Project Update: Sew Your Own My Best Friend

The final product.

As I mentioned in last month's Projects for Lazy People post I picked up a deeply discounted children's doll-making kit from Studio Girl called "Sew Your Own My Best Friend" a few weeks back.

Last weekend my husband went out of town, so I decided to settle in to a marathon viewing of Black Sails (if you're looking for a solid action series and aren't easily offended, I recommend it!) and wanted an easy and brainless project to do as I watched. Since this kit is recommended for kids 3 and older, I figured it wouldn't be too challenging for an adult devoting less than 10% attention to it.

The front of the box.

The back of the box.

The kit contains all of the fabric, thread, yarn, needles and stuffing required for the project (which makes a rag doll and a small blue dog). The only item required that's not included is a pair of scissors.

The pre-cut, pre-stamped doll parts, plus threads.

The instructions are easy to read and nicely illustrated, although a preschooler would definitely need a adult's help getting through them.

The instructions.

Since the kid is designed to be used for kids as young as three, the needles are plastic, which means that the fabric is pre-punched, since a plastic needle can't actually pass through the material.  This still also means that the doll is stitched on out the visible side, unlike traditionally sewn dolls which would be sewing on the reverse side and then turned inside out to be stuffed.  As such, the end product looked more like a felt doll, despite being made of a non-felt fabric.

Similarly, the hair is held on with velcro, which again is easier for the youngest kids to attach, but also means that our friend's hair is constantly in danger of falling off.

The complete girl and dog: just need to cut off that one thread!

This means the sewing is significantly easier, which is why it can be recommenced for such a young age. That said, it also means the doll is less sturdy than a traditionally sew doll, which means it wouldn't hold up to rough play, so as a toy it's probably more delicate than what one would normally give to a preschooler.

Overall, I think this is a cute project, and it's certainly not a terrible introduction to sewing for a preschooler (or even an older child).  And as an adult it was an easy way to give myself the illusion of productivity while I was sitting around watching TV.  That said, the end result it pretty flimsy (and she has to be sewn into her dress, which seemed like a silly choice to me), so the young child who was able to make it probably won't be able to play with it except in the most cautious way - and an older child would probably be better suited to finishing a more traditionally sewn doll.

I imagine she's waving goodbye here...