Thistle - Yarn doll tutorial

 

 

Here is Thistle

he lives in my flower pot

and this is how he was made

 

 

supplies: yarn pieces, approx. 3 yards for hair, 3-4 yards for body

one full length craft pipe cleaner

one half craft pipe cleaner

one wooden bead

 

fold longer pipe cleaner in half and insert bead on the ends

(these will be the feet)

 

fold 3 yards of scrap yarn in half five times

 and put in through the pipe cleaner loop halfway

 

pull the bead up to the top

as tightly as you can

 

fold smaller pipe cleaner in half

 

wrap around the "body" one time

 

begin wrapping the second yarn around the body as neatly as you can

start at the torso, about halfway down the length separate the pipe cleaners to make the legs

wrap up and down the legs, back up to the torso and then across the arms

leave about 3/8" of pipe cleaner exposed at the end of each limb

 

repeat this step until your doll is as thick as you want it

 

when your doll has reached its desired thickness fold the ends of the pipe cleaners up

this creates the hands and feet and helps keep the yarn in place

end the yarn wrapping up at the neck

 tie it like a scarf with a smaller piece of scrap yarn

 



 

and there you have it

variations are as unlimited as your imagination

and how many scraps have gathered in the bottom of your project bag

 

for example you can use a button with a shank for the head

 

and you can make your doll a girl

 

by taking several yards of yarn and folding in halves

until it is a few inches long and then tuck the yarn halfway between the legs

 

twisting around the yarn hank bend the legs up and

twist them together with the arms

 

begin wrapping around the top of the torso and the arms

leave a long tail hanging out

 

wrap until she looks right to you

end at the neck and tie the tails together with a square not

 

add some bits of greenery

 

 

bead and wire variation

 

or needle felt over the base.

this is a fun and easy project

I have made these with minimal instruction with

kids as young as ten, more hands on help with younger children

you can use yarn, bits of fabric, beads, etc...

you can twist the ends of the hands to hold things.

We make some every year to add to our Christmas tree,

they also make great take along dolls for car rides etc......

you can add a bit of fabric glue at the ends and the knot to make them

more durable.  We have yet to run out of variations or gotten bored

making them. The possibilities really are endless.