Decorative Pancake Doll

I was thinking yesterday that I might as well contribute to the website since I'm signed up for it, so here we have a fun and simple process of dollmaking. The product is a two-dimensional soft figure.

What you need
★ sewing needle, pins, and thread
★ scissors
★ fabric for the body (scraps, worn out clothes, whatever fits the bill)
★ non-permanent marker, pen, pencil, or fabric chalk
★ adequate amount of stuffing material
★ fabric glue (might be needed to apply non-threadable things)
★ extras (buttons, ribbons, paint, shells, twigs, etc)
★ optional: paper and pencil to draw blueprints
★ if your doll is small, you need tweezers or a chopstick/pencil to turn it inside out

Now that you've gathered your materials, it's about time we get started, yeah?

The size of your little softie child will depend on the dimensions of the fabric you chose. The smaller the doll, the harder it will be to turn it inside-out. The bigger it is, the longer it will take to put it together. Tiny dolls are cute and fun to carry around, whereas a big doll would make a great pillow or decoration. Either way you go, both are nice to have!

Spread out your fabric, neatly folded so the right side is facing inward. Once that's done, you can draw out a pattern - there are two ways you can do this. Firstly, you can draw a single shape on the back of the fabric by freehand and see what you can do with it after you're finished sewing, while leaving yourself a quarter of an inch for the seam allowance.

Alternatively, you can sketch a design on the piece of paper you have and make notes. Go for one abstract form, details can be added later. Cut out your pattern and trace it onto the back of the fabric; after that, draw the seam allowance. I went with the first option, since it was all pretty much in my head.

Pin the areas inside your pattern, making sure the space in between the fabric has no air pockets to ensure an even lineup while you cut and sew. Cut it out along the line you drew for the seam allowance and proceed to the next step.

Following the line, make a running stitch from point A to point B (start to finish). Be sure to leave an empty space big enough that you can pull the fabric through. Backstitch to secure the seam then tie it off.

Notch the seam allowance in corners and on curves, don't cut too close to the seam. This ensures your doll won't look like a pigear when you turn it inside-out!

Turn the doll inside-out, using a long utensil to aid you with smaller bits. Be very careful with this, as you could ruin the seam with sharp edges and points.

Stuff loosely with your material of choice, I used dry grass for a primitive feel. Seal it up with a slip stitch and hide the loose end inside the seam.

This is my favorite part!

All you really need to do in this step is be creative, don't be scared to get carried away. If you're using paint, I find that fabric paint is best. Because.. you're painting fabric.

When using delicate material, it's obvious that you must be careful with the doll. Keep it out of range from children, food and drinks, and weathering.

You're all done, I hope you enjoyed this instructable! If you use this, please share with me! I'd love to see what you made :3c