Home >> Toys >> Dolls

Tips for Waldorf Dolls

Waldorf dolls are known for their natural materials and simple facial features. Most of the dolls are constructed with cotton and wool, using a traditional European doll making process. The most important tip when you make a Waldorf doll is to keep it basic; children are drawn to the soft, plush feeling over exaggerated characteristics.

Finding Appropriate Materials
- Gather natural materials that align with the soft, plush theme. Start with the stuffing and use a wool or cotton filling. A less pliable material will hold the doll's shape, better but an extremely soft filling is just as suitable because you can add additional stuffing. Avoid using a wool that has tough fibers through the mix; these pieces can stick through the outer lining of the doll.
  
  Choose a natural cotton material for the inside layer and stretchy soft fabric for the outer lining. Waldorf doll-making kits use a sock-like structure to cover the filling, so consider using old socks or purchasing a series, of long, thin socks for this project. This technique will eliminate a lot of sewing and keep the doll proportionate. Use a long but narrow, basic cotton sock with thin material for the inside and a long sock made of thin material for the outside. Select a white sock for the inside and a skin-tone color sock for the outside.
Constructing the Doll
- Fill the white cotton socks to make the arms, legs, head, and body. The best way to help keep the shape of the head is to squish the stuffing into a tight ball before putting it into the lining. The more filling material you use, the better it will keep its shape. You should also make the basic shape of the doll's face over the inside lining so when you put the skin-tone material over it, the facial structures show through. You can do this step by tying a string around the head both vertically and horizontally through the center. Sew the two sections where the string crosses, down to the lining. This will keep the string in place and act as the ears. Take this step a little further by turning the head to where the face would be and stitching a nose. Pull just a small piece of lining or filling and lining up and sew around that section to create a bump. Slide the outer layer over the inner face lining to see the beginnings of the face.
  
  Use the same concept for the hands and feet as you used for the head. Squish small balls of filling together and place them in the end of the sock lining. Tie a string underneath the stuffing ball to separate it from the rest of the limbs to create movable wrist and ankle joints.

Dolls