Handmade clothes and a yarn hairstyle complete this beautiful stitched dolly

What you need...

• Fabric, cotton: pale pink, FQ; Art Gallery Fabrics, Bijoux Bohemian Charms, Cream; Floral Elements, Sunflower; Nature Elements, Blue Green, Hot Pink
  Stuffing, polyester
  Thread, Embroidery
  Yarn
  Needle, knitting
  Shirring elastic
  Snap fasteners

instructions

1. To Stitch The Dolly - 1 Using the downloadable templates, cut two body shapes from pink cotton fabric,then sew together with a 5mm seam allowance, leaving a 5cm gap for turning. Clip all curves, then turn out.
   
   2 Begin stuffing the legs, using a knitting needle to push the fibres into position. Once complete, move onto the knees, sewing across them with embroidery thread and a fairly taut running stitch to create a joint.
   
   3 Continue to fill the thighs and torso, creating joints at the top of the leg and waist to allow the doll to bend. Next, stuff the head quite firmly and push plenty of wadding into the neck to keep the doll's head upright. Once complete, fold in the raw edges and oversew closed.
   
   4 Cut four arms from pink fabric using the templates. Stitch together in pairs leaving a gap along one side of the upper arms. Turn out and firmly stuff, jointing the arms at the elbows in the same way as for the legs, then sew the gap closed. Create a thumb by backstitching a short line through each hand.
   
   5 Oversew the tops of the arms to the shoulders, checking the thumbs are pointing in the right direction. Use a soft pencil to lightly mark facial features. Sew over the marks using three strands of embroidery thread, securing the ends at the back. Create a hairstyle with yarn and use satin stitch to secure it to the head.

2. Panelled Skirt - 1 Sew a 5mm hem along one long edge of hot pink Nature Elements fabric, 3.5cm x 60cm. Work running stitch along the opposite side and gather until it measures 40cm long.
   
   2 Stitch a long edge of cream Bijoux Bohemian Charms fabric, 5.5cm x 40cm, to the gathered side of the first strip with right sides together. Turn out, press the seam and topstitch over the work to neaten. Gather the unstitched long edge of the fabric to a width of 30cm.
   
   3 Cut a strip of sunflower Floral Elements fabric, 5.5cm x 30cm, stitch to the previous length, then gather to 23cm. Attach and gather a 5.5cm x 23cm panel of blue green Floral Elements print to 19cm. Fold the tiered layers in half and sew up the back seam, lining up the fabrics neatly. Fold and stitch the raw edges by 5mm to create neat seams.
   
   4 For the waistband, sew a 3cm x 19cm strip of fabric to the top gathered edge of the skirt with right sides facing. Turn out and fold the raw edge and both short sides under by 5mm, then fold in half over the top edge and slip stitch down. Add a snap fastener to each side of the back of the waistband.

3. Floral Blouse - 1 Cut one front, two back and two sleeve pieces from floral fabric. Stitch the back pieces to the front at the side seams, with right sides facing. Fold under by 5mm and hem the long bottom edge, the two sides and areas of neckline between the armholes.
   
   2 Fold the two arm pieces in half with right sides together, then stitch the long seam and turn out. Line the underarm seam up with the side seam of the blouse and sew together, stopping at the neckline. Fold in the raw edge of the remaining portion of the sleeve and hem.
   
   3 Fix a strip of matching fabric, 6cm x 9cm, to the end of the sleeve, as for the waistband, to create a wide cuff. Add pleats to the end of the sleeve, if necessary, to fit the cuff. Repeat for the other side.
   
   4 Check the fit of the blouse on the doll. Add a pleat to the centre-front of the neckline to prevent it from gaping, then decorate with a single button.
   Sew snap fasteners to the back of the blouse.

4. Gathered Shoes - 1 Cut four shoes from blue green Nature Elements fabric. Sew in pairs with right sides facing. Fold the top edge in by 5mm and work with small running stitch.
   
   2 Sew running stitch in a narrow horseshoe shape around the front of the shoe, using all six strands, then tie the loose ends at either side into neat bows to gather and create a 'v' at the front of the shoe.