Hi, I’m Emily from Hello Dolly Knitting. At 18 years old, I decided I would try and impress my boyfriend, by making him a hand knitted beanie. Never did I think I would enjoy knitting so much!
We are now happily married with two beautiful little girls. My love for knitting for my family, led me to start designing my own patterns, particularly seamless toys for my girls. I sell my PDF knitting patterns via my Etsy shop. I design and create my patterns from my home studio, on the beautiful South Coast in New South Wales, Australia.
I’ve designed a super cute seamless doll pattern named Josie Lou and I am super excited to be able to share her here on the THN Life. I absolutely love how Josie Lou turned out and I hope you will love her just as much. Josie comes with a super cute top down knit dress, which is also seamless and very easy to knit.
Size
The finished toy is approximately 23 cm/ 9 inches tall, in sitting position.
Supplies
1 x 65g ball of Cleckheaton Superfine Merino 8ply / DK yarn in colour Biscuit for the doll’s body.
1 x 100g ball of Wool and the Gang Crazy Sexy Wool super bulky yarn in colour Wonka for the hair.
Approximately 50g of Madeline Tosh 8 ply/ DK yarn in colour Fragile for the doll’s dress.
Needles - Set of five 3.25 mm double pointed knitting needles or needles to give correct tension
3.25 mm 40 cm/ 16 inch circular knitting needles (optional)
3 mm Crochet hook for picking up stitches
Stitch markers
15 mm coloured safety eyes.
Toy filling
Wool needle for weaving in ends
Large wool needle for adding hair
Sewing needle for sewing lashes and mouth
Pink embroidery thread for mouth
Brown embroidery thread for lashes
Tension gauge
This toy has been designed at a tension of 6.5 sts to 2.5 cm/ 1 inch.
Stuffed toys are generally knitted with needles smaller than the recommended needle size for your yarn, for a tighter knit. This is to prevent seeing any filling through the toy.
Abbreviations
Alt alternate
cont continue
dpn(s) double pointed needle(s
foll following
inc increase
k2tog knit 2 together
k knit
PM place marker
rem remaining
rnd(s) round(s)
st(s) stitch(es)
yo yarn over
Make one left (M1L): Insert your left hand needle from front to back underneath the horizontal bar or running thread, between the stitch you just knitted and the next stitch on your left hand needle. Then knit into the back leg of the new stitch to create a M1L.
Make one right (MLR): Insert your left hand needle from back to front underneath the horizontal bar or running thread, between the stitch you just knitted and the next stitch on your left hand needle. Then knit into the front leg of the new stitch to create a M1R.
Pattern notes
This pattern is designed to be seamless, with the body and limbs picked up and knitted. You will need a crochet hook to easily pick up the stitches. You can visit www.hellodollyknitting.com/pattern-support for tutorials relevant to my knitting patterns, including how to knit in the round, how to avoid ladders, and many more.
The doll is stuffed as you knit. The overall finish of the toy will depend on how well you stuff and shape it, so be careful not to overstuff. To avoid having a lumpy toy, when adding new stuffing to larger areas, gently push the existing stuffing to the edges and add the new stuffing into the middle.
If not secured properly, the tail ends may start to unravel, especially after being washed. For this reason, I weave the tail ends on the inside of the work as I knit. When closing the loops at the ends, you will need to fasten the tail end before burying on the inside of the toy.
Toy safety
Safety eyes contain small parts, NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3 YEARS.
Pattern
THE HEAD
Using the yarn for the doll’s body, and 3.25 mm dpns, cast on 8 sts using a circular cast on method. You can read my tutorial on how to circular cast on https://www.hellodollyknitting.com/how-to-circular-cast-on-for-knitting/. Knit into the back leg of the first yo st, then knit to the end. Divide the sts roughly equally over 3 dpns. Join in the rnd and knit as follows:
Round 2: Pm for beg of rnd, kfb to end (16 sts).
Round 3: Knit (and every foll alt rnd).
Round 4: (K1, kfb) to end (24 sts).
Round 6: (K2, kfb) to end (32 sts).
Round 8: (K3, kfb) to end (40 sts).
Round 10: (K4, kfb) to end (48 sts).
Round 12: (K5, kfb) to end (56 sts).
Rounds 13 - 27: Knit 15 rnds.
Round 28: Pm for eye, k9, pm for eye, knit to end.
Rounds 29 - 37: Knit 9 rnds.
Before shaping the neck, use a sewing needle and black thread to stitch eyelashes coming out from each of the stitches marked for the eyes. Refer to image below. Secure the tail ends on the inside of the work. Remove the markers and fasten the safety eyes in position. Next, using a sewing needle and pink thread stitch the doll’s mouth and secure the tail ends on the inside of the work.
Now you can begin to stuff your doll. You'll need to continue to stuff and shape the doll as you knit. See pattern notes for tips on stuffing.
Shape the Neck
Round 36: (K5, k2tog) to end (48 sts).
Round 37: Knit to end.
Round 38: (K4, k2tog) to end (40 sts).
Round 39: Knit to end.
Round 40: (K3, k2tog) to end (32 sts).
Round 41: Pm for the body, knit to end.
Round 42: (K2, k2tog) to end (24 sts).
Round 43: Knit to end.
Round 44: (K1, k2tog) to end (16 sts).
Round 45: Knit to end.
Round 46: (K2tog) to end (8 sts).
Break yarn and thread tail through rem 8 sts. Pull tail firmly to close the loop.
THE BODY
The body of the doll is picked up and knitted directly from the head and is then knitted in the round. Holding the head up side down, starting at the marker placed for the body, use a 3 mm crochet hook and yarn for the doll’s body, to pick up 32 sts in a clockwise direction along the entire round. Refer to image below. Be careful to only pick up the stitches from the same round.
Tip: When picking up the stitches, insert you crochet hook under both legs of the stitch as though you are looking at an upside down ‘V’ as this will make the join appear to be seamless. I’ve designed the doll in this way to give the neck extra support.
Place the sts over dpns as you go. (8 sts on each of four 3.25 mm needles). You can read my tutorial on how to pick up stitches for toy limbs at https://www.hellodollyknitting.com/how-to-pick-up-stitches-for-seamless-toy-limbs/.
Join in the round and knit as follows:
Rounds 1 - 3: Knit 3 rnds.
Round 4: (M1R, k8, M1L, k8) twice (36 sts).
Round 5: Knit (and every foll alt rnd).
Round 6: (M1R, k10, M1L, k8) twice (40 sts).
Round 8: (M1R, k12, M1L, k8) twice (44 sts).
Round 10: (M1R, k14, M1L, k8) twice (48 sts).
Rounds 11 - 35: Knit 25 rnds.
Round 36: (K4, k2tog) to end (40 sts).
Round 37: Knit (and every foll alt rnd).
Round 38: (K3, k2tog) to end (32 sts).
Round 40: (K2, k2tog) to end (24 sts).
Round 42: (K1, k2tog) to end (16 sts).
Round 44: (K2tog) to end (8 sts).
Finish stuffing the body. Break yarn and thread tail through rem 8 sts. Pull tail firmly to close the loop.
ARMS (Repeat on each side)
The arms of the doll are picked up and knitted directly from the side of the body, below the neck, and are then knitted in the round. The stitches for the arms are picked up in the shape of a square. Refer to diagram below on where to start the round, as this will affect the orientation of the hands. With the side of the doll facing, working in a clockwise direction, use a 3 mm crochet hook & yarn for the doll’s body, to pick up 16 sts in a square (4 sts on each of four 3.25 mm needles).
Join work in the round and knit as follows:
Rounds 1 - 30: Knit 30 rnds.
Round 31: (K2tog, k4, k2tog) twice (12 sts).
Round 32: Knit to end.
Round 33: (K2tog, k2, k2tog) twice (8 sts).
Finish stuffing the arm. Once you are happy with how the arm is stuffed, divide rem 8 sts equally over 2 dpns (4 sts on each needle), so the needles are parallel with the front and back of the hands. Next, graft the rem 8 sts together.
LEGS (Repeat on each side)
In the same way as before with the arms, working in a clockwise direction, use a 3 mm crochet hook & yarn for the doll’s body, to pick up 20 sts in the shape of a square (5 sts on each of four 3.25 mm needles). This time though, it won’t matter where you start the round, so long as you work in a clockwise direction you can start the round where you prefer. The legs are placed at the front of the body and should sit just above the decreases for the bottom. I’ve spaced mine about 3 sts apart. Join work in the round and knit as follows:
Rounds 1 - 30: Knit 30 rnds.
Round 31: (K2, k2tog) to end (15 sts).
Round 24: Knit to end.
Round 25: (K1, k2tog) to end (10 sts).
Round 26: (K2tog) to end (5 sts).
Finish stuffing the leg. Break yarn and thread tail through rem 5 sts. Pull tail firmly to close the loop.
THE EARS
With the side of the doll facing, working in a clockwise direction, use a 3 mm crochet hook & yarn for the doll’s body, to pick up 16 sts in two parallel vertical lines (8 sts on each of two 3.25 mm needles). Join work in the round and knit as follows:
Rounds 1 - 3: Knit 3 rnds.
Round 4: (K2tog, k3, k2tog) twice (12 sts).
Round 5: (K2tog, k1, k2tog) twice (8 sts).
Do not stuff the ears. Divide rem 8 sts equally over 2 dpns (4 sts on each needle), so the needles are parallel with the front and back of the ears. Next, graft the rem 4 sts together.
You can read my instructions on how to graft stitches.
HAIR
Cut the yarn for the doll’s hair into long lengths, double the length you’d like the hair to be, plus extra to allow for trimming and attaching the hair. Using a large yarn needle, stitch the hair to the dolls head, by inserting the yarn into the head at the part, and out again at another point at the part. Refer to image below. Continue adding strands of hair to the head in this way, down both sides of the part and then across the back of the crown. Finish styling the hair, by pulling back some strands from the front and secure them at the back of the head.
TO MAKE UP
Using a small amount of yarn for the body, stitch a belly button to the doll’s tummy. Fasten and bury any ends inside the toy.
TOP DOWN DOLL’S DRESS
Using 3.25 mm dpns and the yarn for the doll’s dress, cast on 28 sts. Divide sts roughly equally over three 3.25 mm dpns. Join the work in the round and and knit as follows:
Round 1: Knit (and every foll alt rnd).
Round 2: K4, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k4, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k8, (M1L, k1, M1R), k4, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k4 (36 sts).
Round 4: K5, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k6, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k10, (M1L, k1, M1R), k6, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k5 (44 sts).
Round 6: K6, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k8, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k12, (M1L, k1, M1R), k8, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k6 (52 sts).
Round 8: K7, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k10, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k14, (M1L, k1, M1R), k10, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k7 (60 sts).
Round 10: K8, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k12, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k16, (M1L, k1, M1R), k12, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k8 (68 sts).
Round 12: K9, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k14, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k18, (M1L, k1, M1R), k14, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k9 (76 sts).
Round 14: K10, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k16, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k20, (M1L, k1, M1R), k16, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k10 (84 sts).
Round 16: K11, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k18, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k22, (M1L, k1, M1R), k18, (M1L, k1, M1R,) k11 (92 sts).
Cast off sleeves
Round 17: K13, CO 20 sts, k26, CO 20 sts, knit to the end (52 sts).
Draw the underarm stitches together as pictured and knit one round, being careful to make sure that you keep the underarm stitches close together as you join them in the round.
Rounds 19 - 27: Knit 9 rnds.
At this point you might like to change to 3.25 mm 40cm/ 16 inch circular knitting needles if you have them.
Round 28: (K1, M1L) to end (104 sts).
Rounds 29 - 48: Knit 20 rnds.
Round 49: Purl to end.
Round 50: Knit to end.
Round 51: Purl to end.
Round 52: Knit to end.
Round 53: Purl to end.
Cast off knit wise and weave in any tail ends.
I am so super thankful for the opportunity to have my work featured on the THN Life! If you’d like to see more of my designs please head on over to the blog. I’m constantly coming up with new designs and knitting related content, so be sure to stay up to date by signing up to my email list, or by following me on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me in your finished projects. Seeing others enjoying my patterns makes me so happy and encourages me to keep coming up with new designs.
Happy knitting!