How to sew doll clothes: Cute Gathered Skirt with a Yoke for AGD

My first skirt tutorial was for the pleated skirt with a yoke.
I have used the same size pieces for the skirt and the yoke but I do the casing for the elastic a bit different now. I think it is a better way to construct the pull-on skirt with a yoke.

My second skirt tutorial was for a skirt made with sheer fabric. It has a folded skirt so you don't have to hem it and a double layer yoke.

You can never have enough little pull on skirts for your doll.
My latest version of the gathered skirt with a yoke is for cotton fabric like quilting cotton.
This one is a perfect fit for American Girl Doll.

• Cut a yoke piece 12 1/2" long and 2 1/4" wide.

• Cut a skirt piece 25" or 30" long and 4" wide. I only had a small piece so I had to make side seams.

• Overlock one long edge of the yoke.

• I had two skirt pieces so I stitched the seam to make one strip then overlocked the hem edge.

• Press up 1/4" hem but don't stitch it yet.

• Stitch two gathering threads on the other edge of the skirt strip. Leave tails at both ends.
• Pull up the gathers from each end to the middle so each side is about 7".

• Stitch the skirt seam to make a circle.

• Stitch the hem all the way around.

• Press over 5/8" to form the elastic casing. Don't stitch it yet.

• Open out the casing fold and stitch the centre back seam of the yoke with a short stitch (2mm).

• Press the seam open. Repress the casing fold over the seam.

• With the yoke right side out stitch around the casing close to the overlocked edge. Stitch again 1/16" from the fold. You are stitching around inside the circle.

• Place the yoke inside the skirt and adjust the gathers to fit. Tie off the threads.

• Evenly distribute the gathers.
• Pin the seam and stitch.
• Overlock the seam allowance.

• Press the seam towards the yoke. Have the skirt inside out and put the point of the iron through the waist.

• Top stitch around the yoke 1/4" from the seam line to hold the seam allowance in place so it doesn't flip around when you pull the skirt on and off.

• Carefully snip open the centre back seam on the inside of the casing.

• Thread 10" of 1/4" elastic through the casing. Overlap the ends and stitch.

• Ease the elastic join into the casing and close with a narrow zig zag stitch down the opening.

Happy Sewing,
Val