You'll never know what happened to that missing sock, but now you know what to do with its other half. A few "orphan" socks from your laundry room can be made into a soft, huggable new doll.
Step 1
Stuff an ankle sock and stitch up the hem. You could also use a regular sock and just cut off the top. The toe becomes the head, the heel the rear end.
Step 2
Cut off the toe of the second sock and turn inside out.
Step 3
Mark the vertical center line to designate legs (with slightly rounded "toes" as shown).
Step 4
Sew approximately a quarter inch from the center line on each side. Go up one side and down the other, rounding the toes. Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) towards the top.
Step 5
Turn this right side out, stuff and stitch the top closed. These are your doll's legs.
Step 6
Sew together the hems (closed openings) of the two socks. As you sew, make sure that the legs and the rear end are at natural angles.
Step 7
Make the arms from the remaining sock.
Cut off the heel and toe. 
Turn inside out, draw the center line. 
Sew a quarter inch from the center line. 
Cut apart as shown.
Step 8
Turn the arms right side out, and then stuff and stitch them to the body.
Step 9
With a sturdy thread, sew 1/4 inch stitches around the neck and cinch them slightly to form the head.
- You can also tie a ribbon (the doll's scarf) around to make the neck and give the doll a unique style.
Step 10
Use buttons, beads, googly eyes, yarn and markers to make the doll's face.
Step 11
Add yarn hair.
Wrap 30 or so strands of yarn around something sturdy that is approximately a foot wide. 
Place a strip of felt under the yarn, perpendicular to the wrap direction. 
Hand baste the yarn strands to the felt strip. 
Turn the object over and cut the yarn in the center of the side opposite the basted felt strip. 
Machine sew the yarn strands to the felt strip. - Trim the felt strip ends.
Center the felt strip on the doll's head and sew it on. 
You may leave the hair smooth or braid it, as you prefer.
Step 12
Cut scraps of cloth to make clothes. Sew these on to the doll. Or, you could make the clothes so that they can be taken on and off easily.
Step 13
Add whatever extra twists you like and your doll is done!
Tips
- If you use other (colored) socks to make the dolls' wardrobe, keep in mind that the hems at the sock openings make great hems for sleeves, skirts, pants, etc. You don't have to turn them under to stitch them or bind them. Doing this saves a LOT of work.
- Felt makes a good doll clothing material because it does not require hemming.
- Make a family of dolls of different sizes or start a collection. This can encourage imagination to create 'housing' and writing to write about their 'lives'.
Warnings
- If you plan to give your doll to a small child, consider using only embroidered facial features, as glued on or sewn on buttons can come loose and become a choking hazard.
- Be careful using needles and scissors.
- Supervise children under the age of 4 while they play with the doll to minimize the risk of choking.
- Have adult supervision while sewing.
Things You'll Need
- Three ankle socks, preferably of one color
- Scraps of cloth
- Cotton for stuffing
- Sewing equipment- needles, thread, scissors.
- Beads, buttons, markers, googly eyes,and/or yarn
