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There are various ways to create a BODY for your cloth figure:

1. Outline/Pancake 
This type of body is created simply by cutting a neck & body shape out of a double thickness of fabric, which is then sewn around, clipped and turned. Often the body and head outline are continuous. This can lead to 'floppy neck syndrome' unless the neck is stuffed suitably firmly to prevent it. All-in-one bodies are also created by this method. Sometimes the head and body pieces are separate and must be sewn at the neck before the front and back of the doll are sewn together, around the edge, leaving a gap for turning and stuffing. The design can be made more complex by making the clothes an integral part of the doll, where front and back halves of the doll are assembled separately and then the two halves are sewn together.
2. Sack
This type of body is constructed using a rectangle of fabric. A ¼" seam allowance is folded WS together at the neckline and the rectangle is then sewn into a tube. Before turning RSO a row of gathering stitches is sewn at the bottom edge, pulled closed and secured to form a bag, which is then turned RSO. The bottom of sack body is stuffed with polystyrene bobbles. Another row of gathering stitches is sewn close to the top edge of the tube neckline. This is drawn up and sewn evenly around the doll's neck. A circle of matching body material is sewn over the gathered stitches to form a base, under which the tops of the legs are positioned and attached. 
3.Gusseted
This type of body produces a three dimensional shape, achieved by the addition of a gusset usually between the two continuous head & body outline pieces.
4. Darted
Again this type of body produces a three dimensional shape, achieved by the positioning of darts at shoulders/ hips/sides/chest
5. Segmented
This type of body is constructed with 3 or more pieces, giving it more shape than the outline body.
6. Tailored
This type of body is achieved when all pattern pieces are carefully designed to scale creating the illusion of a human in a smaller scale. This will involve inserting darts, seams, segments, armature and needle sculpting and is the most sophisticated type of cloth doll making.
(See Antonette Cely)

There are various ways to create a HEAD for your cloth figure:

1. Outline head
This type of head is created by cutting a shape out of a double thickness of fabric. 
Often the body and head outline are continuous. Sometimes the head and body pieces are separate and the two sides must be sewn at the neck before the front and back of the doll is sewn together around the edge leaving a gap for turning and stuffing. The face is usually shown on one side of the flat surface looking forwards. It is also possible to create a continuous outline of the head following the profile of the forehead, mouth, nose & chin.

2. Ball head
This is simply created using a circle of fabric around which a row of gathering stitches are sewn and inside which a clump of stuffing is enclosed, when the threads are drawn up. Two rows of stitches creates a stronger seam. The stitches are then tied off, knotted securely and neatly trimmed. The ends can then be hidden at the back of the head behind the hair. 
3. Darted head
This type of head produces a three dimensional shape, achieved by inserting darts / sewing across the seam at chin/neck/eye level to produce better shape and dimension. 
4. Gusseted head
This type of head produces a three dimensional shape, achieved by the addition of a gusset between the two side head pieces. It is also possible to add a gusset to the chin area to provide a better shape to an outline head.
5. Segmented head
This type of head produces a three dimensional shape, achieved by sewing usually three or four sections together.
6. Soft sculpted head
This type of head is achieved by building up the shape using layers of filling. This is then covered by a skin of stretch fabric. See also doll skinning and waldorf
7. Seamed head
This is a clever way of manipulating the bias of the fabric in a 2D profile head, by sewing two rectangles of fabric together, refolding them right angles to the seam, applying the head template across the seam and sewing this before cutting, trimming and clipping.

There are various ways to create EARS for your cloth figure:
1. Outline ears
This type of ear is created from a continuous outline of head and ear cut out of a double thickness of fabric. Once sewn, trimmed and turned, the ears are lightly stuffed and then topstitched just at the top and bottom.
2. Inner seamed ears
The ears are sewn, clipped and turned and lightly stuffed before being inserted at either side of the head. The head outline is then sewn with the ears in position, so that when clipped and turned, the ears will stick out nicely from the sides of the doll head.
3. Separate ears
Here the ears are made separately and hand stitched to the doll head after it has been sewn, turned and stuffed.

There are various ways to create HANDS for your cloth figure:

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.
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.

TOP TIPS ON TURNING FINGERS:
a. Good quality, strong fabric is essential for separate fingers.
b. It is important to keep stitch length to 1.5 and certainly no longer than 2.0 and to ensure that two stitches are made between each finger and across the tips of each finger. 
c. Take the machine stitching slowly, stop and turn the hand frequently as you sew. Sew the seam twice.
d. Seams are then clipped and trimmed to a scant 0.3cm allowance. (It is important that they are not too bulky as they will not turn easily and not too narrow, as they will fray right through the stitching line).
e. Putting Fray stop fluid around the seams and leaving it for about 5-10 mins before turning the fingers makes the task a little easier. I turn and stuff the head whilst the fray check fluid is slightly drying.
For this type of hand design, you really need tiny turning tubes: You place one tube inside the first finger and use a second narrower tube to turn the seam allowance and press down into the finger. Push the first against yourself (or use a clamp/vice) so you can use both your hands to gently ease the fabric over the tube.
NB: YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO PUSH THE FABRIC DOWN THE INNER TUBE, YOU ARE TRYING TO EASE THE FINGER UP OVER THE UPPER TUBE.
Take your time, this stage takes practice and patience. Once you have turned each finger inside the hand, use hemostats to pull the turned fingers out through the arm opening.

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.

There are various ways to create FEET for your cloth figure:
1. Stump Leg
This is the simplest foot style to construct. It is made by simply sewing around the shape of the leg. it is possible to give the illusion of a foot by tying around the leg at the bottom, painting the bottom of the leg like a shoe or using a different coloured material as the foot section.
2. Darted Ankle
By elongating the leg and sewing in a dart on the inside ankle & then sewing the outside of the foot against the leg, the stump leg can be transformed into a leg with a foot.
3. Pancake foot (boot shaped foot)
With this style, the foot can be shaped in many ways and is created by sewing all the way around the leg and foot.
4. Separate Sole
With this style, the front and back seams of the foot are sewn leaving the bottom open. The curves are clipped and seams ‘finger-pressed’ open. The sole is then sewn to the bottom of the foot. Inserting an inner piece of card will help to make the sole more rigid and make it easier for the doll to stand.
5. Seamed Toe This style gives a foot with realistic toes. The front and back seams of the foot are sewn, leaving the top and bottom ends open. You are effectively making a leg/foot tube open at the top, thigh end and bottom, toe end. The shape of the pattern piece needs to allow for the sewing of the toes later. The toe end of the foot is then folded together so that the seams (finger pressed open) are pinned together at centre front. A toe template (various shaped toe-tip designs) is then applied ¼ inch from toe edge and sewn around to create the required foot style.Make sure you have a right and left foot, remember as you stand with feet together your big toes are next to each other. The big toe is sewn prominently with 2 small stitches between it and the next toe. The other toes are top-stitched after turning and light stuffing to define their shape.
6. Separate foot, inserted ankle. This style is similar to the seamed toe and stump leg only combining
the two styles. The leg is made like a stump leg and the foot is sewn separately all the way around the shape. A slit is cut in the top surface ankle end of the foot for turning, stuffing and inserting the ankle
(make sure you have a right and left foot) which is then slip stitched into place.

From simple to more complicated, cloth doll limbs can be attached using a variety of hinges, JOINTS, discs/buttons and seams.

1. Hand stitched limbs or head.
The limbs and torso (or head and torso) are sewn & stuffed as separate units. The limbs are then slip stitched onto the sides of the body at shoulders and hips, (or head onto neck) providing very restricted movement and poseability.
2. Flat hand stitched swing hinges (Flap/Tab) - Arm/Neck hinge.
The top of the limb or neck is tapered rather than rounded, to create a tab or flap (1"-2" long) Once the limb (or neck) is stuffed and sewn closed the flap/ tab, can then be sewn to the shoulders (or head) of the doll body, allowing the arm to hang down (or the head to nod up and down).
3.Inner machine sewn seams/ hinges:
Here the limbs are sewn, turned right sides out and inserted into openings in the torso at shoulder and hip. The body is then turned right sides out through an opening in the doll's back and limbs and torso are then stuffed through small openings before they are slip-stitched closed.
4. Outer machine sewn seams/hinges:- Top stitched. 
i) This technique is used on dolls with a complete outline (all-in-one) body.
The outline of the body is sewn and turned right sides out. The limbs are then stuffed, leaving a slight gap for top stitching across at shoulders and tops of legs.
ii) This technique can also be used on knees and elbows. The limb is sewn and turned right sides out. the lower half of the limb is then stuffed up to the elbow/knee and then the limb is top stitched once or twice with a small gap between the stitching lines, before the top half of the limb is stuffed and sewn closed.
5. Gusset hinge:
i) Here upper and lower limbs can be created. Upper limbs are sewn as normal, turned right sides out, stuffed and stitched closed. Lower limbs are sewn around leaving the top open and an opening in the side for turning and stuffing. A hinge flap is then sewn into the top of the lower limb pieces before turning right sides out. Once the lower limbs are stuffed and the openings slip-stitched closed, the upper and lower limbs are then assembled, so that the upper limb fits snuggly into the gusset of the lower limb. Using strong thread, the two are sewn through from side to side, through the layers, then back though the layers and knotted. It is then possible to attach a covered button to the outer side of each limb to cover the exposed knots, if desired.
ii) Gussets can also be used at knees and elbows to allow some movement.
6. Parcel hinges:
Shoulder seams which are to be parcel hinged are finger pressed open and then the corners are sewn across at right angles to the side seam. 
Parcel hingeing the bottom of the doll torso: Once turned right side out, both sides of the bottom edge of the doll torso are folded towards the centre. Front and back edges are overlapped and slip-stitched together, as if closing the ends of a parcel. Legs are stitched to the front edge of the body only, leaving the back edges unattached.
7. Lap hinge- attaching legs to body
Here the back section of the body will be longer than the front section, creating a flap. Sew around torso leaving bottom edge open. Turn right sides out. Sew turn and stuff legs. Lay legs in place on front edge of body only (right sides together). Sew legs in place. Stuff body firmly and ladder stitch bottom flap to top back of legs. 
8. Pivot joints ('Ne plus ultra')  give a free moving joint. 
i) Here a strong thread is used (carpet/ upholstery/ Buttonhole)  to sew through the limbs and body from side to side. The thread is passed through one limb, into the torso and through to the other side, through the other limb, doubled back, knotted firmly and clipped.
ii) To attach the limb even more firmly, sew through the limbs and torso as described above, but repeat several times, leaving one quarter of an inch of thread between limb and torso. Use the remaining thread to tie around the exposed joining threads several times until they are covered. Knot the thread tightly and clip. 
9. Button joints:
* not suitable for modern children's toy making*
i) The limbs are rounded at the top and a vertical button hole is sewn on the inner side of each limb. (To be slit open later). Stuff each limb firmly at the bottom and more loosely at the top. Slip stitch the stuffing openings closed and slit open the button hole. Using strong thread, sew the button to the torso firmly where the limb will be attached. The limb can then be buttoned into place. 
ii) Also buttons can be used in the Pivot joint method,  where the thread is drawn through and tied off tightly through a button or washer. 
Covered buttons can also be used.
 It is important not to choose a button that is too large or too small for the limb.
iv) Press-studs are another method of joining the limbs by sewing them onto the doll's limbs and torso, so that they can be 'snapped' together.
10. Socket/Disc joints: (plastic or wire) for limbs and head which enable them to rotate around their axis. These allow posability and movement. The components for this type of joint are supplied in ready made sets consisting of two plastic discs held together by wire cotter pins. Alternatively, craft stores also supply entirely plastic joints, where one half of the disc has a protruding knob which inserts into a hole in the other half.
The discs are separated and one half is placed in the doll limb or head, whilst the other half is placed in the corresponding part of the doll torso. Round button holes (the size depending on the size of the disc knob) are sewn on one side of each limb and on either side of the torso at hip and shoulder. It is important to ensure you have a right and left arm/leg when positioning the button holes.
The discs are inserted at the button hole locations before the doll is completely stuffed. Once stuffing is completed, the stuffing openings are slip-stitched closed and the discs are then pushed/clipped together.

Proportions
When making your own doll it is important to take into account the relative proportions of the different body parts.

The most conventional method of measuring the dimensions of a doll (and people) uses the head size.
The total height of an adult, for example, can be measured as 7.5 to 8 times the length of the head.

Whilst young children have relatively larger heads and shorter limbs.
The height of a child of 5 years can be measured as 5 times the head length. 
A child of 8 years as 6 times the head length.

Also it is important to note that no matter what age of person, their arms always reach halfway down the thigh. 
Upper arms from shoulder to elbow are slightly longer than lower arms from elbow to wrist.
Upper legs from hip to knee are also slightly longer than lower legs from knee to ankle.

 

Armature
There are times when your doll may need to be posed (such as limbs and fingers), or you may wish to make your figure stand unaided. Also you may need some extra strength in a certain area of the doll, such as the neck. For this you will need what is called armature. 
For most dolls a permanent pose can be achieved by sewing the limbs a certain way without the need for wiring. Separate fingers work best when they are wired with pipecleaners or chenille stems.

Wooden dowel sticks for necks and bodies.
Articulated plastic jointing can be bought in lengths or comes already snapped together into give a headless skeleton shape. 
Plastic tape can be used in certain circumstances.
Wire (including floristry wire) is often used for this purpose and can be bought in various gauges.
Pipe cleaners, shaggy pipe cleaners and chenille stems (fluffy pipecleaners) are also useful, though slightly more bendy.

Also, Cardboard is useful for strengthening the bases of certain dolls with dome-shaped, legless bodies.
Fusible webbing is good for strengthening hats and clothing also. Cotton buds tied together and wrapped with wadding or stuffing can also be inserted into necks, though it is possible to stuff areas such as the ankles and the neck firmly without the use of armature.

Which Breast is Best?

In the past, rag dolls have tended to be flat-chested, relatively sexless figures whose gender was only distinguishable by hair, face and clothes. These days more sophisticated techniques and changes in culture have enabled cloth doll figures to be more obviously anatomically female. When making breasts, remember they can be made round and representational or pendulous and more natural-looking. Think about positioning, too. Breasts do not sit right in the middle of a woman's chest, but hang slightly either side. Think also about how they hang in relation to the arm and elbow joint.

1. Drawn Using fabric/artist pencils it is possible to draw and shade the outline of the breasts onto a fairly flat surface. 
2. Outline The breast shape is achieved by the outline of the body shape to produce a more abstract/representational looking doll.
3. Appliquéd/darted The breasts are made separately, with a dart or without and filled with stuffing before gathering stitches are sewn around the outer edge and the breasts are attached to the doll's chest. 
4. Seamed. This type of breast pattern is an integral part of the body of the doll and requires the use of two or more pieces of fabric to make. The upper chest is in skin fabric whilst the lower part will be made from fabric you have chosen to make the clothes. A bikini effect uses only a strip of clothing fabric between two sections of skin fabric.
4. Flap/hinged This type of breast pattern involves making the entire breast piece in one separate section from the same material as the body and attaching it to the neckline of the body like a flap, so that it hangs down naturally.
5. Gathered This type of breast pattern is similar to the flap/hinged breast, only one breast layer is sewn to the shoulders of the doll torso. It  is then stuffed, gathered and sewn along the bottom curved edge to the doll torso.
6. Gusseted This type of breast is created by adding a gusset to the lower edge of the breast, to create the applied shape for stuffing. 
7. Clothing By applying and stuffing bras and corsets to the dolls torso, you can create breasts for your doll.
8. Tailored This type of breast is achieved as part of the tailored body. Pattern pieces are carefully designed to scale creating the illusion of a human in a smaller scale. This will involve inserting darts, seams, segments, armature and needle sculpting and is the most sophisticated type of cloth doll making.

Stuffing the breasts
This can be a rather frustrating challenge at times. To make it easier you may consider using little chenille pompoms.
It is best to stuff the breasts after you have stuffed the chest cavity. You may also consider temporarily pinning the breast stuffing in place to prevent it 'popping out' or becoming redistributed as you continue to stuff the torso.