Clothespin Worry Dolls

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

My mom introduced me to the idea of worry dolls when I was very little. I was always a worried sort of kid, and the legend around these dolls is that you can whisper your worries to them, place them under your pillow, and the doll does your worrying for you while you sleep peacefully. I made so many of these. Like so many. They’re easy, and I loved to whisper to them and feel the weight lift. 

I had kind of forgotten about them until my son started showing the same personality quirks as I did. He’s a worrier, and talking to him reminded me of these little dolls, and that feeling of letting the worry go. I figured we’d give it a try. 

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

And of course, if I’m going to be making a craft anyway, why not take a few pictures and get a tutorial out of it? So that’s the story, and without further ado, here’s the tutorial: 

Worry Dolls, Step-by-Step

Materials

  • Peg Clothespins
  • Embroidery thread in several colors
  • Sharpie
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Instructions

Start with your clothespins. I like the ones that have the flat bottoms because then your doll can stand up. The other kind has angled ends, which look really cute because they’re just like little feet, but then the doll can’t stand up. Both work for this. 

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

Now you get to choose what color your doll’s clothes will be. To make the shirt, put a dab of glue right under the peg head and press the end of the embroidery thread into it. Then, wind the thread around the clothespin, making each wind lie flat against the other until you’re about a 1/4 inch from the split. 

If you’re making a dress or skirt, just change colors and continue wrapping around the split part of the peg. If you’re making pants or shorts, you’ll need to wrap the thread around first one leg, cut the thread, and then wrap around the other leg. 

To finish off, put a dot of glue on the back and press the thread into it, then cut it off. 

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

You can make eyes (or a whole face if you want) with a Sharpie on the front of the head.

Then comes the hair, which is easily the hardest part. 

For the boys, I cut very small pieces of thread, and fuzzed them up. I put glue all over the doll’s head, then rolled him in the fuzz. 

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

This gives you a kind of tousled look, which I liked. 

For the girl doll, I wrapped thread around my fingers:
Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

When I felt like I had enough, I tied the thread together with a small piece of thread and cut off the end. 

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

Then I cut across the bottom of the loop. I smeared glue all over the doll’s head and pressed the thread into it. 

Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

And all that’s left is to style it! and just in case you were wondering, I was not trying for an Ariel vibe with this one, I just let my kids pick the colors and that’s what they wanted.

So there you go! Now you can whisper your worries away 🙂

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Clothespin Worry Dolls | Homan at Home

 

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