- 1). Sketch the shape of your doll on a sheet of paper. This is your template. The size of your doll depends on how much fabric you have, but it should usually be no more than 1 foot in length. Cut out your template into four parts: arms, legs, head and body.
- 2). Gather the fabric for the doll's body. Choose a shade of brown for your African-American doll. Fold the fabric in half. With your paper template, trace the outlines for the parts of your doll.
- 3). Cut out the shapes and sew each piece together. Make sure to leave an opening at one end of each piece. Turn the shapes inside out to obscure the thread stitches.
- 4). Use the opening to stuff each piece of the doll. The amount of fiberfill stuffing you use depends on personal preference; less will give you a softer doll, while more will make your doll harder. Sew the openings closed.
- 5). Sew your doll's limbs and head to the body. You should now have a basic rag doll.
- 6). Add details to your doll. Use fabric paint to add a face. Hair can be created by looping together several strands of black yarn and gluing them in place. You can style the hair in braids or ponytails and add beading or bows to create a fun look. Hair can be kept in place by tying a piece of yarn at the end or adding hair ties.
- 7). Decide how you're going to dress your doll. If you'd like a modern African-American doll, you could create a simple dress. A more traditional African-American doll could wear a dashiki, kanga or kitenge.
- 8). Draw another template to create clothing for your doll. Fold fabric in half and sew together. Slide the clothing over your doll's head. If you would like to secure it there, sew a few stitches in place.
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