How to Add Yarn Doll Hair

Have you ever learned how to add long yarn hair to a doll?

There are several ways to add doll hair, and before making these mini dolls, I’d tried many of them. But certainly not all. I wanted to find the best method for a miniature doll, so I began my search. The long yarn hair had to be secure to the head, so it could hold up to hours of pretend play. I dreamed of having a full enough head of hair that I could style the Mama Elf’s hair each day if I felt so inclined, but the head was so small that it couldn’t handle yarn passing in and out of the fabric very many times.

Visions of top knots and braids and flower crowns filled my head. And once that was in my head, how could I ever go back?

When I saw this method, I knew I’d found a winner. You place the yarn using pins on the head, then secured in place with a needle and thread. You never need to sew the yarn through the fabric, but you still get a full head of hair in the end. The process does take a bit of time, but I found it well worth the effort. This method seemed to be the perfect solution.

Adding Yarn Doll Hair

You can use just about any yarn to add yarn hair to your doll. If you want a thick head of hair, it will be a lot faster to start with a thicker yarn. I made the mistake of falling in love with this specialty yarn that had just a touch of gold sparkle. The sparkle adds a touch of Christmas magic to these North Pole elves, but the yarn was so thin I worried I’d be stringing hair forever. I ended up using two yarns together (I added some fluffy mohair) to add a little thickness to each strand.

Once you have your yarn, and your favorite doll (Find the pattern for our Mini Elf Family Here) you’ll just need a few more items to get started:

Materials Needed

• Yarn
• Doll who needs hair
• Pins
• Needle and Thread (I like to match the thread to the yarn)
• Scissors

Once you’ve gathered your materials, you can follow the instructions in the video below. If you prefer a step by step printable photo tutorial, our Mini Elf Family Pattern includes instructions for this long hair style, plus a shorter one.