Designing Doll Clothes - AGD Fashion Sweater

I have a huge collection of pins to browse through when I feel like designing something new for the doll. The images include paper dolls, celebrities, wardrobe capsules, historical outfits, runway fashions and more.

When I want to just play I will look for something that I could probably make from pattern pieces I already have.

This cute sweatshirt, skirt and leggings is perfect. I can easily make the skirt and leggings. I just need to tweek the Sweatshirt pattern 1820 to make the ruffles.

Source: Morpheus Boutique

I use my drawn to scale cardboard doll to make an outline. I then draw the outfit. By looking at the picture I guess that the ruffles start just below the waist and the shirt finished just above the hips. The skirt is mid thigh. The straight hem in the middle of the shirt at the front is about as wide as the hip bones.

I get out my pieces for the front, back and sleeves of the sweatshirt. I check the hem length of the front. It needs to fall 1/4" below the desired length. I want it to be just above the widest part of the hips.

I cut out pieces and drew up the ruffle. I tried a few things before sewing it all together. I had to make the ruffle a bit bigger but now think that maybe it is gathered up a bit too much. I have included the ruffle that I used but I will probably cut off a 1/2" next time.

Putting it together.

Fashion File 17 - Ruffle Sweat Shirt

Using pattern 1820 Knitfit Penny for the top and 1813 Snugfit Mildred with FF 6 for the leggings and the free skirt tutorial. How to sew the sweat shirt is covered in detail in pattern 1820.

Use the front and back pieces and the ruffle included with the PDF version, plus the sleeve from 1820. Cut from sweatshirt fleece.

Bands cut from ribbing

• Neck band is 1” x 21 1/2”
• Cuff at wrist is 1 1/2” x 4”

(I didn’t remember to cut the cuff bands wider as in the design. Next time I will make them 2” wide.)

Stitch all the seams with a narrow zig zag stitch.

Stitch the shoulder seams.

Put on the neck band. Top stitch close to the seam.

Put the cuffs on the sleeves. Top stitch close to the seam.

Put in the sleeves.

Stitch the side seams.

Overlock the bottom hem edges.

Hem the straight edge of the ruffle. Stitch two rows of gathering stitch on the curved edge starting and finishing  the 1/4” row right at the point of the hem.

Pin it to the bodice so the point of the hem is 1/4” above the raw edge of the bodice hem.

Stitch. Press the seam up and the ruffle down. Top stitch close to the seam.

Fold under the bottom hem edges and stitch level with the ruffle.

Press the ruffles flat.

Fold the back facing in 1/2” and stitch in place.

Add 3 velcro patches to the back.

I wanted to put something on the front of the sweat shirt like the original. I found an image with a few lines. I drew it first in air erasable fabric marker to get it right then went over it in permanent, instant dry, waterproof marker. 

Make the leggings.

I used black lycra. I had my 1813 View 4 pants pieces stuck together so I measured 1 1/4” either side of the join and made a big pleat. 

I didn’t want the leggings to be really tight. Normally I would take off 1/1/2” from each side of the join when using lycra but I only took of 1 1/4”. 

I also wanted them to sit on her hips so I cut off 2 1/8” from the waist edge. 

I cut a 10” x 1 1/2” strip of lycra for the waist band. 

Because it all has to stretch quite a bit when I did the top stitching and hems I used a very narrow zig zag to allow some stretch.

Make the skirt.

The skirt a made from a strip 10” x 3 1/2” and a waist band of the same lycra, 10” x 1 1/2”.

I will make it again with the 1801 pattern for fine knits. I will trace the ruffle cut outs and length onto the front and back pieces 1 and 2 of 1801. Also take it in at the side seam. The plan is to make it in fleece so it comes out much tighter fitting. I will probably use the sweat shirt sleeves still. I don’t want them to look too tight.

To make this outfit I used:
1820 Knitfit Penny Bulky Knit Sweatshirt sleeves $2.50 on Etsy
1813 Snugfit Mildred Gathered Pull-ons . The associated Fashion File 6 for making leggings comes with it on Etsy.
The skirt is from my tutorial.

The instructions for the ruffle sweater and the back, front and ruffle patterns can be downloaded in this mainly print PDF.

I had to do a small edit in the PDF for the Ski Pyjamas. If you downloaded it before 24th Aug 2015 you should download it again.

Happy Sewing,
Val