Grandmother and knitter Janet Clark drew on her experience in both roles to design these knitted dolls that are easy for big hands to make and little hands to hold. With a simple change of yarn colours and clothing styles, her pint-size people can be personalized to suit any child.

To keep it a surprise, hide each doll in its own drawstring bag. Tucked into a pocket or under the covers, just one of these dolls can be a friendly companion for any child. But, like Janet, you may not be able to stop until you've knitted a neighbourhoodful – they're quick to knit and a wonderful way to use up all your scraps of yarn.

You need:
• Small amounts of sport-weight yarn in white and desired colours for clothes, hair and skin
• Pair of 3.75 mm needles*
• Pair of 3.25 mm needles*
• Polyester stuffing
• Stitch holder and tapestry needle

*OR whichever needles you require to produce the tensions given below

TENSION:
22 sts and 44 rows = 10 cm (4 ins) in garter stitch (knit every row) using larger needles.
25 sts and 36 rows = 10 cm in stocking stitch using smaller needles.

Designer's tips:
• Use smaller needles for doll and clothing. Use larger needles for bag.
• Standard abbreviations are used.
• Choose your own colours; pattern differentiates colour areas only.
• From the bottom up, legs, torso and head are worked in 1 piece. Arms are knitted seperately and sewn on.
• At beginning and end of each yarn colour, leave a tail approx 13 cm (5 ins) long to use for sewing up.
Sew doll and clothes using ladder stitch; knot yarn end, then push into doll.
• Use small amounts of stuffing; push into doll with eraser end of pencil.
• Bag is worked in vertical rows.

Dressing your dolls:
• For striped shirts, sweaters and hats, knit 2 rows each of 2 different colours, or 1 row each of 3 different colours.
• For checked shirts or sweaters, work 2 colours into alternating checks, 2 sts wide and 2 rows high.
• Stitch lazy daisy flowers onto hat brims, bibs or shirts.
• Sew French-knot buttons.
• Add pockets anywhere: Cast on 4 sts, work 5 rows St st and cast off knitwise. Sew pocket(s) to clothing with open cast-off edge(s) at top.
• Make and sew on all hats before stitching hair, with one exception: make braids, then sew to head before hat so top ends are hidden underneath. Handstitch bangs and hair below hats using stem or satin stitches.

Do you love crafts? Sign up for our craft newsletter!

Page 1 of 5 – Discover how to start knitting your doll on page 2.

To make body:
LEGS: *With shoe colour, cast on 8 sts for right leg. Knit 1 row.
Next row (right side): K2 into each st to end of row. 16 sts now on needle.

Beg with k row, work 4 rows St st.*

Next row: K4, [k2tog] 3 times, k6. 13 sts now on needle.
**Next row: Purl.
Change to sock colour. Beg with k row, work 4 rows St st.

Next row (right side): Purl.
Change to skin colour. Beg with p row, work 11 rows St st, thus ending with right side facing for next row.** Break yarn. Slip sts onto st holder.

Work left leg from * to * as given for body right leg.

Next row: K6, [k2tog] 3 times, k4. 13 sts now on needle.

Work from ** to ** as given for body right leg. Break yarn.

TORSO: Change to white. Knit 13 sts of left leg, then knit 13 sts from st holder. 26 sts now on needle. Beg with p row, work 7 rows St st, thus ending with right side facing for next row.

Change to shirt colour(s). Work 10 rows St st.

Next row (shoulder shaping): K5, [k2tog] twice, k8, [k2tog] twice, k5. 22 sts now on needle.
Next row (wrong side): Knit.

HEAD: Change to skin colour. Beg with k row, work 2 rows St st.
Next row: [K2,k2 into next st] 7 times, k1. 29 sts now on needle.

Beg with p row, work 13 rows St st.

Next row: [K2tog,k1] 9 times, k2tog. 19 sts now on needle.
Next row: Purl.
Next: K1, [k2tog] 9 times. 10 sts now on needle. Break yarn, thread through sts, pull tight; knot.

With wrong sides to inside, shape into cylinder so side edges of head and torso meet at centre back and edges of each leg meet at inside. Beg at shoe and stuffing firmly as you go, sew each leg seam, then up centre back to top of head.


Page 2 of 5 – Find detailed instructions to knit the arms and face for your doll on page 3.

To make arms and face:
ARM WITH SHORT SLEEVE
(Make 2): *With shirt colour(s), cast on 4 sts.
Row 1 (right side): K2 into first st, k to last 2 sts, k2 into next st, k1.
Row 2: Purl.

Rep these 2 rows 2 times more, thus ending with right side facing for next row. 10 sts now on needle.*

Next: Knit 2 rows.

Change to skin colour. Beg with k row, work 12 rows St st.

Next: [K2tog] to end of row. 5 sts now on needle. Break yarn, thread through sts, pull tight; knot.

ARM WITH LONG SLEEVE
(Make 2): Work from * to * as given for arm with short sleeve. Cont with shirt colour(s), working 10 rows St st.

Change to skin colour. Work 4 rows St st.

Next: [K2tog] to end of row. 5 sts now on needle. Break yarn, thread through sts, pull tight; knot.

With wrong sides to inside, shape into cylinder so long edges meet. Beg at hand and stuffing firmly as you go, sew up arm to bottom inc row. With seam toward body and outside top at shoulder, stitch open arm end to torso, adding extra stuffing to joint. Weave matching yarn twice around neck above shirt; pull tight to gather and knot.

FACE: Thread tapestry needle with eye colour. Push through back of head and out at eye position (halfway up face, 1 to 1-1/2 rows from centre front). Stitch horizontally over 3 rows or vertically over 1-1/2 sts. Rep 3 times in same spot, then push needle out at other eye position. Stitch eye.

Push needle out back of head and knot. Thread tapestry needle with mouth colour. Push through back of head and out 2 rows below centre of 1 eye. Push back into head 2 rows below centre of other eye and out at midpoint of stitch, 2 rows below. Take tiny stitch over first stitch to anchor it in place and shape smile, then push needle out back of head and knot.


Page 3 of 5 – Learn how to make personalized clothing for your new knitted doll on page 4.

To make clothes:
PANTS
*Cast on 20 sts for right leg. Knit 1 row.
Beg with k row, work 12 rows St st, thus ending with right side facing for next row.* Slip sts onto st holder.

Work left leg from * to * as given for pants right leg.

**Next row: Knit across 20 sts of left leg, then 20 sts from st holder. 40 sts now on needle.

Beg with p row, work 10 rows St st.

Next row: [P2,p2tog] to end of row. 30 sts now on needle.

Cast off. With wrong sides to inside, shape into cylinder so side edges meet at centre back and edges of each leg meet at inside. Beg at bottom, sew each leg seam, then up centre back. Put on; stitch waist to shirt hem.**

OVERALLS
Work as given for pants; do not cast off.
*Next row: Cast off 11 sts, k8 and slip onto st holder (for bib), cast off 11 sts.

With wrong side facing, join yarn to 8 sts on st holder.

Next row: K1, p6, k1.
Next row: Knit.

Rep these 2 rows 3 times more.

Next row: Knit.

Cast off. Put on.*

Overall Straps (Make 2): Cast on 22 sts, then cast off.

Sew each strap to 1 top comer of bib, working a French-knot button through strap and bib. Cross at back, tuck under waist 6 mm. (1/4 in) from centre back on either side; stitch. Stitch waist to shirt hem.

SHORTS
*With cuff colour, cast on 20 sts for right leg. Knit 1 row.

Change to shorts colour. Beg with k row, work 4 rows St st, thus ending with right side facing for next row.* Slip sts onto st holder.

Work left leg from * to * as given for shorts right leg. Work from ** to ** as given for pants.

SKIRT
*Cast on 60 sts. Knit I row.* Beg with k row, work 12 rows St st, thus ending with right side facing for next row.

Next row: [K2tog] to end of row. 30 sts now on needle.

Cast off. With wrong sides to inside, shape into cylinder so side edges meet at centre back. Sew up centre back. Put on; stitch waist to shirt hem.

FAIR ISLE BIBBED SKIRT
Work from * to * as given for skirt.
Next row (right side): Knit.
Next row: Purl.
Next row: [With skirt colour, k1; with contrast colour, k1] to end of row.
Next row: With contrast colour, purl to end of row.
Next row: [With contrast colour, k1; with skirt colour, k1] to end of row.

With skirt colour and, beg with p row, work 7 rows St st.

Next row: [K2tog] to end of row. 30 sts now on needle.

Work from * to * as given for overalls bib, sewing up centre back of skirt before putting on. Make straps and sew on skirt as given above.


Page 4 of 5 – Learn how to make the finishing touches for your new knitted doll on page 4.

To make hats:
PEAKED CAP (Shown in red)
*Cast on 3 sts.
Row 1(right side): K2 into each of first 2 sts, k1.
Row 2: K2 into first st, p2, k2 into next st, k1.
Row 3: K2 into first st, k4, k2 into next st, k1.
Row 4: K2 into first st, p6, k2 into next st, k1. 11 sts now on needle.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: K1, p9, k1.*
Row 7: Cast on 11 sts, knit across row, cast on 11 sts. 33 sts now on needle.
Row 8 (wrong side): Knit.

**Beg with k row, work 8 rows St st, thus ending with right side facing for next row.

Next row: [K1,k2tog] to end of row. 22 sts now on needle.
Next row: Purl.
Next: [K2tog] to end of row. 11 sts now on needle. Break yarn, thread through sts, pull tight; knot. Sew up centre back.** Stitch hat to head.

BASEBALL CAP
Work from * to * as given for peaked cap. Rep rows 5 and 6 twice more. Cast on 11 sts, knit across row, cast on 11 sts. 33 sts now on needle.
Next row: Purl.

Work from ** to ** as given for peaked cap. With 2 strands of contrasting colour, make French-knot button at tip. Stitch hat to head.

WIDE-BRIMMED HAT (Shown in pink)
Cast on 33 sts. Work from ** to ** as given for peaked cap. Fasten off.

Cast on 7 sts for brim. Work 65 rows in garter st. Cast off. Sew 1 long edge of brim to bottom edge of hat, joining cast-on and cast-off rows at centre back. Stitch hat to head. Turn up brim front; tack to head.

STRAW HAT
Cast on 33 sts. Knit 1 row. Work from ** to ** as given for peaked cap. Fasten off. Using 2 strands, cast on 3 sts for brim.
Row 1: K1, p1, k1.

Rep row until brim reaches around bottom edge of hat. Cast off. Sew 1 long edge of brim to bottom edge; join cast-on and cast-off rows at centre back. Stitch hat to head. With strand of contrasting colour, make twisted cord. Tack cord to hat; knot and trim ends.

TUQUE
Cast on 33 sts. Knit 6 rows St st. Work from ** to ** as given for peaked cap. Sew up centre back, reversing seam at row 6 for brim. Stitch tuque to head.

To make bag for dolls:
Cast on 98 sts. *Work 5 rows garter st.
Next row: K8, yon, k2tog, k to last 10 sts, k2tog, yon, k to end of row.*

Rep from * to * as given for bag, in random stripes, until work measures 12.5 cm (5 ins). Knit 2 rows. Fold in half so eyelets are at top edge; sew side edges together. With 3 strands, make twisted cord. Thread through eyelets; knot and trim ends.


Page 5 of 5