Meet Molly the Waldorf Inspired Doll

Every year I try to make my kids something for their birthdays.  This year, I made Molly for my daughter.  I've been obsessively researching how to make these Waldorf/Steiner style cloth dolls for a couple of years now.  There is something so endearing about them.  This is the first doll I've ever made and I needed to talk myself into it.  Shaping the head is like nothing I've ever seen before.  It was definitely a process and very satisfying in the end.  I had her *almost* finished for last year's birthday, but I ran out of creative steam and time.  Poor Molly still needed hair and clothes.

The doll skin is a very fine cotton interlock that I bought here.  She's stuffed with carded wool stuffing from here.  Her hair is a mix of three different yarns I picked out at a local yarn shop.    Even though I had a pattern, making the clothes was the hardest for me to do.  The fabric for her pinafore is Pam Kitty Morning from here, and the pants are upcyled from my daughter's old shirt.

See the little rosebud at the neckline?  I cut a skinny strip (pinky sized) of tshirt, folded it in half and rolled it up.  A few hand stitches hold it in place.

Here are some of the books and websites that I found helpful.  If you have any favorite patterns or hints for making dolls I'd love to hear.  I'm already planning on making another one.  : )

BOOKS:

1. Making Waldorf Dolls by Maricristin Sealey
2. Making Dolls by Sunnhild Reinckens
3. The Doll Book by Karin Neuschutz

ONLINE TUTORIALS:

• Forming the Head
• Tips for a smooth neck
• Doll Hair Tutorial