Woman 1:4 Scale Cloth Mannequin 16.

5” (42cm)
An original pattern by Laurie S. Wagner ©2017, 2019

This 1:4 scale cloth doll has a flexible wire armature,

needle sculpted details, and natural proportions.
The head is made separately from the body, with no
center face seam.

Intermediate to advanced doll making skill is

recommended, but detailed diagrams and step-by-step
instructions will guide the less experienced doll-maker.
Basic machine sewing and hand sewing skills are required.
Understanding of basic sewing terms is required.

Stretch knit fabric is required for shaping. Use a fine knit

fabric with moderate stretch, about 40% across and 20%
lengthwise. Other fabrics will make the doll thicker or
thinner than the original design.
Recommended fabric:
 Doll Jersey (cotton), De Witte Engel
 Dolskin (polyester), Dollmakers Journey
Fabric and kits are available in my shop:
www.prairiecrocusstudio.ca

Permission for Use: This pattern may not be reproduced

for sale, sharing, or use by others.
You may sell the items you make. Please give design credit
to Prairie Crocus Studio.

Materials & Tools:

Stretch knit fabric 12”L x 32”w (30cm x 81cm) Fine paint brush
Matching strong thread 14ga electrical wire 52inches (132cm)
Sewing machine & machine needle for knits 20ga brass wire 36 inches (91 cm)
Fine strong hand sewing needle 2” (5cm) White florist tape
Sharp scissors White duct tape or vinyl electrical tape
Filling –polyester fiber Pliers with wire cutter
Freezer paper and iron Hemostat clamps, for turning & stuffing
Textile medium (or white craft glue) Optional: Stuffing tool by Barbara Willis

Woman 16.5” (42cm) Mannequin by Laurie S. Wagner © 2017, revised 2019 p. 1

Pattern Layout Diagram for 12”L x 32”w (30cm x 81cm) fabric, folded as shown:

Sewing the head, arms and legs: Freezer paper template method. Fabric is sewn before cutting out.

1. Trace patterns onto freezer paper with a fine point permanent pen: 2 arms, 2 legs, and 1 head. Cut out the
paper pattern pieces leaving some paper outside the lines. These are templates, so the pen line is the stitching
line (except openings have seam allowances). You will sew through the paper for better control.
2. Fold fabric with right sides together. See layout diagram. Iron the head, arms, and legs templates onto the
wrong side of the fabric, medium heat for a few seconds. Be sure that the greater stretch goes across the
pieces, not up and down. Place a few pins through both layers of fabric to prevent shifting.

3. With a very fine stitch, machine sew around the head, arm and leg templates, leaving openings where
indicated. Go slowly, lifting the presser foot every few stitches on the curves to avoid stretching the fabric.
4. Peel the paper away carefully. It helps to crease the paper along the stitching first.

5. Cut out the sewn fabric pieces leaving 1/4” (6mm) seams outside the stitching.
6. Carefully cut opening in the back of the head.
7. Legs: Being careful to make a left and a right leg, trim the top inner legs as indicated on the pattern.
8. Feet: With top foot seam matched to bottom foot seam, sew across the toe opening.

9. Trim seams. Clip inward curves, notch outward curves.

10. Paint all edges with textile medium to prevent runs. Let dry.
11. Turn pieces right side out, using the hemostats

Woman 16.5” (42cm) Mannequin by Laurie S. Wagner © 2017, revised 2019 p. 2

Sew the Body: Body pattern pieces have seam allowances.

1. Trace 1 front and 1 back onto freezer paper with a fine point permanent pen. Cut out the paper pieces.
2. Iron the patterns onto a single layer of fabric, medium heat for a few seconds. Be sure that the greater stretch
goes across the pieces, not up and down. See layout diagram.
3. Cut out. Peel off the paper. On wrong side of fabric, mark darts and breast stitching lines.
4. Front: Stay-stitch along breast shaping lines, twice for strength, to prevent stretching. Secure the thread ends
so that they will not pull out. Sew darts, trim seams.
5. Back: Sew back dart. Trim seam, clip curve.

6. Sew front to back, right sides together, leaving armholes and entire bottom below hips open.
7. Trim seams. Clip inward curves, notch outward curves.
8. Paint all edges with textile medium to prevent runs. Let dry.
9. Turn pieces right side out, using the hemostats.

Make the Armature: See the full-size armature diagram.

Any flexible wire that will hold a pose can be used, but brass and copper wire are
strong, flexible and resist breaking. They must be solid wire, not strands, to hold a
pose. Brass wire is uncoated. Copper indoor electrical wire is usually plastic coated.
If it is not, wrap it with white tape to conceal the color. White duct tape is strong
and flexible for wrapping joins. The tape and wire are found in hardware stores.

1. Following the full-size armature pattern, cut body wire and bend it in
half, then bend back foot loops.
2. With duct tape, wrap the spine at the waist. Wrap the feet, covering the
cut wire ends securely.
3. Cut arm wire and fold back hand loops.

4. Make hands: Cut brass wire in half. Wrap one end of one piece around a
wrist. Following the full-size hand armature diagram, wrap wire in and
out of loop, shaping fingers and thumb. Finish by wrapping the end
around the wrist and up the forearm. With white floral tape, wrap
fingers and thumb, then wrap palm and wrist, covering the cut ends
securely. Floral tape can be found in craft supply shops.

5. Place the arm wire across the back of the body wire as shown on
diagram. Wrap with duct tape to hold securely. Bend armature at hips
and shoulders.

Stuffing Tips:
 Body parts should be firm but soft, for flexibility. Don’t overstuff, causing strain on the fabric.
 Use a type of filling that packs easily and is not too springy, such as wool or Mountain Mist Fiberloft.
 Use hemostats to position small pieces around all sides of the wire.
 To smooth away bumps, use a fine strong needle to poke through the skin and gently move the filling
around. Be careful not to snag the surface.

Woman 16.5” (42cm) Mannequin by Laurie S. Wagner © 2017, revised 2019 p. 3

Stuff the Body:
Pull the body fabric over the armature, inserting the neck and arms through
the bottom opening.
Stuff the neck, centering the wire. Stuff the back and chest. There should be
more filling in front of the spine than behind, except at the buttocks.

Breasts: With hemostats, place two balls of filling between fabric and chest
filling, above the breast stay-stitching line. Continue stuffing the belly and
hips.

Buttocks: Ladder stitch the back and front together between the star
markings at crotch, leaving hips open. Insert a ball of filling through each leg
opening, forming buttocks.

Stuff the Arms: Pull the arm fabric onto the hand wires like gloves. Keep
the top folded down to make it easier to stuff the hands.
Stuff the fingers and thumbs with tiny bits of filling, centering the wires.
Stuff the hand lightly, keeping it flat.
Stuff the wrists and arms, centering the wire.
Place a small ball of filling in each elbow.

Attach arms to body:

Mark armhole seam on torso. Pin arms to shoulders, matching shoulder and
underarm seams.
Ladder stitch securely using doubled thread, adding more filling if
necessary.

Stuff the Legs:

Pull the leg fabric onto the armature like
stockings. Keep the top folded down to
make it easier to stuff the feet. Stuff the
feet, keeping the toes flat. Place a ball of
filling in each heel, behind the wire.
Bend the feet to stand flat, about 2 ¼”
(57mm) long. The heel padding should
be below the wire.
Stuff the ankles and legs, centering the
wire. Place a ball of filling in front of
each knee.

Attach legs to body:

Mark leg hole seam on torso. Pin legs to
body with feet forward, seams to front
and back. Center of outer leg is on body
side seam. Center of inner leg is on body
crotch seam.
Ladder stitch legs to body securely using
doubled thread, adding more filling if
necessary.

Woman 16.5” (42cm) Mannequin by Laurie S. Wagner © 2017, revised 2019 p. 4

 Needle Sculpting Tips:
 Use a fine strong needle, about 2” (5cm) long, and a single strand of strong sewing thread.
 When tightening a stitch, pull gently on the thread, not the needle.
 When re-entering at the same spot, enter just beside it.
 To anchor the thread, make a knot: take a small stitch, but before tightening, put the needle through the
loop, then pull tight.
 Before cutting the thread, always knot twice and bury the end: insert the needle near the knot and exit the
doll about 1” (25mm) or more away. Tug the thread gently and cut it close to the fabric. The end will
disappear.

Sculpt the Breasts:

Anchor thread at center back A. Enter A, exit center front B. Enter about 1/2” (13mm) above at C, exit A. Again
enter A, exit B, enter C, exit A. Pull thread gently to create cleavage. Anchor thread at A, but don’t cut.
To keep the breast filling in place: Enter A, exit middle of breast dart D, anchor thread. Enter D, go through body
behind breast filling, exit side dart E. Enter E, exit D, enter D, exit E, enter E, exit D. Pull gently to narrow body
slightly. Anchor at D, but don’t cut thread.

Sculpt neck front: Enter D, exit neck at I, enter H, exit B, enter B, exit G, enter F, exit E. Pull to indent slightly.
Enter E, exit D. Repeat neck stitches, ending at D. Knot and cut thread.

Sculpt Buttocks: Anchor thread at K on crotch seam. Enter K, exit bottom of back dart L. Wrap thread downward to
enter K, exit L, enter K, exit L. Pull thread to indent buttocks crease. Anchor thread at L, but don’t cut.

Sculpt Navel: Enter L, exit center front N. Enter N, exit M. Enter M, exit N, enter N, exit M. Pull thread to indent
navel. Knot at M, cut thread.

Woman 16.5” (42cm) Mannequin by Laurie S. Wagner © 2017, revised 2019 p. 5

Sculpt Knees:
Anchor thread at A on back of knee on seam.
Enter A, exit B, enter C, exit D, enter E, exit back of
knee at F, wrap across seam to enter G, exit B.
Repeat knee stitches, pull thread to shape knee
then enter G, exit A. Knot and cut thread.

Sculpt Ankles: Anchor thread at lower inner ankle

L. Enter L, exit K. Stitch through ankle from side to
side several times following curve to M, exit N.
Knot and cut thread.

Sculpt Toes: Mark dots on foot top and bottom as shown,

about 1/4” (65mm) from front of foot at big toe, gradually
shorter to the little toe. Each toe will be stitched twice.
Anchor thread on bottom of foot at B.
Enter B, exit top A, wrap front to enter bottom B, exit top A.
Wrap to enter B, exit top C. Pull thread to indent between
toes.
Wrap front to enter bottom D, exit top C. Wrap to enter D,
exit top E. Pull thread to indent between toes.
Wrap front to enter bottom F, exit top E, wrap to enter
bottom F, exit top G. Pull thread to indent between toes.
Wrap to enter bottom H, exit top G. Wrap to enter bottom H, exit bottom F. Pull thread to indent between toes.
Knot and cut thread.

Sculpt Hands: Anchor thread on seam at E. Enter E, exit on seam at F, wrap thread across inner wrist, enter E, exit
F, wrap thread across inner wrist, enter E, exit G in palm of hand.
Pull thread gently to define wrist. Anchor thread at G. Enter G, exit H, enter G, exit H, enter G, exit E. Knot and cut
thread.

Sculpt Elbows: Anchor thread at A. Enter

A, exit B, enter C, exit D, enter A, exit B,
enter C, exit D, enter A, exit outer arm K.
Pull thread to indent elbow dimples.
Wrap across seam to enter L. Exit K, wrap
across, enter L. Exit C.
Pull thread gently.
Knot and cut thread.

Woman 16.5” (42cm) Mannequin by Laurie S. Wagner © 2017, revised 2019 p. 6

Stuff the Head: Before stuffing the head, hand sew a running stitch around the
opening 1/8” (32mm) from the edge, to prevent stretching. Knot securely.

Don’t stuff the ears.

For Elf ears, stitch the ear detail by hand, through both layers.

Stuff the head firmly, making an egg shape.

Leave space for the neck to be inserted.

Sculpt the Ears:

Anchor thread behind ear at A. To
Indent center of ear: Enter A, exit
front of ear B, enter C, exit D, enter A,
exit B, enter C, exit back of ear lobe E.
Pull thread gently to indent.
To shape ear: Enter F, exit G, enter H,
exit E. Pull gently to define ear. Enter
F, exit A, anchor thread but don’t cut.

Enter D, go through head to other

side, exit A, anchor thread, make
second ear.

When finished, anchor thread then

stitch through head side to side twice
behind ears. Pull gently to narrow
head slightly. This also pulls ears back.
Knot securely, exit back opening, and
cut thread.

Attach the Head:

If you are painting or embroidering a face, do it before attaching the head to the neck.

With hemostats, push neck into head opening, folding seam to inside. Add or remove filling if necessary.
Look at the front to adjust the neck length. Pin head in place.
With ladder stitch, sew head to neck all the way around twice. Knot securely.

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