Head and shoulders view of Puffin the Cat and Tilly dolls, sitting against a lichen-covered rock with the sea in the background.

Meet the Dolls

I created the Tilly & Puffin dolls when I saw a gap between the basic dollmaking patterns that are widely available and the beautiful artisan dolls I was admiring on social media.

I wanted to make doll patterns that were full of character but still approachable for hobby stitchers, building confidence and sparking creativity. After many trials and test versions, Tilly, Puffin and their friends came to life.

The doll’s bodies and limbs are the same size and shape so they can mix and match all of the clothing and some of the accessories. There are also two patterns for extra outfits, and I plan to add more!

Tilly the felt doll sits on a grass bank above the sea, with pink thrift flowers behind her. She wears a navy and white stripe top, denim blue linen pants and a red and white polka dot headscarf, with socks in a fine red and white stripe and denim blue felt shoes.

Tilly

Tilly loves to spend her time either on the sea in a boat, or beside it on the beach, collecting shells and driftwood to decorate her sewing space. She likes to dress in coastal style, with her signature stripy top and linen pants. Her polka-dot bandana keeps her hair tidy and her ears warm in the sea breezes.

Her pattern includes step by step instructions with photos and actual-size templates. You can also watch parts of the making process in our series of videos.

To make Tilly with long hair using yarn, you can find instructions here and a video tutorial here.

Tilly the felt doll sitting in a garden.
Three felt dolls with long hair made of yarn. One has yellow, one has dark red, and one has dark blue hair. They are outside with bluebells in the background.
A black and white felt cat doll wearing turquoise linen dungarees and a green and white spot patterned shirt, sitting on a grassy clifftop with sea thrift flowers and the sea in the background.

Puffin

Puffin the cat loves boating and fishing as well as helping Tilly with her sewing.

Her pattern includes a cotton print top and linen dungarees, which can also be made in lightweight denim or cord fabrics. You can vary the colours of her ears and patches, or make her whole head and body in a different colour, perhaps the colours of your own cat. There’s a video showing how to make her head here.

Puffin the cat doll wearing an indigo patterned top and a purple felt scarf, with fairy lights in the background.
Tilly doll and Puffin cat sitting among the sea pink flowers beside the sea
A light brown felt rabbit toy wearing a pale blue floral dress with a long skirt, a burgundy felt jacket with white buttons, and burgundy felt shoes.

Tabitha

Tabitha Rabbit’s happy place is the garden, where she grows the kind of plants that thrive in the windy, salty coastal conditions. Her flowerbeds are decorated with driftwood and pebbles picked up on the beach nearby.

Tabitha was my first doll pattern, and she went through a lot of trial and error in the making! Her arms are a little shorter than those of the other dolls, so you may need to shorten the sleeves slightly if you make their outfits for her.

You can adapt her pattern to make Topsy, Tabitha’s friend ~ the instructions are here.

There’s also an article about making Tabitha as an Easter bunny, with a bonnet and basket.

Two felt rabbit toys, one made in light brown felt wearing a green floral Liberty print dress and green felt jacket, and one in grey and white wearing an orange and white polka dot dress with an orange felt jacket.
A light brown felt rabbit doll wearing an orange and white polka dot dress and orange felt jacket, sitting on grass. She has a purple felt bonnet with an orange flower trim, and a small fabric basket of mini chocolate eggs.
Full length image of Toby the dog, dressed in a white shirt, patterned waistcoat and cord trousers, with brown felt boots and a red and white neck scarf. He stands in front of a lichen-covered rock with clifftop and sea in the background.

Toby

Toby the dog loves nothing more than a good long walk along the cliffs or the beach, picking up pieces of wood or dried seaweed and carrying them home for Tabitha’s garden.

His pattern includes two variations of the patches on his face.

Toby's head and upper body, showing the contrast pattern lining of his waistcoat.
Two Toby dolls sitting on rocks with the sea in the background. One has two brown patches on his face, the other has a single patch.
Two Daisy dolls, one with a bob hairstyle and one with a ballerina-style bun. There hair is made of felt and they wear floral-print cotton tunics in blue, yellow and white, and blue stretch tights.

Daisy

Daisy is a smaller and simpler doll, perfect for beginners. Her pattern includes a choice of two hairstyles and her tunic and leggings can be made in all sorts of pattern and colour combinations.

Two Daisy dolls, one with a bob hairstyle and one with a ballerina-style bun. There hair is made of felt and they wear floral-print cotton tunics in blue, yellow and white, and blue stretch tights.

Choose your doll

The button below will take you to all the patterns for the dolls and their outfits.