Jointed Waldorf Doll Sew Along

Body - Part 3

19. Cut out the arms, legs and body.  Sew around the entire arm and leg, leaving no opening.  Sew the body with a hole at the top big enough for the neck to fit in. 

20. Then on each arm and leg, on one side only (and make sure you do this on opposites sides for each leg and each arm, otherwise you'll end up with 2 left arms, or 2 right legs, etc. I've done this a few times, lol), make a small cut as seen in the picture above, this is for turning it right side out. Turn all the pieces right side out.

21. Begin stuffing the arms and legs, using small bits at the thumbs, hands and feet, and larger bits as you go up the arms and legs.  I like to use a knitting needle as a stuffing tool to make sure I get a firm stuffing.  Continue stuffing all the way up, a small bit may stick out of the hole you have cut, but it should be easy to stuff back in when you sew.

22. Taking flesh colored thread to match your skin tone knit and a small sharp needle, begin whipstitching the openings closed on the arms and legs. When I whipstitch it closed, I take small close stitches so that I can fold the raw edges inward for a nicer look.

23. Begin stuffing the body, making sure it's firm, but leave an opening in the stuffing down the center so that the head/neck can be inserted into it. Insert the head/neck combo, and then fluff the stuffing around the neck so that it's surrounded by stuffing all the way around.  Sometimes the top of the body is a little loose and needs more stuffing to be firm, so I use my knitting needle and stuff small bits around the neck to give it a firmer look.

24. Begin sewing the neck all the way around with small tight whipstitches using the flesh colored thread and small sharp needle. 

25. Attaching the arms.  I like to use upholstery thread, it's a very strong nylon and this thread needs to be able to be pulled very tightly, and you don't want it breaking.  Another option is using fishing line, but I've found it's very difficult to keep tied in good knots. Find were you like to place the arms, I usually place them fairly close to the neck area. 

26. I use the large dollmaking needle and knot the ends of the thread together.  Then I insert the needle into the first arm, about 3/4 to 1 inch below the top near the whipstitched seam, and out the other side as shown in the picture.  I make sure to get a good bit of stuffing in front of it so that it is anchored good and won't tear out of the arm.

27. After inserting needle into first arm, I then insert the needle through the body, I do this just a bit behind the body seam, to come out exactly the same place on the opposite side, then insert the needle into the other arm, gathering a bit of stuffing just as before to anchor the thread, and out the other side of the arm.  Then back into the body, this time just a bit in front of the body seam and out the other side in the same place.  I then reinsert the needle back into the first arm in the spot where the knot from the thread is and start again.  Keep the thread loose through the arms and body during this.  I do this approximately 3-4 times, usually 3 is sufficient. 

28. Then I finish at the same place where I first inserted the needle, the knotted end of the thread should be there, then I pull all the threads very, very tight.  Sometimes all the threads don't tighten in all the spots, so I have to pull threads here and there to finally get a tight fit.  As you tighten, the arms will pull into the body, and the body will smoosh at the arms just a bit as the arms sort of come into the body.  Then I tie off the threads with the knotted end about 3 times.  

29.  Attaching the legs.  The legs are just like the arms.  For placement I like to place them so I know the body can be sit with the legs out in front.  I usually place them up on the sides slightly above where the body is starting to round downward, if that makes sense.

In this picture, if you look at the legs, the right leg is placed more where I put the legs on the body, while the left leg is a bit too low because it's kind of dangling due to loose threads.

30.  Here is the finished view of the arms and legs.

31. Next I complete the belly button and bottom. I use a smaller needle, roughly 3 inch dollmaking needle and flesh colored thread. I double the thread so that it's stronger.  Insert the needle into where you want the locate the belly button, then pull it through the body and out the top of where you want to start the bum, then down to the crotch and insert the needle where you want the end of the bum to be and back into the body to come out about 2 mm near the spot where you first inserted the needle at the belly button.  Then I go around the entire belly button with small tiny stitches and when I've reached where I started, I insert the needle in and come out where the original belly button stitch is, and then I take the both ends and pull very tightly.  This will form an "outie" belly button and will tighten the bum threads so it looks like a little "bum".  Then I tie off about 3 times, making sure to keep pulling it very tightly.

For the hair, you can crochet a wig, or sew it on by strands with a dollmaking needle. 

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