New Pattern for Australian Girl Dolls

I have been a bit quiet in social media for a while. I have just been playing in my sewing room. I like to promote and sell my patterns but that is only a side line. Designing and testing and playing with fabrics is the biggest part.

Today I have published my first Australian Girl Doll Pattern. I tailored the American Girl Doll gathered pull-ons pattern to fit the Australian Girl Doll more neatly than just enlarging the pattern.

The jeans have a very neat slim leg that looks great with the elasty sided riding boots. Here I have teamed them with the specially tailored open neck blouse soon to be published.

There are lots of possibilities. I have already started two more Fashion Files with more variations.
The Australian Girl Doll patterns all start with 20 for 20" doll. 50 is probably more correct for 50cm but I tend to sew in inches most of the time.

The pattern instructions are very similar to the 18" doll pattern instructions with a few changes to suit.

Landscape format for easy viewing on a tablet.

Vector drawn pattern pieces with a scaling square. I also include how to check the print percentage in Chapter 2.

There are book marks to make navigation easy in Acrobat Reader on PC or Mac. The portrait title page is perfect for the iBooks bookshelf.

I used Fashion File 4 and the pockets from 2012 (yet to be published) to make pouch pockets in the bell bottoms.

2013 Snugfit Mildred Gathered Pull-Ons is only on Etsy.

If you have stumbled upon my Doll Designs blog and want to keep up with what I am doing "Like" my page on Facebook. I always include a link to my blog posts on the Facebook Page.

Happy Sewing,
Val

Doll clothes Lab Coat Pattern Fashion File no.8

Lots of sewing happening. I decided to work on another fashion file. This time it is a variation on 1806 Snugfit Elaine Open Neck Blouse.

The blouse pattern is perfect for designing coats and jackets with just a little bit of imagination. Since I first designed it I have wanted to make a lab coat.

When you make jackets and coats you have to allow extra ease so you can put them over light clothing. Enlarging the blouse pattern to 102% is perfect for a fairly light coat like the lab coat. If you want to use more wooly fabrics I suggest enlarging to 104%. Still use a 1/4" seam allowance and maybe reduce the width of the facing a little bit.

Fashion Files are free tutorials to help you get even more from your purchased patterns.

It is easy to extend the length of the shirt to make the coat. Just a couple of straight lines.

The sleeves needed a 1/2" hem but you can cut that back if you like.

I played around to get the pockets in the right place. I had to put them on after I made the coat so I could get them right but you can put them on first if you like. Same with the tabs. Just make sure you measure from the seam line not the raw edge.

You can download the instructions as a PDF for free from dolldressmaking.teachable.com Sign up for my free resources and my newsletter.  The lab coat is made from 1806 Open Neck Blouse that I sell on and Etsy and at dolldressmaking.com GST free for my Australian and NZ customers.

I am also busy preparing my patterns for the Australian Girl Doll. She looks so cute in her new long sleeved shirt from pattern 2006 and her jeans from pattern 2013. I am just waiting on a new batch of velcro to keep making samples. That is also why there are no buttons on the front of the lab coat.

Happy Doll Dressmaking,
Val 

Easy Shirt Tails for Doll Shirts

Fashion File No. 7
I have discovered that it is much easier to get the shirt tails looking good if you cut them after sewing the side seams for the shirt or blouse.
To make it even easier I made some curved templates that I printed on thin card.
I can now use these for any blouse or shirt.

I tried drawing the line then overlocking the hem edge following the line when I came to it but I think it is easier to cut out the curve then overlock the hem edge following the shape of the cut out.

Here are my templates to download.

Happy Sewing,
Val

Doll Clothes Leggings for 18" and 20" dolls - Fashion File 6

There is no magic involved in making stretch leggings. You need knit fabric. 4 way stretch fabric like lycra looks good. Ribbing makes a nice winter weight legging. If you make leg warmers to go with them or tuck them into boots they will look like tights.

Next you need a good fitting pattern. I used my1813 and 2013 Gathered Pull-ons patterns. They include a View 4 boxers pattern piece with no side seam that is perfect for leggings. All you need to do is make the pattern narrower before sticking the back and front together.

For the 18" dolls use pattern 1813 and cut off 1 1/4" strips from the View 4 boxers main pieces and the extensions. If you are sewing for an Australian Girl Doll you will need pattern 2013 and cut off
1 5/8" strips from the View 4 boxers main pattern piece and the extensions.
For 1/2" elastic trim off the seam allowance at the waist edge.
For 1/4" elastic trim off 5/8" from the waist edge.

Just a few photos to show you how easy it is.
Cut 2 back and front combined pieces. Make sure you mark the backs with a pin.
Stitch the centre front seam with a narrow zig zag or overlock it.
If you are using 1/2" elastic fold over 1" and stitch 1/8" from the edge with a narrow zig zag. There is no real need to overlock the edge first. Also stitch 1/8" from the fold edge.
If you are using 1/4" elastic fold over 5/8".

Thread elastic through the casing using a safety pin. Baste each end.

Stitch the centre back seam with a narrow zig zag or overlock.

Turn up 3/8" at the hem and stitch close to the edge with a narrow zig zag. There is no real need to overlock the hem edge first.

Stitch the inseam with a narrow zig zag or overlock.

This is how they look on the Australian Girl Doll.

And this is how they look on the American Girl Doll.

Make sure you have a look at my patterns either on Craftsy or Etsy

You need to make alterations to purchased patterns 1813 or 2013  to make the leggings.

Buy 1813 Gathered Pull-ons

Buy 2013 Gathered Pull-ons

Happy Sewing,

Val