18" doll pattern - 50s style sash dress

Pattern included in the Substack Doll Clothes Pattern Club

This dress is a favourite of mine because it looks so pretty. It is not easy to make or fast to make. 

Here are some tips to get a good result.

Most important, you will need to print it out from a computer so you can be sure to get it printed at 100%. The 1" square is exactly 1" or 2.5cm except for maybe the width of the printed line. Certainly not a mm or a 1/16".

Sometimes the doll's arms or hands might be a bit different. Check the sleeve band will fit by pinning it with a generous 1/4" seam and trying it on the doll.

The collar sits so the lace overlaps at the neck not the fabric part of the collar.

I like to pin the lining in place with it facing me.

Then I turn it over so I can see the collar basting and use that as a guide.

When you come to attach the sash to the sides don't make the mistake I did on one side where I didn't lay the dress flat on the table to get the sash and the front bodice to lay flat. You can notice that the side front on your right is not laying perfectly flat.

Lay the dress and sash on the table like the image above and mark the side seam on the sash.

Sew gathering threads either side of the pin. Start each thread with a back stitch.

Gather it up tight so it measures 1" and tie off each thread with 4 knots.

The sash should lay so you can sew down the middle of the gathering threads but make sure you lay it all on the table again and make sure the side front lies flat. Pin the sash to the dress then sew it in place following the side seam on the dress. In the image below I had to sew closer to the right gathering thread to sew exactly on the side seam with the side bodice nice and flat.

If you haven't signed up for the pattern club you can read more here

or you can buy this pattern in my Etsy shop here.

Happy Doll Dressmaking

Val