Made with Moxie: Best Felt Russian Stacking Doll Ornaments

December 3, 2013

Best Felt Russian Stacking Doll Ornaments

Everything I do I must make more complicated. I decided to make these little Russian doll ornaments to add into a Christmas gift for a friend. Then I thought, hey, I should make them into a blog post. Then I thought, hey, I should make a tutorial for these ornaments. Then I decided to get super crazy and thought I should make a pdf pattern to share with you all. I like to make it easy for you and do all the work. Or I have control issues.

So, without further ado, I present:
Felt Nesting Doll Ornaments | Sweet and easy. Use as Christmas tree ornaments, gift tags on packages, or as adorable dolls for your little ones to play with.

Step 1: Print out the Matryoshka Ornament Pattern below. It should fill one sheet of printer paper.
Matryoshka Doll Ornaments Pattern

Step 2: Cut out each pattern piece in felt of your choice. Cut two of each main body piece. I found it easiest to keep each doll's patterns and felt together in a ziplock bag until it was time to sew. Mostly to keep Jimmy from mixing them all up.

Felt Nesting Doll Ornaments | Sweet and easy. Use as Christmas tree ornaments, gift tags on packages, or as adorable dolls for your little ones to play with.

Step 3: Stack hair and face piece and stitch onto one body piece. I used a basic running stitch, but you can get super fancy here. Or even use a sewing machine. Heck, you can make these ornaments without sewing at all. Just glue them. Hot glue, Elmer's glue, Arlene's glue. Sky's the limit.

Step 4:Stitch dress piece and kerchief tie piece to the same body piece. I added a lazy daisy stitch with a french knot center. You could stitch a heart. Or a button. Or embroider a name. Again, go ahead and run with it.

Felt Nesting Doll Ornaments | Sweet and easy. Use as Christmas tree ornaments, gift tags on packages, or as adorable dolls for your little ones to play with.

Step 5: Stitch on a face: two french knots and a curved stitch. I think I will make a man one next with a mustache.

Felt Nesting Doll Ornaments | Sweet and easy. Use as Christmas tree ornaments, gift tags on packages, or as adorable dolls for your little ones to play with.

Step 6: Align the front body piece (the one you stitched all the parts to) with the back piece. Starting at the lower left hand corner stitch up the left side, around the head and back down to the lower right corner. Make sure you add a loop of ribbon so your ornament can hang. I cut my ribbon to 7 inches to make a nice big loop. Little kids can struggle with these things.

Felt Nesting Doll Ornaments | Sweet and easy. Use as Christmas tree ornaments, gift tags on packages, or as adorable dolls for your little ones to play with.

Once you stitch your way back to the right corner, stuff your doll ornament. I used Pellon Perfect Loft which I must say is just lovely to use. It's light and fluffy and easy to stuff. I have also stuffed little guys like this with felt scraps too. It all depends on how finicky you want to get about it. Stitch the remaining bottom edge closed.

Admire your handiwork.

Felt Nesting Doll Ornaments | Sweet and easy. Use as Christmas tree ornaments, gift tags on packages, or as adorable dolls for your little ones to play with.

Happy Holidays, ya'll.