The ladder stitch is used to close all stuffing openings and to attach separate parts such as a doll's breasts. It's called the ladder stitch because the stitches look like a ladder until you pull the stitches tight to close the seam. Pull every four or five stitches as you stitch. Use a very strong 100% nylon drapery thread usually found in the home dec department of your fabric shop.

Hint

When you're closing the body, attaching limbs, or needle modeling, you will be pulling hard on the thread. To avoid cutting your hand, you may want to put a bandage or some adhesive tape on your index finger or wherever the thread might cut.

1. Mark around the edges of the opening so that you will stitch evenly.

   Hint:

   The fabric distorts as you stitch. If you don't mark the stitching line, you won't be able to figure out where the stitches go.

2. Knot the end of the thread and start from inside the opening so that the knot will be hidden.

3. Turn the raw fabric edges inside the opening as you stitch.

   

4. End the stitching by wrapping the thread around the needle two or three times (like a French knot) and then burying the end inside the doll.