Shoebox: Yarn Doll

But that's not all. Kathy also gave us permission to copy all the how-to directions for making the basic doll AND print the directions for the crocheted dress and wings as well. Kathy is indeed a kind and generous person and I thank her profusely. The following directions are copied exactly from Kathy's booklet.

Note: You may recognize the basic directions for making the doll as some you remember from your childhood. The construction is pretty much the same, but it is Kathy's generous use of yarn that makes the tremendous difference. Don't skimp.

Materials:

Red Heart Super Saver Skeins*:
- one soft white for doll
- one bright yellow (or your choice) for dress
- one warm brown or buff for hair
- one white for wings
G crochet hook
ribbon to match or coordinate with dress
tiny ribbon roses for accent
poly-fill stuffing the size of a cotton ball
7-1/2" x 3-1/2" sturdy cardboard

*Super Saver Skeins are 8 oz. and can make more than one doll.

Note: Kathy used white yarn. The doll pictured was made with light tan.

1. Wind soft white yarn around the length of the cardboard 150 times (figure A).

2. Cut the yarn at the bottom (figure B) and remove the cardboard. Note: I inserted a length of yarn at the end of the board and tied it before cutting the yarn at the other end.

3. Lay out straight and tie in the center with another piece of yarn (figure C).

4. Fold in half and insert a small piece of stuffing about the size of a cotton ball between the front half and the back half (figure D).

5. Hold the halves together and tie a piece of yarn around to form the head (figure E).

6. Separate the yarn below the head in half again. Where the front and back halves of the head meet should be at the sides of the doll.

7. With soft white, wind yarn around the width of the cardboard 100 times.

8. Cut the yarn at the bottom, remove from cardboard and lay out straight.

9. Tie the yarn at each end to form hands.

10. Insert this piece below the head to form the arms and hands (figure F).

11. Tie yarn around doll under the arms to form waist. Note: Wherever I have to tie with another piece of yarn such as around the head, I always tie the yarn in back and make the ends long enough so they can be added into the rest of the doll.

12. Separate the remaining yarn evenly to form legs and tie each leg at the end to form feet (figure G).

13. Trim excess yarn at hands and feet to resemble pompoms.

To make the dress: With G crochet hook and bright yellow yarn, chain 22 to begin the skirt. Join with a slip stitch to form a ring. Ch 1.
Round 1. Two sc sts in each chain around. (44 sc). Join with a sl st. Ch 3.
Round 2. Two dc in each sc around (88 sts). Join. Ch 3
Round 3. Two dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc around (132 dc). Join, ch 3.
Round 4. Work even in dc. Join. Ch 3.
Round 5. Work even in dc., Join. Ch 1.
Round 6. Work even in sc. Join. Ch 3
Round 7. *Skip 1 sc, sl st. in next sc, ch 3. Continue pattern from * to end. Sl st at bottom of first ch 3. End off.

For the top of the dress: Attach yarn in top of beginning chain of skirt so that the back joining seam of the skirt will be centered when 11 single crochets are worked across the front. Work 4 rows in 11 single crochets. On Row 5, chain 3, skip 1 sc, slip st. in next sc. Work until end. Note: This row is uneven. Ch 2, sl st in last sc. End off. Work the back half of the top the same.

To make the wings (make two): With white, ch 2. 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook Join with sl st. Ch 3.
Round 1. 2 dc in each sc around (12 sc). Join. Ch 3.
Round 2. 2 dc in each dc around (24 dc). Join. Ch 1
Round 3 *Sc in first dc, 3 dc in next dc. Continue pattern from * until end. Join with a sl st in first sc. End off.

To make the hair: Wind warm brown yarn around index and middle fingers 5 times. Slip off fingers and tie piece of yarn around middle to form loops. Make enough to cover head.

To assemble doll: Weave in all the loose ends. To add underwear, sew a seam on one side and slop over one leg. Sew the other side seam while on the doll. (I always stitch around the waist of the doll to make sure the underwear won't fall off.)
Slip the dress on the doll from the legs up. Sew dress at the top of each arm where the shoulders would be. Tie yellow ribbon around the waist in front into a bow and sew a yellow ribbon rose in center of bow. For hair, sew loops around head. When finished, sew two yellow ribbon roses on side of head. For wings: Weave yellow ribbon around round 2 of circle. Tie into a bow and sew a yellow ribbon rose in center of bow. Fold circle in half and sew halfway up. Sew to back of dress opened, scalloped edges facing out.