How to Make a Raggedy Ann Doll
- 1). Print a free rag doll pattern from one of the sites in Resources, or draw your own simple rag-doll head, body, arms and legs. Cut out the pattern.
- 2). Pin the pattern pieces to plain white or skin-colored fabric, such as unbleached muslin. Cut two of each head and body piece, and four of each leg and arm piece. (If you're using a rag-doll pattern with a built-in dress, cut the body pieces from a cotton print or dress material instead.)
- 3). Place one head and one body piece right-sides together, and sew them together along the neck (unless the head and body pattern are already one piece). Do the same for the other head and body pieces.
- 4). Embroider, paint or draw the face on one of the head pieces. Add simple black circles for eyes and lines for eyelashes, a red triangle nose and a red smile. Add cheeks or other features if you wish. Let the fabric paint dry completely.
- 5). Pin two arm pieces right-sides together, and sew them together along the sides of the arm and the hand, leaving the shoulder end open. Do the same for the other arm and leg pieces.
- 6). Turn the arms and legs right-side out and fill them with stuffing. (You may want to use a pencil or chopstick to help turn the fabric and get the stuffing all the way down into the hands and feet.) Leave the top 1/2 inch unstuffed.
- 7). Place the arms and legs on the body piece that is attached to the face, so the open ends of the arms and legs line up with the edges of the body. The arms and legs should be in a pile on top of the middle of the doll.
- 8). Place the other head and body piece on top of the first, right-sides together. Pin the head and body pieces together, catching the arms and legs in the pins.
- 9). Sew around the side and lower edges of the doll head and body, catching the arms and legs in the seam. Leave the top of the head open.
- 10
Turn the doll right-side out and stuff the head and body through the opening in the top of the head. Turn the raw edges on the top of the doll's head to the inside, then hand-stitch the opening closed using a whip stitch. - 11
Cut strands of red yarn about twice as long as you want the Raggedy Ann's hair to be. Hand-sew the center of the strands to the center of the doll's head. Sew additional strands to the center of the back of the doll's head. Tie the hair into pigtails, and trim the ends if needed to make them even.
