Young Girls' Doll Sewing Club
posted October 15, 2009 - 3:36pm 
For generations, dolls have provided simple pleasures and complex life lessons for little girls. Dolls and doll making provide the opportunity for girls to hone fine motor skills, practice nurturing skills, express themselves creatively and experiment with role playing. All this, and
no need for batteries or complicated equipment!
A Blond Haired Beauty
Nothing makes a doll more special than being handmade and there is something magical in the making of a doll. With a few scraps of fabric and some stitches, you can fashion a figure that acquires a personality of its own as you add a face and a hairdo. By the time you have put the last stitches in its smile, the doll comes to life as a new friend.
Doll pattern
Some girls just “wanna” play with dolls. The first thing to do is to provide a place for little girls to meet and learn new skills, while enjoying their favorite dolls. A doll exhibit and tea can be planned at the meeting place to kick off and introduce the upcoming club. Advertise the tea for girls ages 8 to 11. They can bring a favorite doll, enjoy a snack, introduce their doll to the other tea participants and learn about the planned club activities. Pre registration should be required for the tea as well as registration for the club. If you will be running the club alone limit the membership to no more than 8 or 10 young girls. When they are registered as club members, they should receive a sheet of meeting dates and supply list.
To make felt doll:
1) Pin pattern to one skin tone felt fabric square and cut slowly on the line. Do the same for the second fabric square.
2) Pin both doll shapes together and using a doubled threaded needle to sew a running stitch beginning at one side of the head and sewing all the way around, leaving the top of the head open.
3) Fill legs, body and arms in that order with polyester fill or pantyhose pieces. Gently use a wooden chop stick to push the stuffing into place and sew up the gap in the head.
1) Pin pattern to one skin tone felt fabric square and cut slowly on the line. Do the same for the second fabric square.
2) Pin both doll shapes together and using a doubled threaded needle to sew a running stitch beginning at one side of the head and sewing all the way around, leaving the top of the head open.
3) Fill legs, body and arms in that order with polyester fill or pantyhose pieces. Gently use a wooden chop stick to push the stuffing into place and sew up the gap in the head.
Jacket Pattern
To make felt jacket:
1) Cut excess paper away from pattern a tiny bit away from the cutting line.
2) Pin pattern to colored felt fabric square having pattern even with the corner and cut remaining edges slowly on the line.
3) Pin on either side of the middle cutting line and cut on line, but no further.
4) Fold down and pin underarm and side seams
5) Sew very small running stitches with doubled knotted thread, not too far from the edge of felt.
1) Cut excess paper away from pattern a tiny bit away from the cutting line.
2) Pin pattern to colored felt fabric square having pattern even with the corner and cut remaining edges slowly on the line.
3) Pin on either side of the middle cutting line and cut on line, but no further.
4) Fold down and pin underarm and side seams
5) Sew very small running stitches with doubled knotted thread, not too far from the edge of felt.
Jumper Pattern
To make felt jumper:
All sewing is done with doubled knotted thread not too far from the jumper’s edges using very tiny stitches.
1) Fold felt for jumper in half with short sides together making a crease down the middle of the felt.
2) Open felt and use the center crease as a guide to fold short sides into the middle. The sides should meet evenly. Place a pin at the top and the bottom where they meet to hold them in place.
3) Cut around pattern pieces leaving a narrow white border.
4) Pin patterns to felt
5) Pin long straight edge of each piece right on the fold (note the arrows will face out).
6) Pin around pattern, but no need to place pins in the middle on the fold.
7) Be sure all of each pattern is on its own side with no overlap.
8) Cut on the black line around patterns through 2 thickness, but do not cut the part that lies on the fold.
9) Unpin pattern and pin 2 felt pieces together along the sides under the arm.
10) Sew very small stitches from about ½” from the bottom of the jumper going up both sides to under the arm and knot. The seam needs to be neat, it is the outside edge.So that the jumper fits the doll well, start the stitching slightly above the bottom edge. It will be easier to put on the doll.
11) Sew snaps to end of shoulder straps:
12) The jumper front is the smaller felt piece, sew the half of the snap with the bump on the good side.
13) The larger jumper piece is the back, sew the half of the snap with the hole in it, on the wrong side.
14) When sewing snaps go through 2 holes 3 times and do the same with the remaining 2 holes. Do not sew on outside of the snap, because it might not work correctly when it is completed.
Beginner sewers enjoy this rewarding way to learn to sew. They are so proud, when their efforts garnered praise from the adults, who later on come to view these delightful creations. Each month girls work on making their own felt dolls and wardrobe. They begin each part of the project during the meeting and finish them at home. At the next meeting the girls displayed their progress. It was very gratifying to see the individuality achieved in such a simple craft project. The girls learn to sew, pin,cut and design the finished look of each part of the project.
Doll Dressed in New Clothes
Tips
- Design your own doll pattern with very few details. Patterns for the clothes are simple and do not use facings or turn any edges. Doll and jumper are sewn with small running stitches on the outside edge. The jacket's underarm seam is in the shape of an "L" and the seam is inside.
- Other activities can be planned for the club meeting such as a favorite doll and little girl fashion show, a design your own paper doll outfit etc. Work on the current sewing item can be completed at home and brought back at the next club meeting, for all to see.
- Clothing details are up to the girls to design. Directions for hair and face details are left for the girls to work out on their own or with a family member.
- It would be helpful if the girls had some knowledge of sewing and could be able to thread a needle. This takes up a lot of the instructors time and an assistant could be helpful.
Things You'll Need:
Plans and Patterns
Materials for each doll and wardrobe:
Doll
2 skin tone felt fabric squares
Matching needles and thread
Straight pins with large colored heads
Needle threader
Sewing scissors
Pencil
Polyester fill or several pairs of old clean pantyhose to be used as stuffing For wardrobe:
2 felt fabric squares: 1 for jacket, 1 for jumper
Thread to match each square
Small metal snaps to sew on jumper
Very small safety pins
Straight pins with large colored heads
Needle threader
Sewing scissors
Pencil
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Comments
Young Girls' Doll Sewing Club
These dolls are so simple and adorable! The sewing club is such a great idea. I bet the girls make lifelong friends in a club like this. I only have a son but I will remember your article for friends with little girls looking for a unique activity. And who knows..... maybe someday I will have a little grand daughter. :) Thanks for the great article and instructions.
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