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Cloth Doll Hands

1. Stump hand
As with the stump foot, this is the simplest to construct by simply sewing around the shape. It is possible to give the illusion of a hand by tying around the arm or using different coloured material for the hand part or painting the stump end.


Variation on stump, where hand is created by tying stump at wrist level.
2. Pleated wrist
This is created by pressing a small pleat in the top layer of fabric for the arm. The pattern template is placed over the pleated fabric so that the wrist is over the pleat.
When turned and stuffed, the hand will turn out at a different angle from the arm. (This is like the darted ankle.)
3. Mitten hand
This is a simple hand shape with thumb and no fingers. Simply sew around the shape, clip curves and turn.

4. Top-stitched fingers
Like the mitten hand only the fingers are top-stitched by hand or machine after the mitten hand is sewn, clipped, turned and lightly stuffed. (Back stitch at beginning and end of each finger to catch threads).
5. Separate fingers
This style gives a hand with realistic fingers.
The pattern is drawn with separate fingers and thumbs.

To achieve this style of hand requires tiny finger turning  tools, chenille stems, mini stuffing fork & haemostats.  See Supplies

BOOK AVAILABLE: 'Fiddly Little Finger and Tricky Toes' by Madeleine Sara Maddocks contains lots of fabulous time and tear-saving tips and useful step by step information to enable you to make those fiddly little cloth figure wired hands and toed feet easily and effectively. 

 click here to order £12.95 


rag doll version


cloth figure hands

6. Inserted Wrist/separate hand

This style combines stump and fingered hand versions. The hand is sewn all the way around the shape and a slit is cut in the top surface for turning and stuffing and inserting the wrist which is slip stitched into place. (Make sure you have a left and right hand with thumbs towards the doll's body)

 

 
7. Separate Thumb

This type of hand involves attaching a separate thumb to the side or palm- side of the hand.

  
When attaching the arms to the body, the thumbs should always point forwards/towards the body. Make sure the thumbs are not pointing away from the body as this looks less natural. People don't normally stand with the palms of their hands outwards.

 

 

 

This beautiful doll (Designed & made by Glennis Bowser), has her thumbs pointing away from her body. 

I named her Mme. Miscouche as she was discovered on P.E.I, Canada in the French-Canadian area called Miscouche.


These two dolls, Henry Chievious (left) and Kim Ono (above), have their thumbs pointing forwards and towards the body, which looks more natural.