How to Sew your own Moxy ugly doll

Last week I got an email from the UK. The promoters of the Ugly Dolls movie were wondering if I could design a softie based on one of the Ugly Doll characters to coincide with the UK release of the movie on August 16. Sure can! I had a lot of fun designing a ‘Sew Your Own Moxy Ugly Doll’ tutorial. Moxy is a very sweet-looking ugly doll and this tutorial is a great sewing project for kids with no previous sewing experience. These Moxy softies will be sewn around the UK at special preview screenings before the official release of the movie.

I also liked the film’s message: you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing. If we spend all our time trying to get others to measure up to some ideal of perfection we can end up destroying their enjoyment and their willingness to try something original that no-one else has tried.

I’ve seen this in sewing workshops with children. The first step is to let kids enjoy their sewing by not insisting on perfect stitches. If they enjoy their sewing they will perfect their work in their own time. Moreover, if we don’t interfere too much in their work they will see it as theirs and feel enough confidence to rely on their own creative decisions rather than on others. Our kids sewing might not always be what we see as perfect but it doesn’t need to be. At the end of the Ugly Dolls’ movie as at the end of a sewing workshop, we discover that our ideals of perfection are themselves imperfect and usually over-rated.

What you need

 

Two 25 x 20cm felt

Needle

Thread

Pins

Stuffing

Pencil/marker

Glue

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How to make Moxy

 Download and cut out Moxy’s  template. Pin the two pieces of felt together. Trace the peanut-shaped body template onto the top piece of felt.

 Use a running stitch to sew around the body leaving an opening for stuffing.

Glue on facial features and draw on Moxy’s arms, legs and distinctive features.

 Cut around Moxy. Remember not to cut too close to your sewing line.

 Stuff and sew the opening closed.

How kids can make their own Ugly Doll

If kids want to design their own Ugly Doll simply let them add whatever facial and body features they want rather than copying Moxy’s features…and of course you might be thinking, how can I entertain the little kids while the older kids are sewing. I’ve got you covered with this book mark!

If you sew Moxy please join us in the Sew a Softie facebook group and show us.