Let’s be honest, it’s important for children to learn about amazing people from history. Right? Personally, I think these people are deserving of their own dolls! Just as I made a Gandhi doll, I wanted to do the same for Sacagawea, and I plan to do even more in the future. So here are my step-by-step instructions for you to make your own Sacagawea doll from felt.
Sacagawea Doll Pattern
Attached is the pattern page for Sacagawea. You can either print the patterns on paper, or transfer the patterns onto something sturdier, like cardboard or card stock.
If at any point you need a more in-depth tutorial, I have a step-by-step video you can check out. It is particularly helpful with placing the pieces before gluing.
Step One
Print and cut out the pattern pieces. Luckily, this particular doll doesn’t have too many pieces!
Step Two
Using patterns as guides, cut out the pieces from felt. Feel free to do some research to find out what colours would work best for your doll!
Step Three
Sew the body and the legs. I don’t sew the arms because they will mostly be covered by the dress, but if you are great with a sewing machine and you want to go for it, then do it! I also didn’t sew around the feet because I am not the most adept seamstress. Again, if you want to sew the feet, go right ahead!
Once the sewing is done, stuff the body and legs, making sure there is room to overlap and glue the pieces together.
Step Four
Using a glue gun, attach the legs to the body, and glue the arms and feet together. Once those are secure, you can attach the additional pieces. Hopefully the picture below can give you an idea of where things go. If at any point you are feeling lost on placement, you can also watch the video above.
Step Five
Add the details on the face. You have a few options here. Personally, I use acrylic paints. However, I suggest you go with your strength, which could include embroidery, fabric paints, or maybe even markers. I apply the paint with a stylus, but you can use a small brush, or even a toothpick for the fine details. If you aren’t feeling confident in the placement of the facial features, you can lightly draw them on first.
Use Your Sacagawea Doll to Teach History
As I mentioned in my Gandhi doll post, a great book series that I love is “Ordinary People Change the World” by Brad Meltzer. You can probably find them at your local library, or you can find them on Amazon. The one I linked to is the one for Sacagawea, but he has written numerous books about so many amazing people! Using the book and this doll, you can more easily engage any audience to learn about this amazing woman.
Looking for more doll tutorials? I have some Harry Potter dolls, Encanto dolls, Lord of the Ring dolls, and even Avatar dolls. More are coming, so be sure to check back often.
What historical figures would you like to see in doll form? Let me know in the comments!