on the tied end of your yarn bundle. Draw the yarn smoothly around the ball, and then tightly tie the 6-inch length just beneath the ball to secure it. This is the head and body of the doll. Put it aside.

Doll Arms

• 5

  Place one end of a long piece of yarn at the side edge of the book, and hold it in place with your thumb. Begin wrapping the yarn around the width of the book. Continue wrapping for about 25 turns. Cut the yarn, and tuck the loose end under the wrapped yarn.

• 6

  Cut two 6-inch lengths of yarn. Run one piece beneath the yarn at one side of the book. Tightly tie it. Repeat this with the other piece of yarn on the other side of the book. Slide the yarn off the book.

• 7

  Take the head and body of the doll that you made earlier, and divide in half the yarn that dangles below the head. Place the bundle you just made underneath the head. This will create the arms. Cut another 6-inch length of yarn, and tie it around the body just beneath the arms. Cut two more short lengths of yarn and tie each one about a 1/2 inch from each end of the arms.

Finishing the Doll

• 8

  Create legs by dividing the bottom yarn in half to make the legs, and tie a short length of yarn around the bottom of each one.Trim off any uneven ends. Alternately, create a long dress for the doll by simply allowing the bottom yarn to hang and trimming any uneven ends.

• 9

  Create hair for the doll by wrapping yarn around the book from side to side as you did for the arms. Tie a 6-inch length of yarn around the center. Slide the yarn off the book, and cut the yarn opposite the center. Tie the center of the yarn at the top of the doll's head.

• 10

  Arrange the yarn in the hairstyle you prefer: hanging loose, in a pony tail or braided into pigtails.Trim the ends.