Sew Dolled Up: Make Felt Dolls and Their Fun, Fashionable Wardrobes with Fabric Scraps and Easy Hand Sewing

I first learned to sew by hand when I was ten years old and in elementary school. Our student teacher that year had convinced our school principal that a good art project for the year would be teaching our class to hand sew felt dolls to be given to an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. I remember how difficult it was to learn to sew such tiny little stitches as were needed to keep the stuffing inside the dolls. I soon learned to love our art period (only one hour three times a week) and to try to make as many dolls as well as I could.Over time, felt doll making became a thing of my past... until a few weeks ago when I ran across a couple of books, including "Sew Dolled Up". It was like I had been hit by a thunderbolt. I had to get the books and start making these dolls. It was like the more than forty years since I first learned to sew had been wiped away. I remembered the joy of making the little felt dolls and the deeper joy of giving them to children who needed a doll. That is a type of joy that I need in my life once again.In "Sew Dolled Up" very traditional felt dolls are updated to some of the cutest I have ever seen. My only complaint about the book is that there doesn't seem to be a boy doll in the mix. However, there are so many patterns, that I am sure that I can easily adjust a doll to become a boy and some of the outfits to become boys clothes. Little boys love dolls, too. As a grandma to a little boy, I want to make him a couple of dolls to remember me by in later years.There are a number of dolls and many dolls clothes. The instructions are well thought out. I have been led to believe that this is a translation of a Japanese book on felt doll making. If that is the case, the translator and editor did an outstanding job as I could follow the instructions very well. I have had the book for over a week and have made two dolls and a number of clothes already. As a crafter, needleworker, beader, and quilter, I found that I had most of the items I needed to start my projects. For felt, I was able to go to my local fabric store and to a Joanne's to get what was needed.It has been many years since I have felt so much fun and joy in my projects. Maybe it is because I know that I am making them to give away to children - I try to imagine who might get my current project while I am working on it. I find that it helps me use my imagination in making expressions on the dolls and in adding little special touches. Once I am comfortable with the dolls, I will begin modifying them to make some for little boys.This is truly a wonderful book for making felt dolls by hand. It is so much fun to look through and then to actually make the dolls. I am thrilled to have found this book to help re-awaken my early love of doll making. I must admit that these dolls probably look a lot better than the ones I made when I was ten but I can assure you just as much love went into those dolls and the love of making things with my hands started with felt doll making. It is a craft that would be wonderful to teach young girls and boys today as we live in a time when items made by hand seem to be a thing of the past.

My teen was pleased with my purchase of this book. The book has directions for how to sew and crochet the accessories and outfits for the rag dolls that are modeled in the book. The front and middle of the book is filled with pictures of dolls modeling the outfits and accessories. The book includes tiny bows and purses for dolls. In order to make many of the outfits you have to have a minimum amount of sewing experience and lots of time and patients.

Some dolls are full body felt and the smaller are pipe cleaner formed first. The instructions are clear and easy. The clothing patterns and design ideas are just sweet!

THE DOLLS ARE SO NICE, SO CUTE. I LIKE MINI DOLLS, AND I THINK THIS BOOK IS VERY INTERESTING, WITH MANY MODELS OF DOLLS AND CLOTHES. IF YOU LIKE TO SEW DOLLS BY HAND, IF YOU LIKE TO EMBELISH CLOTHES EMBRODERING THEM, YOU WILL LIKE THIS UNPRETENTIOUS BOOK SO MUCH.

Looking forward to making projects from this book

Cute - I'll never make any of them, but there are loads of fun little doll projects in this book!(I just like to look at and collect pattern books...)

Love this book. Great directions and lots of ideas to be creative.My great granddaughters are happy recipients of my dolls made for them.

Reallly good bookI love itLook like u have whole models avilable on the world

Ótimo livro, muito bem explicado!! Amei!!

Tons of patterns and ideas.

A lovely pattern book full of excellent instructions.

Plusieurs modèles de poupées avec a chaque fois toute une garde robe. Tout est facile même pour les débutants, j'adore les petits vêtements proposés pour chaque poupée de taille différente. J'en ai fait plusieurs très facilement alors que j'ai toujours des problèmes pour coudre et que je ne suis vraiment pas très douée!! là tout est bien expliqué en images et donc la langue anglaise n'est pas indispensable du tout. Un bon livre !!

Absolutely LOVE it, clear funny instructions, full size patterns and very funky outfits. Only gripe, some BOY dolls please in the interests of gender neutrality/equality - oh and some bedding, DD's dollies all MUST have their own beds!!