Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Consult the photographs of the Happiness Dolls from Thailand at tourismthailand.org/marketplace before beginning the project. Print the photos for later consultation.
Select about a yard of soft ivory color fabric for making the doll. A cotton knit or jersey would be ideal, but if the material is very stretchy, the doll may be somewhat larger than intended. A firmer fabric such as muslin may be used as well.
Print the baby doll pattern pieces from craft.nunodoll.com/mini/mini_pattern on standard 8x11 paper. Because there are no sizes specified for the doll, adapt the pieces by sketching in proportion to the photograph of the Happiness Doll.
On tissue paper or tracing paper, draw the circular head pattern at least 6 inches in diameter. Omit the ears. Adapt the circle so that the lower half of the face is slightly wider than the top half. Cut two pieces of fabric following the head pattern and allowing 1/2 inch seam allowance all around. Practice drawing the doll's face on the paper pattern, noting the position and size of eyes and mouth.
Draw the body patterns on tissue or tracing paper about 12 inches in length. Use the pattern pieces with rounded feet facing out. Cut two complete bodies from fabric allowing a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Draw the arm pattern, including the hand and thumb, about 4 or 5 inches in length. Cut four pieces from fabric allowing 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Placing right sides together, machine stitch all the way around the head pieces leaving 2 inches unsewn for turning. Clip the seam allowance and turn the piece right side out. Draw the eyes and mouth on the front of the head using air soluble ink. It will disappear within a few hours and can be corrected if necessary.
Placing the right sides of the body pieces together, stitch all the way around the body, leaving a 2 inch opening for attaching the head and a 1 inch opening on each side for attaching the arms. Note that the arms of the doll seem to be attached just below the head and at right angles with the body (there are no shoulders). Clip the seam allowance and turn right side out.
Placing the right sides of the two arms together, stitch all the way around the outside, leaving an opening about 1 inch wide at the top of each arm. Clip seams and turn.
Before stuffing the head with fiberfill, place a sheet of paper between the two layers of fabric forming the head. This will prevent the color from bleeding through. Complete the doll's face using fabric marking pens with permanent color. The mouth is a nearly straight line, just curved enough to suggest a smile. The eyes are black ovals with bright blue pupils and black irises.
Stuff each body part with fiberfill beginning with the head. Be sure to stuff the feet and hands completely so that they take on a recognizable shape. When molding the face, try to suggest a nose and upper lip by filling those spaces more generously than the forehead. Experiment with the stuffing until the whole doll looks like the photo. Note the doll should be chubby.
Hand sew the head to the body, neatly folding the seam allowances together so that the raw edges are hidden. Hand sew the arms to the body in the same way so that the arms point straight out from just below the neck.
Cut four 4 inch long slender rabbit ears from brown felt. Using fabric glue, sandwich a craft pipe cleaner between two pieces of felt and weight the ear down until the glue dries. Cut a circular topknot from brown felt.
When the glue has dried, form the ears as shown in the photographs and use the felt topknot to glue the ears to the doll's head. Dress the doll in newborn-size baby clothes as desired or construct clothing like those illustrated in the photos.