How to Make a Simple & Versatile Soft Doll
I’ve received a number of emails asking me about how I got started sewing soft toys. The short answer is that I got inspired by what I saw on all the lovely craft blogs and wanted to make something for my daughter (as I was a new Mum at the time). So after a bit of experimenting with the basics of sewing, I drew up my own pattern, which was a very simple shape and the first Baby Chibi doll was born (which looked something like this).
I’ve learnt so much from other crafters and online tutorials along the way (and continue to learn) that I thought it might prove helpful for someone out there to have access to a pattern and instructions for a very simple doll. And so I came up with Ruby :-)
Ruby is made up of basic shapes and her construction is also pretty simple. The fun lies in the embellishing and finishing of the doll. I made this first Ruby with a mix of fabric including wool-blend suiting, cotton print and corduroy. You may also note in the instructions that I have tried not to be too prescriptive with the embellishments or how to do the face – this is where your creativity and imagination take over!
Every few weeks I hope to publish a variation of this basic Ruby Doll. The first two will be Yelena Ruby (a Russian/Matryoshka inspired variation) and Haruko Ruby ( a Japanese/Kokeshi inspired variation).
To download the pattern and instructions for Ruby Doll#1 for free, please click here.
And if you do happen to make one, please let me know – I’d love to see it! Please let me know of any problems you had with the pattern or instructions as well. (And if there is enough interest, we can set up a Flickr group).
P.S. Thank you for all your comments on my previous post – my laptop has been very temperamental of late so I am currently on my my hubby’s PC but will respond to your emails/comments once my laptop decides to co-operate again :-)
March 28th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Thankyou SO much for the pattern for your Ruby doll Jhoanna! She is adorable and I look forward to making my own version.
Very generous of you to share your design. Can’t wait to make my own versionS
Dotee :)
http://www.dotslifeandart.blogspot.com
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March 28th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Awww…she’s very cute! I’ve already downloaded and printed out the pattern/instructions. Ok…now one more thing on my ever growing to-do list!
Thanks for being so generous and kind as to share your pattern. I’m looking forward to other variations.
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March 28th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Thanks Jhoanna. Thank you for sharing and making your pattern available. She looks so cute, and the pattern is perfectly professional. Wonderful
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March 28th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Ooooh..wonderful!! Thank you so much Jhoanna for sharing the ruby Doll pattern. I can’t wait to make one. :-) She is adorable.
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March 28th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
SO CUTE!!!! SOOOOO CUTE!
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March 29th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Goodness – you are the QUEEN of softies! Look at all those cuties! And I think it’s so generous of you to share your pattern. I’m off to look at it and see if it’s doable for me. I’m softie-challenged, you know. :o)
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March 29th, 2007 at 12:52 am
Yikes, I just printed it off. It looks so professionally done! Great job!
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March 29th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Thank you for the email and for the tutorial!! It’s kind of you to share all your knowledge with us! I may even feel confident enough to try to make a doll now!!
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March 29th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Wonderful work – very cute dolls. Thanks for sharing!
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March 30th, 2007 at 1:48 am
The Ruby’s are very cute. Just printed out the pattern and thank you for doing such a nice job. Oh, I dislike naughty computers; mine still seems to have a mind of its own lately.
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March 30th, 2007 at 2:03 am
This is wonderful! Can’t wait to try it out!
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March 30th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Thanks heaps for the tutorial, Jhoanna! I’m going to make my own now.
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March 30th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
thank you so much for sharing this sweet pattern!!
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March 31st, 2007 at 11:29 am
A great idea! I really like the two variations you have chosen. And the faces are terrific. So fun!
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March 31st, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Thank you muchly, she looks beautiful, I cannot wait to make my own!
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April 3rd, 2007 at 8:17 pm
I made a Ruby!
I couldn’t get your “Contact Me” link to work though :(
But here she is…
http://flickr.com/photos/lilley1/444721905/
Thanks Again x
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April 7th, 2007 at 4:48 am
Thank you!!!!! I have seen your dolls before and just loved them. It is very depressing when you first start out and see so many wonderful items, but don’t know where to start and can’t find patterns! It is so nice for you to share this pattern with others. I can’t wait to make one over the weekend!
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April 20th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
I made a Ruby. Thanks for the great pattern. My daughter is going to make one as well.
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May 2nd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I’ve made my Ruby Doll! A great pattern, thanks for sharing it.
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May 12th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Hello, I have just found your blog and was amazed to see a doll with my name, how wonderful. I’m going to have to make one. Do you wholesale your patterns ?? If so I would love to hear from you. Keep up the good work.
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June 2nd, 2007 at 8:06 am
Dear Jhoanna,
I also made two ruby dolls! They came out so fine.. But I have no idee how to put their picture inhere or in your etsyclubsite… So please vissit my blog to see them (I had their picture placed on june one, with directions to your lovely site!)
Greatings Mama Lieveheersbeestje.
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June 2nd, 2007 at 8:08 am
Sorry! this is the link to my blog..
http/www.hetlieveheersbeestje.blogspot.com
mama lieveheersbeestje.
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November 24th, 2007 at 6:47 am
Definatly going to have to make one of these for my little Ruby! She is in love with Matryoshka dolls, and with the doll named after her…well… a match made in heaven!!!
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November 24th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Congratulations on getting a posting from the ‘Sew-Down’ of November craft delights on the sewmamasew.blog list. The Ruby Doll is a personal favorite.
Go you good girl.
love from Remi and Mum
Brisbane, Australia
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March 13th, 2008 at 5:04 am
Thank you for sharing this. I was looking for a simple pattern to make dolls for humanitarian purposes. They would be donated to people in need all over the world. This pattern is perfect because it can be made to fit all cultures.
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June 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
hello
thank you for sharing this, i am just starting to make my own ruby doll, unfortunately for me i sew like an amateur.
i have just started my design, congrats for your success =)
cheers
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July 15th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
what a lovely blog and thank you so much for the ruby doll pattern! cant wait to try and make her!!!
jo
x
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September 23rd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I added Ruby to my list!! I LOVE her. I just am in the process of making my first softy from a library book that me and my daughter are working on!!
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September 24th, 2008 at 3:18 am
Hello, Thnak you for tutorial. I’ll make the chinese doll: I adopted two china girls so it’s a good idea!
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October 28th, 2008 at 2:39 am
these are too cute!Do you think I could make one into a boy? I would love to make a boy doll for my son!
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November 19th, 2008 at 8:31 am
This is wonderful! thanks
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December 3rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Thank you so much for your pattern. Just finished the ruby doll for my granddaughter which just turned 1, think she will love it. This will be a christmas gift for her. Thank you again.
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January 5th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Hola desdes España! son geniales tus muñecas gracias por los patrones, hare varias para mis sobrinas y la niña que espero llegue pronto de Etiopia.
Hello from Spain! your dools are great thanks for the patterns,I will do more for my nieces and girls that I hope will soon come to Ethiopia.
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January 5th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Thank you for the Ruby doll pattern. The instructions are very easy to follow. I am a beginning sewer even though I am 50 and really appreciate it. My husband and I have 10 grandchildren, four are girls. Thank you again.
Dottie
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March 11th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Thankyou for the beautiful pattern! I have begun making my ruby doll today!
peace,
Ngaire
x
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March 12th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Thanks for the tutorial!
What a neat way to use up bits of extra fabric from previous projects. Here’s how my first Ruby Doll turned out …
http://www.flickr.com/photos/auntyjoyjoy/3348491698/
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March 27th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial.
Here is my first doll:
http://sewperstitious.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/ruby-doll/
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May 7th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Thanks so much for joining Craft Hope! This is my first time making a doll and I’m going to try yours. Thanks for sharing your tutorial! :)
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June 23rd, 2009 at 9:52 pm
I’m looking for articles about softies, glad i found this… =) thanks.
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September 26th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Absolutely adorable! I love them so much – totally bookmarking this and the website too!
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October 27th, 2009 at 9:10 am
hi there, i am trying to make my first doll for my 4 yo. do you have to know how to use a sewing machine to do this doll pattern? (i can only do straight sewing on the sewing machine…i forgot how to end a stitch, and i may also have forgotten how to thread the thing….!)
thanks…
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November 5th, 2009 at 8:52 am
I made Ruby as a gift for a friend travelling overseas and I’ve received photos of her in all sorts of places, including on a glacier. I’m looking forward to the other patterns being posted!
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November 6th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Thankyou so much for the generosity of putting this pattern on here for free. I have been looking for a simple doll to make with my 7yr old who is desperate to start making some toys for her self. This is so great and lovely to see the trust in just simply asking people not to sell.
Well done.
Kind regards.
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February 1st, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Hello. I made this as my first sewing project for my 3 year old daughter. She absolutely loves her ‘new dolly’. Thank you for the tutorial. I loved making it.
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June 6th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Love this doll pattern! thanks so much! I’m linking to it at my international blog linking party today so that I’ll
remember it and to share it with my readers. I’d love it if you’d drop by and link to something else! all the best, Sara
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June 8th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
This is just too precious! i love it!!
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August 23rd, 2010 at 3:50 am
Thank you very much for the pattern, I loved making the doll and the girl I made the doll for loved it too.
http://windekind-everythingwonderful.blogspot.com/2010/02/one-red-robin.html
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January 5th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Many thanks for the beautiful pattern – it is extremely generous of you.
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March 21st, 2011 at 5:05 pm
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August 31st, 2011 at 9:13 am
I have tried to download your free pattern for the doll but it doesn’t come thru… could you please tell me what I am doing wrong. I appreciate your assistance and think your work is wonderful.. Thank you. Priscilla
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jhoanna Reply:
September 3rd, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Hi Priscilla, I have tested the link and it downloads without any problems. Try downloading the pattern from this link – http://oneredrobin.com/ruby-doll-patterns-and-instructions/
Hope it works for you!
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September 7th, 2011 at 7:57 am
So very cute! Did you ever publish the pattern/instructions for the Yelena Ruby doll?
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jhoanna Reply:
September 28th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
HI Kristina, thank you! Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance too but I haven’t forgotten either. Hopefully I can get a sewing machine here in Hong Kong and can start sewing and sharing patterns again very soon!
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September 22nd, 2011 at 4:30 am
Similarly to Priscilla I can’t get the instructions to download :( Even the link on you reply doesn’t work for me! Boo hoo! :( p.s. Ruby is sooooo cute!
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jhoanna Reply:
September 28th, 2011 at 9:40 pm
Please try this link Vikki: http://www.oneredrobin.com/wp-content/blogimages/rubydoll_nbr1.pdf
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October 19th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
thank you jhoanna. I’ll make this doll for children in my work area…
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jhoanna Reply:
November 3rd, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Hope you have fun making the dolls and hope the children enjoy them too Ahari!
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November 17th, 2011 at 4:16 am
Hi, thanks for the free pattern :) I used it to make a Christmas Elf. I linked your pattern on my blog. If you are interested in seeing my version of your pattern, you can find my post here.
http://laraandgillian.blogspot.com/2011/11/heeeeres-jack.html
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September 14th, 2012 at 3:39 am
Hi there! Thank you for the nice pattern. I used it for a Ruby doll for my nieces first birthday. I made her a dress too, and of course the doll is wearing a matching outfit. You can find the resul on my blog, http://nifels.blogspot.nl/2012/09/naaiwerk-voor-nichtje-ninthe.html, and I linked to your pattern there too.
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April 12th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
I really appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere
for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing.
You’ve made my day! Thanks again!
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