Boho rag doll

Amanda Walker's super-stylish doll is great fun to make and is sure to be treasured by its recipient for many years to come. We love her cheeky woollen pigtails and funky dungarees. If you have time, why not whip her up a shopping bag from scraps of fabric and cord to complete the look?

Essentials

Fabric: soft washed denim; cotton lawn, floral; gingham, yellow, red; spotty, red; cotton jersey, white, flesh; linen, floral
Ribbons, assorted
Cord, white
Buttons
Safety toy filling
Popper
Brown wool

Dimensions List

Approx 15cm x 52cm

Dolly body

Using the pattern pieces: from cotton jersey, cut four arms and two pairs of each of the remaining pattern pieces for the doll. From pale blue felt, cut two shoes and two soles. From the denim fabric, cut one pair of the dungaree pieces. From the floral fabric, cut one pair of the contrast turnups, one of the facing and one pocket. Cut one T-shirt piece from white jersey.
Divide the leg pieces into two and stitch together from the top, around the feet, and back up to the top, with a 3mm seam-allowance. Clip around the feet, then turn the legs to the right side. Stuff each with the filling, being careful not to distort the leg shape. Match the back seams to the centre front seams and stitch across the tops.
Take the four arm pieces and divide into two. Stitch around the edges, clip into the thumb, turn to the right side and stuff. Close the opening at the top of the arms.
Stitch the centre front and centre back body seams together and the two darts in the base of the back body. Match then stitch the front and back shoulders and across the top of the neck.
Position the arms at the side of each shoulder on the front body and stitch in place. Repeat this process with the legs, positioning them on the outer edges of the base of the front body. Cross the two arms over one another. Match and stitch the back body side seams to the front seams.
Turn the body to the right side through the gap at the back base of the body; the arms will fold out to the sides. Position a small strip of card inside the neck and down the centre back seam. Carefully stuff the body a little more solidly than the limbs. Hand slip stitch the gap at the base of the body closed, being careful to cover the entire seam allowance from the tops of the legs.
Mark the facial features onto the head piece. Stitch the two pieces together, leaving the top open; turn the head to the right side and stuff. Fold in the raw edges on the top. Close the seam with running stitch, gathering up the top of the head as you sew.
Embroider the eyes in blue thread and the mouth in pink. Hand stitch the head to the front of the neck, which should extend up the back of the head; the stitching will be covered when the hair is sewn in place. You may need to make a couple of invisible stitches through the neck and into the chin.

Dungarees

Stitch the centre front seam together with a 3mm seam allowance and press open. Cut two 12cm ribbons and pin to corners of the bib. Position the facing onto the right side of the top of the dungarees, stitch along the top edge; clip around the curves, turn bib to right side and press.
Position pocket onto the bib and stitch in place. Position turn ups then stitch in place. Stitch centre back seams together and up into the facing. Match and stitch the inside legs and turn ups together. Turn the dungarees to the right side.

T-shirt

Cut along the centre back of the T-Shirt piece. Cut a 1cm strip of white jersey, fold it in half lengthways, stitch around the neck. Fold the shirt along the shoulder seams matching together the under arm and side seams and stitch. Turn the shirt to the right side and roll up the cuffs. To complete stitch a popper to the back neck.

Shoes

Stitch the darts into the fronts of the shoes then stitch the back seams of the shoes together and turn to the right side. Stitch the soles to the shoes. Cut two 8cm lengths of blue gingham ribbon. Stitch one end to the inside of the shoes and the other end to the outside with a small button to form the straps for the shoes.

Make the doll’s hair

l. Wind brown wool around card, 35cm wide until it measures 10cm. Remove the wool from the card and stitch through the centre of the hank; this will be the centre parting for the hair.

Position the hair onto the head and hand stitch in place along the machine line. For the fringe repeat the process on a card, 8cm wide. Wind the yarn around to 6cm, remove and stitch through the centre. Sew to the front of head. Cut through all the loops in the yarn.
Divide each side of the hair into three and plait, trim ends and secure each one with a bow. Lay plait over the head then hand stitch in place.