Mirror, mirror, on the wall...You're the best dad of them all! Show your dad how special he is by creating a mirror image of him and capturing his personality in a doll. A simple pattern plus 10 easy steps, make this a project you will enjoy creating every stitch of the way. Since everything is hand sewn using basic stitches, it would also be a great project for an older child to create. These dolls would make any Dad smile!
Approximate Time: 2-3 hours approx.
Supplies:
- felt (your choice of colors)
- needle and threads
- doll hair (your choice)
- stuffing
- ribbon
- 2 small beads for eyes
- 2 buttons-optional
- trim and decorations of your choice
Instructions:
Decide what colors you will use for the doll and clothing.
Gather all your materials together and have fun! Since you will be using felt, there is no hemming or seams to take in.
Cut out all pattern pieces. You may have to trim here or there, but it's easy to do by using felt.
Super Dad Doll
- Take one body part and sew on mask. Sew beads on for eyes. Sew on any facial hair you may want. If sewing on mustache, allow a space for the nose.
- Stitch body pieces together at head, starting on one side of neck and stopping on other side. If using hair on head, be sure to sandwich it in between while sewing.
- Stitch each arm, leaving end open. Stuff. Insert arm at shoulder and continue to sew body closed. Leave bottom open.
- Insert stuffing up through bottom of body and push into head, filling until firm.
- Make running stitch around outer edge of nose circle. Insert small ball of stuffing and gently pull threads until circle closes. Make a few stitches to keep nose closed and then sew onto face. Secure well.
- Continue stuffing body, making sure neck is firm. Sew legs and stuff. Insert into bottom of body and sew closed.
- Decorate clothing before sewing them on to doll. Lay one pant piece on top of doll and one under doll.
- Pin together at seams and sew closed. Do the same with shirt, being sure that muscles on arms match up with muscles on shirt. Sew closed. Stitch across tummy and back of shirt.
- Sew boots on as you did the clothing. Make laces by sewing X's down the front and ending by tying a bow at top of shoe.
- For cape, cut an 8x11" piece from felt and decorate as desired. Make small slits close together across one 8" side. Weave ribbon in and out of slits. Gather around neck and tie bow in front.
- Sew loop on back of head to hang, if desired.
Football Dad Doll
- Make running stitch around outer edge of nose circle. Insert small ball of stuffing and gently pull threads to close. Make a few stitches to keep nose closed and then sew onto head of one body part. Sew on beads for eyes.
- Sew on any facial hair you may want such as a mustache or eyebrows. If wanting hair on head, sew it on now, keeping stitches close to the top of head. The helmet will hide the stitching.
- Decorate helmet pieces. Put body parts together and stitch from one side of neck, up over the head, and then other side of neck. Stuff head firmly and pin at neck to hold stuffing temporarily. Lay helmet pieces on doll, matching seams and pin. Sew onto head.
- Sew legs and stuff. Pin at top. Lay both shoe pieces on and stitch together onto foot. Sew laces on and tie bow at top of shoe.
- Stuff doll firmly, being sure neck is firm.
- Remove pins from legs and insert into body. Stitch body closed, securing legs into body.
- Decorate pants. Lay pant pieces on doll and pin seams together. Sew closed. Sew an inverted "V" between legs and make small cut with scissors in between the stitches.
- Decorate shirt. Lay shirt pieces on doll, matching muscles on body with the muscles on shirt. Pin seams closed and sew. Stitch through clothing across tummy and back.
- Sew football to one hand and a flag to the other, if desired. Sew loop on back of head to hang.
Note: You can add things to the doll as you go. Stitch the item just through the layer you are adding it to. For example: After finishing the football doll, I decided that I wanted to add a note on a heart to the backside of the doll. I cut a red heart from felt and stitched a note using black thread. I sewed it to the doll on the butt of the pants by only stitching it on through the back pant piece.
By Mary from Palm Coast, FL
