Chapter 6. Modeled Rag Dolls

Sometimes ago a special kind of doll came to this country from Italy. These dolls were so beautiful that grownups bought them just to look at. They could sit on dressing tables and beds in the most lifelike way. Some of these dolls live in dolls* houses and delight hundreds of little girls who are lucky enough to own them.

Made entirely of felt (which means that they are really rag dolls!), they have fat, dimpled arms and legs, and adorable faces. Despite the fact that the heads are made of the same felt as the bodies, the faces are rounded and modeled like those of the bisque dolls. There is a very special manufacturing trick involved in making these faces which the home doll-maker can never duplicate. But the charming roundness of the rest of the doll serves as an inspiration in making a more realistic rag doll.

By cutting out the arms, legs, body, and head individually, it is possible to get the realistic shape which is so attractive. The head is made from three separate pieces. It is quite round and even has a cute little snub-nosed profile.

How to Make a Realistic Rag Doll

The patterns necessary for this doll are shown below. The arms and legs are cut in "profile" which results in the seams being along the center front and back of each leg instead of at the sides. One hardly notices these seams when the stuffing has been put in. The body shape is very natural looking.

The head pattern calls for two pieces for the front and one piece for the back. The center seam which runs down the front of the face makes it possible to give the doll a real profile. When firmly stuffed, this seam is hardly visible.

Trace and transfer the pattern to heavy paper. Use fine, firmly woven cotton material to make the doll. Pin each pattern piece to a double thickness of the material. Trace around the outside edge of the pattern. Remove the pattern and baste the two pieces together to keep them from slipping out of place while the final stitching is being put in.

PATTERN FOR BONNIE. 1. BODY: cut two. 2. FACE: cut two. 3. LEGS: cut four. 4. ARMS: cut four.5. FOOT BOTTOM: cut two. 6. BACK OF HEAD: cut one.

Bonnies arms and legs are sewn down flat to body as shown. Use tiny backstitches and strong thread.

Sew along the pencil outline, either by hand with backstitches, or on the machine. Cut the piece out about 1/8 in. outside the line of sewing. Turn the piece inside out. Finish the arms, legs, and body before doing the head.

Stuff each section just as firmly as possible, using either absorbent cotton or wool batting. The drawings show how to place the arms and legs against the body. Turn in top edges of the arms and legs and hem them to the body. Set the stitches close together to make a strong seam. Secure the end of the sewing so that there is no possible danger of it starting to rip out.

Sew the two front pieces of the head together with the tiniest of backstitches. This line of sewing must be perfectly straight and even. When the seam is finished, turn the piece inside out.

The pattern for the head shows exactly where to place the eyes and mouth. Punch pinholes along the lines showing the eyes and mouth on the pattern. A sharp-pointed pencil tip will just fit into each hole. Lay the face piece flat on the table and fit the paper pattern on it so the edge of the pattern exactly matches the seam line of the face. Put the pencil point into each pinhole and make a dot on the cloth. These dots will guide you in embroidering or painting the features. The face should be put on before the front of the face is joined to the back head piece.

Head

Sew the face and back of head together, leaving the bottom open for stuffing. If the back circle is a little too large, shirr the edge slightly to make it fit. Turn it right side out. Roll a tiny bit of cotton into a ball and place it in the nose to accentuate it. Place a large flat piece of cotton inside and against the face. Stuff the rest of the head tightly and smoothly.

Push a 2-in. piece of lollipop stick halfway up into the head, and halfway down into the chest. This will keep the head from wobbling. When the head is sitting firmly on the shoulders (and right in the middle), sew the bottom of the neck to the body. The edge of the fabric must be turned in, of course, before sewing. Use thread that matches the color of the material and make the tiniest stitches possible so that, if the doll ever wears a low-necked dress, the seam will be practically invisible.

Hair

You can make your own wig like the ones in chapter 5 or buy a commercially made wig from a doll hospital. They are attractive, and not expensive. They can be sewn or glued on. If you buy a wig, take the doll with you to be sure you get the right size.

Shoes

At the same time, you might be able to get a pair of shoes to fit the doll. If they're a trifle too big, the toes of them can always be stuffed with a bit of cotton. However, if you want to make your own shoes, the pattern for them is given below.

'Bonnie's shoe pattern. Cut two soles and two uppers. Put shoes together by sewing the bottom edge of the upper to the outside edge of sole with small overcast stitches. Cap A over B and sew down. Trim with bows.

Clothes

Now she looks so real you will want to name her. Let's call her Bonnie.

The patterns for Bonnie's dress and apron (last picture of this chapter) are simple and easy to follow. The dress closes in the back and will need some kind of a fastening to hold it together. The smallest size snap fastener is best for this purpose.

A pretty little hat would complete her costume. You could buy a straw one and trim it to suit yourself, or make one from the same material you used for the jacket. Lay the hat pattern as below on a double thickness of material. Cut it out. Cover the one brim with a thin coat of Duco cement and fit the second brim on top of it. Wipe away any cement which may ooze out from between the two brims. When the cement dries, the brim will be stiff and will hold its shape well. The cement also keeps the edges from fraying. Cut along the solid line on pattern. Lap A over B until the edge meets the dotted line. Secure the lapped part with a few tiny stitches. Set a narrow ribbon around the hat as shown and tie it in a tiny bow at center back. Let long ends stream down.

Bonnie is a fine-looking doll, isn't she? Her chubby legs and graceful arms are as close to a real-little-girl shape as one could want. Her face is pert and attractive and her outfit as good-looking as your own Sunday best.

In case you may want to take her out in the rain with you, why not make her a raincape?

Raincape

Cut a circle from red shower-curtain plastic (you can buy it in the dime store, and 1/2 yd. will do). Use a dinner plate as a guide. Fold the circle in half and in half again. Cut off the point and cut from the bottom up to the neckline. If the neckline is too small, trim it to the desired size. A tiny snap fastener will hold the cape together. Sew it on with matching thread, up close to the neckline. A rain hood is easily made by cutting an oblong 4 in. by 3 in. from the same plastic. Fold it in half the long way and sew from the fold down to the bottom, close along the edge. This makes the back seam. Turn the hood right side out. Turn the front edge back 1/4 in., on the right side, and tack it in place. That's all there is to making a rain hood. It doesn't have to be sewn to the neckline of the cape, though it can be if you want it that way.

Costume Changes

The same kind of cape and hood, cut from red sateen or flannel, would give Bonnie a Red Riding Hood costume. This time, the hood must be sewn to the neckline of the cape. She can wear it over her regular dress, but give her a little white apron to wear, too. A piece of white lawn or handkerchief linen will make a nice apron. Cut it so that it's 4 in. wide and 21/2 in. long. Make narrow hems at each side and a 1/4-in. hem along the bottom. Gather the top until it is about 21/2 in. wide. A piece of white tape 8 in. long will do for the waistband and strings. Sew the apron to the center section of the waistband. Tie the strings in back in a perky bow.

You can make Bonnie an ankle-length dress of black cotton, give her a longer white apron without the ruffled bib top, add a triangular white organdie neck scarf, and you will have the beginnings of a French Provincial costume. Make a large black bow with long ends and pin it to the top of her head. Give her five or six necklaces, each of different color beads, and put a wide red belt around her waist under the apron. Bonnie will now have to change her name to La Belle Marie.

BONNIE'S DRESS AND APRON PATTERNS. Shirr along dotted lines at top and bottom of sleeves, top of skirt, and top of apron skirt. Set sleeves into bodice. Sew up side seams. Join to skirt. "Hem skirt. Sew on sleeve bands at bottom. Hem neckline and back opening. Hem sides and bottom of apron. Join apron front to center of belt along belt's dotted line. Join apron skirt to belt. Put on shoulder ruffles along dotted line each side of apron front.

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