Embroidery Library Urban Threads The Study

🧵SAVE THIS WEEKEND - 60% Off Singles!

Shop Single Designs

PURR-Chase $3+, Adopt a FREE Cat! 😺Shop Now!

Dragons. Cats. DEALS! - 60% Off Our Most Popular Collections

Jointed Doll (In-the-Hoop)

Jointed Doll (In-the-Hoop)

Craft a little fanciful fun with adorable plush jointed dolls! Stitch each charmingly decorated piece in-the-hoop, then stuff and assemble, adding button joints for a bit of old-world charm. Follow along and we'll show you how!

Supplies & Materials:

To get started, gather these supplies:

Gather Materials:


This tutorial demonstrates construction using the bunny design. The kitty design is similar, but without separate pieces for the ears, and with a separate piece for the tail.

When you download the bunny design, there will be 22 files. Eight are embroidery files, and the other fourteen are dieline files (labeled with "DL"). Dieline files are used to cut the fabric to the right shape, and can be printed out using an embroidery program.

Spray the back of the paper dieline for file "a" with temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the right side of the fabric. Then, cut out the shape. If cutting out all the pieces at once, it can be helpful to label them, so they don't get mixed up.

Orange-handled scissors rest on top of a paper pattern labeled "Body Front 'A'." The pattern is pinned to two fabric layers, one beige and one white, on a dark wooden surface.

Start Embroidering:

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer tightly, making sure there are no wrinkles.

Rectangular embroidery hoop with stabilizer fabric secured, placed on a wooden surface, no visible embroidery or thread colors.

Files "a" and "b" make the front and back of the bunny's body. Make sure to sew the front file first ("a"), as the back file ("b") sews the front and back pieces together.

Attach the hoop to the machine, and load the embroidery file for the front of the body ("a"). The first thing to embroider will be the dieline or outline stitch. This marks the area on the stabilizer where the fabric piece should be placed.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching outlines on white fabric hooped in a rectangular frame, with visible sewing needle and machine components.

Then, place the backside of the fabric piece with temporary adhesive. Carefully smooth it into place within the sewn outline.

Close-up of a hand peeling fabric from an embroidery hoop with a stabilizer underneath on a wooden surface. The hoop is large and plastic.

Continue to embroider the design. Follow the color change sheet to stitch out all of the details.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a beige fabric with a white-bordered heart, pink flower designs, and black curved lines with a hook-like shape.

Once the embroidery is finished, cut around the sides of the fabric rectangle, and set this piece aside to be used later.

Embroidery hoop project on fabric with a white swirly cat design, closed eyes, and a pink heart; orange scissors on a wooden surface nearby.

To embroider the back side of the body, hoop another piece of tear-away stabilizer and load file "b" onto the machine. Follow the color change sheet to sew the dieline, place the fabric, and embroider the details of the design. Make sure to stop the machine before sewing the "finishing seam step".

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a floral white and purple swirling pattern on beige fabric held in a square hoop.

Before sewing the finishing seam step, remove the hoop from the machine, but do not un hoop the stabilizer. Take the embroidered front piece ("a"), and lay it on top of the back piece with right sides together. Match up the edges of the fabric, and place masking tape along all four sides to hold it in place.

Hand holding beige fabric flap revealing embroidered white and yellow floral design over a stitched cat face inside an embroidery hoop on translucent stabilizer.

Now that the front piece is taped in place, put the hoop back onto the machine and embroider the "finishing seam".

Embroidery machine stitching a white fabric with a cat face outline, pink nose, black whiskers, and floral designs in purple, pink, and gold thread.

After the embroidery is finished, unhoop the design, and cut away the excess stabilizer again. Also carefully remove all of the tear-away stabilizer from the wrong side of the fabric.

Do this for both the front and back side of the bunny body. This will help it turn easier and plump up better when stuffed.

Hand holding corner of beige fabric piece embroidered with white, gold, and purple floral swirls on a dark wood surface.

Then cut around the finishing seam (the final shape) of the bunny. Make sure to leave a 1/4" for seam allowance.

Orange-handled scissors lie on a wooden surface next to a light beige fabric doll with embroidered cat face, pink heart, and decorative white and purple swirls.

The arms, legs, and ears do not have embroidery on both sides. To sew the first arm (file "c"), hoop a piece a tear-away stabilizer, place the fabric piece, and embroider the design like the back piece was earlier.

Again, make sure to stop before sewing the "finishing seam."

Embroidery machine stitching a floral design with a purple flower, yellow centers, and white swirls on a rectangular piece of beige fabric.

Before embroidering the "finishing seam" step, place the back fabric piece on top of the sewn arm. Make sure right sides are together and tape it in place.

Hand lifting a fabric piece to reveal a stitched face design with two black eye shapes and a clear button nose, secured inside an embroidery hoop with tissue backing.

Then embroider the "finishing seam".

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a beige fabric piece secured with yellow masking tape on a white embroidery hoop grid.

When the embroidery is finished, carefully remove all of the tear-away stabilizer from the back of the embroidery. Then cut around the finishing seam, and leave a 1/4" of fabric for seam allowance.

Small beige fabric scissor case with white and purple embroidered details, holding orange-handled scissors on a dark wood surface.

Repeat the arm steps to embroider the other arm, legs, and ears of the bunny. Then remove all of the stabilizer and cut around the shapes.

Six fabric pieces shaped like doll limbs with embroidered white and pink floral designs and small black markings, arranged on a wooden surface.

Now it is time to assembled the bunny. Turn the body right side out, and stuff it firmly with polyester fiber fill.

Small beige fabric doll with embroidered closed eyes, nose, and whiskers, plus white and pink floral designs on body, placed on wooden surface with stuffing visible at one end.

Then stuff both legs firmly. To attach the legs, match up the raw edges of the legs with the raw edges of the body. Make sure the front sides are touching, and that the sides of the legs are up against the side seams. Hand sew a straight seam 1/4" from the edge to connect them to the body. In this process, the legs will be sewn closed.

Hand holding a partially stuffed beige fabric doll torso with long arms attached, showing decorative embroidery on the front, on a wooden surface.

Once both legs are attached, turn in all the raw edges 1/4". Then use thread matching the fabric to hand sew the body closed.

Hand holding a jointed fabric doll’s leg area with visible stitch lines and frayed fabric on a wooden surface background.

Next, stuff both arms firmly with polyester fiber fill. Turn the raw edges in 1/4", and hand sew the opening closed.

Close-up of hand holding beige fabric doll limb with yellow embroidered flower, needle and white thread sewing joint, dark blurred background.

Then take one button, and sew it onto the top of the arm. Position the arm over the side seam, and hand sew it into place.

Repeat to stuff and sew on the opposite arm.

Hand holding a fabric doll with embroidered cat face and whiskers, floral and swirl patterns in purple, white, pink, and pale yellow thread on beige fabric.

Then take one button, and sew it onto the top of the arm. Position the arm over the side seam, and hand sew it into place.

Repeat to stuff and sew on the opposite arm.

Hand holding a partially sewn beige fabric doll limb with visible stitching and a needle threaded with beige thread inserted near the seam.

Sew a button at the top of the ear where there is no batting. Then hand sew it in place along the seam on the head.

Repeat for the opposite ear. If you would like a bunny with ears that stand up, stuff the ears more firmly, and sew them in place on the back of the head.

Close-up of a hand holding a beige fabric bunny doll with embroidered face, decorative stitching, pink buttons securing jointed arms, and pins stuck into its body.

To make a cute, carnival frill for the bunny, cut out six rectangles of tulle (32"x4" for the larger bunny or 28"x 3" for the smaller bunny). Lay them on top of each other, and match up the edges.

White, semi-transparent fabric strip folded in a loose V shape, placed on a dark wood grain surface. No embroidery or additional objects visible.

Then fold all the piece of tulle together, but instead of folding them perfectly in half, fold them slightly off center. Then pin them in place along the folded edge.

Left hand holding folded white tulle fabric pinned with three sewing pins on a dark brown wooden surface.

Next sew 1/4" seam along the folded edge. This will create a channel for the ribbon.

Close-up of folded white mesh or tulle fabric on a medium brown wooden surface with visible wood grain and planks.

Cut a piece of ribbon 25" long. Then secure one end onto a small safety pin, and guide it through the sewn channel on the tulle, ruffling it as you go.

Long white tulle or netting fabric gathered into ruffles with a white ribbon threaded through, laid out on a dark wooden surface.

Once the ribbon is all the way through, tie it around the bunny's neck, and fluff it as desired.

Your magically adorable bunny is complete!

Hand-sewn beige fabric bunny doll with embroidered facial features and floral designs, wearing a white layered tulle tutu, held against a wooden background.