65. Handmade Dolls

MATERIALS:

Doll template(PDF)
10 x 18 inch piece of washable fabric (body)
10 x 10 inch piece of jersey knit cotton (skin: face, hands, feet)
matching thread
embroidery floss (for features: black, brown, blue, or green for eyes; shades of red or pink for mouth)
Yarn (for hair)
batting
scissors
straight pins

INSTRUCTIONS:

Choose the yarn for the hair with care; alpaca works for straight hair, and bouclé has built-in curls. For shorter curls, embroider mohair yarn directly to head and brush slightly.


1. Use the template(PDF). Fold a 10-by-18-inch piece of washable fabric (for body) end to end, right sides facing; lay template on fabric with dotted lines of shoulders on fold, and cut out along solid lines; pin. From a nearly 10-inch square of cotton jersey (for skin), cut a 3-by-7-inch strip (for head) and four 2-inch squares (for hands and feet).
2. Starting at bottom outer edge of one leg, stitch up side to end of arm, with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Repeat on other side of body. Sew inner edges of the legs. Notch curves on body. Fold head rectangle in half lengthwise; pin. Starting at the fold, stitch a curved shape across short end, as shown, and continue stitching down open side; snip away excess fabric, keeping 1/8-inch seam allowance. Turn both pieces right side out.
3. Cut three 2-by-7-inch strips of wool or polyester batting; lay in star shape, as shown. Roll more batting into a 2-inch ball; place on star. Bring strips up and around ball; use a chopstick and your fingers to push batting inside head. Head should be firm; add more batting if necessary, smoothing with fingers.
4. Tie thread the same color as skin around head below ball to create a neck. Stitch bottom opening closed. For hands and feet, place 1-inch ball of batting on each square; bundle, tying with thread.
5. Stuff body, but not as firmly as head. Use gathering stitch to tighten neck opening. Slip head into neck opening. With a doubled length of skin-colored thread, whipstitch head to body, folding under raw edge of body. Repeat for hands and feet.
6. Use pins to mark placement of features. Sew on yarn (for hair) in loops; to keep it in place, make an extra, tiny anchoring stitch at the end of every loop. For features, insert a needle threaded with embroidery floss through the back of the head and out at a pin. Stitch features; needle should exit at the back of the head. Tie off.
   
   
   
7. Snip loops of hair, and fluff. Use your fingers to shape the face.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Source: Martha Stewart

[Edit 12/16]—It looks like this is another project that was removed from their website, although there is a similar project, which I've now linked to both in the template links and the source link.

9. Envelope Sachet

Use Martha Stewart's heart or butterfly templates to the desired size, or make your own pattern. Graph paper is good for creating a grid design (such as the one shown at top left). Working on a cutting mat or piece of felt, lay your template over an envelope.

With a thick pin, punch holes through the template and envelope until the dotted design is complete.

Fill the envelope with blends of scented ingredients. We like the following combinations: cedar tips, cedar shavings, and lavender; orange tea and dried roses; and lemon verbena, chamomile and dried lemon peel. (Vary the amount depending on the envelope size; we used 1 tablespoon in the gift-card envelope.)

With a glue stick, seal the envelope.

Poke whimsical designs in your paper envelopes, then add your choice of aromatic blends.

From MarthaStewart.com

3. Button Bag

Inspired by the basic brown paper bag, these small totes are made of canvas or linen.

Materials

12-by-24-inch piece and 3-by-24-inch strip of canvas or linen
3-by-24-inch strip of fusible webbing
Pinking shears
Sewing machine
24 inches cotton webbing, for handles
Needle and thread
100 or more buttons per side, depending on placement and button size

Instructions from MarthaStewart.com

2. Button Wreath Ornament

Colorful stray buttons can be put to new use as Christmas ornaments. If you don’t have enough loose buttons, or the right colors, don’t worry—stores sell them by the bagful. Kids will enjoy this project because each wreath they make will be unique.

MATERIALS

Needle-nose pliers or wire cutters
16-gauge copper wire, or 22-gauge green floral wire, cut to 9-inch lengths
72 buttons for each wreath
Scissors
Satin ribbon, 1/8 inch wide and 6 inches long
Seam binding for decorative bow

1. Using pliers, make a small loop at one end of the wire.
   
2. Thread buttons onto the wire until you have enough to form the size of the wreath you want. Our wreaths are 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
   
3. Using pliers, bend the plain end of the wire around the looped end. This will form the wreath.
   
4. Use the satin ribbon to make a loop for hanging the wreath; tie the ribbon in a knot about 3 inches above the wreath.
   
5. Tie a bow of seam binding to decorate the wreath.

SOURCES

16-gauge copper wire
22-gauge silver-plate wire
Available at local craft and hardware-supply stores

22-gauge green floral wire
Available at local floral-supply stores

from MarthaStewart.com

1. Make a Button Necklace

MATERIALS:

Abalone-shell or pink mother-of-pearl buttons
Beading string, cut to 40 inches
Crimp bead
Necklace closure
Needle-nose pliers

1. Fold the string in half, and create an end by tying two slipknots 2 inches down from the fold.
   
2. Slip a button on one string. Tie another slipknot 1 inch from the previous knot. Repeat until you have 12 buttons on the string. (Sophie makes five strands for her necklace, but you can make as many or few as you like.) Trim the ends (not the looped end) 2 inches from the last knot.
   
3. Gather all the ends together, and crimp in a crimp bead. Attach the necklace closure using a pair of needle-nose pliers.

from MarthaStewart.com