Download the doll pattern and print it out. Pin it to two stacked pieces of felt. Use scissors to cut out the identical top and bottom doll body parts at the same time (Figures S and T). Also cut out parts for felt eyes, pants, belt, eyebrows, mouth, etc. with different colors of felt.
You can join wool felt parts together without sewing or thread. Just overlap the parts and start poking them with the needle. The barbs on the side of the felting needle pull the fibers to “felt” them together instead of stitching. Additional pokes make a stronger connection. Only wool yarn and felt will work with felting needles. Smooth acrylic yarns and felts do not have the rough scales like on natural fibers that tangle and mat together.
Tip: Use straight pins to hold the felt parts together on the foam temporarily as you poke. Keep your other fingers safely away!
First add the pants, eyes, and other parts to the top doll body (Figures U and V). You can add other touches: needle-felt on pieces of wool yarn to make scars, stitches, monograms, or other fine details. Your zombie will talk as the poke counter tally counts your strokes.
Then place the doll bottom underneath and poke all around the edge of the body. Leave the top of the head open for now.
Carefully stuff the body with batting or wool roving. Gently poke the stuffing into the arms and legs using a toothpick or chopstick. If a seam opens up, just go back and poke it again to felt it back together.
Add loose wool roving to make wispy zombie hair (Figure W). Fold the long loose fibers in half and stitch the folded fibers between the top and bottom of the head as you stitch it together. You can poke the loose fibers together to make flat felted patches, blended colors, dreadlocks, etc.
Have a mini zombie doll Halloween party — it’s a graveyard smash! R.I.P. — “Rest In Peace?” More like “Repeated Interlocking Pokes!” The tombstone counter shows the total number of pokes you used to make your creation!
