Project: Leprechaun in-the-hoop Art doll

leprechaun ITH doll
leprechaun ITH doll

A wee little Leprechaun art doll can be made in-the-hoop of your embroidery machine.

He combines 4 different patterns and is a bit more complex than some of the other projects, but with some determination, you can make this little guy and hope he brings you some gold.

Read on for all the details!

As with all the cloth characters – you can add a wire armature to make it pose like a wired puppet, or leave out that step.

Read down below to see all the materials and how they were used to make this doll in the hoop of your embroidery machine.

Photo Gallery

Video

@ballyhoocreations

timelapse making a Leprechaun doll stitched by the embroidery machine tonight #dollmaking #embroiderymachine #ithdesigns

♬ original sound – Luci Ayyat
Here’s a speedy view showing the making of the Leprechaun.
Be careful of the music volume – it’s kinda loud!

Tools & Materials

Tools UsedMaterials Needed
Embroidery machine with 5×7 hoop or largerface and hands – ladies spandex camisole (spandex fabric stretches a lot – so you can make the nose bigger)
Hemostats for turning small parts and for stuffingbody- dark green stretch fabric for pants and white stretch fabric for pants. (either yardage from fabric store, or recylced t-shirts are great)
sharp fabric scissorscoat – The sample uses tweed from a thrift store skirt. Felt or felted wool also works great to make a coat.
small embroidery or applique scissorsHat & Faux Vest – felt
doll needle for hand sewing OR fabric glueHair – mohair locks were used on this doll – there are many Etsy sellers who sell hand-dyed locks. Look for mohair or teeswater.
Embellishments – tiny buttons like these from Hobby Lobby, ribbon for hat, flower from scrapbook/paper aisle of craft store
fiberfill stuffing
(optional) wire cutters and pliers if adding wire armature(optional) thick and thin armature wire and electrical tape to make it poseable
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Instructions Checklist

  • Make the Chris body, the Rowan head, the hands, and the dress from the clothing package – all according to the instructions included with those downloaded embroidery design files. Then, assemble the body, head and hands. TIP: You can cut off the dolls arms from the Kris body and attach the hands directly to the armature wire arms. This is easier and will be covered by the long sleeves of the coat!
  • This example uses mohair locks glued to the head, then brushed out and given a good haircut. Since the hat covers most of the head, we only need to worry about the hair that pokes out from under the hat. (You could also use the wig or hair included with another cloth character doll.)
  • To turn the dress into a coat – cut open the dress straight up the front, then turn both of the sides and fold them to make the lapel. These can be glued or stitched in place. If you’re using a woven fabric like in the example, use a bias square of fabric. This means the threads in the fabric will be at a 45 degree angle to the hem and sleeves. That way the fabric will fray a bit but will not unravel. (this is how the designer Channel does it with similar fabrics – ooh la la!)
  • Use the pattern (you can download it below) to cut a faux vest from felt. Be sure the neck of the vest is on the fold when you cut. Then loop the vest around the dolls neck. Secure it in front and add tiny buttons. Tuck the sides of the vest under the coat. It helps to glue or stitch them in place under the coat.
  • Cut out the 3 hat pieces on the pattern (can be downloaded from below). Glue or stitch the side of the hat to the top all the way around the circle shaped top. Then glue the top/side to the hat brim. Make pie shaped cuts on the inner-bottom of the brim and glue those triangle up inside the hat to firmly attach the brim to the sides. Then place the hat on his head. It’s best to glue or stitch the hat on to the doll’s head.
  • Embellish – This doll has a rayon ribbon as a hat band with some metal embellishments from the scrapbook/paper aisle of the craft store. He also has his eyes whitened by coloring them with a white paint pen. (two or 3 coats may be needed)
  • And that’s it! A wee leprechaun to skitter around and cause mischeif.

Free pattern for Hat & Faux Vest

Download this free PDF pattern to make the Leprechaun hat and faux vest. Be sure that the pink square measures 1 inch for the medium-sized dolls. For other sizes of cloth characters: Reduce it by 20% for the small cloth character dolls, or enlarge it by 20% for the large ones.

sample pattern

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