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WAAF, ATS and WRNS Dolls

World war two knit dolls wearing military uniforms
from Bestway Leaflet No. 947

This pattern was kindly supplied by The Second World War Experience Centre in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Please consider making a donation to the museum if you enjoy this pattern.

If you would like to know more about the roles of British women during World War 2, you might also like to visit the following websites

The WAAF – The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force

The ATS – The Auxiliary Territorial Service (Army)

The WRNS (the Wrens) – Women’s Royal Naval Service

The Dolls

THE W.A.A.F.

Materials

  • About three quarters of an ounce of 3 or 4-ply wool in Air Force Blue
    a small ball each of black, grey, pale blue, flesh pink, and brown
    a needleful of yellow and red
  • a pair of UK No 12/2.75mm/US 2 knitting needles
  • a UK No 15/1.75mm/US steel 5 crochet hook
  • stuffing

Size

The original doll was about 12 ins high.

Abbreviations

st = stitch
k = knit
p = purl
tog = together
inc = increase by working into front and back of same st
dec = decrease by working 2 sts tog
s = slip
st st = stocking stitch, which is k
1 row, p 1 row alternately
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
tr = treble

Please note: This pattern uses UK crochet terms. UK double crochet = US single crochet, UK treble = US double crochet and so on.

The Front

Commencing at the foot, cast on 4 sts with black wool, and working in st st, increase at the beginning of 1st – 5th row (9sts) then work 3 rows on the sts.

Decrease twice in the middle of next row.

P1 row

Inc twice in middle of next row.

P 1 row.

Change to grey and work 48 more rows, then leave the sts on a safety pin and make a second foot and leg in the same way.

With Air Force blue work across the second leg sts, cast on 1 st and work the 1st leg sts.

Work 21 more rows on the 19 sts and leave on a spare pin.

The Skirt

Cast on 31 sts with Air Force blue and k 3 rows, working into the backs of the sts on the 1st row.

Change to st st, starting with a p row and work 25 rows.

Next row : K1, (k2tog, k7) 3 times, k2tog, K1.

Work 3 rows straight.

Next row: K1, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k6, k2tog, K1

Work 3 rows straight.

Next row: K1, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k5, k2tog, K1

Work 3 rows straight and leave on a spare needle.

The Tunic

Cast on 15 sts with Air Force blue and k3 rows, working into the backs of the sts. on the 1st row.

Next row: P13, k2

Next row: K13, k2tog

Work 15 more rows in st st, knitting last 2 sts of every p row for border, and dec at end of 6th and 12th rows.

Leave the 12 sts on a spare pin.

Work another piece to correspond with decreases at the beginning of the knit rows, and border at beginning of p rows.

K7 sts of second piece, place remaining 5 sts in front of first 5 sts of first piece and k them tog in pairs to join the two pieces

then k remaining 7 sts of first piece.

P 1 row on the 19 sts

place in front of lower part of body and k each tunic st tog with a body st.

Work 13 rows, inc at both ends of 2nd row. (21 sts)

The Hands and Arms

Cast on 8 sts with flesh wool and work 2 rows in st st

Cast on 1 st at beginning of next 2 rows.

Work 6 rows straight.

Change to Air Force blue and inc, at both ends and twice in the centre of the first row.

Work 25 rows straight.

Leave on a spare pin and work another piece in the same way.

Take the second 7 sts of one arm, 21 body sts and the first 7 sts of the other arm and work 6 rows on these 35 sts, placing the other two sets of 7 sts on safety-pins.

Next 2 rows: Work 16 sts in Air Force blue, 3 pale blue, 16 Air Force blue.

Next row: With Air Force blue, k6, k2tog, k7, with pale blue k5, with Air Force blue k7, k2tog, k6.

Next row: 14 Air Force blue, 5 pale blue, 14 Air Force blue.

Next row: With Air Force blue k5, k2tog, k6, with pale blue k7, with Air Force blue k6, k2tog, k5.

Next row: 12 Air Force blue, 7 pale blue, 12 Air Force blue.

Next 2 rows: Cast off 11 sts with Air Force blue, work the 9 middle sts with pale blue.

The Head

Work 2 rows in pale blue, then change to flesh pink and work 2 rows.

Next row: S 1, k7. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p6. Turn.

Next row: S 1, k5. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p4. Turn.

Next row: S 1, k3. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p2. Turn

Next row: S 1, k2, k twice into the next st. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p 4, p twice into next st. Turn.

Next row: S 1, k6, k twice into next st. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p8, p twice into next St. Turn.

Next row: S 1, k10, k twice into next st. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p12, p twice into next st.

Work 3 rows over the 15 sts

Next row: K7, lift a st from row below, k1, lift a st, k7.

Work 3 rows straight.

Next row: K7, s 1, k2tog, psso, k7.

Work 11 rows straight.

Next row: (K2, k2tog) 3 times, k3.

P 1 row

Next row: (K1, k2tog) 4 times.

P 1 row.

Cast off.

The Back

Cast on 4 sts with black wool and in at beginning of 1st – 5th rows.

Work 7 rows straight.

Next row: S 1, k7. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p6. Turn.

Next row: S 1, k5. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p4. Turn.

Next row: S 1, k3. Turn.

Next row: S 1, p2. Turn.

Next row: S 1, k3. Turn.

Now work 1 st more in each row until all 9 sts are worked.

Change to grey wool and continue as for front until the arms are reached.

Take in the 2 sets of 7 sts from the safety pins and work 8 rows straight.

Next row: K6, k2tog, k19, k2tog, k6.

P 1 row

Next row: K5, k2tog, k19, k2tog, k5.

P 1 row.

Next 2 rows: Cast off 11 sts, work to end.

The Head

Work 2 rows Air Force blue, then change to flesh pink and work 2 rows for neck

Next row: K1, k twice into next 7 sts, k1 (16 sts)

Work 19 rows

Next row: (K2, k2tog) 4 times.

P 1 row.

Next row: (K1, k2tog) 4 times

P 1 row. Cast off.

The Cap

Cast on 8 sts with Air Force blue and inc at both ends of the first 4 rows and following 5 alternate rows.

Work 4 rows straight

Dec at both ends of next 5 alternate rows and following 4 rows.

Cast off.

Gather the edges of the cap and draw up to fit the head.

With black work a row of dc all round,

turn with 2 ch and work 4 dc in next 4 dc

turn with 2 ch and work 4 dc into 4 dc

Slip st along the side of dc to band and work dc round the peak

With Air Force blue work tr into each dc, starting 3 dc from peak and working round to a similar point on other side. Turn up flat against headband.

To Make Up

Join seams of feet and stuff, then gradually complete all the seams of the body, stuffing the doll as the seams are made.

Join the skirt seams and side seams of the lower tunic.

Tie round the ankles with black wool, tying on the instep to simulate shoe laces.

Tie the wrists with flesh pink wool.

Wind Air Force blue wool about ten times round waist to simulate a belt and indicate the pockets and revers with straight stitches.

With yellow wool make buttons, buckle and cap badge.

With pale blue indicate the collar and the wings on the sleeve tops.

With black wool form the tie.

With brown wool cover the back of the head with long, straight stitches to simulate hair, and finish with curls made by taking up about ¼ in of the fabric on the needle, wind wool ten times round the needle and draw through (embroidered bullion stitch).

Embroider features on face in appropriate colours and put a little rouge on the cheeks.

Sew the cap on the head.

The ATS Girl

Materials

  • About ¾ oz. of khaki 3 or 4-ply wool
    a small ball each of brown, fawn, flesh pink, orange and green and a needleful of yellow and red
  • a pair of UK No 12/2.75mm/US 2 knitting needles
  • a UK No 15/1.75mm/US steel 5 crochet hook
  • stuffing

Work as for the W.A.A.F. using brown wool instead of black, fawn instead of grey and pale blue, khaki instead of Air Force blue.

The Cap

Cast on 2 sts with orange wool for the top, and inc at the beginning of the first 6 rows.

Work 12 rows straight.

Dec at beginning of next 6 rows.

Cast off.

Cast on 40 sts with brown for main part and work 8 rows, increasing at beginning and in middle of 3rd and 6th rows.

Cast off.

Join the back seam, then set in the orange part by working dc with green wool through both parts of the work tog.

Fold in the top, and press.

Indicate the folds of the cap with long straight sts, and indicate badge and buttons with yellow wool.

Make up as for the W.A.A.F. using the appropriate colours.

Work the tie with khaki wool.

One of the W.R.N.S.

Materials

  • About ¾ oz. of Navy 4-ply wool
    a small ball each of black, white, flesh pink and brown and a needleful of red
  • a pair of UK No 12/2.75mm/US 2 knitting needles
  • a UK No 15/1.75mm/US steel 5 crochet hook
  • stuffing.

Begin as for the W.A.A.F., but with legs as well as feet in black, and using Navy Instead of Air Force blue.

Transfer the 19 body sts to a spare needle after 15 rows.

The Skirt

With Navy wool begin as for the W.A.A.F., but after the 2nd decrease row has been worked, k the next row (p side) and on the next row k2, place the next 19 sts in front of the 19 body sts and knit together in pairs, k remaining 2 skirt sts.

P 1 row.

Next row: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, K1

Repeat last 2 rows once.

Work 3 rows straight.

Next row: K1, inc in next st, k to last 2 sts, inc, K1

Work 13 rows straight, then make hands and arms and proceed as for W.A.A.F., using Navy Instead of Air Force blue, and white instead of pale blue.

The Cap

Work the top as for the W.A.A.F., using navy blue wool.

Cut a circle 2 ins across from thin cardboard and insert into the knitting after gathering the edges but before drawing up.

Draw up and fasten off the gathering thread.

With black wool work 2 rounds of dc to form the headband, picking up the sts about 1/8 in outside the gathered edge.

With yellow wool indicate the letters H.M.S. on the front of the band.

To Make Up

AS for W.A.A.F., using black wool for buttons and tie, and white to indicate collar.


The original pattern is in the public domain, however this digital version is copyright Sarah Bradberry May 23rd 2012. All rights reserved.