Measuring & Fitting Doll Clothes Patterns. NOTE: Book recommended for beginning sewers.
It contains a lot of basic sewing/fitting techniques, terms, basic fabric/thread information, hints on buying a sewing machine/serger, etc. The book is: "Mother Pletsch's Painless Sewing - Fourth Edition" and can be ordered on the Palmer/Pletsch website (click here). These notes are primarily aimed at measuring and fitting dolls. However, I have put in some references to human (and human pattern) measurements for comparison and to use when working with a human pattern to create a doll pattern ---- (see Pattern Creation Page).
*NOTE: I will not be covering how to make pattern alterations for individual body differences as it would take an entire book! MEASUREMENTS - only part of the story! There is no doubt that taking accurate body measurements will get you a better fit - either for yourself or for a doll. You almost can't take too many measurements! 1. Dolls aren't always easy to measure. Bust Around the bust line, at the fullest part. Measuring & Fitting Doll Clothes Patterns. How To Make A Cartridge Pleat On A Smaller Scale. How to Make a Cartridge Pleat on a Smaller Scale Step 1Fold over approximately ¼” of edge of fabric and press.
Step 2Begin gathering at the edge and stitch with consistent stitches across the space you want to gather. Step 3Thread needle with a new thread and knot. Sew in consistent rows again, each stitch directly underneath the stitch above it. Step 4Thread needle with a new thread and knot. Step 5Pull the threads and gather the stitches. Step 6Sew the front folds to the waistband or dress top by taking one stitch per fold. Step 7Fold the waistband up and press the folds in place. Tips For Sewing Barbie Doll Clothes - Part 2. **** If you're looking for the Barbie Chef Hat instructions, you'll find them on this post ***** Sewing itty-bitty doll clothes continues with part 2 - construction.
You can read part 1 here. Now that you’ve got the itty bitty patterns cut out - or traced - it's time to start sewing. A bit of practice tempered with patience and you’ll be producing runway worthy fashions for Barbie - other that itty bitty doll - in no time. How to Sew Fashion Doll Clothes. Learning how to sew doll clothes is not too different from making regular people clothes.
But there are some vital differences that will make sewing such small clothes much easier. Follow these sewing instructions carefully and your doll clothes will look fantastic! Add your own sewing tip for doll clothes here. Read Tips from other sewers at the bottom of the page. What You Need To Know About Sewing Tiny Clothes For Dolls: In particular, seams need to be smaller than people’s clothes, and there is always the problem of bulk. Plus you may need to sew the garment together in a different order than you would for full scale clothing. And linings may look a bit garish compared to what you are used to—but there are some very important reasons you should take great care with the colour of both your lining and your thread!
Tips For Sewing Fashion Doll Clothing. Sewing for dolls differs from sewing for yourself.
Armholes may be larger so you can get the clothes on the doll. Some of the sewing steps are in an unusual order also. I keep a doll of the type I am sewing for with me at the sewing machine for quick checks on length, fit, etc. Accurate cutting of the fabric is important on small clothes, an 1/8 of an inch can make a big difference in a Blythe dress. Thick fabrics can be difficult, its easier to start with thinner materials until you are used to the pattern.
Many doll bodices are lined instead of hemmed. If your pattern has shoulder seams, you may be able to avoid them by taping the front and back pattern pieces together matching the shoulder seams. Hems are almost always done before the skirt is attached to the bodice or before side seams on pants are done. Ironing is almost as important as sewing. If the pattern has darts, I often do them with the longest stitch length and test fit the piece on the doll before doing the final stitching. Doll Clothing Construction Tips. What Holds It All Together?
~Selecting Sewing Notions for Dolly’s Clothes~ As a sewer, you know that every project presents unique opportunities to learn something new. Use this spirit as you immerse yourself more fully in the exciting world of sewing from our doll clothes patterns and the many sewing notions available to add the perfect touch. You most likely have the basics on hand, but now it is time to expand in order to get ready for your new venture. Keep your notions for sewing dolly clothes separate from your others for easy access and so they don’t get mixed up. Here are just a few sewing notions to add to your collection: Small, flat decorative buttons. The above list of notions for sewing leaves out the large variety of threads, cutting and measuring tools, and many other supplies you will use when sewing doll clothes for your dolly.