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Here is an Easy Pattern to make Crocheted Dolls! Children LOVE dolls! They love something to cuddle, take care of, and sleep with. These folk dolls are very soft and huggable.
Hannah Ruth, is a lovely two-year old girl. I spotted her cheerfully cuddling her new baby doll from her shoebox. Her mother told me that Hannah had found a ragged doll with a broken head in a garbage bag. She had brought it home and used to place it beside her when she slept.
How happy she was when she received a brand new doll today. Her whole family was amazed at how God answered that little desire of Hannah’s heart. They were reminded once again that truly God can hear every word, thought, and desire. Even the slightest whisper of a child, He can decipher.
Such a sweet story isn’t it? That was observed during an Operation Christmas Child distribution of shoebox gifts. Doesn’t it touch your heart? It makes me want to give every child a doll to hug and hold!
I think it is an EASY pattern – with only SINGLE CROCHET as the stitches! These crocheted dolls could be for boys or girls. Don’t overstuff them! They seem more huggable and soft when just a little “under” stuffed.
Would you like to add an “I made this with LOVE just for YOU” tag? Free printable tags HERE.
There are several variations you can do to make each doll unique. You can extend the body color to the arms, just changing the tips to look like hands through a sleeve or with the legs to look like pants. Use up all your bits and scraps wherever your imagination takes you! Fancy eyelash, pom-pom, variegated or other fun yarns could simulate belts, skirts, etc. With my craft ADD, I’m unable to make 2 that look alike. Without faces they are considered “folk dolls” but you can add eyes or a mouth if you prefer.
INSTRUCTIONS to Make Crocheted Dolls:
Use a Size G/6/4mm crochet hook – It is important to use a small hook! (Like THESE from Amazon.) Otherwise, the spaces between the stitches are too wide and expose the stuffing, and the doll’s surface isn’t as smooth. A medium-weight yarn is preferred (I always use Red Heart like THIS ONE from Amazon.)
Read the INSTRUCTIONS below, OR CLICK HERE TO PRINT THEM to save for later!
HEAD for Crocheted Dolls
- Round 1: Chain 4, join with slip stitch in the first chain to form a ring, then make 6 single crochet in the ring, slip stitch join in beginning stitch. (6 sc or single crochet)
- Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join in beg sc. (12 sc)
- Round 3: Ch 1 (2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc) 6 times, join in beg sc. (18 sc)
- Round 4: Ch 1 (2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next 2 sc) 6 times, join in beg sc. (24 sc)
- Round 5-9: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, join in beg sc.
- Round 10: Ch 1, (sc decrease –(meaning skip ) in first 2 sc, sc in each of the next 2 sc) 6 times, join in beg sc. (18 sc)
- Round 11 and 12: Repeat Round 5.
- Round 13: Ch 1, sc decrease in first 2 sc, sc in next sc, (sc dec in next 2 sc, sc in next sc) 5 times. – Fasten off. (12 sc)
ARMS for Crocheted Dolls – Make 2
- Round 1: Chain 4, join in the first ch to form a ring, 6 sc in ring, join in beg sc. (6 sc)
- Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join in beg sc. (12 sc)
- Round 3: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, join in beg sc.
- Rounds 4-12: Repeat round 3. At end of last round, fasten off.
LEGS for Crocheted Dolls – Make 2
- Same as the arms, just make 15 rows instead of 12.
BODY for Crocheted Dolls
- Round 1: ch 25, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each remaining chain across, and join to form a circle. (24 sc)
- Round 2-12: Ch 1, sc in each sc around and join.
- Round 13-18: Ch 1, sc in most sc around, just decrease each row by 2 sc….so row 18 will be 12 sc.
- Fasten off. This makes a tube that is wider at one end (by the legs) and narrower at the top (for the head).
ASSEMBLE the Crocheted Dolls:
- Stuff each part, not too tightly, as this keeps it cuddly. I use a chopstick to get the stuffing into the hands and feet.
- Stitch every single part closed – I prefer to use thread–even using white thread on dark wool is fine. The thread will nestle down into the yarn, unseen, but will hold really tight. You could even use thin dental floss…it is unbreakable!
- Assemble. By stitching them closed before assembling, the arms and legs are more bendable and huggable and don’t just stick stiffly straight out.
Once you get the hang of this, they do work up fairly quickly. And you can use up all your yarn scraps left from other projects. These crocheted dolls are perfect for children in your own family and make extra to donate for shoebox appeals, foster care programs, or even for first responder programs (to give to children in distress).
(P.S. Autumn had an idea of making little circles of fleece, cutting a little x or hole in the center, and making a new sew skirt!)
These are so cute! Perfect for all little kids! Thanks for sharing the details on how to make them!
XO-Lisa
That’s amazing that you can crochet the doll in single crochet! Thanks for your post! I’d love to have you to guest post for my blog. Email me. 🙂
Thank you Amy! And I checked out your blog and LOVE IT! I would be very interested – and I have emailed you 🙂
I love this idea. I’m working on the head right now and ran into a question. On round 10, if you skip 2 and sc in 2 six times that ends up with 12 stitches. Your pattern says 18. Which is correct?