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You'll never know what happened to that missing sock , but now you know what to do with its other half. A few "orphan" socks from your laundry room can be made into a soft, huggable new doll .
Steps
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1Select three socks to make your doll. They can be any size, but keep in mind that any pattern or logo on them will also be on the doll, so solid colored, lightly worn socks are best for this project.
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2Stuff an ankle sock and stitch up the hem . You could also use a regular sock and just cut off the top.
- The toe becomes the head, the heel becomes the rear end.
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4Mark the vertical center line to designate legs (with slightly rounded "toes" as shown).
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5Sew approximately a quarter inch from the center line on each side. Go up one side and down the other, rounding the toes. Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) towards the top. Don't go all the way up.
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6Turn this right side out, stuff and stitch the top closed. These are your doll's legs.
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7Sew together the hems (closed openings) of the two socks .
- As you sew , make sure that the legs and the rear end are at natural angles.
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1Use buttons , beads , googly eyes, yarn and markers to make the doll's face.
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2Add yarn hair. Wrap 30 or so strands of yarn around something sturdy that is approximately a foot wide.
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3Place a strip of felt under the yarn, perpendicular to the wrap direction.
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4Hand baste the yarn strands to the felt strip.
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7Trim the felt strip ends.
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10Embellish with embroidery if you wish.
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11Clothe your doll if desired. This can be done by sewing something out of your fabric stash or purchasing appropriately sized doll clothes. Or, you could make the clothes so that they can be taken on and off easily.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWould this doll be washable?Lindy TaylorCommunity AnswerThe sock part would be washable, but it would be inadvisable to put it in the washing machine. If you MUST wash the whole thing, gently hand-washing it would probably work, taking care not to tangle the yarn up.
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QuestionWhat should I do if I don't have a sewing machine?Community AnswerYou can sew by hand. If you don't have a needle and thread laying about, consider purchasing a small sewing kit.
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QuestionHow can I make it without a needle?Community AnswerReally the only alternative to your basic needle and thread is a sewing machine.
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Tips
- Felt makes a good doll clothing material because it does not require hemming.Thanks
- Make sure to practice drawing the marker on paper before you put it on the face, because you might not be able to take it off.Thanks
- Make a family of dolls of different sizes or start a collection. This can encourage imagination to create 'housing' and writing to write about their 'lives'.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Adding decorations can be fun and make your doll stand out, but keep in mind that adding too many decorations can make it uncomfortable to hold.
- You don't need to stop at dolls: you can also use these techniques to make animals too!
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Warnings
- If you plan to give your doll to a small child, consider using only embroidered facial features, as glued on or sewn on buttons can come loose and become a choking hazard.Thanks
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Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Three ankle (or trimmed regular) socks, preferably of one color
- Scraps of cloth
- Cotton or polyester for stuffing
- Sewing equipment- needles, thread, scissors, optional sewing machine.
- Beads, buttons, markers, googly eyes,and/or yarn
About This Article
Article Summary
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To make a sock doll, start by stuffing an ankle sock and stitching up the hem, which will be the body and head of your doll. Then, cut a second sock in half, stuff each half, and sew up the seams to make the legs. Repeat with a smaller section of a sock to make the arms for your doll. Next, sew the arms and legs to the body and sew a piece of thread around the base of the head to make the neck. Finally, decorate your doll with buttons for eyes, thread for hair, and any other embellishments you'd like to add. To learn how to make yarn hair for your sock doll, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I have been looking for these directions for a long time. I used to make them for baby showers, but I forgot how to do them. That was when I was younger. I am now 91 years old, and I just couldn't remember the details. " ..." more
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"I have been looking for these directions for a long time. I used to make them for baby showers, but I forgot how to do them. That was when I was younger. I am now 91 years old, and I just couldn't remember the details. "
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"I loved this article on simple cloth dolls. I have just began doll making, and I am thrilled with the learning process. This article was informative and factual. Thank you."
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"Wow. This method works great. I made a doll, took it all apart, and still could use it as a sock. Thank you, wikiHow, for your creative thinking. Love you!"
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"I created 2 sock dolls in a couple of hours that turned out really cute for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes!"
"Thank you so much! This is a great idea and we had so much fun making and playing with the dolls!"
