I’m showing you how to make a rag doll with strips of fabric for an easy no sew primitive toy. Also, you’ll love more ideas on my post Little House on The Prairie Unit Study.
This is truly the original rag doll, one of the oldest toys.
And is made with no sewing.
Too, it can be put together with whatever scraps of fabric you have on hand.
Sweet little pioneer girls would have tucked their rag babies into bed, clutched them tight on wagon rides across the country, and had tea with them under the cool afternoon shade.
They were a treasured toy even though they were made from just scraps of discarded fabric.
If you are a Little House on the Prairie fan or any similar books you would have heard about calico quite a bit.
It was a staple fabric that was worn from the 1700’s on.
Once people began to move westward, they couldn’t go to the store and pick up bolts of fabric from the store so most often their clothing became homespun fabrics, buckskin, or sheep’s wool.
Calico was a fantastic choice for travel clothes.
The cloth was sturdy and held up to long, hard wear which was much needed for their arduous journey, building homes, hunting, and all the work they had to do on the open prairie.
So how did this seemingly simple fabric become such a staple? Let’s learn a bit about the history of calico.
The History of Calico
Calico was originally created in India.
It was named for Calcut, the English word for the state of Kozhikode, India.
Calico referred to the textile itself, not the delicate floral patterns.
It was imported to America in the 1700’s. The name calico came to refer to the tiny floral pattern more than the fabric.
Calico was an unbleached coarse cotton fabric and was very inexpensive and washable.
It was store bought. Cut and sewn at home into dresses.
Calico fabric ranged from fairly fine and sheer to the more coarse, stronger textures that would have been the best option for pioneers.
Even Lewis and Clark had forty-eight calico shirts packed in their bags for their 1804 expedition and it was quite common for men to wear sturdy calico shirts with delicate flower designs.
Early European calicoes were made from a cheap plain weave white cotton fabric, cream unbleached cotton. Then to add a print they were block dyed with single or multiple colors.
Because making clothing in early times was so labor intensive nothing was wasted.
Pieces from worn out clothing that couldn’t be mended would be braided into rugs, rags for cleaning, and dolls for the children.
Next, add some books to the craft how to make a rag doll with strips of fabric.
Little House on the Prairie Unit Study Resources
Add some of these fun resources to ignite a love for learning about the Little House on the Prairie.
The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura’s real childhood as an American pioneer, and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.
Readers around the world know and love Laura, the little girl born in the Big Woods of Wisconsin and raised in covered wagons and on wide open prairies. Now Little House fans can learn more about the remarkable story of the pioneer girl who would one day immortalize her adventures in the beloved Little House books in this, the first picture book biography book of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
With the My First Little House picture book series, the youngest readers can share in the joy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books in these illustrated adaptations of the beloved series!
Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary, and baby Carrie have traveled from the Big Woods to the prairie in their covered wagon, driving through tall grass until they found just the right spot for their new home. With the help of their kind neighbor, Mr. Edwards, Pa builds a snug little house for the family in the middle of the wide-open prairie.
The second book in the treasured Little House series, Farmer Boy is Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved story of how her husband, Almanzo, grew up as a farmer boy far from the little house where Laura lived. This edition features the classic black-and-white artwork from Garth Williams.
The nine Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories. The Little House series has captivated millions of readers with its depiction of life on the American frontier.
While Laura Ingalls grows up on the prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Here Almanzo and his brother and sisters help with the summer planting and fall harvest. In winter there is wood to be chopped and great slabs of ice to be cut from the river and stored. Time for fun comes when the jolly tin peddler visits, or best of all, when the fair comes to town.
Almanzo wishes for just one thing—his very own horse—and he must prove that he is ready for such a big responsibility.
With this cookbook, you can learn how to make classic frontier dishes like corn dodgers, mincemeat pie, cracklings, and pulled molasses candy. The book also includes excerpts from the Little House books, fascinating and thoroughly researched historical context, and details about the cooking methods that pioneers like Ma Ingalls used, as well as illustrations by beloved artist Garth Williams.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books, based on her own childhood and later life, are still beloved classics almost a century after she began writing them. Now young readers will see just how similar Laura's true-life story was to her books. Born in 1867 in the "Big Woods" in Wisconsin, Laura experienced both the hardship and the adventure of living on the frontier. Her life and times are captured in engaging text and 80 black-and-white illustrations.
- Three Piece Set: Kid girls colonial dress, attached apron and bonnet.
A beautifully designed coloring book featuring classic artwork by Garth Williams and quotes from all nine original Little House books. Perfect for at-home creative time—return to the world of Little House with your kids...or enjoy on your own!
Join Laura Ingalls, her Ma and Pa, and her sisters, Mary, Carrie, and Grace, on their travels across the frontier as you color in your favorite pioneer characters and scenes and revisit this beloved series.
This 96-page coloring book offers hours of relaxing, stress-reducing pleasure.
Next, add more activities if you’re creating a unit study about frontier living or Little House on the Prairie.
More Resources for Learning about Frontier Living
- American Frontier Legends and Hero Paul Bunyan Blue Ox Craft
- Fun Punched Tin Lantern
- Step Back in Time with These 12 Little House on the Prairie Gift Ideas
- Fun No Sew Pioneer Rag Doll For Kids Westward Expansion Activity
- Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities
- 11 Pioneer Crafts for Kids Who Love Little House On The Prairie Crafts & Rug Craft
Finally, look at how to make a rag doll with strips of fabric.
How To Make A Rag Doll With Strips Of Fabric
You will need:
- White fabric
- Colorful fabric
- Cotton balls or pom poms
- scissors
Look for fabric about 20 to 26 in long.
Fat quarters are the perfect length, if you don’t know what that is, it’s the little folded squares of ready to buy fabric at the craft stores.
They are 18”x 22. I bought most of this fabric at Dollar Tree and those little rolls are also an ideal length.
Cut or tear six strips of white or cream-colored fabric about an inch wide. I made a small starting cut for each one and then ripped the rest of the way down.
Then cut or rip 25-30 1-inch strips of whatever colorful fabric you have chosen for the dress. Cut at least 3 extra pieces to use elsewhere.
Cross 3 of the white strips like this.
Then start crisscrossing the colorful fabric over the top of the white until you have at least 25 more strips, the more you add the fuller your rag strip doll will be.
Once you are done layering fabric, place some pompoms or cotton balls in the very center.
This is the head.
Slip your hand carefully under the strips and flip it over as you squeeze your hand around the pom poms.
Tie it off right under them with another strip of fabric or twine to create the neck and head.
Now let’s make her arms, grab the three remaining strips of white fabric and tie off one end in a knot, trim the length if desired to shorten the arms.
Rag Doll With Strips Of Fabric
Braid them tightly all the way across and knot off the other end.
Slip the arms up through half of the rag strips up to the knot under the head and then tie a strip just below them to secure in place.
Finally, cut a square scrap of cloth 4”x4” and fold it into a triangle.
Place the triangle over the head and wrap it around, tie it in place with a final strip of fabric and now she has a bonnet.
