Doll Diaries, Chapter 1 : Making Hikari, A Felt Doll Tutorial

Happy weekend fluffies! I hope all of you are feeling fab today. When I was young, I loved Barbie dolls, but what I loved even more were homemade vintage dolls my aunt used to make me. They had pretty little changeable dresses and dainty little doll houses made out of recycled cardboard. Oh bliss.

I have been planning this tutorial for a long time now, but never got to it due to time constrains and such. However, I will be pretty free this month and that would only mean more fun tutorials and DIY projects. Gleeeee!

So fluffeteers, we will be doing a series of doll making for the next 2 weeks or so, and I am naming this project, Doll Diaries. As you probably know, I am a sucker for stories and decided to make this little series of mine somewhat story like.

Doll Diaries : Chapter One, Making a Felt Doll

Meet Hikari , The Felt Doll

The first chapter to Doll Diaries introduces you to Hikari. She is a sweet doll who loves nature, homemade food and adores animals. I will be showing you how to make her today from felt and this pretty much covers the basics of felt doll sewing.

Hikari is a tall and slim doll with short brunette hair. I guess being self indulgent, I wanted Hikari's hair to be a reflection of mine. LOL! Don't judge me (cute face?). Her eyes are embroidered on using a piece of felt covered with felling stitches. My all famous fake embroidery tutorial can be found here.

As for Hikari's lower body, I sewed on the upper legs unto the body piece using back stitches. You will need to do this magic stitch to sew around the legs when you are closing up the plush with blanket stitches.

I hope you liked chapter one to Doll Diaries. Do let me know in the comments what costumes you would like to see on Hikari next week. Chapter two continues with felt doll costume making and shoes if we have more time during the tutorial.

Hikari's Story:
Hikari (Japanese) holds the meaning of Light when translated to English. I named her Hikari as she is a Mori Girl inspired doll who loves being around living things, nature and lives in a cute cottage in the woods. Hikari loves sewing, painting and collecting wild flowers to decorate her petite looking dining table. She has a pet rabbit named Momo and little birdies named Flora and Fauna who visit her cottage every morning for bread crumbs.

P/S: I made this for a very inspiring friend of mine, Van from Yuki no Kokoro. I hope she will like Hikari. and take good care of her.

I hope you enjoyed the video tutorial on how to make Hikari, the felt doll. Do send me pictures if you ever make this and don't forget to send me costume requests! Template can be found below. I uploaded it on dropbox for the original scale of the doll. Have fun and good luck fluffies!

Doll Diaries Complete Felt Doll Making Basics:
Chapter 2: Making Hikari's Felt Doll Dress Tutorial
Chapter 3: Making Hikari's Felt Doll Shoes Tutorial