Dammit doll...a tutorial

Probably about 15 years ago; anyway long before I had a personal computer or had even heard of the the world wide web, I made my mum a doll, a dammit doll. She was pretty funky with mad hair and a heart embroidered onto her bottom. I honestly don't know where I found the words that went with her ~ mum loved her and I am prety sure she used her more than a few times for her intended purpose.

I made another the other week to send to a friend ( I had to get mum to send me a picture of my original one so I could make a pattern). I took pictures along the way just in case someone else needed to vent a little frustration.

You will need some fabric, anything you fancy really, I used cotton calico both times. Umm threads, scissors, pins, stuffing, some kind of yarn for hair...think that is about it.

Download the pattern template from here.

Double your fabric over, right sides together and trace around the templates onto the fabric with a pencil or marker (you will need two arms so trace two sets).

Before cutting, machine sew, with a small straight stitch, on your trace lines ~ make sure you leave the top of the arms and where marked on the body, open for turning and later joining.

Cut out your pieces with a small seam allowance and turn them right way out. You might need to use a knitting needle or chopstick to smooth the inner seams.

Stuff the arms about two thirds up the length, pin the top ~ compare your arms to make sure they are even then baste across your pin line, set them aside.

Now stuff your body, poke your stuiffing down into the legs with that knitting needle or chopstick you used earlier. Fill up her tummy and head til you like the feel of her. Next, making sure you turn her arms so that her thumbs are facing in by her side, stuff the empty arm segment into her armpit and sew her arms to her body using a ladder or some other invisible stitch.

Next pin along her groin as is marked on the pattern and sew a running stitch through both front and back layers of fabric and the stuffing ~ it gives her a better shape. At this point she makes a rather funny voodoo pincushion...which reminds me I'm hosting a pincushion swap this month ~ want to join in the fun? have a look here.

Now, to embellish!
I am partial to the belly button, almost all my dolls get one. This is only a little doll so a neat little bullion belly button does nicely. First make a stitch as long as you think you need a belly button to be, but don't come all the way through the fabric. Wrap your thread around the needle 8-10 times then hold them taught and pull your needle and thread through the loops. Curl it round and secure it. (I am quite sure if you google bullion stitch you will get a far better explanation and probably even a step by step video!)

On to her face.
I drew very lightly with pencil to give myself something to work with.

Then back stitched a black outline and filled in with colour.

I gave her bottom a little tattoo ~ she was made with love.

Hair! I used a spun silk mess ~ see!

I managed to unknot it enough to get a dozen or so lengths to work with. I doubled the lengths and with a sharp needle and thread stitched her hair along the seam.

When her hair was all done I gave her to the wee girl for a few wacks against the table (needed to check durability) She whizzed her about so fast she is a mere blurr!

So I slowed her down for a final picture!

When you want to throw the phone
And kick the desk and shout.
Here's a littlt "Dammit Doll"
You cannot live without.
Just grasp it firmly by the legs
And find a place to slam it,
And as you whack the stuffing out
Yell DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT.

And that pincushion swap is still open