Materials And Supplies

20 white jersey loops perle cotton size 5, red and black

2" x 4" firm cardboard scrap felt or fabric

Tools

pair of scissors darning needle crochet needle size 4 ruler pencil

Figure 70. Jersey Loop Dolls.

Jersey loop dolls can be worn as lapel ornaments or hung off lamp or shade pulls. Many children prefer to play with these miniature dolls rather than with large toys. One advantage is that they are washable. These instructions are for the snow man pictured at the left in the photograph. It was made with white jersey loops that were too small to fit on a pot holder loom. Black embroidered eyes and buttons, a red nose, mouth, and hat completed the costume.

Procedure

1. Cut a piece of cardboard 2" x 4". The cardboard must be firm enough not to bend as the strands are being wrapped around it. Take a jersey loop and pick at the edge until you find the strand that will unwind it. If you do not locate that strand easily at one side, reverse the jersey loop and try the other side. A simple way to handle the loop is to slip the finger of the left hand through it, spread the fingers so that the loop fits around them snugly, and with your right hand wind the strand on to the 4 inch length of the cardboard. If you unwind the correct strand, you will do so until the loop disappears from the left hand. Should the thread break, or when you begin with another loop, simply continue winding over the old one. Keep the threads bunched together and wind all twenty loops the same way.

2. ;Slip a 9 inch piece of perle cotton under the strands at the top of the cardboard. Pull it up tightly and tie with three knots. Cut off surplus thread. Slip the pair of scissors under the strands at the bottom of the cardboard and cut all threads there. Smooth the curly loops, and one inch down from the top knot, wind perle cotton around tightly three times for the neck. Tie at the back with three knots and trim off the remaining thread.

3. ;Separate the strands from the neck down into four parts. The two outside sections will be for the arms. These should be thinner than the two inside sections which are for the legs. One inch away from the neck on the strands for the arms, wind perle cotton around three times and knot three times. Trim the thread close to the knots. Cut the remaining parts of the arms off about a quarter of an inch away from the knots for the hands.

4. ;Tie the legs the same as the arms a half inch away from the bottom. One inch below the neck cord, wind three times with thread and knot it for the waistline. If you wish to leave the doll without a waistline, it will look like a clown in costume.

5. ;Mark the position of the eyes, nose, mouth, and buttons with pencil. Sew the eyes and buttons in black, and the nose and mouth in red. Sequins may be used for the eyes and buttons to give the doll a gay look.

6. ;If you know how to crochet, or someone else can do it for you, make a small hat with the perle cotton and sew it on to the doll to cover the knot at the top of the head. Otherwise cut a two inch triangle of felt or fabric, sew up two sides together for a seam at the back of the hat, and attach it to the doll's head with small stitches.