Uploaded corrected pattern on 6/4/16 to fix a few minor errata in hat portion. Should say begin knitting with HAT color yarn. Round 3 and Round 6 should both read as follows: Section 1: k6 Section 2: k6 Section 3: k2 pause for housekeeping k4 Section 4: k6. Hope this didn’t cause anyone problems!

I found numerous free comfort doll patterns online but most seemed to be written for flat knitting, although on many of the projects the knitters said they’d converted the patterns to in-the-round.

After many dolls made with modifications and adaptations of one sort or another, I decided to write out my notes on the final version, in case they might be helpful to others. I like my dolls to have a little shape to them, but you could easily do this doll with no increases or decreases, just 32 stitches until the hat decreases. Adapt away!!

These directions are written starting out with Judy’s Magic Cast on. If you feel you just can’t conquer that cast on, you could just do a regular cast on and sew it closed later. HOWEVER, if you ever want to make toe up socks, Judy’s Magic Cast on is great for that. And this is a perfect opportunity to get plenty of practice on the technique with very little risk - you usually use dark, scrap yarn for the feet anyway, so mistakes are hard to see and you won’t wear out any expensive sock yarn!

These would make great donations to organizations like foster care, women’s shelters, pediatric hospital wards or cancer wards, police or fire departments (for dealing with traumatized children) or overseas donations. They are a great way to use up stash yarn (I would recommend that whatever you use be machine washable though).They work up quickly, I can usually finish one in an evening (while simultaneously helping solve crimes on Midsomer Murders or NCIS).