Easy Hand Sewing Project With Kids Doll Making Tutorial
Hand sewing project with kids can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be!
Charlotte Mason homeschooling mamas you can teach your children to sew even though you are crazy busy!
In this post you will learn how to:
- Thread and knot a needle
- Materials list for this doll project
- Whip stitch tutorial
- How to stuff the doll so you don’t get frustrated
- Make a very cute simple face
- Link to an even simpler sewing project for your kindergartener
Read on to get started!
Felt Hand Sewing Projects For Beginners Ideas Help
Today’s tutorial as I mentioned above is good for children about 6 and older. I have a girl doll version right here that is a little easier than the boy version.
Though this is an easy tutorial, I highly recommend teaching your littles to sew a pouch or purse first and as many times as they want to make one! My 5 year old made 5 of them before his enthusiasm waned and he was ready to try making something else. It is easier than a doll and a great first project! I have a tutorial for this too! Click here!
Don’t forget to come back because this doll tutorial is a great beginner project too!
But there are so many sewing ideas for kids out there, many of which look cute but difficult to make. “How can I know what hand sewing project is good for my kindergartener?”
How would you know if your child can make them or not is a great question. You donât want to give them a project to do that is beyond them and make them feel bad they canât sew, it leading to travesty of them never wanting to sew ever again!
I can’t look at all the projects that you see on Pinterest, Instagram, or Fb and tell you whether they will work for your child or not, but I can give you tips and tricks so you can figure it out for yourself.
Felt Hand Sewing Projects For Beginners Tips And Tricks
#1- Felt! Felt is the perfect fabric for your young sewers to start with! Felt is the fuzzy thick fabric you see in rectangles at your local craft store. It is what the doll for todays tutorial is made from. It doesn’t unravel and is easy to sew.
This does not mean your child can’t move on to another fabric fairly quickly, but felt is the best place to start from my experience.
#2- Simple design. The simpler the design the better. For example the doll above has a very simple face and form. Of course I could have made a cuter more complicated doll but then your 5 year old wouldn’t be able to sew it, defeating the purpose!
#3- Size matters. To small and the little fingers will struggle, too big and the little fingers may find the hand sewing project to daunting and not want to finish it. Today’s doll tutorial is about 6 inches making it a good height. Four inches would be the smallest I would go and roughly 8 inches the max.
This Doll Tutorial Is Great For Ages 6 and Older
My current 5 year old, he is the 5th child, started his doll today! He has sewn many pouches so I thought I would give this a try with him. He had a great time, but was done in a sew minutes and so we will finish it little by little.
This was the first time he learn how to sew the whip stitch, and he had a good time! He has been sewing with just an up and down stitch before now. He sometimes went back to this first stitch then went back to the whip stitch.
I am giving you a tutorial for your kids made by me so it will look quite different when they make it. In fact it will look a little messy but in their eyes it will be the most beautiful thing ever!
Following is a photo of my little guy and his doll.
How To Teach A Child To Sew By Hand
Just a couple of easy tips for teaching your littles to sew.
First, felt is your friend! I know I mentioned felt already but it makes teaching your child to sew by hand much easier! Also as mentioned above felt doesn’t unravel like most fabrics, it is easy to hold and looks cute afterwards. Almost like the fuzzy feeling of the felt helps you feel fuzzy on the inside to look at it. Corny I know but it is totally true! Now how can you look at this face and not think it is adorable? Thatâs what I thought!
Second, your littles ones will need you to thread and knot for them. Here is how to do that if you donât already know how.
Third, draw a pencil line around both edges. This helps keep where they are sewing in better focus. Notice how I say better focus, for there will be many stray stitches!
Practice! The more they practice the easier it will be for them! You might need a doll, sibling might need a doll, heck we donât want dad lonely when he goes to work so dad needs one too!
Again for an even easier first hand sewing project click here.
Hand Sewing Project Doll Making Supplies List
Supplies:
- Felt color of your childâs choice or whatever you happen to have on hand.
- Needle.
- Thread or floss, I used floss because it is easier to see in photos.
- Fabric scissors will save you grey hairs.
- Beads for eyes
- Glue gun
- Stuffing. Synthetic, wool, or my favorite left over fabric. This doll is small enough that you can use the same felt leftovers to stuffed the doll.
Just a reminder if you want to start your kindergartener on an even simpler hand sewing project, click here!
Now on to the felt doll tutorial!
Easy Hand Sewing Projects With Kids Doll Making Tutorial
Step 1 Pattern
You will need to help get your child started.
Draw a simple boy shape on paper. Does not have to be perfect! Mine took a lot of erasing and yet it is still not perfect.
Pin to the felt and cut out two pieces. I like to fold my felt in half so I can cut two pieces out at once. Draw pencil line around the edges as you can see from my son’s doll in the photo above.
Step 2 Face
Glue on the eyes. You might want to sew the mouth on for them too but they can have a go at it! Alternatively you can glue on beads for the mouth or just leave the mouth blank.
Simply make two lines in a wide V shape.
Step 3 Whip Stitch
Thread and knot your needle. Again if you don’t know how I have got you covered! Click here for the tutorial.
Put your knot in-between the two pieces of felt.
Next follow the photo tutorial below. Have your child watch you sew a few stitches, then let them go! It’s okay if they don’t sew each stitch up and over. If they become frustrated with the up and over, just them sew naturally.
Push your needle from back to front, keeping the floss or thread on top, and pull through. Your first stitch has been sewn!
That’s it! Keep pushing the needle from the back to front and pull all the way through. This is called the whip stitch.
Step 4 Stuff
Stuff the limps as you go. Tell your child, when he/she is mostly done with the legs to stuff them before moving on. Same with the arms and head. You will likely need to assist with this as well.
Another Tip
A fun tip-when it is time to put the needle to the back to start again, say “Now whip the needle to the back”. This really helped make it fun for my little guy. He muttered under his breath, “Now whip to the back” each time he did so. Oh my goodness, way to cute!
Continue sewing and stuffing all around. Knot. Done!
Don’t Worry
If this seems like to much work on your part, don’t worry! Older children can help, or you just keep at it and soon your child will need your help less and less and you we feel more and more confident and comfortable.
Hand Sewing Projects W/ Kids Doll Making
You have a project you know that your 6 year old can handle! I even shared with you an easier hand sewing tutorial for your 6 year old here! (Remember to let them make as many pouches or purses as they wish before moving on to a doll.)
My tips have made this lesson easier for you to plan when to have a handicraft lesson, and how to get your child started. Of course we will not forget the supply list.
Now what?
You come back for more hand sewing project tutorials of course! Simply sign your soul…. I mean your name, đ right here to receive my email updates whenever there is a new tutorial ready for your family to enjoy.
I hope this has made your homeschooling journey more enjoyable and less stressful! Until next time, adieu! Hey I spelled that right the first time! I am so proud of myself! đ
Easy Hand Sewing Projects For Gifts Or Handicraft Lessons:
- Super easy felt purse/pouch
- Hand sewing lesson for the back stitch which is a basic hand sewing stitch
- My Etsy shop where I have embroidery and doll patterns for sale
Correct.