Information for making Uthando Dolls in schools
Information for Teachers
Many schools have made hundreds of dolls for this project with wonderful, fulfilling results.
The real value in the project comes partly from learning traditional skills with fabric, design and sewing, but really through the human values communicated. It enables the students to realise compassion for those less fortunate in the basics of family security, food, nutrition and education.
The young dollmakers are very receptive to learning about the “real” lives of the Zulu children.
Schools choose the depth of integration of the project in their curricula; Arts,Society and Environment, Geography, Literature, Values and Ethics, Music, etc.
Many teachers have made an African environment in their class or art room with posters, artefacts, masks, stuffed jungle animals, plants, flowers, etc.
There are some delightful CDs of African music and if needed we can supply short ABC Channel 2 programme as a video or CD of an Australian primary schools interviewed during their project. Use the Contact Us page.
In Western Australia we can send a basic school kit, but really all the information is covered in this website.
It is not a quick project as virtually each step takes one lesson time.
Parents' help makes a huge difference in practical design and skills.
The body of the doll may be handsewn by the student, or machine sewn by parent or teacher. The project may be extended by designing the fabric and using textile techniques eg block printing, resist and other dying techniques.
Toodyay Primary School students, Western Australia made a poster of themselves after they had finished their dolls.
This project also suits school camps, such as 40 Hour Famine weekends.
A word of warning; when schools have tried to incorporate the project as a lunchtime activity, it doesn't bring the same results.
Another heartfelt word to the wise. Please do not have one child who is (so-called ”good at faces”) draw all the faces in the class. It usually dwindles into cartoon versions of a face. It then means that such faces require altering with embroidery or further drawing by the volunteers who check the dolls. Most children can manage a simple running stitch to appliqué white and black for the eyes and preferably another brown/pink colour for the lips, rather than lipstick red. An outline stitched in fine black wool works well around the eyes. In other words, allow good teaching time for the face and hair.
Making the dolls is such fun that whole families often get involved and may contribute more dolls. “Making a Doll, Step by Step” is part of this information pack and includes instructions from the laying out of the pattern to the finishing touches. Look closely at the photos for ideas of design and technique.
Vital Note: At the end of the project, all dolls need to be strictly checked for strength. Make sure that arms, buttons, beads are securely sewn in. Often hair styles look effective, but are too easily pulled apart. This weakness occurs if single pieces of wool are attempted to be sewn on.
For Primary School students it may be wiser to teach Plaiting wool and then sew the plaits on strongly to the head. There are many ways the plaits can be arranged, and sewn on to the head. Look at the photos of Hair Styles.
Hairpieces using plaiting and knitting. These are sewn strongly on to the head.
Encourage the students to think about PLAY at every stage of their design and creation. Ask them to imagine how many different ways the child may play with their own new doll.
Discuss how they would feel if they had lost their mother or other family members and how could the doll help them through such sadness.
How big or small could their doll be? How about soft textures, bright colours? The main point is that it is a joyful and compassionate thing to make a doll for another person.
Many schools hold an exhibition of their dolls and invite parents, other family members and local media to appreciate the students' creativity. This often leads to other members of the local community to make more dolls.
Examples of different techniques to make faces and hair.
Following is a list of Zulu names and their meanings. Students find it fascinating to choose a name which suits the character of their doll. Perhaps a label is tied to the doll with this name on it and the name of the maker. Perhaps a message is added.
| NAME | MEANING | NAME | MEANING |
| Aba | To share out | Funeka | To be wanted, desirable |
| Abelo | Free gift | Gabadi | Earth |
| Alusa | To watch over | Gabisile | Who we can show off. |
| Azisa | Exquisite child | Gagasi | Ocean wave |
| Bakabaka | Pretty woman | Gagu | Expert at music and dancing |
| Balela | Clear skies | Gazi | Strong personality |
| Banda | Very clever person | Gede | Honey pride |
| Bani | Flash of lightning | Guga | Strong and lasting |
| Bekebeke | Glittering, shining | Gwede | Skilful carver, sculptor |
| Bombo | Mountains | Hlengiwe | She has been protected |
| Bonginkosi | Thank the lord | Irozi | Rose |
| Bunge | Good luck | Khanyisile | Bright |
| Busiso | Blessing, benediction | Kuhle | Beautiful |
| Cebo | Riches, wealth | Lungile | Friendly, faithful |
| Cethula | Clear Sky | Mandla | Brave |
| Cela | Immortal | Mbimbi | Cute |
| Chacha | Sleek | Naledi | Star, eternal |
| Chefe | Softness, tenderness | Nhlanhla | Luck |
| Chipo | Gift | Noluthando | Fate |
| Chwaya | Noisy, sing loudly | Nomsa | Kindness is found |
| Ciko | Gifted person, dancer, singer | Obala | Out in the open, clearly |
| Cwazimula | Shine brightly | Okuhle | Good luck |
| Dabulamanzi | Crosses the waters | Ondleka | Healthy |
| Delani | I am content now | Onga | To be saved |
| Dibana | Mingle together | Othamela | To bask in the sun |
| Duduza | Comfort | Peketu | To reveal a secret |
| Duma | Famous, well known | Phandla | To dazzle |
| Dumiza | Praise, worship | Phaphama | To awaken |
| Dumo | Fame, renown | Qhakaza | To bloom or shine brightly |
| Dunduzela | To lull to sleep | Qhawe | Hero |
| Ejaja | To be jovial or merry | Sibongile | Thanks |
| Elekeleli | Helper | Themba | Hope |
| Eluleki | Counsellor, advisor | Thandiswa | She who had to be loved |
| Enama | Be contented, happy | Umzali | Guardian |
| Ethaba | Be happy | Vemvene | Butterfly |
| Ethemba | Trust hope | Vikeli | Protector |
| Ethembiso | Promise | Vemela | In harmony with |
| Ethuka | Surprise | Vusa | To awaken |
| Ethwasa | Start anew | Vuyiswa | Child that makes us happy |
| Finyezi | Firefly | Wina | Successful person |
For the students who work quickly through the project, they may like to design and make an “African pattern” shoulder bag and fill it with other dressup clothes.
Go to “Contact Us” for where to deliver or send the finished dolls.
MATERIALS NEEDED.
Doll's Body
Brown felt has many advantages in being strong, cheap, doesn't fray and
doesn't require turning in.
However, paint doesn't sit well on its' textured surface.
If painting is important, then make the body in brown, smooth fabric eg stretch fabric, homespun and add seam allowance before cutting out, then sew and turn inside out. See Basic Doll Pattern .
Doll filling
Some factories have polyester filling offcuts to give away. Bags of cushion or doll filling can be bought at textile warehouses. Avoid using cut up fabric as it makes the doll heavy to send and to use.
Clothing.
Offcuts and old clothing from home are great to use. Many items used in dollmaking can be of recycled materials.
Wool yarn and jewellery can also be brought in from home.
Imagine the child who will play with the doll enjoying the bright colours, the softness or strength of the materials and the feel, the texture of the clothing. Choose material that wont fray, eg. Felt, knitted textiles, faux fur (may be expensive), tee shirt fabric.
If it is fraying, show how to make a hem or a fringe, use pinking shears, do simple oversew edges or apply ribbons or braid.
To avoid unnecessary sewing, show children how to maximise existing hems on second hand clothing and selvedge edges. Narrow sleeves can be cut across to be recycled into tops, skirts or turbans.
Bright, coloured socks can be cut to make tops, skirts, pants, muscle shirts, belts and turbans/scarves without sewing.
Zulus are the masters of beadwork. Encourage making decorations for neck, arms, legs and hair. Small pieces of felt, braid, ribbon, buttons can be sewn on for an African look.
Hair
Hair gives character to a doll. Have a generous range of wools and other yarns, black nubbly knit fabric, or black tights for making hair pieces, plaits, dreadlocks or tiny plaits with beads. Hair might be very brightly coloured wools or yarns.
French knitting through a cotton reel is useful.
Simple crochet or knitting to make a rectangle or circle for a hair piece to be sewn on.
Arrange at least 40 wide loops of wool on a small piece of body fabric. Zigzag 3 times down the centre to hold the wool in place. Sew the underlying piece on to the top of the head. Cut the loops. Plait, bunch or leave the wool free.
Face
If students become familiar with African faces through photographs, then they
can practise drawing the face on the paper pattern first.
Have a range of materials for appliqué (white and black felt for eyes, light brown for mouth),
embroidery cottons or wools for embroidered faces, or special textile pens for drawing. Avoid using paints that will harden on the felt.
Buttons can be used for eyes
TOOLS NEEDED
- Sharp fabric scissors
- Small sewing scissors
- Brown machine sewing reels
- Black and white sewing cotton or polyester thread
- Strong thread, hat elastic or nylon line for beads.
- Elastic for waist bands
- Open basketful of different fabrics
- Chalk or tailor's chalk for outlining pattern
- Needles for different threads or yarns.
- Chenille needles have a large eye and sharp point. Blunt needles (tapestry) wont go through felt.
- Fine needles for bead threading.
- As many sewing machines as possible
- Paper for drawing on and cutting out patterns.
- Optional materials; embroidery threads, crochet cotton or fine wool for embroidery,
- Faux fur or jungle animal print fabric for dolls'clothes. Students love glamour by adding gold braid, sparkly things.
SKILLS TO BE TAUGHT
Sometimes the teacher is not yet able to sew. Please invite parents in to help. It is a good idea for the teacher to make a doll first.
Pattern
Cutting out a paper pattern. You may wish to use the pattern in this website, or design a different basic shape. Laying and pinning it out with awareness of saving materials and design. Cutting the fabric out. See Making a Doll at a Glance
Sewing
How to hand sew a simple running stitch with 3 strong oversews at start and finish for hemming, joining or decoration . This is essential teaching and can not be avoided. The whole doll can be made with this stitch.
- Join two pieces of fabric with oversew, running stitch or blanket stitch.
- Sew on a button or ribbon or cord ends.
- Designing and making the face and hair. This area could cover a huge range of techniques.
- Plaiting, sewing, appliqué, embroidery, knotting, beading, finger knitting etc
- Designing, cutting out and sewing the clothes and accessories.
- Machine sewing where applicable.
MAKING A DOLL AT A GLANCE
STEP BY STEP
CUTTING OUT
Choose soft brown material for the body. Brown felt is very suitable for students. Stretch fabric and plain cotton are good too. Add seam allowance.
Fold material at the feet to keep both pieces together. Lay-out the pattern, pin on, draw around the pattern, then cut out for body and arms.
Fabric which will fray needs 1cm added all around the pattern for seam allowance . Cut legs separately from the body to give space for seam allowance. Turn this type of fabric inside out after sewing.
SEWING THE BODY
Use very small zigzag stitches to sew around the outside of the felt body, leaving openings for arms (as directed in pattern) wide enough to fill the doll easily. Sew around the arms.
FILLING
Fill the feet first, (use a chop stick to push down the filling), then the legs and sew across the top of the legs so they can move backwards and forwards.
Fill the arms and the head. Carefully shape the head to give it a good form.
The head flops unless reinforced. Roll a scrap of fabric along with the filling to place in the neck. Fill the body so that it is firm, not hard but not too soft.
SEWING IN THE ARMS
Sew the arms into the armholes indicated in the pattern. Check that they are secure then sew up the side body opening.
HAIR
Consider the character you are making. Make the hair interesting. Knit or sew a wig, plaited or textured yarns are good. Finger knitting, French knitting, crochet and fur fabric are all possibilities for hair. Lengths of wool can be stitched onto a strip of fabric which can be attached to the head. Make sure the hair is firmly stitched on and covers the seam at the top of the head.
FACE
Draw the eyes, nose and mouth. Include eyebrows and eye lashes if desired (it is an idea to look at pictures of African faces).
If using felt, it is better to embroider or appliqué the facial features as paint or fabric pens do not sit well on felt fabric.
Face painting works well on smooth, tightly woven fabrics such as cotton or dyed calico.
CLOTHING
Draw some simple clothing shapes onto the paper body- shape pattern, eg shirt, skirt, wrap around dress, pants
Choose bright fabrics – geometric patterns give an African look. You may wish to add pockets, beads, braids, fringes or other decorative details that would delight a child. Cut out the fabrics according to your pattern designs.
Finish with elastic, buttons, ribbons or any other addition necessary. Dressing the doll is a satisfying stage of the creative process.
EXTRAS FOR PLAY
You can make extra items, eg shoulder bag, hat, scarf, turban, baby, belt, wrap around, pet animal.
GIVE LOVING ENERGY TO THE DOLL BEFORE SAYING GOODBYE AND SENDING OFF TO A CHILD IN KWAZULU-NATAL , SOUTH AFRICA .
Deliver to your local collection point if there is one.
Go to contact us for where to deliver or send the finished dolls.