Pattern J Instructions
for PrillyCharmin's JOINTED Doll Bodies

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Patterns A & B
20" and 16" LaBaby Jointed Cloth Doll Bodies

BODY ASSEMBLY

These two doll bodies have cloth arms and legs which are attached to the body with plastic doll joints inside the cloth pieces. Legs are bent slightly, arms are curved. The rump is gathered. The bodies may be stuffed firm with polyfill and beans to make a weighted sitting body, or use mostly plastic bean pellets for a more relaxed, sleeping body. Pattern B was recently revised so the finished doll can wear preemie sizes. The large LaBaby doll can wear newborn size clothing. For a full description with photos, CLICK HERE.

Note: all seams are ¼ inch.

Plastic Doll Joints: The 16 inch doll body uses two 35mm plastic joints for the arms and two 45mm joints for the legs. Or you can use all 45mm if you want to. The 20 inch doll body uses two 45mm plastic joints for the arms and two 55mm joints for the legs.

1. FRONTS. stitch fronts together, matching the notches.

2. BACKS. stitch backs together, matching the notches.

3. RUMP. stretch and stitch ¼” wide elastic along the back seam between the x’s. This will wrinkle the rump.

4. CROTCH SEAM. gather-stitch the crotch at the bottom edge of the back piece and pull threads to gather the fabric. The crotch front is not gathered.

5. stitch crotch front to crotch back.

6. SIDE SEAMS. stitch side seams.

7. BIAS CASING. fold bias strip in half and stitch around neck to form casing for cable tie.

8. PELLON. Place the iron-on pellon interfacing circles at positions indicated on inside of body and iron them in place.

9. Iron the circles onto two of the arm pieces, (making sure the two arm pieces face opposite directions rather than the same direction.) Clip a small hole in the center of the pellon circle.

10. ASSEMBLE ARM. Stitch two arm pieces together, using one piece with the pellon circle and one that does not have pellon.

11. Slide the spoke piece of a doll joint into the arm and push the spoke out of the hole in the pellon circle.

12. TOPSTITCH. Before you attach the arm to the doll body, partially top stitch the arm at the elbow. Start at the inside and topstitch half way across. Leave enough of an opening to stuff the upper arm later on. The top stitching allows for more arm movement. If the top stitching went all the way across the arm, then the arm tends to be floppy. But stitching half way just makes the arm more poseable.

13. Push the spoke of the doll joint into the corresponding pellon circle on the body. Make sure that the arms curve toward the front of the body as they should. FINISH THE PLASTIC JOINT: Slide the washer and locking piece on the spoke and push the pieces together firmly. Now the arm is attached to the cloth body.

14. REPEAT. Repeat for the other arm.

15. DARTS. Stitch the darts in the leg pieces. The upper leg has a dart that is halfway across. The under-leg piece has a large dart all the way across the back of the knee.

16. Stitch the darts at the top of the leg pieces, to form the hip curve.

17. LEG ASSEMBLY. Stitch the upper leg piece to the under leg piece: stitch partway up one side and stop.

18. CASING. Fold the fabric back for the leg casing and stitch in place.

19. Finish stitching the leg pieces together, matching up the hip darts at the top.

20. REPEAT. Make the other cloth leg the same way.

21. PELLON. Iron a pellon circle on the cloth leg pieces where marked. Clip a small hole in the center of the pellon circle. Turn the legs right side out.

22. JOINT. Slide the spoke piece of the plastic joint into the cloth leg, and push the spoke through the hole in the pellon circle.

23. ATTACH LEG to BODY. Push the spoke piece into the corresponding position on the cloth body. Make sure you don’t accidentally put the right leg on the left side of the body or vice versa.

24. Slide the large plastic washer onto the spoke inside the doll body and then the locking piece. Push together firmly to lock the joint in place.

25. TENSION. If the doll joints have a tendency to swing and not hold position, then push the locking cap on tighter. You can also slide some small rubber bands into the joint to make it more snug. I use the very small rubber bands that are intended for hair.

26. CABLE TIES. Insert cable ties in the neck, arm and leg casings.

27. FINISHED. The body is ready for doll assembly.

PrillyCharmin’s Doll Body Patterns for Berenguer Dolls
Pattern F
Jointed Cloth Doll Bodies
Berenguer 17" Lots to Love dolls
And Apple Valley Dolls

BODY ASSEMBLY

SIZE-- This larger size doll body fits Apple Valley and the large 17” vinyl Lots to Love dolls, as well as other vinyl doll kits for a large 20 or 21" baby size. The finished doll can wear 0-3 month infant clothing or 3-6 month infant clothing. \

DESCRIPTION -- These cloth doll bodies have 3/4 arms and legs which are attached to the body with plastic doll joints inside the cloth pieces. Legs are bent slightly, arms are curved and top stitched at the elbow. The rump is gathered with elastic (optional.) The bodies may be stuffed firm with polyfill and beans to make a weighted sitting body. If you prefer a floppy body then use mostly plastic bean pellets for a more relaxed, sleeping body. For a full description with photos, CLICK HERE.

VARIATION -- There are two different patterns for the cloth arm pieces. The Lots to Love dolls need more width in the arm piece. To attach the vinyl arms and legs of the Lots to Love dolls, you will need to cut them off above the elbows and knees, leaving extra vinyl above the bend. The vinyl arms and legs have deep creases in the knees and elbows, which makes it possible for a cable tie to grip them securely. Therefore, attaching the vinyl arms and legs to the cloth body is very easy and the finished doll body is sturdy. The arms and legs don’t come off easily.

PLASTIC JOINTS --This large size doll body uses two 55mm plastic doll/bear joints to attach the arms and two 65mm doll/bear joints to attach the legs to the body.

Note: all seams are ¼ inch.

1. FRONTS. stitch fronts together, matching the notches.

2. BACKS. stitch backs together, matching the notches.

3. RUMP. stretch and stitch ¼” wide elastic along the back seam between the x’s. This will wrinkle the rump.

4. CROTCH SEAM. gather-stitch the crotch at the bottom edge of the back piece and pull threads to gather the fabric. The crotch front is not gathered.

5. stitch crotch front to crotch back.

6. SIDE SEAMS. stitch side seams.

7. BIAS CASING. fold bias strip in half and stitch around neck to form casing for cable tie.

8. PELLON. Place the iron-on pellon interfacing circles at positions indicated on inside of body and iron them in place. NOTE: Sometimes I cut the pellon circles in half and iron them onto the body pieces before I assemble the body.

9. Iron the circles onto two of the arm pieces, (making sure the two arm pieces face opposite directions rather than the same direction.) Clip a small hole in the center of the pellon circle.

10. ASSEMBLE ARM. Stitch two arm pieces together, using one piece with the pellon circle and one that does not have pellon. Fold back the lower edge of the arm piece to make a casing for the cable tie, and stitch the casing.

11. Slide the spoke piece of a doll joint into the arm and push the spoke out of the hole in the pellon circle.

12. TOPSTITCH. Before you attach the arm to the doll body, partially top stitch the arm at the elbow. Start at the inside and topstitch half way across. Leave enough of an opening to stuff the upper arm later on. The top stitching allows for more arm movement. If the top stitching went all the way across the arm, then the arm tends to be floppy. But stitching half way just makes the arm more poseable.

13. Push the spoke of the doll joint into the corresponding pellon circle on the body. Make sure that the arms curve toward the front of the body as they should. FINISH THE PLASTIC JOINT: Slide the washer and locking piece on the spoke and push the pieces together firmly. Now the arm is attached to the cloth body.

14. REPEAT. Repeat for the other arm.

15. DARTS. Stitch the darts in the leg pieces. The upper leg has a dart that is halfway across. The under-leg piece has a large dart all the way across the back of the knee.

16. Stitch the darts at the top of the leg pieces, to form the hip curve.

17. LEG ASSEMBLY. Stitch the upper leg piece to the under leg piece: stitch partway up one side and stop.

18. CASING. Fold the fabric back for the leg casing and stitch in place.

19. Finish stitching the leg pieces together, matching up the hip darts at the top.

20. REPEAT. Make the other cloth leg the same way.

21. PELLON. Iron a pellon circle on the cloth leg pieces where marked. Clip a small hole in the center of the pellon circle. Turn the legs right side out.

22. JOINT. Slide the spoke piece of the plastic joint into the cloth leg, and push the spoke through the hole in the pellon circle.

23. ATTACH LEG to BODY. Push the spoke piece into the corresponding position on the cloth body. Make sure you don’t accidentally put the right leg on the left side of the body or vice versa.

24. Slide the large plastic washer onto the spoke inside the doll body and then the locking piece. Push together firmly to lock the joint in place.

25. TENSION. If the doll joints have a tendency to swing and not hold position, then push the locking cap on tighter. There are different kinds of doll joints and some brands will hold a very tight, snug grip. Or, you can also slide some small rubber bands into the joint between leg and body to make it more snug. I use the very small rubber bands that are intended for hair.

26. CABLE TIES. Insert cable ties in the neck, arm and leg casings.

27. FINISHED. The body is ready for doll assembly.

© 2002 Cynthia A. Stevens and the EDDON Corporation. All rights reserved. This pattern and instructions may not be reproduced for any reason, except by the purchaser for the purpose of one personal backup copy. You may use this doll body pattern to make and sell dolls, but you may not use this pattern to make and sell the doll bodies alone. We reserve the exclusive right to make and sell doll bodies using this pattern or to authorize person(s) to make and sell our doll bodies.

Berenguer Dolls are a trademark and copyright of JC Toys Inc. This pattern product is not affiliated with JC Toys in any way.

PrillyCharmin’s doll bodies and patterns are available for purchase at PrillyCharmin's Doll shop, in the Patterns section.