I make ornaments every year as handmade gifts and to decorate packages. When trying to think of an idea for this year, my older sister reminded me of these yarn doll Christmas ornaments our mother made when we lived overseas as children. She would get out the yarn scraps and when we were young we’d make them with her help. As we got older, we’d make them ourselves.
This is a perfect project to use up yarn scraps from projects, or pick up partial yarn balls at yard sales or thrift shops.
How to Make a Yarn Doll Ornament
Pull out your leftover yarn balls, get a piece of cardboard and make these adorable retro yarn doll ornaments in less than 15 minutes!
Materials
- Leftover yarn, any weight or type
Tools
- Cardboard to make the wrapping templates. You'll need one piece that is 5-1/2 inches x 2-1/2 inches and one piece that is 4-1/2 inches by 2-1/2 inches
- Scissors to cut the yarn
Instructions
- Start by gathering your supplies. You'll need two templates for wrapping your yarn. The 5-1/2 x 2-1/2 inch piece is to make the body of the ornament, the 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 is to make the arm section.
- Let's begin by making the body for the yarn doll ornament. Take the larger cardboard template and begin wrapping your yarn around the longer side.
- Wrap until you feel as though there is enough yarn for the body. For this weight yarn I wrapped it about 30 times around the cardboard.
- Next you want to add the hanging yarn and tie off the loops. Take a piece of yarn about 12-inches long. Slip it inside the top of the loops and tie with a double knot to secure.
- Now we are ready to slip the yarn off of the cardboard and tie off a section to make a neck for the yarn doll. Here I've cut a piece of yarn to tie off for the neck.
- Carefully slip the yarn off of the cardboard and tie the yarn with a double knot about 1-inch down from the top of the yarn doll forming a neck.
- Here is the neck being tied off.
- Set this aside. Now we'll make the arms for the yarn doll. Take your 4-1/2 inch long cardboard piece and begin wrapping the yarn.
- For the arms, with this weight of yarn, I wound it about 20 times. When you are done, take two pieces of yarn to be able to tie off the arm sections at the wrists.
- Slip the arm component off of the cardboard and tie with a double knot to make the two wrists.
- Here is the body section and the arms ready to be put together.
- Slip the arms inside the center of the body loops of yarn.
- Take a length of yarn and secure the arms by tieing around the waist of the yarn doll.
- Now we are ready to finish the yarn doll by opening the loops and trimming. Slip your scissors inside the arm loops and cut.
- Trim up the edges of the arms.
- Then, cut open the bottom loops for the doll.
- Trim and the retro yarn doll ornament is finished and ready to hang on your tree!
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What kind of yarn do I use to make a yarn doll ornament?
You can use any kind of yarn! Even combine yarns for an interesting look and texture.
Ideas for making your own retro inspired yarn doll ornaments
- Pull out your left-over yarns from other projects to make these quick and easy ornaments!
- Make a ‘boy ornament’ by splitting the bottom yarns in two and tieing off at the ankles
- Make ornaments to adorn your holiday packages this season.
- Try different types of yarns and yarn combinations to see what happens! It’s just yarn scraps, and they don’t take long to make!
- Most of all have fun making!
Browse through more DIY ornament tutorials and inspiration on Create Whimsy.
