How to Make Jointed Dolls
- 1). Draw onto a sheet of paper the outline of your doll with a head, two arms, two legs and a body. Make it as large as you want it. Cut out this pattern and lay it over a piece of muslin or other plain cloth fabric.
- 2). Pin the paper to the fabric and cut out around the outline ¼-inch away from the edge of the paper. Repeat to cut out a second piece of fabric the same way.
- 3). Pair your two pieces of fabric with the right sides together and align the edges. Pin all the way around. Sew a ¼-inch seam all the way around the doll, leaving open a gap along one side two to three inches long.
- 4). Turn the doll right side out through the opening. Stuff the doll as full as desired with your stuffing material. Close the opening in the doll's side by sewing it closed by hand.
- 5). Hold one arm out so it is horizontal to the body. Find the point where you would like the elbow of the doll to be. Using your fingers, separate the stuffing away from this point enough to flatten the area. Sew a straight line vertically down the middle of the arm using your smallest stitch length possible. Backstitch at the beginning and end of your line.
- 6). Repeat Step Five to make an elbow on the other arm in the same way. Form knees in the legs the same way. Create shoulder and hip joints by repeating Step Five as well, but try to get as close to the point where the body separates from the arm or leg as possible.
- 7). Work the doll’s arms and legs with your fingers to push the stuffing back into place without pushing the stuffing against the sewn joints. Check to make sure each joint bends freely and loosely. If not, sew a second line 1/8-inch away from the first.
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