How to Make a Sock Doll

Co-authored by Lois Wade

Last Updated: April 10, 2024 Approved

You'll never know what happened to that missing sock, but now you know what to do with its other half. A few "orphan" socks from your laundry room can be made into a soft, huggable new doll.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Doll Body

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1
Select three socks to make your doll. They can be any size, but keep in mind that any pattern or logo on them will also be on the doll, so solid colored, lightly worn socks are best for this project.
2
Stuff an ankle sock and stitch up the hem. You could also use a regular sock and just cut off the top.
- The toe becomes the head, the heel becomes the rear end.
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3
Cut off the toe of the second sock and turn inside out. These will become the legs.
4
Mark the vertical center line to designate legs (with slightly rounded "toes" as shown).
5
Sew approximately a quarter inch from the center line on each side. Go up one side and down the other, rounding the toes. Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) towards the top. Don't go all the way up.
6
Turn this right side out, stuff and stitch the top closed. These are your doll's legs.
7
Sew together the hems (closed openings) of the two socks.
- As you sew, make sure that the legs and the rear end are at natural angles.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making and Adding the Arms

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1
Cut off the heel and toe of a short sock.
2
Turn inside out, draw the center line.
3
Sew a quarter inch from the center line.
4
Cut apart as shown.
5
Turn the arms right side out, and then stuff and stitch them to the body.
6
With a sturdy thread, sew 1/4 inch stitches around the neck and cinch them slightly to form the head.
- You can also tie a ribbon (the doll's scarf) around to make the neck and give the doll a unique style.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Decorating and Adding Details

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1
Use buttons, beads, googly eyes, yarn and markers to make the doll's face.
2
Add yarn hair. Wrap 30 or so strands of yarn around something sturdy that is approximately a foot wide.
3
Place a strip of felt under the yarn, perpendicular to the wrap direction.
4
Hand baste the yarn strands to the felt strip.
5
Turn the object over and cut the yarn in the center of the side opposite the basted felt strip.
6
Machine sew the yarn strands to the felt strip.
7
Trim the felt strip ends.
8
Center the felt strip on the doll's head and sew it on.
9
Leave the hair smooth or braid it, as you prefer.
10
Embellish with embroidery if you wish.
11
Clothe your doll if desired. This can be done by sewing something out of your fabric stash or purchasing appropriately sized doll clothes. Or, you could make the clothes so that they can be taken on and off easily.

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Question

Would this doll be washable?

Lindy Taylor

Community Answer

The sock part would be washable, but it would be inadvisable to put it in the washing machine. If you MUST wash the whole thing, gently hand-washing it would probably work, taking care not to tangle the yarn up.

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What should I do if I don't have a sewing machine?

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You can sew by hand. If you don't have a needle and thread laying about, consider purchasing a small sewing kit.

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How can I make it without a needle?

Community Answer

Really the only alternative to your basic needle and thread is a sewing machine.

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Tips

Felt makes a good doll clothing material because it does not require hemming.

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Make sure to practice drawing the marker on paper before you put it on the face, because you might not be able to take it off.

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Make a family of dolls of different sizes or start a collection. This can encourage imagination to create 'housing' and writing to write about their 'lives'.

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Adding decorations can be fun and make your doll stand out, but keep in mind that adding too many decorations can make it uncomfortable to hold.
You don't need to stop at dolls: you can also use these techniques to make animals too!

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Warnings

If you plan to give your doll to a small child, consider using only embroidered facial features, as glued on or sewn on buttons can come loose and become a choking hazard.

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Be careful using needles and scissors.

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