Felt Doll

Follow these instructions to make a felt doll body for the head in previous instructions.

No actual pattern is used. This is all freehand. Your felt doll may not turn out exactly as

this one and that is expected. In fact, you are encouraged to make yours a little different

so your doll will be uniquely yours. These steps are to show you how this felt doll was

made so that you can use the techniques to make your own characters.

MATERIALS

• 2 cloth covered wires size 18 gauge

• Raw alpaca fleece in desired body color

• Raw alpaca fleece in contrasting color

• Instructions for pose-able hands available on www.owning-alpaca.com website

• 2 white cloth covered wires 26 gauge

• Flesh colored fleece to match head

*Note: Amounts of fleece are not given because it will depend on the size of doll you

plan on making. An ounce of fleece should be plenty for the main body color and smaller

amounts for the contrasting color and flesh color.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FELT DOLL BODY

1. twist the two 18 gauge wires together as shown in the picture below. Use the head

to determine length. To be closer to human anatomy, make the body six heads

tall.

2. Fluff up the fleece you plan to use for the bodys’ main color.

3. Place the wire armature over the fleece.

4. Use a drop of dish soap and warm water on your hand. Begin wetting the fleece

and squeezing around the wire. Roll the wire and fleece between your palms until

the fleece felts firmly. You may have to move the arms and legs around to roll it

in your palms.

5. Continue until the body, arms, and legs are covered.

6. Rinse with cool water. Use a towel to press out excess water. Let air dry before

using felting needles.

7. Begin to add loose fleece to the body. We have never broken a needle on the wire

armature. Just don’t felt forcefully. You just need the needle to go deep enough to

get the first barb to tangle the fibers.

8. Add fleece over each area to start bulking up the body.

9. Add pose-able hands. To make hands the correct size, measure them on the face.

With the palm on the chin, the middle finger should reach about mid-forehead.

(Check with your own hand on your face.)

10. Add one hand at a time.

11. Start building up the buttocks by adding fleece. Keep adding and needling until

you have the size and firmness you like. Do both sides.

12. Add fleece to the belly area.

13. Continue layering fleece on arms, legs, chest, and back.

14. Add contrasting fleece for boots. Needle it firm and to the length of the boot you

want. This felt doll has knee-high boots.

15. Add a cuff to the upper edge of the boot. Make a flat strip of fleece and needle it

to the boot to make the cuff.

16. Do the other boot the same way.

17. Make a flat piece of wool for the sleeve.

18. Wrap the flat piece around the arm and needle it in place. Needle the sleeve

together to close it around the arm. Do both arms.

19. Make a larger flat piece of desired length for the top. Fold up the bottom edge and

needle so you have a smooth edge to the bottom of the shirt. Needle the top onto

the body.

20. Add a belt with the contrasting color. Felt a flat strip and needle it to the body.

21. Add some flesh colored fleece to the neck area. Leave it loose on top. Needle the

loose fibers into the head.

22. Add another piece of flat felted fleece around the head for a hood. Shape it and

needle it to the neck area. If you want the hood to stay down, be sure NOT to

needle it to the head.

23. Surface needle the entire felt doll (except head which should already be done).

Make sure there are no loose fibers. You can trim hairy areas with a pair of

scissors.

24. Add a little bit of fiber to the knees for the kneecap. Place the felt doll in a posed

position. Now he just needs a name and you are done. See the large picture on last

page of these instructions. Have fun creating your felt doll and experimenting

with techniques to find what works best for you.