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Homemade Rag Dolls

Rag dolls have been popular for centuries. And, still, they look much the same as they did in the beginning. Rag dolls can be made in a variety of sizes, as small in height as a Barbie doll to the size of a small child. They are fairly durable, generally washable and certainly squeezable by the little girls who love them. Because rag dolls are a simple design, making the doll is an easy undertaking.

Clothing the Doll
- Before cutting out the doll's body, consider what size of doll clothing is available, because making clothing is the more difficult step. If you make the doll a common size, you can simply buy her an outfit. Another option is to make the doll's body in a patterned print, thus "clothing" the torso. Then a simple matching skirt (the easiest of clothing to make) can be made and sewn onto the finished doll. Of course, this doll won't be able to change clothes. Decide, too, if you want the permanent dress to have sleeves. If so, cut out the arms, but not the hands, in the matching fabric.
Simple Rag Doll Body
- Generally, a homemade rag doll's head and torso are one part and each limb is a separate part. This is for ease of sewing, turning the parts inside out, and for stuffing them. The basic body is a round head, a very short neck and a rectangular torso. The limbs are simple and straight, with hands that look like mittens and feet that look like socks. Each part is sewn, leaving openings for stuffing. In the case of the torso, leave an opening where each arm will be inserted and leave the bottom open for ease of stuffing and for the legs to be attached. For elbows and knees (if desired), stuff the limb to the desired joint, then sew a straight line across, sealing in the stuffing. This will make a permanent bend area. Then continue stuffing the limb. Go ahead and attach the arms to the torso, sealing up the torso's sides. Stuff the torso, then add on the stuffed legs.
Hair and Other Considerations
- Rag doll hair needs to be sewn on before the torso pieces are stitched together. Yarn is the most popular material for doll hair. Cut several strips of yarn equal lengths and lay them across the back of the doll's head. Stitch them across the center. Make another row and stitch it down. Repeat until the back of the head is covered. Decorate the finished doll's face with buttons, fabric paint, etc. For a cute doll, consider a knobby-kneed rag doll, in which her legs are proportionally a tad long and you cut a bump in the leg shape at the knee. Other variations include making your rag doll in nontraditional colors like blue or purple. Or simply give your rag doll a wild color of hair.

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