What you need for a rag doll

Fabric, stuffing and thread.

• Woven fabric for the body, such as quilting cotton or linen.
• Yarn for hair.
• Embroidery floss for the face.
• Stuffing, such as polyester toy filling.
• Water soluble fabric markers.
• A long doll-making needle.
• Safety for under-3s: for babies and children under 3, embroider the eyes and face instead of using buttons, beads or plastic safety eyes, and sew every part on securely. Small parts can come loose and are a choking risk (Let's Knit safety advice; NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough toy safety, both checked 1 Nov 2026).

Sources

All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.

1. Joyberry Studios: How to sew a rag doll
2. Simply Sewing: Rag doll pattern
3. Let's Knit: safety advice for handmade items (checked 1 Nov 2026)
4. NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough: toy safety (checked 1 Nov 2026)