Free Knitting Patterns for Dolls

A compilation of free knitting patterns for dolls showcasing a variety of dolls and as many knitting techniques from simple to complicated.

Hand knitted dolls are usually not for beginners as they can contain many parts and can be quite fiddly to work with. I did come across some patterns that are quite straightforward. Good for beginners with some knitting experience. For those with more advanced techniques, they are so lovely, the effort is worth it. 🙂

Pretty Izzy Dolls

Designed by Esther Braithwaite, these dolls are created using colour yarn transitions to define the clothes, face, and hair. The pattern has detailed written instructions as well as colour charts. The arms and legs are created by sewing. Instructions include knitting in the round or knitting flat.

I think these are the easiest dolls to make. Great for beginners who already know how to knit and change colours. Get the free pattern from: Ravelry: Pretty Izzy Dolls pattern by Esther Braithwaite

Knubbelchen

Knubbelchen is a softie doll that is both whimsical to look at and make. This would make a nice toy for a newborn. The English translation is very clear which is a pleasant surprise, thanks to Katharina. Get the free PDF pattern for Knubbelchen at Ravelry.

Gingerbread Boy Knitting Pattern

This Christmas doll has no seaming at all. Great for knitters who hate to sew. I would use 2 circular needles to knit this instead of double-pointed needles. Use yarns of different colours, design different accessories and facial expressions. No two gingerbread boys or girls will be the same. Get this free PDF pattern for Sara’s Gingerbread Boy at Ravelry.

Rose Fairy Doll

This is such a lovely, knitted doll pattern. Perfect for a girly girl whatever her age. Get the free pdf pattern for Rose Fairy Doll here.

Eco Fairy Knitting Pattern

Sally is such a lovely doll with very stylish knitted hair. It is not for beginners although the instructions are quite detailed. Get the free web-based pattern for Sally the Eco Fairy at Knitty.com.

Keito Doll Knitting Pattern

If you like playing with doll dresses up, this would be up your alley. Nio, the designer, maintains a blog where she posts all her knitting notes and knitting experiments on Keito. Besides the doll, Nio also designed a series of clothing for Keito such as dresses, trousers, jackets, and shorts. Good yarn buster projects. Get the free web-based pattern for the Keito Doll here.

Marion the Mermaid

This hand knitted doll is not for the beginner. But who can resist a mermaid doll.

There are many parts. 2 pieces for the body and head, 2 pieces for the hair, 2 pieces for the tail, 1 piece for the bra top, and 2 pieces of bra straps. Many parts meant a fair amount of sewing up. The free version does not contain instructions for the arms. It is possible to work it out yourself if you have already done other doll projects.

Get the free web-based pattern for Marion the Mermaid at Makeetc. This pattern can also be found in Fiona Goble’s Knit Your Own Dolls (affiliate link).

Fin the Human

Lizzard, the designer, gave a lot of instructions for Fin but because she used a lot of small parts so it can get a bit confusing. Scroll down her page for questions by visitors and her answers. It should clear things up a bit. Jake the Dog is available for free too.

Get the free web-based pattern for Lizzard’s Fin the Human here.

Frozen Olaf Knitting Pattern

A knitted doll for fans of Frozen. This is a surprisingly good pattern of Olaf. It is knitted using double-pointed needles, although they can be replaced with circular needles if you know how to.

Get the free web-based pattern for Juanamac’s Frozen Olaf at Knitguru.com.

Miffy Knitting Pattern

I used to read the Miffy picture books (affiliate link) to my nephew and niece when they were little. It is nice to see knitting patterns for this little fictional rabbit.

There are some gaps in the pattern. It didn’t say how you should attach the head to the body but I think it is intuitive yah. Another knitter mentioned that she picked up stitches from the head to knit the body. Not a bad idea. Or you can do a provisional cast on for the head so you get live stitches later.

Get the free web-based pattern for Miffy here.

Another Miffy Doll Knitting Pattern

Another version of Miffy. Construction is similar to Knitterbees. Knit the head and divide for the ears. Get this free PDF pattern for Susan’s Miffy at Ravelry.

Knitted Toys: 14 Cute Toys To Knit by Tetyana Korobkova (affiliate link)

I wanted to give this book a shout out because the dolls are just so cute. There are 14 toy doll patterns. It is worth buying although you can also try to borrow from your local library.

Tetyana’s dolls are probably not suitable for very young children. They are more delicate and not good for rough play. An older child may be captivated by their cuteness and play with them with more care.

Tetyana seems to think that even beginners can make her dolls as she starts off her book with the basic techniques like how to hold the needles, cast-on, knit, and purl stitches.

I really appreciate her taking the time to teach assembling the parts using thread jointing. There are step-by-step instructions with pictures or illustrations. She did the same with hairstyles and limbs.

Each project consists of abbreviations, materials needed, section by section, and row by row instructions. Tetyana is meticulous. She also included pictures of each completed part. There is no guessing with her patterns.

Tetyana uses some unique techniques to shape her dolls. Even experienced knitters might learn a few new tricks. Get the book from Amazon.

We have come to the end of this post. I hope you found what you are looking for. Did you knit any of the patterns listed here? How did it go? Let me know by leaving a comment.

Happy knitting!