Hand-Sewn Little Cindy Doll

Kindly Contributed by Doku

CINDY DOLL
Materials

For the body

14 pieces of letter size Kent paper
What is Kent paper ?

Kent paper is --
- As thick as a postcard
- Can pass a printer
- You can use any paper like above
2 yard of natural colored cotton sheeting
Sewing thread(matches the fabric)
Polyester fiberfill
i.e. Poly-fil or better one
This is the most important material.
Use excellent one having much resilience and spread ability. "TUBUWATA"In Japan, we can get "TUBUWATA" which is the gathering of the bead (about 1/4") made from the Poly fiber. It is most recommended one.
Two 1/2 inch plastic Snap-On doll Joint
Screw joints can be use
A doll Wig for 14" to 15" doll heads
Document folder made with polypropylene
i.e. Clear poly project file or Transparent file jackets
A plastic doll head, neck and plastic ties
Enclosed in Mars's doll making kit
This is private amateur made doll parts set. Of course, you can use sewn cloth made head instead of this plastic head.
Super Glue (Gel type quick glue)

For the dress

2 yard of natural brown colored cotton sheeting
Braided elastic (4 cord)
5 inch of Velcro (Hook & Loop fastener) tape

Tools

Water soluble marker
Oily ink marker (can draw on plastics / black)
Sewing needle
3 inch doll maker's needle
Drawing pin
Pin
Awl
1/4" Punch
Chopstick
Sewing machine

Note

It is a good idea to read all the instructions here and on the pattern before beginning your work.
A water soluble marker is used for most marking. so "marker" means water soluble marker here.
When you are stuffing, Comparing the softness of stuffing one and already stuffed one, make the softness of them alike.
Sew a ladder stitch to close openings of stuffed parts, turning seam allowance of opening inside.
In this instructions, I used red thread in order to explain how to make, so that sewn line can be seen clearly. Of course you need not do so. use the thread matches the fabric.

Preparing pattern pieces

Printing pattern sheets

Click on links below to view pattern sheet and print directly from the web.

For the body

For the dress

To fit the sheet to the page, narrow the spaces around the paper edges in print setting dialogbox of your browser etc. It is recommended that using the ordinary paper at first to check the size of printing.

applying a ruler

There are scale marks on the foot of the sheets so you can see the size is correct or not. In many case you can get the correct printing. But some case, the pattern may print a little small or large depending on your computer setting. if you prefer, you can enlarge or reduce the size by using a photocopier. Or using some graphic application, and to set the printing resolution as 96 dpi, they are printed correctly

Printed pattern sheetsAfter you find how to get the correct printing, print all 14 patterns on the Kent paper.

Cutting out patterns

Cut out pattern pieces from the pattern sheets, The lines to cut along are shown by marks of scissors on the sheets.

Arm, leg and shoulderFringe of those patterns are sewing lines.

Neck supportFringe of those patterns are cutting lines.

Upper and lower front bodyFringe of those patterns are cutting lines.

Back bodyFringe of those patterns are cutting lines.

Dress patternsFringe of those patterns are sewing lines.

Taping patterns

To fit the patterns on a letter size page, Some pattern pieces are split between two or three pages.

Taping togetherWhere the pattern is split, there is a label "tape together", so it will be easy to tape together the split pieces.

Taped front lower bodyTape patterns on sheets 6 and 7 together.

Taped Back bodyTape patterns on sheets 8,9 and 10 together.

Taped sleeveTape patterns on sheets 13 and 14 together.

Arms and legs

Arms and legs are consist of 5 kinds of parts. Lower legs, Upper legs, Lower arms, Upper arms, and shoulder joints.

Arms and legs Except the shoulder joints, each ways of making them are well alike. Make them each 2, For the right and the left. Before you begin, Set the stitch length on your sewing machine for the tiniest stitch.

Upper arms and Upper legs

The way of making upper arms and upper legs are just alike.

Marking fringe

Marked fabricPlace pattern pieces on double layer of fabric and draw around with marker to mark fringe.

Sewn side linesPin and sew directly along the side line which shown in bold line on the pattern.

Marking a dartTurn the fabric over and place turned pattern on unmarked side. Matching edges of the pattern to the seam lines of fabric. And mark a top line and darts on bottom.

CuttingCut out them, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.

Pin and sew a dartOpen the top and bottom. fold in the line which labeled "FOLDING LINE" on the pattern. Sew two darts on the bottom.

Each two darts are sewnSew each side of top approx. 1/4".

Sewing a ladder stitch

Pull and close openingTurn right side through the opening, Using a chopstick to turn the corners in the top ends. Lightly stuff. Turn in the seam allowance and sew a ladder stitch to close the opening.

Finished upper arm

Lower legs

Place pattern pieces on double layer of fabric and draw around with marker to mark fringe.

Sewn lower legLeaving open the top, pin and sew around along directly on the bold line at once. Because lower legs have no dart.

Cut outCut out them, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.

each sides sewnOpen the top end and fold them in the line which labeled "FOLDING LINE" on the patterns. Sew each side of top end approx. 1/4".

Turn them right side out through the opening, Using a chopstick to turn the corners in the top ends. Lightly stuff. And Turn in the seam allowance and sew a ladder stitch to close the opening.

Lower arms

Place pattern pieces on double layer of fabric and draw around with marker to mark fringe.

Sewn lower armLeaving open the center portion of top straight line. Pin and sew around along directly on the bold line.

Cut out them, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn them right side through the opening, Using a chopstick to turn the corners in the top ends. Lightly stuff. And Turn in the seam allowance and sew a ladder stitch to close the opening.

Shoulder joints

Shoulder joint is consist of 3 kinds of parts. fabric shoulder joint, plastic washer and Snap-On doll joint.

Fabric shoulder joint

A shoulder joint is a ball which is made with fabric. Cut four pieces of round fabric for two shoulder joints.

Place pattern pieces on fabric and draw around with marker to mark outline.

Marking

Mark center line of darts. Then cut out leaving 1/4" sewing allowance.

Cut out

Fold and sew two darts.

Sewn two dartsSew more two darts.

Sewn more two darts

All 4 darts are sewnRepeat this process to make four shoulder joint piece.

Sewn aroundPlace two shoulder joint piece right sides facing, matching each darts and raw edges. Pin and sew the 3/4 of the edge. leaving open 1/4 for turning.

Turned right side outUsing a chopstick, Turn them right side out through the opening. Do NOT stuff them at this time. This will be done later.

Plastic washers

Cutting off the junction portion of a document folder, make a piece or plastic sheet.

markingPlace the pattern on the plastic sheet and draw around with a oily ink marker (NOT a water soluble) and mark fringe.
Cut out along the line.

punchingUsing a punch. Hole the center of the washer. In the figure, a punch for eyelet is used. However, you can use any kinds of punch, such as a paper punch, a punch for leather etc...

Finished washerRepeat this process, to make 16 washers.

Head

Reading a instruction book enclosed in the doll parts set, prepare the plastic doll head and neck. Glue up the front head and back head. But don't glue up the head and the neck at this time. Because we use the neck to help sewing body.

Body

Her body is made of three parts. Right body, left body and neck support. Two body parts (right and left) are lightly stuffed like other (arms and legs) parts. Neck support is a only one firmly stuffed parts of her, And it prevents tottering of the head without spoiling her softness.

Back Body

Make 2 pieces of this for the right and left body.

Marking fringePlace a back body pattern on the right side of fabric, draw around with a marker and mark fringe.
It may be easy to work if paperweights are carried on a paper pattern.

CuttingCut out the back body along the line.

Place a corrugated paper sheet (used for carton box) on your working table. And check that the needle of your drawing pin is shorter than the thickness of the sheet. If long, Place more sheet so that your table may not be damaged.

Marking the right sidePlace the fabric back body piece on the pattern matching the edges of the pattern to the edges of the fabric. And stab the drawing-pins aslant and half of needle. You can see the lines drawn on the pattern through the fabric. Trace all the lines on the fabric. But dart lines are not need to do for the right side.

Marking the wrong sideRemove drawing pin and turn the fabric over on the pattern, matching the edges and pin again. This Is the wrong side of fabric. Trace the sewing line around and 7 dart lines (and center lines of darts).

Sewn dartFolding in the center line of each darts, pin and sew the darts.

All darts are sewnRepeat this for the all 7 darts.

Cutting offCut off excess fabric of a bottom dart.

Front Body

Make 2 pieces of this for the right and left body. The ways of making Front and Back bodies are alike. But to make front body, We need to Seam two pieces (upper front body and lower front body) together.

Marked upper front body

Marked lower front bodyUsing the front upper body pattern and the front lower body pattern, mark the fringe on the right side, Cut them and trace right side and wrong side, like the back body pieces.

Place the upper and lower pieces together, right sides facing, matching the bottom line of front upper body (line D-E) and the top line of front lower body piece (line D-E). The pattern shows the placement of them.

Pin center to rightAt first pin to the center of the line. And pin center to right.

Pin center to leftThen pin center to left. So that the center of each pieces are matched.

Sewing togetherSew along the line.

Sewing a dartFolding the center lines of each dart, pin and sew them.

Finished front bodyRepeat this for the all 12 darts.

Why such a lot of darts?
She keeps her form not by the shape of filled fiber but to balance the tension of fabric and pressure of filled fiber. So fabric tension needed to keep evenly by the darts.

Bodies

The left body and right body are alike. But opening for stuffing is in the different side.

Pin center of topPlace the front and the back body piece together, right side facing, matching each A (top center) position. And pin there.

A-B and A-C are sewnCarefully matching each sewing lines drawn on the right side, Pin A to B and A to C. And sew A to B and A to C along the sewing line.

Sewing C to G (front view)

C-G is sewn (back view)The same way pin and sew B to F, And C to G.

F-H-I-E is sewnClip the seam allowance at F and G of the back body. Be careful not to cut the thread.
leaving open (for one body its right side, And another one left side), Pin and sew along F-H-I-E.

Turned bodyTurn right side out. Do NOT stuff the bodies at this time. This will be done later.

Neck support

MarkingPlace a neck support pattern on the right side of fabric, Draw around with a marker and mark fringe. Cut out the neck support along the line.

Tracing on the both sidesOn the corrugated paper, place the fabric neck support piece on the paper pattern, matching each edges. And fix them with several drawing pins. Trace all lines on the fabric.
Turn the fabric over, place it on the pattern again, matching each edges, and pin. This Is the wrong side of fabric. Trace the lines on the pattern to the fabric.

Sewing a cornerPut the piece wrong side up. And roll and sew two slanted corners.

Sewing a pipe for tieFold the line which labeled "FOLDING LINE" on the pattern. And sew to make a pipe for plastic tie. Be careful not to make the pipe narrow for the tie.

Sewing bottomFold the center line right sides facing, sew the bottom line around. Be sure not to sew close the pipe.

Cutting offCut the excess fabric leaving 1/4" sewing allowance.

TurnedTurn right side out.

Inserting a tiePass the plastic tie through the pipe of neck support.

Securing plastic tieattach the plastic doll neck to the top end of neck support. In the figure, paper pipe is used instead of plastic doll neck. Pass the point of plastic tie in the hole on the other end. Pull the point and tie it. Clip the excess part of the tie.

Taping the neck

Stuffed neck supportStuff the neck support as firmly as you can through the hole of the plastic neck. Continue stuffing and fill the neck with the fiber.

NOTE:You can stuff cheap or leftover fiber only in the neck support. Because It does not affect feeling.

Tape the end of neck to close the neck opening.

Then we are going to sew to fix the filling in the neck support, So that the filling may not come out from the neck support even if the neck is removed.

Starting to sewMark a line around the bottom of the neck on the neck support. Thread a doll maker's needle. Double the thread and knot the ends. At first Make two small stitches at one side of the neck support on the marked line to secure. And insert the needle at the stitch.

Piercing throughExit needle another side. Make sure passing the needle always close to the bottom of plastic neck. Make two small stitches at the exit.

Going back the needleGo back through the neck support to exit the other side of it at sifted 1/2" from the starting position.

Repeat sewingRepeat this process until stitches go around the neck support. After you sewn around, make two stitches and tie off.

Finished neck support

Assembling

Attaching the shoulder joint

Plastic snap on doll jointIn the picture above, the left one is doll joint with Snap-On pin, and center one is washer which we don't use. Right one is locking disk. Once a Snap-On pin inserted in this, they never be taken apart.

Holing the bodyUsing awl, Hole the front upper body at "X" (labeled "Attach a shoulder joint") on the opening side.

Holing the shoulder jointHole the center of shoulder joint at "X".

Attach washersPile up four washers, And Pass the Snap-On pin of doll joint into the hole of washers.

Passing the Snap-On pinInsert doll joint and washers into the opening of the body. Exit the pin through the hole of body.

Attaching the shoulder jointAttach the shoulder joint on the body passing the Snap-On pin through the hole of shoulder joint. Insert piled up four plastic washers form the opening of the shoulder joint and pass the pin through the washers. Insert locking disk of doll joint from the opening of shoulder joint, and snap them.

StuffingStuff the shoulder joint.(stuff firmly than other parts). Turn in the seam allowance and sew a ladder stitch to close the opening.

Stuffing the body

Lightly stuff each bodies, Fold in the seam allowance of the openings and sew a ladder stitch to close.

Ladder stitching to close

Stuffed bodies

Attaching arms

Forming a triangleThere are 2 corners in the top ends of the lower arms labeled "B" on the pattern. Pull each corners and form the tip of them like triangles, To fit them to the bottom of upper arm.

PinnedPlace the tip to the bottom of upper arm at the "X" (labeled "B"), and pin.

SewnMaking several stitch sew the pinned part together, and tie off.

Side view of the arm

Front view of the arm

Bending the jointRepeat this for each corner of lower arms and lower legs to joint them.

Sewn shoulder joint

Body and armForm the corners of upper arms (labeled "A"). And attach them to the shoulder joints at the "O" (labeled "A").Pin and Stitch together like the lower arms.

Attaching each bodies and neck support

Place each bodies opening side outer, matching darts and each M-O lines on the front bodies,

Sewing front

M-O line sewnsew a ladder stitch each bodies together along the lines. And pull the thread to secure and tie it off.

Sewing back

N-P line sewnThe same way, sew and secure each N-P lines on the back bodies.

Matching "A" pointInsert Neck support between the top of bodies. Matching each dots which labeled "A" on the on the neck support and body.

Sewing A-N line

Sewn A-N lines

Sewing A-M line

Sewn A-M linesSew a ladder stitch together the front body and neck support along the each A-M lines. and each A-N lines.

The neck support is attached

Attaching legs

Form the corners of upper legs (labeled "K"). And attach them to the bottom of body at the "X" (labeled "S"). Pin and stitch together like the upper arms.

Sewing outer side of the leg

Sewing inner side of the leg

Arm and legs are attached

Attaching the head

Using Super Glue (Gel and quick type one), Glue up the head on the neck. And let dry well. Make sure that let the glue totally dry before you work them.

Attaching the headLayer two piece of adhesive paper labels, And cut out two oval pieces for eyes. Paint them with permanent ink marker, leaving highlight circle. Let dry well. Attach them on the face. You can try this until you have a pleasing face. You can use eye labels which enclosed with doll head. This case put them in the water and slide it on the face. But this case you can try only once. Thus, I recommend using paper labels for eyes. (And I think those eyes are rather large for her face.) Attach a wig on the head using a both side adhesive tape or adhesive Velcro.

Dress

A Dress is much easier to make than a doll. Take it easy. Before you begin, Set the stitch length on your sewing machine for the medium stitch.

Cutting out

Cut out six pieces for a dress. One skirt and front bodice piece, Two sleeve and back bodice pieces.

Skirt

There is no pattern for the skirt. Cut a piece that measure 14" by 48".

Back Bodice

Marking back bodicePlace pattern pieces on the fabric and draw around with marker to mark fringe. Turn over the pattern and mark more one fringe. Cut out it leaving 1/4" sewing allowance.

Sleeve and Front bodice

Read the instructions on the patterns to see the whole shape of the pieces. These patterns have only half shape of the fabric pieces. So you need to mark twice.

Marking front bodice

Marking sleeveAt first, Mark around the pattern on the fabric alike before. Turn the pattern over and place it again, matching the center line together. And draw around. Thus you've got the whole shape on the fabric. Mark gather line and elastic line J-K-J on sleeves. Then cut out leaving 1/4" sewing allowance. Make one front bodices and two sleeve pieces.

Cut pieces

Sewing up

Bodice

Hemming back bodiceHem the D-E line of the back bodice.

Sewing shoulder lineSew a front bodice and two back bodices along each shoulder line A-B, right side facing.

Preparing velcroHem the both cut edge of the Velcro.

Preparing VelcroSew up the Velcro on each back bodices. Be sure sew loop one to right side and hook one to wrong side, to fasten back.

Hemming the laceCut the lace (2" width) to measure 9". And Hem both ends.

Sew the lace

Turn and sewing againSew the lace to right side of bodice around the neck line (D-A-A-D). Turn and pull the lace flat, Press seams toward the bodice and sew around again.

Sleeves

Sewing the lace

Turning and sewing againSew the lace to the right side of cuff. Turning and pulling flat them, Press seams toward the sleeve, and sew the cuff again.

sewing the elasticPulling and lengthening the elastic, sew it to the sleeves along the J-K-J lines.

Setting sleeves

sewing the sleeve Gather the sleeve as shown in the pattern, And pin and sew to the bodice right sides facing.

Closing bodice and sleeves

sewing the sleeve Pin the side line of the front bodice and the back bodice (C-D), And Pin the bottom lines of the sleeve (C-H) Right side facing. Sew them at once along the H-C-D line.

Skirt

Hem the bottom edge of the skirt. Turn the bodice right side out.

Sewing skirt and bodice togetherEvenly gathering the skirt, Pin and Sew the bottom edge of bodice and top edge of skirt right sides facing.

How to gather evenly.

Pin-A and B both ends.

Making similar slacks, Pin-C the center of A and B.

Making similar slacks, Pin-D the center of A and C.

Making similar slacks, Pin-E the center of C and B.

Repeat this process until you get pleasing gather.

Sewing bottom of bodicePull bodice and skirt to flat them. Press seams toward the bodice, and sew the bottom of bodice.

Sewing skirt and bodice togetherTurn wrong side out. Sew the back center line of skirt. Turn right side out.

Dressing

DressingPlace the dress on the doll. And fasten Velcro at the back.

Completed!

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