Baby Belinda by Linda Nanette Kelley (1984)

Baby Belinda is a baby doll about 12" tall. This pattern was designed by Linda Nanette Kelley, and published in the Summer 1985 issue of National Doll World Omnibook magazine. She is designed to be made from polyester double knit fabric with moderate stretch. The instructions specifically say not to use a very stretchy fabric. The maker is instructed to stuff her head and body section "VERY firmly."

Baby Belinda is a baseball-head style doll with head and torso in one piece, and separate arms and legs. A chin dart adds further shape to her head. She has mitten style hands. Her limbs are attached with large snaps, which is a very unusual way to join them. She has an applied nose and applied ears. Her facial features are drawn with a quilting pen and fine tipped markers. She has a few loops of yarn for hair.

Her outfit consists of a dress with eyelet trim and short puffed sleeves, matching bonnet, panties, and booties made of ribbing. She comes with instructions to make a simple patchwork quilt.

Although the steps to sew Belinda and her outfit are not illustrated, the instructions are easy to understand . Anyone with some sewing experience should be able to make her with no difficulty. Her very simple hair and drawn-on features make for a quick project.

Candy by Adelle Alexander (1985)

This pattern, published in the December 1985 issue of National Doll World magazine, makes a large baby doll with bent legs, meant to sit. No finished size is given, but she appears to be life-size, or nearly so.

Candy is a baseball-head doll, with curved seams to shape her head, but she has a few differences. The seams are widely spread apart and sharply curved, making her face more square than round. She also has a small round applied nose and applied ears. Her hands have individual fingers, rather than the usual mitten hands. Candy is pictured with embroidered features, and yarn hair.

She wears a very cute dress with a yoke and pleated skirt, short puffed sleeves and a sailor collar. The pattern also includes pieces for panties, shoes and socks.

The doll pattern is full size, while the outfit pattern is printed on a grid to be enlarged.

There appear to be some issues with this pattern. The instructions are very brief. There is no mention of how the arms and legs are to be attached to the torso. The very large head would almost certainly need some internal support to keep upright, but this is not addressed. The instructions for the facial features read only "Embroider face or cut features from felt and glue in place." The instructions for the hair describe curls, while the photo clearly shows straight hair. Candy might make a nice doll, but only in the hands of a very experienced dollmaker. Her outfit made as shown in red, white and blue, would make a cute summer time display.

Cloth Doll Patterns in 1960s Needlecraft Catalog

These cloth doll patterns were offered in an undated catalog named Needlecraft Patterns. This appears to be another incarnation of Reader Mail, Inc., a company that advertised all types of craft patterns in newspapers across the U.S. Because the catalog also offers knitting patterns for Barbie dolls, with photos of dolls from the early 1960s, that helps to date it. The 9" doll with wardrobe of clothes, the laundry bag doll and topsy turvy doll are both baseball head style. The Sleepytime Gal, 12" clown and Santa are sock dolls. The floppy cowboy doll is 44" tall.

Cloth Doll Patterns in 1950s Alice Brooks Designs Catalog

These patterns were offered in an Alice Brooks Designs catalog. It is not dated, but appears to be from the 1950s. Alice Brooks was one of the many names used by Reader Mail, Inc., a company that advertised all types of craft and sewing patterns in newspapers throughout the U.S. The patterns are priced at 25 cents each. Some of the dolls are baseball head style, and some are sock dolls.

Cloth Doll Patterns in 1940s Laura Wheeler Catalog

These pages are from an undated Laura Wheeler catalog. Judging by the hair and clothing styles, it is from the 1940s. Laura Wheeler was one of the names used by Reader Mail, Inc., which advertised patterns in newspapers throughout the U.S. The patterns are priced at 15 cents each. The cloth dolls are all baseball head style.

Baby Dolls by Joan Russell for Woman's Day (1964)

This set of patterns, designed by Joan Russell, makes a chubby baby doll which can be varied with different facial features and hair colors, plus a wardrobe of clothes. It was offered to readers of Woman's Day magazine in 1964.

The pattern is described as making five different dolls, but they all use the same pattern pieces. They are made in baseball head style, but unlike most dolls with this construction, the front face piece is wide enough so that the face is flat and the head more square than round. The baby's arms (with stubby, separated fingers) and legs are stuffed separately and then attached.By varying the embroidered facial features and colors of yarn hair and appliqued fabric eyes, the maker is instructed to make the characters of Sleepy Head, Angel, Red Head, Cry Baby and Cherub. No size is given for the dolls, but they look like they would make up about 16" tall.

The pattern includes a complete wardrobe of clothes to sew, including a smocked dress and bonnet with bloomers; coat and hat; underwear, bib and blankets; one-piece pajama and nightgown with drawstring bottom; bunting; christening outfit with eyelet gown, coat and bonnet; plus knitting instructions to make a sweater, bonnet and booties.

Joan Russell's dolls are fairly simple to make, and the outfits have some interesting details, like the smocked and knitted pieces. This is a classic '60s cloth doll pattern.