Hillary Lang, dollmaker and pattern designer

To me, few crafts are as satisfying as dollmaking. I love knitting, quilting, cross stitch and pretty much any needlework craft, but only my handmade dolls smile back at me and are good at giving hugs.

I hope you find someone in the shop that looks like a friend you’d like to make.

Please check out my website and blog for dollmaking tips, supplies (also my amazon shop has some of my favorite supplies), my inspirations and other crafting adventures.

I wrote a book on sewing toys (a beautiful book, thank you STC craft!) You can see some of the projects from the book on my blog here.

I sell a few handmade originals here and there so I can keep creating and they don’t crowd me out of the house. And I have a custom order form on my website that I can be tempted into. And I like to do giveaways on my instagram, @wee_wonderfuls. You can find me on facebook too.

Please sign up on my newsletter if you’d like to be notified when new dolls, patterns, kits, etc hit the shop.


Thanks for stopping by! Please email me any questions at hillarylang@gmail.com

37 thoughts on “Hillary Lang, dollmaker and pattern designer

  1. hi vicky, that doll is sold but yes, she did not come with the pattern subscription. thx!

  2. Can you suggest a source for buying the wool you use to make your dolls? I’ve been to the fabric stores in town and the wool doesn’t seem right for making doll bodies. An online retailer perhaps?

    Thank you.

    1. Hi Danielle,

      I used recycled wool, from wool items I find at the thrift store. Sometimes there is wool suiting at the chain stores that will work but hard to find in the right color. Linen and cotton are more readily available and work just well.

      thanks!
      Hillary

      1. Recycled wool-great idea! I’ll be on the lookout for some when I am thrifting! Ive started a doll with cotton and its working nicely. But, I do love that cuddly soft look of the wool ones you’ve made.

        Thank you!

  3. Quick question. My fantasy loving 11 year old daughter is learning to sew and wants so badly to make your elf doll. Do you have a pattern (or option on another pattern) to make that? We’ve so many of your patterns and love every one. Thanks!
    Lori

    1. The most recent elf dolls I’ve made? They are the same pattern as my make-along doll but with elf ears added on. If you wanted to go that route I could send you a pattern piece for the pointed ear. There are outfit pieces which could be pretty easily adapted to be a cute elf outfit

      1. Thanks so much. Yes, an elf ear pattern would help very much.

      2. If it is no trouble I would also love the Elf pattern piece for the pointed ears. Thank you so very much.

      3. Hi. Searching for your elf pattern I found this old post. If not an k inconvenience, could you share the ears pattern with me as well? Thank you so much.

  4. Hello,

    Is it possible to obtain a pattern for Peanut, the wee elephant?

    1. Hi Wendy,

      Peanut is in Joelle Hoverson’s book, Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts.

  5. Hello! I was thinking of buying your make-along doll pattern to make for my little girl. The thing is she is obsessed with taking clothes on and off dolls, but she is not quite 3 and gets very annoyed with it! Are some of the clothes patterns easy to remove? Also, what is the size of the finished doll and have you ever changed the scale of it? Thank you.

    1. Hi Michelle,

      The Make-along doll is 16″ doll and that’s the only size I’ve made her in. It would be difficult to scale the pattern and clothes because the seam allowance is included in the pattern pieces. I stuff the arms and legs very firmly to make dressing easier but it still might be difficult for a 3 yo. Obviously a hard plastic doll is probably easiest for a toddler to dress but if you want to go the handmade route you can make slight alterations to patterns as you see fit to make them easier to put on.. loose elastic instead of ties, fully open backs instead slits, velcro instead of snaps, etc.

  6. Hi, Hillary,
    Do you physically post out the doll pattern and instructions or is it all via downloadable pdf? I do not have a working printer at the moment plus I am in the UK. So just trying to work out how it all arrives. Thanks!

    1. downloadable PDF, thanks! Sorry about the printer 🙁

  7. Hi Hillary,
    Are seam allowances included by the make along patterns?

    warm regards,

    Mariken

    1. Hi Mariken,

      Yes, seam allowances are included.

  8. Do you still offer a wholesale license if people want to sell the products made from your patterns?

    1. Hi Susan,

      No, I don’t offer the cottage industry license anymore now that I’m selling handmade originals in my shop as well as my patterns.

      Hillary

  9. Hi Hillary,
    Are the Kit, Chloe and Louise make-along doll sized? Want to know before purchasing anything. Oh, and what is the delivery cost to the Uk?

    Verity

    1. Hi! All patterns are PDF so no delivery cost. And no, those are two different doll designs the makealong clothes don’t fit the Kit, Chloe and Louise dolls. They come with 3 dress patterns.

      Thx!

  10. I have your Wee Wonderfuls book and the instructions for the doll sleeping bag call for pre-quilted fabric. Do you have any online recommendations of sources? I have looked in my local fabric store and the patterns leave a lot to be desired. I want something whimsical and cute like you feature in the book.

    Thank you,
    Corinne

    1. Hi Corinne,

      That fabric I used was vintage. They definitely did quilted fabric cuter in the 60s/70s than now. Check etsy! There are some cute prints available there.

  11. Hi Angela, Thanks for your order! I’m not sure what you mean by a certain date you need to start reading. The PDF patterns are automatically sent to you upon ordering. I do not have a pattern for the fairy ears or different facial features than what’s included with the pattern, sorry. You can email me if you have further questions, hillarylang@gmail.com. Thanks!

  12. Hi Ann,

    One method for fully styleable yarn hair is given. So you sew it on one way but then can style it however you like. Hope that answer the question. Thanks!

    1. Thank you. Is it true hair that is pictured on the doll that is brown in colour with bangs?

  13. I just purchased the Make-Along Set and already love it and can’t wait to get started. Thank you for all the work you put into the patterns, the directions, and the cute illustrations. This is just what I have been looking for !

  14. Good morning! I am opening a sewing school and I love your patterns. I wanted to see if it’s possible to teach a make-a-long class. If each child purchases the pattern are their discounts available? Also is the Olive and Archie Make a long still available. Those were the first patterns I made and I think the kids would love them.

    1. Hi Jess,

      Yes, we could do a group price no problem. I can give your kids a code. I am wondering what age group you’ll be teaching. I’ve been thinking about which patterns would be good for kid sewers. I could dust off Olive and Archie, that would probably be a better bet because the Make-Along yarn hair would be very time consuming to teach in a class. You’d be better off with the felt hair. Why don’t you email me at hillarylang@gmail.com and we’ll discuss.

      thanks!
      Hillary

  15. Also: I have spotted an adorable pin cushion in photos of the clothing patterns, do you sell the pattern for that?

  16. my wife already works cleaning houses, but she has a lot of weird, spare time that she has filled sewing doll bodies for a friend who sells the crafts
    The problem is, my Wife does so well and fast, her friend cannot keep her going in a way she could excel in
    Is there a market for someone that just sews up the bodies (to be stuffed) and who are they ?
    Thank you

    1. I’m sorry I don’t know of any way to hook you up with someone with that need.

  17. Are the 1/4 inch seam allowances included on the Kit, Chloe, and Louise pdf pattern when I print it or do I need to add the allowance before I cut?

  18. Hola! Quiero hacer una compra pero al momento de pagar me dice “página no encontrada”. Cómo puedo hacer para pagar?

    1. Ya lo logré!!

  19. Hi, I have bought the book Wee Wonderfuls and cant find the pattern for Kit and Louise. Are they in the book. Thanks Dianne

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