Australian Homespun — June 2017

Use a very short stitch

length on the machine when

constructing the softies for

stronger, smoother seams.

A seam allowance of^11 ⁄ 4 in is

used for the clothing.

Although felt has no true right

and wrong side, sometimes

one side looks smoother than

the other, and you may wish

to favour it. The term ‘right’

side means the one that faces

out in the finished project.

Simone used Jamieson’s

Shetland Spindrift 4 ply yarns

in Yellow Ochre (230), Sholmit

(103) and Cloud (764).

Instructions are given for

using the printed Pattern

Sheet in the magazine,

but you can also download

the digital patterns from

http://www.homespun.net.au and

print them out.

OLGA

Preparation and cutting

1

Trace the shapes for the doll and

clothing from the Pattern Sheet

onto paper, label them and transfer all

the markings. Cut them out carefully

on the lines. To use the patterns

(except the skirt pocket), pin them

to the relevant fabrics and cut around

the edges of the shapes accurately.

2

From the blush pink wool felt, cut:

• Two body shapes


• Two head shapes


• Two arm shapes and two in reverse.

3

From the rusty red wool felt, cut:

• One hair front shape


• One hair back shape.

4

From the sky blue wool felt, cut:

• One headscarf shape.

5

From the black wool felt, cut:

• Two boot shapes and two
  in reverse


• Two sole shapes.

6

From the charcoal grey wool

felt, cut:

• Two heel patch shapes and two
  in reverse.

7

From the sky blue fl oral print

fabric, cut:

• One strip,^3 ⁄ 4 x 11in (headscarf trim)


• One strip,^3 ⁄ 4 x 14in (headscarf trim)


• One blouse front shape


• One blouse back shape and one
  in reverse
  
  
  • One blouse neck facing
    shape.
  
  
  
  

8

From the pale grey pinstripe

linen, cut:

• One rectangle, 8 x 16in (skirt)


• One strip, 1^1 ⁄ 2 x 9in (waistband)


• Two strips, 1^1 ⁄ 2 x 6in (straps).

Doll construction

9

With right sides together, fold

each head shape along the

marked foldline and machine stitch

along the edges of both darts,

reversing at the edges.

10

Open out the two head shapes

and match them, right sides

and darts matching. Stitch around

the edge of the head, leaving it open

at the bottom where marked (near

the shorter dart).

11

Turn the head right side out and

stuff it very fi rmly with fi bre fi ll.

As a guide, the circumference of the

head when stuffed should be about

24.5cm (9^1 ⁄ 2 in).

12

Mark the position of the eyes

with pins where indicated

on the pattern. Using light pink

upholstery thread, attach the eyes

according to the manufacturer’s

instructions. Anchor the thread

inside the head.

13

Using two strands of black

embroidery thread, straight

stitch an eyelash on the outer side

of each eye and then blush the

cheeks lightly with cosmetic blush

to complete the face.

14

Match the two body shapes,

right sides together, and

machine stitch all the way around,

leaving openings at one side and the

bottom of the legs where marked.

Snip the seam allowance at the

crotch and turn the body and legs

right side out. Stuff the body and legs

very fi rmly, pushing more fi lling up

through the legs so they are very fi rm.

The body circumference should be

about 23.5cm (9in) in the hip area.

15

Make a small indent in the

stuffi ng by pushing a fi nger into

the opening of the head. Push the

neck of the body inside the head. Hold

it in place with pins while you ladder

stitch it securely in place with light

pink upholstery thread, tucking under

the raw edge of the felt as you go.

16

With right sides together, sew

the arms together in pairs,

leaving openings where shown. Turn

them right side out, stuff them fi rmly

with fi bre fi ll and stitch the openings

closed neatly with matching thread.

17

Using a long doll needle and

doubled light pink upholstery

thread, stitch the arms to the sides of

the shoulders as shown in Diagram 1.

Diagram 1

SIMONE’S FABRIC TIP I used 100% wool felt

for this design and I strongly recommend you use very

high-quality wool felt as poor-quality or synthetic felt won’t

withstand the strain caused by small seam allowances,

tight turning of shapes and the firm stuff ing required.

SIMONE’S VARIATION TIPS If you wish,

you can make Olga’s body+legs in a diff erent colour felt

from flesh pink (used for the arms and head) so that it looks

like she’s wearing tights. Crumpet’s legs can be stitched to

the body in a sitting or standing position, as you prefer.