Friday, March 29, 2013

How to Make a Small Waldorf Doll



To print this pattern, save it onto your computer, open it up, and then print it.

This is what you'll need to make your lilliput: cotton fabric big enough to fit your pattern (an old baby outfit that you loved will do), jersey knit fabric for the face and hands and feet, cotton stockinet wool for stuffing (but if you don't have wool you can use fiber fill it is optional but not my choice), embroidery floss a strong cotton string or floss dental floss, a three inch needle and a size 10 quilters between needle you can find them in fabric stores, a pair of scissors, a chopstick or wooden spoon if you don't have a chopstick, and a measuring tape, bobby pins, and of course the pattern ...
If you don't have a tubular stockinet available just use an old sock or new, up to you. Cut the bottom of the foot, make sure it's two inches wide and seven inches long. Sew the top nice and firm so it looks like a round top, not square.

Get your wool about a good handful, about 7 and a half ounces of wool, two strong strings one to tie the neck with and one to shape the head. Now is a good time to get your wooden spoon and a crochet hook. If you don't have a hook, get a teaspoon and no we're not having tea, we're making the head. The spoon is for pulling the string on the back of the head but I will show you



Make sure your head is nice and full, not too soft or else your doll will have a sausage for a head. Unless you have a barbeque. Make sure you do not let go of the bottom because wool will expand and you'll have to do it all over again. After you tie it it will be no problem


your head will measure 8 inches in circumference, seems big but it's not.

It should look like this and your circumference should only be 7 inches

X marks the spot, that is where you secure your thread on each side with multiple stitches in the shape of a cross, make sure it's very secure otherwise it will come loose

After you secure both sides take your crochet hook and pull the thread down till it forms a pretty shape like the back of a head 

this is what it should look like. 

Take your jersey of whatever color you have available, it doesn't matter which color, your baby will love whatever you make. with a hidden stitch all around the top of the head and down the back till you reach the neck. Pull down the extra fabric and tie the neck really tightly with the same thread and secure your stitches. If there is too much fabric you can always trim some of it at the neck area.
this is what it should look like before you secure the bottom. I want you to use a little bit of your wool the size of a walnut and fill it and then sew it like shown on the next picture.

it should look like this.

Day 2


Place your pattern on your fabric and pin securely.

Do the same for the hands and feet.

Cut out the pattern. You don't  need a seam allowance because it's already calculated into the pattern.

The two pieces for the feet have to be 1  1/2 inches wide and 3 inches long.

Pin the fabric as shown on the picture.

As you can see I folded it and pressed it with my iron. Pin it so it stays in place and then machine sew all your seams all around.

This is what it should look like after you are done sewing it. You can either sew them square or round. I like to sew them round.

Fold your body in half and on the top-right corner just so slightly cut an opening about 2 inches, but don't butcher the neck.

Your foot should look like this.

And this is what it should look like.

Fill the foot with just enough wool to fill the foot and then pin the foot shot so the wool stays in place. Then put some more wool into the leg.

As you can see I just filled the leg with a little wool so I can do my ladder stitch or a hidden stitch and bend the foot forward holding it with your thumb and fingers while you sew as shown below.

It should look like this. Do the same with the other leg.

Fill the rest of the body to the top but not the arms, then attach the head to the body. Sew it with a ladder stitch. Take straight pins and line with the form of the body shape. It should almost be like a triangle, but not pointy on top. You will get a feel for it. I will add a little video later to show it better. After you have done this step, hand stitch along where you just pinned. Make sure you take your pins out afterwards. You could stuff the arms but I don't.
These are the pieces you need for your hands. Take your string and gather all around the fabric circle. Make a little woolen ball in the size of a small marble, put it inside and pull your string tight to form a little ball covered in fabric and secure the back. Then take your little hand...

And place on the end of your arm. Secure with pins so hand stays in place. Take your needle and do a ladder stitch or hidden stitch. Make sure to sew it nice and neat and tight....
Look what it can look like if you add a nose, ears, and a smile