Knitted Striped Sally Doll: Free Knitting Pattern

There is something undeniably magical about a handmade doll. Unlike the plastic figures that line toy store shelves, a knitted doll carries warmth in every fiber, a softness that comes not just from yarn but from the time and care stitched into each row. The Striped Sally Doll is one of those projects that reminds you exactly why you picked up knitting needles in the first place. She is cheerful, colorful, and completely customizable, making her the perfect gift for a child you love or a delightful addition to your own handmade collection.

This free knitting pattern will walk you through creating Sally from the ground up, from her stuffed little legs to the yarn hair that frames her sweet face. Whether you are a beginner looking to stretch your skills or an experienced knitter wanting a satisfying afternoon project, Sally is wonderfully achievable. The striped design means you can use up leftover yarn from your stash, mix and match colors to your heart’s content, and create a doll that feels truly one of a kind.

Let’s get started.

About the Striped Sally Doll

Sally is a classic soft doll with a rounded body, simple limbs, and a cheerful embroidered face. Her defining feature is the bold stripe pattern that runs across her body and legs, giving her a playful, storybook quality. She stands approximately 12 to 14 inches tall when completed, making her a satisfyingly substantial doll that is easy for small hands to hold.

The pattern is worked mostly in the round using double-pointed needles or a short circular needle, with a few flat sections for her arms and ears. Her head and body are knitted as separate pieces and then joined, which gives you the flexibility to work on sections independently and stuff them gradually as you go.

Sally’s hair is made from cut lengths of yarn looped through the top of her head, a technique sometimes called a fringe or latch-loop method, and it can be left loose and wild or braided depending on the look you are going for. Her face is embroidered after the knitting is complete, which means you can give her any expression you like.

Materials You Will Need

Before you cast on, gather everything you need so the project flows without interruption.

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in three or more colors for the stripes. Approximately 100 grams of your main skin tone color and 50 grams each of two or three stripe colors. Sally is a great stash-buster project, so dig through those leftover balls you have been saving.

Needles: US size 6 (4mm) double-pointed needles or a 9-inch circular needle. You will also want a set of US size 6 straight needles for the flat-knit sections.

Other supplies: Polyester fiberfill stuffing, yarn needle for seaming, stitch markers, scissors, black and red embroidery floss for the face, and a crochet hook in a size close to your yarn weight (used for attaching the hair). Optionally, two small buttons for decorative shoes or a scrap of felt for additional detail.

Gauge: 22 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Take a few minutes to check your gauge with a swatch. Getting the gauge right will ensure Sally comes out the right size and that her stuffed limbs hold their shape without gaps.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

CO — cast on
BO — bind off
k — knit
p — purl
k2tog — knit two stitches together (decrease)
kfb — knit into the front and back of the stitch (increase)
ssk — slip, slip, knit (decrease)
pm — place marker
sm — slip marker
st/sts — stitch/stitches
MC — main color (skin tone)
CC1, CC2, CC3 — contrasting colors for stripes
RS — right side
WS — wrong side

Pattern Notes

Sally is knitted with the MC for all body parts that represent skin, including her head, face, hands, and the tips of her feet. The stripe sequence runs along her body and legs, and you can make it as regular or as random as you like. A simple two-row stripe gives her a tight, confetti-like look, while a six-row stripe creates bolder bands of color.

When switching colors, carry the unused yarn loosely up the inside of the work rather than cutting and rejoining at every stripe. This keeps the inside tidy and reduces the number of ends you need to weave in at the end.

Sally’s face is embroidered using a simple backstitch for the mouth and satin stitch for the eyes. If you prefer, you can use safety eyes for a more polished look. If you are making Sally for a child under three years old, please stick to embroidered features rather than safety eyes or buttons to eliminate any choking hazard.

Knitting Pattern for Sally’s Legs (Make Two)

Begin with one of your contrasting stripe colors.

CO 16 sts. Divide evenly over double-pointed needles or onto your short circular. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. Pm to mark beginning of round.

Rounds 1–6: k all sts in CC1.
Round 7: Switch to CC2. k all sts.
Rounds 8–12: Continue in CC2.
Round 13: Switch to CC1. k all sts.

Continue alternating stripe colors in this 6-round pattern for a total of 36 rounds. This forms the striped lower leg.

Round 37: Switch to MC. k all sts.
Rounds 38–50: k in MC. This forms the upper leg and hip area.

At this point, do not bind off. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail, and place sts on a stitch holder. Stuff the leg firmly with fiberfill before setting it aside. Make the second leg the same way.

Knitting Pattern for Sally’s Body

The body is worked from the bottom up. You will join both legs at the beginning of this section.

Joining the legs: Place both sets of held sts onto your needles so you have 32 sts total. Pm for beginning of round.

Rounds 1–4: k in MC all around.

Round 5: Begin stripe sequence. k all sts in CC1.
Rounds 6–10: Continue in CC1.
Round 11: Switch to CC2.
Rounds 12–16: Continue in CC2.
Round 17: Switch to CC3 (if using) or back to CC1.

Continue the stripe sequence until body measures approximately 5 inches from the joining point.

Shaping the shoulders:
Round 1: k6, k2tog repeat around. (28 sts)
Round 2: k.
Round 3: k5, k2tog repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 4: k.
Round 5: k4, k2tog repeat around. (20 sts)

Stuff the body firmly before continuing.

Round 6: k3, k2tog repeat around. (16 sts)

Switch to MC for the neck.
Rounds 7–9: k all sts in MC.

Do not bind off. Place sts on holder.

Knitting Pattern for Sally’s Head

Using MC, CO 8 sts. Divide over dpns. Join to work in the round.

Round 1: kfb in each st. (16 sts)
Round 2: k.
Round 3: k1, kfb repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 4: k.
Round 5: k2, kfb repeat around. (32 sts)
Round 6: k.
Round 7: k3, kfb repeat around. (40 sts)
Rounds 8–22: k all sts.

Shaping the top of the head:
Round 23: k3, k2tog repeat around. (32 sts)
Round 24: k.
Round 25: k2, k2tog repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 26: k.
Round 27: k1, k2tog repeat around. (16 sts)

Begin stuffing head firmly.

Round 28: k2tog around. (8 sts)

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining sts and pull closed. Weave in the end on the inside of the head.

Attaching the Head to the Body

Hold the head and the body together with the neck sts from the body lining up with the base of the head. Using the long tail from the neck opening and a yarn needle, sew the head to the body using a whipstitch around the entire circumference. Make sure the head is centered and facing forward before you complete the seam. Finish stuffing the neck area through the seam if needed, then close fully and weave in all ends.

Knitting Pattern for the Arms (Make Two)

Using MC, CO 12 sts. Join to work in the round.

Rounds 1–6: k in MC. (This forms the hand.)
Round 7: Switch to CC1. k.
Rounds 8–12: Continue in CC1.
Round 13: Switch to CC2. k.
Rounds 14–18: Continue in CC2.
Round 19: Switch to CC1. k.
Rounds 20–24: Continue in CC1.

Stuff lightly. The arms should be softly filled so they remain floppy and poseable.

BO all sts. Sew the bound-off end closed. Attach each arm to the side of the body just below the shoulder shaping, sewing securely with a yarn needle and matching yarn. Position them so they hang naturally at the sides or angle slightly forward.

Knitting Pattern for the Ears (Make Two)

Using MC and straight needles, CO 10 sts.

Row 1 (RS): k.
Row 2 (WS): p.
Row 3: k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1. (8 sts)
Row 4: p.
Row 5: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1. (6 sts)
Row 6: p.
Row 7: k1, ssk, k2tog, k1. (4 sts)
Row 8: p2tog twice. (2 sts)

BO remaining 2 sts. Fold each ear piece gently and sew it to the side of the head, approximately aligned with the center of the face. The ear should sit flat against the head rather than sticking straight out.

Making Sally’s Hair

Cut approximately 40 to 50 lengths of yarn in your chosen hair color. Each piece should be about 10 inches long if you want shoulder-length hair, or 14 inches for longer locks. Using a crochet hook, fold each piece in half and loop it through the stitches at the top and sides of the head, pulling the cut ends through the folded loop to secure. This creates the same kind of fringe you would add to a scarf or blanket.

Work your way around the top of the head, filling in the hairline from ear to ear across the crown. Once all pieces are attached, you can trim them to an even length, leave them shaggy and natural, or divide them into two sections and braid them for classic pigtails. A tiny ribbon or scrap of yarn tied around each braid adds a sweet finishing touch.

Embroidering Sally’s Face

This is the step that brings Sally to life, and it is worth taking your time over it. Before you begin, use a couple of pins or a water-soluble fabric pen to mark the placement of the eyes and mouth so you can step back and assess the expression before committing.

Eyes: Using black embroidery floss (all six strands for chunky eyes, or three strands for finer detail), embroider two small oval shapes for the eyes using satin stitch. Fill them in completely for a solid look. Position them roughly in the center of the face, spaced about an inch apart. If you want eyelashes, add a few short straight stitches radiating upward from each eye.

Mouth: Using red embroidery floss, work a simple curved backstitch smile. Start from one corner of the mouth, curve gently upward, and end at the other corner. For a wider grin, you can extend the ends slightly. Two tiny straight stitches at each corner of the mouth in red give the impression of dimples.

Nose: A small horizontal straight stitch in MC yarn or a soft peach floss placed just between the eyes and mouth is all you need. Less is more here.

Cheeks: For a rosy look, you can dab a tiny amount of blush or chalk pastel onto the knitted fabric below and slightly outside each eye. This is completely optional but adds a lovely rosy quality to Sally’s face.

Finishing Touches

Once Sally is fully assembled, go over the whole doll and check for any gaps in the seams or areas where the stuffing looks uneven. You can always add a bit more fiberfill through a small opening and then sew it closed. Check that the arms and legs are attached securely by giving them a gentle tug. If they feel loose, reinforce the stitching before the doll goes into the hands of an eager child.

Weave in all remaining yarn ends using a blunt-tipped yarn needle, working the tails deep into the stuffed body so they disappear entirely. Trim any excess.

If you would like to give Sally a bit more character, you can add small knitted or crocheted accessories. A tiny striped scarf made on just 8 or 10 stitches is a wonderful project for leftover yarn and takes less than an hour. A simple flat rectangle of knitting sewn into a skirt shape adds another layer of personality. Some knitters add a tiny knitted hat worked in the round on just 40 stitches, which gives Sally a charming storybook quality.

Customizing Your Striped Sally Doll

One of the greatest joys of this pattern is how easily it adapts to your vision. Change the stripe colors to match a child’s favorite palette, team colors, or the look of a beloved fictional character. Use a soft caramel or deep brown yarn for the skin-tone sections to create a doll that looks like the child who will receive it. Try a self-striping yarn in the body section and watch the colors shift without any effort at all.

You can also change the yarn weight to create different sizes. Using a chunky yarn and larger needles produces a big, huggable Sally about 18 inches tall. Using a fingering weight yarn and size 2 needles creates a tiny pocket-sized doll perfect for a dollhouse or as a decorative ornament.

The hair color is another easy way to personalize. Black yarn for dark hair, golden yellow for blonde locks, a deep auburn or rust for a red-headed Sally. You could even use a rainbow of colors in the hair for a fantastical, festival look.

Tips for Knitting Dollies Successfully

If you are new to knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, Sally is a gentle introduction. Her stitch count is manageable and the stockinette fabric is forgiving. The trick with dpns is to keep your tension consistent as you move from needle to needle. A slight laddering effect between needles is common for beginners and usually blocks out or hides itself in the finished doll’s seams.

When stuffing, use small pieces of fiberfill rather than large clumps. Poke the stuffing gently into all the corners and extremities before adding more to the center. This prevents the lumpy, uneven look that can happen when you stuff too quickly.

Take your time with the embroidered face. The expression you give Sally defines her personality entirely. If you are not happy with your first attempt, the embroidery floss can be carefully removed and redone without damaging the knitted fabric underneath.

A Note on Yarn and Safety

If you are making this doll for a young child, choose a washable yarn that can survive the tumble dryer. Superwash wool, acrylic, or a cotton-acrylic blend are all excellent choices. Check that your stuffing is also labeled as washable.

Always make sure all attachments, including the arms, legs, ears, and hair, are fastened with enough reinforcement to withstand enthusiastic play. Children are wonderfully rough on their beloved toys, and a Sally that can survive repeated washing and tugging is a Sally that will be treasured for years.

There is something deeply satisfying about finishing a handmade doll and seeing it transformed from a pile of yarn into a little personality with hair and a smile and stripy legs. The Striped Sally Doll is that kind of project. She is humble enough to be achievable on a quiet weekend but engaging enough to hold your attention from