Japanese Cat Dolls
45 – 60 min
Ages 10+
What Will You Learn?â
In this project, you’ll use a pattern to cut out felt pieces and sewing skills to make tiny dolls shaped like cats with stitched faces. Download the PDF instructions!
Meow
Cats go Meow meow. White Cat meow, Black Cat meow, Striped Cat meow. There are other cats too: tabby cat, alley cat, calico cat… You can make your cat according to the neighborhood kitty you know.
Ask your campers to describe cats they have seen. What color are the cats? Do they have stripes or spots?
Cut out Pattern Pieces
Step 1
You will need 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 ears, 2 faces, 6 whiskers, 2 brown or black pupils, 2 white eye pieces, and 2 clothes pieces cut from felt. Download the pattern to print.
Make the Face
Step 2
Glue the eye whites on the pupils (Square 1).
Step 3
Backstitch around the white of the eyes with 4 strands of brown thread. Repeat once around the white of the eyes to make them stand out on White Cat (Square 2 & 3).
Step 4
Use 6 strands of brown thread to make the nose with a single French knot (Square 4).
Step 5
Straight stitch the mouth with 6 strands of brown thread (Square 5).
Make the Head
Step 6
Position the whiskers on the backside of the face and glue them on. Put the glue on the end points of the whiskers. Wait until the glue dries (Square 6)
Step 7
Insert the ears to the face and overlock stitch (whipstitch) them with 1 thread of face-colored thread (Square 7).
Step 8
Stuff the head with cotton.
Make the Body
Step 9
Use 6 strands of thread to make two triple French knots on the clothing front (Square 8).
Step 10
Inserting the arms and legs, overlock stitch them in, stuff with cotton, and sew shut with 1 thread of clothes colored thread (Square 9).
Finish the Kitty
Step 11
Sew the head onto the clothes with 1 thread of face-colored thread. If desired, draw in the stripes with your colored pencil (Square 10 & 11).
What's Next?
Want more kawaii animals? This project is from The Cute Book by Aranzi Aronzo. Their other books The Bad Book, Cute Dolls, Fun Dolls, Cuter Stuff have even more projects.
Take it Further
Why not have campers make a pattern of an animal or monster of their own? Have them sketch it on paper first then make a simple pattern. Use the techniques above to sew the creature.
About the Magazine
Looking for some projects to fulfill your crafty needs? Look no further! Snag a copy of our sister publication, CRAFT, and delve into a world of DIY delight! From decorative issues, seasonal and event issues, with arts of all types, these mags will quench your crafty thirst! Find it in the Maker Shed.
Materials:
- Felt
- yellow
- black
- white
- brown
- any color you like for clothes
- Embroidery Thread
- yellow
- white
- black
- brown
- color of the felt you chose for clothing
- Cotton
- Brown colored pencil
Pattern: Download the pattern
Printable PDF: Japanese Cat Dolls PDF
Maker Camp Project Standards
Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. These standards provide goals for Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art. The Anchor Standards include:- Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
- Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
- Refine and complete artistic work.
- Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
- Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
- Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
- Perceive and analyze artistic work.
- Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
- Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
- Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
- Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. Also see Standards with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art for Visual Arts.NGSS MS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are Kâ12 science content standards.- MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are Kâ12 science content standards.- 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
- 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
