Doll Sewing Tips

Step 2: Cut and Sew

Once you've completed all the embroidery, cut out each doll piece on the outlines, there is a 1/4 inch seam allowance included.

Match up the front and back pieces for each arm and leg and pin them together, right sides facing. Do the same for Luna's star baby, Lydia's space buns, Merwing's hair, Jack's eye patch parts, Fern's wings and Bea's crown.

Sew around the edge 1/4 inch in leaving the top ends, or a 1-inch space open. (You will most likely want to use a sewing machine, but if you have a lot of patience, you can also hand sew them using a small, tight back stitch. :)
Notch the fabric around the edges or trim with pinking shears, this will keep the edges smooth when you turn and stuff them.

To notch the edges, cut small slits in the fabric around the outside of the seam and cut straight across pointed ends, such as the points on the star. Be careful not to snip through your stitches!
Now turn all the pieces right side out.

Turning long, thin pieces like arms and legs right side out can be very tedious, but here's an easy tip that will make your life lots easier! You'll need a straw, hard plastic works best. If you can't find a suitable straw, take a pen apart and use the cylinder part. You'll also need a stick, such as a stuffing tool or chop stick.

First, push the straw into the arm/leg piece, scrunching up the fabric until the straw reaches the end.

Now push the stick into the end of the straw, through the fabric.

Push the fabric right side out over the stick.

Voila! Quick and easy. :)
Now stuff these pieces firmly. Sew up the holes on the buns, star, hair, crown, wings or eye patch with a hidden stitch:

Start with a knot on the inside of the seam. Bring the needle out and across the opening, then in and along the inside of one edge. Now come back out, straight across the seam, and back in and along the inside on the other edge. Keep stitching along the opening, when you’ve closed it up, tie a knot close to the seam and pull the extra thread through to the inside of the piece to hide it.

Now you're ready to sew the body pieces. Line up and pin the body pieces right sides facing and sew just around the head first, from one top marked arm space line to the other.

In between the body layers, Pin the arms crossing the front body piece with the open ends sticking out between the marked lines.

Sew down one side of the body and then the other, securing the arms in place.

Notch or trim the edges with pinking shears, turn the body right side out and stuff it firmly.
Tuck in the raw edges at the bottom of the body and pin the tops of the legs between the layers. Sew straight across the bottom edge of the body securing the legs in place and closing up the doll.

For Bea's crown and Jack's eye patch, sew the patch piece to the headband, fit the headband/crown around the head and sew the ends together.
Stitch Lydia's buns or Merwing's hair in place on the back of the head, or use velcro so they are removable and she can wear a hat!
For Fern's wings, stitch the top section near the wing points onto the lines marked on the back.

Are you ready to sew some fun accessories for your doll? Click here!