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Our Dressy Yarn Doll is an updated version of Great Grandma’s original yarn doll from the days when there wasn’t a toy store on every corner.  Little ones will treasure this precious toy and will tuck it away with their special memories as they get older.

Trivia:

The Coats and Clark Company in the United States first marketed Red Heart Yarn in September, 1936, and the first acrylic yarn in 1959. Making yarn dolls became a popular pastime, and the yarn doll was listed as a craft activity in one of the earliest Brownie Scout Hand Books. Source: Historical Folk Toys

Supplies

• Embroidery Floss
• Skin Colored  Yarn for Doll
• Yarn for Hair
• Lace, Scraps of Fabric, Trim and Foam
• Rubber Bands
• Kid’s Choice Glue, Low Temp Glue Gun, or Tacky Glue
• Letter sized piece of cardboard.

Instructions

1. Start by wrapping skin colored yarn about 25 times around the long side of the cardboard. Cut yarn at the edge on both sides.
2.  Smooth yarn bundles together and tie tightly in the middle with a small piece of yarn. Fold in half at the tie. smooth down.
3. To make a neck, wrap a rubber band tightly around the doll about 1″ from the fold.
4.  For the arms gather about 10 pieces of yarn at each side . Rubber band about 1″ from the neck to make wrists. Trim off excess yarn. Wrap another rubber band 1″ from the neck to make the waist. Split the remaining yarn in half for legs and rubber band at the ankles. Trim ends.
5.  Hair is made by wrapping yarn around your four fingers about ten times. Slip off. Use a piece of yarn to tie together and cut open the loop. Glue to the head of the doll, spreading strands out to cover head. Trim and style. Punch two holes out of foam for eyes. Glue in place.
6.  Make your doll special by wrapping it in lace and floss as shown or design your own clothes using fabric scraps. If you have scraps left over from making your child’s favorite dress, it will make it even more special.