This week was inspired by my first doll I ever got (had). Was a plush, red, patch doll think is called in English, with rubber face. Was one of those you take for sleeping. Soft and cuddly. This week remembered that doll again, and said, why not making one. In my yarn stash had this ball of very old white cotton yarn. Even the way it looked you could say was very old. That was inspiring as well. “Vintage” looking doll, old yarn to go with..could not be better.
Added few details at the end and came up with this little one. 
Little sleeping buddy doll in cow pijama. Topic of this post is sleeping buddies stuffed with rice/lavender. This doll is stuffed with rice and fiber fill stuffing. As I was stuffing the doll, was stuffing her in layers, mixing rice and fiber fill together. Only the head is stuffed with fiber stuffing all the way (but because had this head made some time ago).
The first doll was done! Now I had to try out the pattern and make new doll. Used tiny bits of different colors, to match the yarn weight and gauge. Basically left over yarns I found, but were the same producer. In second try I got the pattern done completely and finished doll looking like this:
Difference at this one is the filling. This doll is mainly stuffed with rice. Fiberfill is added on top of each part for easier closing and sewing the parts later. I must say that this dolls fills great when held in hands, and I like her the most. It is heavy, when you squeeze her you can feel the rice grains inside and is fun to touch and play with. Head I stuffed with fiberfill at this one as well. To be honest, wasn’t in the mood to experiment with rice. 🙂
While working on the second doll, this idea of stuffing the doll with lavender crossed my mind. While having breaks, took a trip to wardrobe in search of the lavender bags hiding there. Picked up fw, took the lavender out and now had to make one more doll to try this out! Lavender stuffed doll!
That is why the third doll is all flowery looking 😀 She is lavender one!
Stuffing it just with lavender doesn’t work. I was using last years lavender, and was pretty dry and light weight. You can’t really “stuff” the doll. Furthermore, lavender breaks and makes dust. To avoid this breaking of lavender and dusting, again used the layers stuffing method. Little bit of stuffing, little bit of lavender and at the end you get this beautifully nice smelling soft doll, what makes ideal sleeping buddy.
Here are all three of the dolls made together 🙂
Think we can start with the pattern. I am giving you the basic pattern, no details on the flowers or cow pijames.
Even the colors I didn’t mention in the pattern, so you can work based on own wishes or yarn availabilities. Important is to keep the yarn weight same or very similar.
Here is the Rice/Lavender stuffed Doll pattern:
Abbreviations (US terms):
Sc: Single crochet
St: Stitch
Inv.dc: Invisible decrease
Ch: chain
Materials used:
5ply or sports weight yarn in different colors
2mm crochet hook
black embroidery thread
embroidery needle
4mm round beads for eyes (if you are making the doll for babies, use safety eyes or sew the eyes on the face. do not use beads!)
Head
R1: Sc6 n magic ring (6)
R2: 2sc in each st around (12)
R3: *2sc in one st, sc1* x6 (18)
R4: *2sc in one st, sc2* x6 (24)
R5: *2c in one st, sc3* x6 (30)
R6: *2sc in one st, sc4* x6 (36)
R7-R10: sc36
R11: *2sc in one st, sc5* x6 (42)
R12: *2sc in one st, sc6* x6 (48)
R13: *2sc in one st, sc7* x6 (54)
R14-R16: sc54
R17: *inv.dec.1, sc7* x6 (48)
R18: sc48
R19: *inv.dec1, sc4* x8 (40)
R20: *inv.dec.1, sc2* x10 (30)
R21: *inv.dec.1, sc1* x10 (20)
R22: inv.dec. x 8, sc4 (12)
Tie off. Stuff the head nice and firm.
Body
Ch12
R1: starting from the secong ch from hook, sc10, 3sc in one st (turn around), sc9, 2sc in one st.
R2: 2sc in ne st, sc9, *2sc in one st* x3, sc9, *2sc in one st* x2 (30)
R3: sc1, 2sc in one st, sc10, *2sc in one st, sc1* x2, 2sc in one st, sc10, 2sc in one st, sc1, 2sc in one st. (36)
R4: sc2, 2sc in one st, sc11, *2sc in one st, sc2* x2, 2sc in one st, sc 11, 2sc in one st, sc2, 2sc in one st. (42)
R5-R14: sc42
R15: sc2, inv.dec.1, sc11, *inv.dec.1, sc2* x2, inv.dec1, sc11, inv.dec.1, sc2, inv.dec.1 (36)
R16: sc36
R17: sc1, inv.dec.1, sc10, *inv.dec.1, sc1* x2, inv.dec.1, sc10, inv.dec.1, sc1, inv.dec.1 (30)
R18: sc30
R19: inv.dec.1, sc9, inv.dec. x3, sc9, inv.dec. x2 (24)
R20: sc24
R21: sc1, inv.dec.1, sc4, *inv.dec.1, sc1* x2, inv.dec.1, sc4, inv.dec.1, sc1, inv.dec.1 (18)
R22-R23: sc18
R24: inv.dec.1, sc3, inv.dec. x3, sc3, inv.dec. x2 (12)
R25: sc12
Tie off and leave long end for sewing the body with the head. Stuff the body well.
Legs (x2)
Ch6
R1: sc4, 3sc in one st (turn around) sc3, 2sc in one st (12)
R2: 2sc in one st. sc3, *2sc in one st* x3, sc3, *2sc in one st* x2 (18)
R3: sc1, 2sc in one st, sc4, *2sc in one st, sc1* x2, 2sc in one st, sc4, 2sc in one st, sc1, 2sc in one st (24)
R4- R6: sc24
R7: *inv.dec.1, sc10* x2 (22)
R8-R9: sc22
R10: *inv.dec.1, sc9* (20)
R11-R12: sc20
R13: *inv.dec.1, sc8* x2(18)
R14-R15: sc18
Stuff the leg. Flatten the ends and single crochet through both sides (two stitches across), making 8 stitches in total.
Cut the tread, log enough for sewing the leg to the body and pull out through the last stitch.
Arms (x2)
Ch6
R1: sc4, 3sc in one st (turn around) sc3, 2sc in one st (12)
R2: 2sc in one st. sc3, *2sc in one st* x3, sc3, *2sc in one st* x2 (18)
R3-R5: sc18
R6: *inv.dec.1, sc7* x2(16)
R7-R8: sc16
R9: *inv.dec.1, sc6* x2(14)
R10-R11: sc14
R12: *inv.dec1, sc5* x2(12)
R13-R14): sc12
Stuff the arm. Flatten the ends and single crochet through both sides (two stitches across), making 5 stitches in total.
Cut the tread, log enough for sewing the arm to the body and pull out through the last stitch.
Hood
Ch51
R1-R18: sc50
Fold piece in the half, and stitch across side, through both stitches, making 25 st along the way.
Cut the thread and tie off at the end.
Ch60, and with needle pass and pull trough stitches on the bottom of hood (as shown on the photo).
Cut off the access yarn, hide the ends, flip the hood inside out and is ready to be placed on dolls head.
I like to fold out one row in the front of the hood. Find it nice looking on dolls head.
Here is how your crocheted piece for hood will look like: 
Now fold it in two like this and stitch 25sc through both sides (two stitches at same time):
Now ch60, yarn over embroidery needle and sew through the stitches at the bottom of the hood, pulling the chain you crocheted thorugh those stitches:
At the end the hood will look like this:
Assembling the parts together:
Sew he body and the head together.
Decide where the front/back will be so can start positioning and sewing the legs. Sew legs between the 4th and 5th row counting from the bottom (first, starting row). Leave one stitch between each leg.
Place arms on the sides of the body. Sew them nicely through 5 stitches we have made while finishing the arms.
Designing the face:
Place the eyes, between between rows, 11-12. Leave 5 stitches between them
Embroider the smiling mouth. Without mouth doll looks great as well.
For any details on the face, or on the body, free your mind and play! 😀
At the end place the hood on doll’s head and your sleeping buddy is done!
Hope you enjoyed reading this and will enjoy making the doll! Make as many as you wish for your family and friends. Let me know what you did for stuffing, how the work went and what was your experience with the pattern.
If you will encounter any mistakes done, let me know, and will correct them immediately.
Thank you all for your time spent reading my post!
P.S.
I have forgotten to mention few details.
Finished size of the doll is 16 (hight) x 8 (width) cm / 6 x 3,5 inches (if done with sport weight yarn and 2mm hook, as I did)
The work is done in continuous round (at least it is how I did it, you do it the way you like and prefer).
After each row is finished, continue without slip stitching or chain one. Mark the beginning of each row for easier counting and pattern following.
Hi!
This was my outcome, I used 8 ply instead because this is actually my second amigurumi ever and my crochet project after a long time and wasnt smart enough to check the wool weight before I went to the store.
Thank you2! I gave it to a collegue that just had a daughter. Planning to make one for myself because its just too cute.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152974020546652&set=a.69803361651.86459.505606651&type=3&theater¬if_t=like
How really cute buddies! I love the three of them and I ‘must’ make at least the lavender one asap! Just finish my present work – a shawlette for a gift – and I’ll pick on it! I think I understand the pattern but as this will be my first doll… maybe I’ll have some doubts as I go along so… I’ll simply come back and ask you 😉
Changing subject! I Love-love your designs and patterns, thank you so much for sharing them.
Feel free to write and ask for anything you might need help with. Will be glad to help!
I love all your patterns, but I’m having a problem with round 12 of the feet of Marsupilami. I have all the toes connected but folding the last row in half and slip stitching through 7 stitches is not getting me the piece to be round and opened only on the top side. Any help would be appreciated.
Hello thank you for sharing your pattern for the Lavendar Sleeping buddies. So cute
I, too, think these are adorable! I have just made two for my niece’s first birthday – a lavender girl and one little lion doll. ( I call them the Mild One and the Wild One).
Can I translate the pattern into Danish and put it on my blog? You will of course be credited for it.
I am very pleased you like Sleeping Buddies. Before translating, please check this page http://www.topping.dk/blog/mhdyr/august-2013/marianne-topping-humlebien-og-mariehonen/, Marianne has translated many of my patterns to Danish. If you don’t find Sleeping Buddies there, please feel free to make translation.