Stitch a family heirloom ragdoll with our easy-to-follow how-to

What you need...

• Fabric, Makower: Spectrum, 50cm x 75cm; Meadow, Dandelion, 20cm x 40cm; Meadow by Beth Studley, Poppies, 20cm x 40cm
  Ribbon, 3mm wide, white, 50cm
  Thread, co-ordinating
  Buttons
  Stuffing, 250g
  Pens, fabric, fine: black, red

instructions

1. Ragdoll - 1 Using the doll templates provided, cut two body pieces and four arms from Spectrum fabric. Mark any notches. Trim four legs from Dandelion material, again marking the notches, then trim a 50cm square of Spectrum for the hair.
   
   2 Lay a body piece over the template and use fabric pens to trace the features of the face. Stitch two leg pieces together with right sides facing, from the top-back edge down to the first notch, then sew a couple of back stitches. Remove the needle from the fabric and start stitching from the next notch.
   
   3 Continue to work down around the foot and back up the other side of the leg. Leave the top open. Repeat to make the second leg, then turn them both out. Open out the top of each leg and match seam to seam, then tack closed.
   
   4 Lay the front body piece facing up, then place the two legs on top so the feet are pointing towards the face and the tops of the legs line up with the bottom of the body. Tack into place.
   
   5 Lay the other body piece on top, enclosing the legs, then pin and stitch all the way round leaving a gap for turning through, as indicated on the template. Turn right side out and stuff the legs, slip stitch the back of each leg closed.
   
   6 Stuff the body and slip stitch the opening. Match up the pairs of arms, then pin and stitch around each, leaving the top short edge open. Turn right side out and stuff. Slip stitch the tops closed and hand stitch to the doll's shoulders.
   
   7 To make the hair, snip across the fabric at 1.5cm intervals and rip so the cut lines fray. Put four strips together and tie a knot in the middle. Repeat for the rest of the strips. Secure the knotted hair into place around the top of the doll’s head using small hand stitches.

2. Dress - 1 Cut a 17cm x 36cm rectangle of poppies fabric, then stitch a narrow hem around all four sides. Gather the long top edge of the fabric until it is 17cm long and lay ribbon centrally on top of the gathers, then stitch into place so there's a length of ribbon at each end to tie the dress at the back of the doll.
   
   2 Cut two 3cm x 10cm pieces of dress fabric and fold in half lengthways. Stitch and turn through. Put the dress on the ragdoll and pin the shoulder straps into place. Secure with machine or hand stitching. Sew two buttons on the front of the dress where the straps meet the gathers.