March 2025 Mystery Box Knit and Crochet Doll Patterns

These sweet "Izzy" dolls are so cute and easy to make!

I've been seeing "Izzy" dolls everywhere the last few months and decided I wanted to use that idea for our March 2025 mystery box project. Izzy dolls were designed by Carol Isfeld for her son, Master Corporal Mark "Izzy" Isfeld, to hand out while serving with the United Nations Protection Force in war-torn countries. You can read more about that original project here.

These dolls are simple to make and can be made to resemble people or animals with just a few changes! We have created our own version of these simple doll patterns to share with all of you this month.

Purchase the March 2025 Mystery Box or subscribe to our monthly mystery box here.

Knit "Izzy" Doll Pattern

Supplies:

5 Colors of Catania (can be purchased here)

Color A - Shoes

Color B - Pants

Color C - Shirt

Color D - Face color

Color E - Hair Color

Tapestry Needle (can be purchased here)

Stitch Marker (can be purchased here)

Size US 4/3.5 mm DPN or longer circulars for magic circle (we like these DPNs)

This doll is knit in the round in stockinette stitch and sewed into a closed tube at the end. Use DPN's or the magic circle method depending on your preference for knitting small circumference tubes.

Cast-on 36 stitches; you can either cast them on traditionally and sew up this bottom seam at the end of the project or use Judy's Magic Cast-on. Mark your beginning of round to keep track of your rows.

Rounds 1-9: Knit around in Color A

Rounds 10-26: Knit around in Color B

Rounds 27-42: Knit around in Color C

Rounds 43-54: Knit around in Color D

Rounds 55-66: Knit around in Color E

Fasten off with a long tail. Using Color A, seam the bottom using a whip stitch or other flat stitch if you used a traditional cast-on. Lightly stuff your doll- you want to leave it soft enough that you can sew in the seams for arms legs, and neck. Using the long tail from the finishing of the hair color and a tapestry needle, weave in and out of the fabric of the doll hair 2 or 3 rows down from the top edge of your work, creating a cinched top to your doll. This creates a bun look on the top of your doll. Finish off and bury the end of the yarn inside your doll.

Using Color D and your tapestry needle, pick up the right side of each stitch in row 43 (the first row of the neck). When you reach your starting point, tie the ends together tightly, cinching in the tube to create a neck for your doll. Bury the ends inside of your doll.

Using Color C and your tapestry needle, sew a vertical line from rounds 27-37 about 3 stitches in from each side edge to create arms.

Using Color B and your tapestry needle, sew a vertical line from rounds 10-19 in the center of your project to separate the legs.

Using Color A and your tapestry needle, sew a vertical line from rounds 1-9 in the center of your project to separate the feet.

Congratulations! You now have a cute doll! If you would like to embroider facial features or other details, you can. We chose to leave ours plain!

Crochet "Izzy" Doll Pattern

Supplies:

5 Colors of Catania (can be purchased here)

Color A - Shoes

Color B - Pants

Color C - Shirt

Color D - Face color

Color E - Hair Color

Tapestry Needle (can be purchased here)

Stitch Marker (can be purchased here)

US E/3.5 mm crochet hook (we like these hooks)

Abbreviations:

SC - single crochet

SC INC - single crochet increase (two SC in the same stitch)

This doll is crochet in continuous spiral rounds of single crochet and sewed into a closed tube at the end.

Round 1: We are going to make an oval by making a chain and then crocheting around the top and bottom of that original chain. With Color A chain 18. SC into the back bumps of the second chain from your hook and into the following 15 chains. SC INC (make two single crochets) into the final chain. Now continue working around the "top" of the original chain making one SC into each of the next 16 chains. SC into the first chain once more. You should have 36 SC total. Use your stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round.

Rounds 2-9: SC around. Slip stitch to the first stitch of the round and finish off.

Rounds 10-24: With Color B SC in each stitch around. Slip stitch to the first stitch of the round and finish off.

Rounds 25-40: With Color C SC in each stitch around. Slip stitch to the first stitch of the round and finish off.

Rounds 41-52: With Color D SC in each stitch around. Slip stitch to the first stitch of the round and finish off.

Rounds 53-63: With Color E SC in each stitch around. Slip stitch to the first stitch of the round and finish off leaving a long tail to finish off the head.

Lightly stuff your doll- you want to leave it soft enough that you can sew in the seams for arms legs, and neck. Using the long tail from the finishing of the hair color and a tapestry needle, weave in and out every of the fabric of the doll hair every two stitches beginning 2 rows down from the top edge of your work, creating a cinched top to your doll. This creates a bun look on the top of your doll. Finish off and bury the end of the yarn inside your doll.

Using Color D and your tapestry needle, run your needle through the legs of each stitch in row 41 (the first row of the neck). When you reach your starting point, tie the ends together tightly, cinching in the tube to create a neck for your doll. Bury the ends inside of your doll.

Using Color C and your tapestry needle, sew a vertical line from rounds 25-36 about 3 stitches in from each side edge to create arms.

Using Color B and your tapestry needle, sew a vertical line from rounds 10-17 in the center of your project to separate the legs.

Using Color A and your tapestry needle, sew a vertical line from rounds 1-9 in the center of your project to separate the feet.

Congratulations! You now have a cute doll! If you would like to embroider facial features or other details, you can. We chose to leave ours plain!