Laura Ingalls Doll by Alison Bushell (1985)

 

Laura Ingalls doll is 10 1/2" tall (27 cm) and was designed by Alison Bushell. The pattern was published in the Summer 1985 edition of National Doll World Omnibook magazine. Although the television series about Laura's life, Little House on the Prairie, was no longer being produced by the time this pattern appeared, the show was still being shown in syndication, and the books the series was based on were as popular as ever.

Laura is a baseball head style doll. The instructions call for her to be made from cotton fabric. The back of her neck is longer than the front for a slightly more natural appearance. She has mitten hands with stitched lines to suggest fingers. Her arms are sewn on with hand stitches at the shoulder. Her legs are sewn to the front of her torso, enabling her to sit.

Her facial features are very simple. The maker is instructed to sketch them on freehand and then stitch with embroidery floss. For her hair, the instructions call for the head to be covered with machine-knitting yarn in broad stitches, then a hank of yarn is sewn at the center part and braided. A few extra strands sewn to either side of the head give a more realistic look.

This pattern includes a wardrobe of old fashioned clothing including two dresses, an apron, petticoat and drawers, black stockings and side button boots, a sunbonnet, straw hat, fur cape, wool hood  and knitted mittens. Laura also has her own doll, a pancake style girl with floss hair who wears a dress and pantaloons.

This pattern looks like it would make a nice doll. Unfortunately the photos accompanying it are poor quality and black-and-white, making it difficult to see what she actually looks like. She has fairly complex construction for such a small size doll. The diagrams do help, but the details of the costume, coupled with the somewhat vague instructions mean this pattern would be best for an experienced, or at least confident, sewer. 

Pocket Pals Doll Pattern by Kathleen Taylor

This pattern to make Meg, a Pocket Pals doll, was designed by Kathleen Taylor and published in the May/June 1982 issue of National Doll World magazine. Meg is a miniature pancake doll, just 4" doll, wearing a dress, socks and mary jane shoes. Patterns to make a nightgown and coat for her were also included.

The construction of the Pocket Pals couldn't be simpler. The only fabrics required are a 10" x 8" piece of muslin and a small piece of fusible interfacing. The doll and her clothing are traced onto the muslin using a fine tip permanent marker, and colored with embroidery paints. The fusible interfacing, applied to the clothing pieces, eliminates the need for hemming. Once colored and cut out, the doll pieces are stitched together, clipped at the appropriate points, turned and stuffed. The nightgown and coat are stitched at the side seams, and finished with snaps.

This doll would make a wonderful little friend for a child, and replacing the tiny snaps with Velcro would make her even easier to dress. Her hair, eye color and clothing can be customized in any colors, and by using darker fabrics rather than plain muslin, she can reflect any race.

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.

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.

Butterick 16" Holly Hobbie Doll and Wardrobe patterns (1990)

In 1990, Butterick issued a pattern to make a 16" cloth Holly Hobbie doll wearing an old fashioned dress and floppy hat, and a separate pattern to make a wardrobe of clothes for her.

The doll looks fairly simple to make, but has some unusual construction elements. Her head is shaped with darts, and her yarn bangs are sewn to the top of the face piece before the doll is put together. The rest of her hair is applied after she is stuffed. Each arm is made with one piece of fabric; the back seam of the arm is more like a dart. Her shoes are sewn to the bottom of her legs to form her feet. She has a rear end shaped so she can sit. Her facial features are meant to be painted on, but you could embroider or draw them with markers as well.

The clothing pattern that comes with the doll pattern makes a dress with lots of gathers, and a floppy hat with bow. No underwear pattern is included.

The separate clothing pattern makes a jumper with blouse, bloomers and hat; a dress with bloomers, a coat and hat, and a nightgown with night cap. Everything is trimmed with eyelet ruffling. The sleeves, bloomers and night cap are all gathered with elastic. The buttons on the front of the coat are decorative only; it closes with snaps, as do the blouse and dress. The nightgown has a velcro closure.

The patterns both include iron-on transfers of the Holly Hobbie logo. It would have made much more sense to have the transfer for her facial features, or the design on her dress, rather than having to trace them from the pattern piece or paint them freehand.

Butterick 3668 - Simple 11.5" Doll with Clothes & Carrying Case (1994)

Butterick pattern #3668 makes an 11.5" girl doll with a complete wardrobe of clothes, and a carrying case to take it all with you. It is dated 1994.

The doll is made in a separated pancake style, with simple facial features to be drawn on with markers, with a little powdered blush for her cheeks. Her braided hairstyle is made from worsted weight yarn. Her shoes and socks are part of her body. She has mitten hands.

She has a complete wardrobe including camisole and shorts; dress trimmed with lace; nightgown; top and jumper; overalls and vest; and coat. Her straw hat is to be purchased. The carrying case includes a bed for her with blanket and pillow, and two pockets to hold all her clothes.

The pattern is fairly simple, but with detailed instructions, and the doll is sturdy enough for play. A nice beginner pattern, or for a parent and child to make together.

Marian Martin 9403 - 22" Girl Doll with Wardrobe

Marian Martin pattern #9403 makes a 22" girl doll with a nice wardrobe of clothes. It is not dated, but I am guessing it dates to the early 1940s. The pattern is the old diecut style tissue, unprinted, with holes to indicate the number of the piece and any markings.

The doll has a center-seam face, with multiple seams and darts in the head to give it shape. She has mitten hands and embroidered features. Her arms and legs are left unstuffed at the top, then sewn in place so that they are not exactly jointed, but do allow some movement. Her hair is wool yarn.

Her wardrobe consists of a slip and pantie, peasant style blouse, overalls and bolero jacket, and jumper and/or sundress. The sweetheart neckline of the jumper/sundress is a nice vintage detail.

All the instructions for this pattern, including cutting layouts, are printed on one side of a 15" x 19.5" sheet, so as you can imagine, they are not very detailed. (The reverse side of the sheet has "Practical Dressmaking Hints," most of which are not applicable to this doll.) And the unprinted pattern pieces are a challenge. The doll looks adorable, however, so if you are an experienced sewer, this one might be worth a try.

Simplicity 6141 - 21" Girl Doll with Lovely Old Fashioned Wardrobe (1983)

Simplicity pattern #6141 makes a 21" girl doll with an old fashioned "Little House on the Prairie" style wardrobe. It is dated 1983.

The doll has an unusual shaped head with lots of darts and seaming. She has a small, round, separately stuffed and applied nose, embroidered features and long yarn hair which can be styled a few different ways. She has long straight arms and legs, mitten style hands with stitched fingers and flat soles on the bottoms of her feet.

Her wardrobe includes a camisole, decorated with pretty pintucks and eyelet ruffles; bloomers; a dress with a high neck, gathered sleeves and ruffle at the hem, pinafore with decorative stitching on the bodice and pintucks on the skirt; bonnet; nightgown and mob cap.

This doll's large head and long, heavy hair might tend to make her head floppy without some internal support. But the clothing patterns alone make this pattern worth a try.

Design 936 - 9" Little Girl Doll with Wardrobe

This pattern has the same doll as Design 7143 and Alice Brooks #7368, but with a different wardrobe. As with that pattern, the doll pattern is a transfer, while the clothing pieces are meant to be cut out and used like a regular sewing pattern. It is not dated, but was likely sold in the 1950s.

The doll is a typical baseball head style with the head and torso shaped by means of curved vertical seams, and embroidered features. The arms and legs are constructed separately and attached with string. The doll has attached ears. Her hair, to be made of knitting worsted yarn, is stitched directly to her head, leaving 3" to extend at sides and back to dampen and set in pin curls.

Her wardrobe consists of a petticoat and panties, a dress with three variations, nightgown and shorty pajamas, coat and hat, socks and shoes.

If you have another 9" baseball head pattern, you can use this one to add to your doll's wardrobe.

Design 7143 - 9" Baseball Head Girl Doll with Wardrobe

This pattern was also issued by Alice Brooks as #7368 under the name "Best Dressed Doll." She is 9" tall and has a complete wardrobe of clothes. This pattern is not dated, but the Alice Brooks version was sold in October of 1953. The pattern for the doll is a transfer; the clothing pattern pieces are meant to be cut out.

The doll is a typical baseball head style with head and torso shaped by means of curved vertical seams. The arms and legs are made separately and attached with heavy cord. She has embroidered features; this type of construction requires the features to be embroidered after the head is stuffed. The maker is instructed to make her hair from "straw yarn" and then dampen it with water and curl on curlers "like real hair."

Her wardrobe consists of a sundress with ties at the shoulders, petticoat and panties, half apron, playsuit, long nightgown, snowsuit and cap, socks and shoes.

This pattern is just one variation of a classic style which was made in different sizes, with different outfits and hairstyles, and sold over a thirty year period. This small size makes a nice play doll, easy for a little girl to handle.