Sleeping Swaddled Doll - MaKenna

These make perfect gifts for babies.

Each doll is knitted in one piece. The arms are formed by stitching through front layers after the doll has been sewn up and filled. The neck is pulled in with gathering threads.

You'll need

Medium weight (4) yarn in colours for swaddling, skin, eyes, mouth and hair. (Thicker yarn can be used for hair.)
3.5 mm DPN knitting needles
Tapestry needle for sewing seams
Polyester fibre for filling

Swaddling

CO 6 sts leaving about 6” of yarn tail.
1st row: Knit. Divide across 3 needles and join for knitting in the round
2nd and alt rows: Purl.
3rd row: kf&b every st (12 sts)

5th row: kf&b every st (24 sts)
7th row: K2, (kf&b, K2) 8 times, kf&b, K1 (33 sts)

9th row: K2, (kf&b, K3) 8 times, kf&b, K2 (42 sts)
11th row: K2, (kf&b, K4) 8 times kf&b, K2 (51 sts).

13th row: k2, (kf&b, K5) 8 times kf&b, K3 (60 sts).
St st next 5”.

Decreasing to create neck

1st row: K2, (K2 tog, K4) 8 times K2 tog, K2 (51 sts).

3rd row: K2, (K2 tog, K3) 8 times, K2 tog, K2 (42 sts)

5th row: K2, (K2 tog, K2) 8 times, K2 tog, K1 (33 sts)

Head

Change to head colour.

Increasing to create the roundness for the head

1st row: K2, (kf&b, K4) 5 times kf&b, K2 (37 sts).

2nd row: Purl

3rd row: K3, (kf&b, K4) 6 times kf&b, K3 (45 sts).

St st next 1½”.

Next row: K2, (K2 tog, K3) 8 times K2 tog, K2 (36 sts).
Next and alt rows: Purl.

Next row: K2, (K2 tog, K2) 8 times, K2 (28 sts).
Next row: K2 tog 14 times (14 sts).
Next row: K2 tog 7 times (7 sts).
Next row: Knit.

Bind off leaving about a 6” yarn tail.

To make up doll
Draw up thread on bottom using CO tail and secure threads.

Fill body section up to neck.

Using doubled yarn, and running stitch around colour division, draw up yarn to about ½ width and secure to create neck.

Fill head and draw up BO tail to form crown of head and secure threads.

Using matching wool to swaddling, form arms by pinching into curved sections (meeting in the mid-front) and back-stitching somewhat loosely through all layers.

Start about 4 rows down from the neck and curve evenly toward centre, both “arms” meeting in the middle about 1/3 of the way down the body. (You’ll have to eyeball this to create the proper proportion.)

Face: Embroider closed eyes and small mouth to complete the doll.

Hair: If desired, create hair using randomly scattered French knots in a hair colour around the back and top of the head.