Rag Doll Continued pg. 3
Sewing Instructions
Unless otherwise noted, all seam allowances are 1/8".
Head and Body:
With the right sides together, sew the 5"x 4" piece of hair fabric to one of the 5"x 7" body pieces along the 5" edges. This is the back of the doll. With the right sides together, sew the 5"x 4" piece of muslin fabric to the remaining 5"x 7" body piece along the 5" edges. This is the front of the doll. Press the seams toward the body on both pieces.
Center the head/body template pattern piece on the wrong side of the front head/body fabric piece of the doll, matching the neck seam line mark on the pattern over the seam line of the fabric between the head and body. Trace around the template pattern, using a fabric pen that will be visible on the dress fabric. This will be the sewing line. Do not cut out the head/body yet, more preparation is required.
Pin a face pattern onto the wrong side of the face muslin within the sewing lines of the head and with the neck seam line of the pattern on the seam line of the face and body. Place the pattern and material on a light box or hold it up against a window. Lightly trace the features onto the right side of the muslin. You may use a regular pencil or a fade away marking pen. Do not cut out the face yet, more preparation is required.
With the right sides facing each other, pin the front and back pieces of the doll together, placing the neck seam line of the front neck and the back neck on top of each other. You will have dress fabric below the seam line for the body on both sides, and a face front on one side, and a hair back on the other side above the seam line for the head. Sew around the doll directly on the marked sewing line. Leave the bottom open where it is marked on the pattern to allow for stuffing and attaching the legs. Cut out the head/body around the stitching and across the bottom, leaving a 1/8" seam allowance.Transfer the center back mark on the pattern to the back seam allowance on the fabric. With the right sides together, pin the curved side of the seat gusset to the body back at the opening, matching the center marks. Sew around curve, easing the seam as you go. Clip all the curves and points in all the seam allowances. Turn right side out. Set the head/body aside.
Arms and Legs:
Arms: Place two hand pieces with right sides together and sew the thumb side seam from the top of the hand to the mark just above the thumb. Run a gathering stitch either by hand or machine 1/8" from the edge on one short end of an arm piece. Open out the hand piece and with the right sides together and the hand seam open (open seam), pin it to the arm end that has the gathering stitch. Gather the arm to fit the hand and then sew the arm and hand together. Remove the gathering stitch. Pin the hand/arm wrong sides together and sew from the end of the first hand stitching all around the hand and up the arm to the top. Make a small clip in the seam allowance at the thumb and all the curves. Turn right side out. Repeat for the other hand/arm. Set them aside.
