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!

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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".

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.

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

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.

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

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."

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.

Then embroider the "finishing seam".

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

For the bunny, the ears are next. (For the kitty, the tail will be added in the same way.)

This time stuff the ear lightly before sewing the opening closed. Then push the fiber fill down, so there is none at the top 1 1/2" of the ear.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!