Free 18 Inch Dutch Klara Cloth Doll Pattern

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Cloth 18 Inch Dutch Klara Doll Pattern

18 inch (45cm) Dutch Klara Cloth Dolls

Klara Doll Dress Pattern

Intermediate sewing level

Pattern Pieces

Here is my pattern for my Dutch Klara doll, an 18 inch (45cm) fabric doll. I have traced the pattern pieces onto 1 inch (2.5cm) square paper. One quarter inch seam allowance is included on all pieces.

This pattern is my original design and may not be used commercially.

The pattern pieces are on the following 3 pictures. The first is the body and arms, and pattern for tracing the facial features.

The second and third pictures are the legs and feet.

Klara Body Pattern:

Foot Pattern: Cut 4 pieces

Upper Leg Pattern: Cut 2 pieces

Top of leg edge- join to body as in photo below

Lower edge of leg that is sewed to foot - see photo below

To make your 1 inch square grid graph paper

First, take an 8.5x11 inch piece of plain paper and draw 1 inch squares - I do this by drawing horizontal lines 1 inch apart down the page, and then vertical lines 1 inch apart across the page.

Next, looking at the .jpg image you want to enlarge, copy what is in each of my squares into your larger squares.

I embroider the eyes, nose and mouth in 6-strand floss before sewing doll together.

Sewing Instructions

You'll need one quarter yard plain material for body, arms and legs. I use 6-strand embroidery floss for facial features, which I embroider on doll before I begin sewing doll body together.

If you know who is going to be the lucky recipient of your handmade doll it is fun to match the eye and hair color while making the doll.

For the doll wig allow 1 ounce of acrylic or wool yarn.

Examine photos carefully for help in construction.

Arms

- Cut 4 arm pieces from pattern and use two pieces for each arm.

- Sew seams leaving shoulder edge open for turning.

- Turn pieces right side out and stuff loosely with fiberfill.

- Stitch across arm, seams matching as in photo, halfway between wrist and shoulder, to create elbow.

If you wish to create a wrist - here is a technique I use with a long hand sewing needle: Knot a few stitches on wrist back seam and insert needle through to front of wrist. Then take one stitch and pull slightly to form crease and carefully make a few knotted stitches to hold crease securely.

- At shoulder edge of arm bring arm seams together to match at centers and baste across opening. Attach finished arms to side of body on front pattern piece before sewing body closed, just as you attach legs to body in instructions below.

Legs and Feet

Sewing feet on cloth dolls looks like it could be tricky. But, I'll explain the technique I use through these photos and descriptions to help you along.

The first photo is an upside down view of the foot in light blue fabric sewn onto the cloth doll leg, which is in a calico pattern.

The 2nd photo shows finished feet on my Dutch doll.

First cut out the feet and leg pieces from your doll body pattern. You'll need four foot pieces and two leg pieces.

Feet

With right sides together sew two foot pieces together beginning at the front top of ankle, down around the toes and soles of feet and halfway up between the heel and back of ankle, as in photo.

In this photo the dark blue thread shows this. Repeat for the 2nd foot.

Attaching foot to leg

Each leg is one piece of fabric with the long seam down the back to correspond to the open seam of the foot.

Align the lower edge of leg to the top edge of foot and pin in place all the way around. Then baste and sew in place so the seam is lined up evenly. In the first photo the white thread demonstrates this.
Sewing foot on doll body by Susan Kramer
Repeat for the other leg and foot.

Now line up the back of foot and leg and sew from the back of foot up the back of leg toward the thigh.

The 2nd photo shows completed feet and legs stuffed with polyester fiberfill. You can also use cut up nylon stockings, not packed too tightly.

These fabric dolls are fun to make and because they have several different pieces you can mix and match fabric to make every doll individual with their own personalities.

Body

Place doll bodies right sides together, and stitch around perimeter leaving a space for turning right side out between one armpit, and side of body down to top of leg.

Turn right side out and stuff; blind stitch opening.

Wig

Now it's time to sew on the yarn doll wig. Be sure to use washable yarn. Both wool and acrylic work well. For instructions to knot on wig go to this page.