Non-Waldorf dollmaking

[Bekka]

I think that the Waldorf dolls are absolutely adorable, but I started making just basic rag dolls after reading about the Waldorf ideals of making toys for your kids, and I just wanted to make something from supplies that I had. I got hooked, and although I'll eventually try a Waldorf doll, I'm really hooked! I make dolls with drawn faces and yarn hair. I can't afford all organic/natural supplies, but these turn out really cute, and so does anyone else do this? I just want to know so that if I join a craft swap, people will like my thing . . .

[LaLa]

That sounds adorable! I have a doll with painted face and it's so cute! I think the rag hair is a neat idea too, but don't know how to do it

[panda]

random thought when you mentioned rag hair: I just saw on a sewing show how to make "yarn" out of fleece and thought it would make interesting, soft doll hair. Thin (half inch or so?) strips cut from fleece are stretched out taut. When released, they curl up. Haven't tried it yet, but I do have some fleece lying around. Lime green, though.

[Dancinmom]

That sounds really cute! I just made a waldorf doll adn was thinking about trying something like this sometime.

[wishful]

I just love to make rag dolls. I have make one Waldorf doll, but I went back to my good old rag dolls. I like to use old clothing and pillows. For my Ma's B-day, I make a rag doll that is wearing a dress made out of the actual dress my mother wore in an old photo of her. The dress was one I played in as a child and so had my sister.

Foe X-mas this year, I am making my sis' 3 girls rag dolls and clothing. When they come to visit me they always play with my old dirty dolls I make when I was 10!!

[Bekka]

Thanks. I called them rag dolls, but I'm not sure if I *consider* them rag dolls. I actually use yarn for hair, and I also made a batch of 3 dolls plus clothes for 3 nieces. Also made 2 bigger dolls for 2 dds, but still need to finish the clothes for them (dd #1 likes ORANGE--ugh!). So I want to join a craft swap after the first of the year.

[wishful]

I like to call them rag dolls cuz mine are almost always long and floppy!!

I have a niece that is way in to orange. Last week it was the orange and blue striped socks, this week it is the orange wool top hat that she just must have on all the time. I would just love to be 4 again.


Side Bar-- making an orange top hat is way too hard!!!

[TreeLove]

do you cut the fleece first, then pull it, or cut it while it's being pulled?

[mehndi mama]

You cut the fleece first, into strips about 1/2" wide, give or take. Make sure the stretch goes the length of the strip. A 3" strip will stretch to 6" or more, and does indeed curl up! I had to make an Aslan costume for my kids' Narnia play, and used fleece "yarn" for some of the mane, along with boucle, mohair, and metallic. Turned out AWESOME.

[Meiri]

I've made dolls using plain cotton bodies that I purchased. I embroider faces then stitch yarn on for hair. The best hair I've done is the super bulky yarn. It looks like very colorful dreadlocks. I found another texturally variegated in shades of tan and brown yarn that gave a slightly more realistic dready look for DD's second such doll. Before these, I'd used cotton yarns.

I start on the back of the head and stitch the yarn on in rows. Maybe 2 or 3 on the back, then one across the top to cover all and give bangs, or not. I usually braid a bit of it on the side just because.

The bodies I had, source no longer sells and I haven't found another, are 18" tall. They wear 12-18, sometimes 24, month sized dresses.

[mrspilkington]

I love making rag dolls with different fabrics, 'stocking' dolls, and knitted dolls. They remind me of the ones my mom used to make, and have so much personality! I have to try that fleece hair trick, sounds good. And lime green hair might be kind of funky!

[fiveredhens]

Do share mamas,

I have ben thinking of making a Waldorf doll, but am a little intimidated by the price/details. Do any of you have a favorite (free!!) pattern? I have plenty of fabrics scraps I would love to use up. DS has just started showing interest in dolls and I would love to make one that looks like him.

[Meiri]

Rereading this, I'm wondering what kind of dolls I'd get using the fabric scraps I've got. As if I don't have enough to do already!:LOL

I crochet a nice Willendorf inspired doll though.

Maybe I'll leave the dollmaking to you all.

[MamaScout]

I second what fiveredhens said. Does anyone have a pattern they love? I am looking at making a waldorf doll, but I'd also love to make some plain rag dolls, too.

[laminathegreat]

I've found a couple of waldorf doll instructions on the internet..
Sleeping baby. net has a great one with pictues and a pattern.
There are also some instructions over at Craftster.org. If you follow the thread enough, you can see my own attempts!!
There is also a Japanese site that doesn't have waldorf dolls, but more doll instructions than you can shake a stick at. And I can shake that stick.
Good luck!

[E.V. Lowi]

Originally Posted by blush
There is also a [URL="http://dollmaker.nunodoll.com/"

Japanese site[/URL] that doesn't have waldorf dolls, but more doll instructions than you can shake a stick at. And I can shake that stick.
Good luck!

I think that Runo, the creator of this site and all the dolls therein, is a doll making Genius! But I believe her creations to be of art works and collector's items, not playthings for children. They have a lot of wire armature and other hardware inside thae body and head. The nose has a wire support that could poke out during enthusiastic cuddles. Her site is one of my favorites for inspiration.

[leafylady]

This thread with all of its links is just the inspiration I need to get some simple dolls going. It's my project to learn basic fabric dollmaking during the summer, from simple rag dolls to at least one simple Waldorf doll.