Doll Clothes Circle Skirt Length Adjustment for 18" Dolls

Creating your own custom designs is easy when you have some well fitting basic pattern pieces.

You can buy my pattern for the cute dirndle skirt with the shaped waist band and suspenders but you don't have to settle for just that design.

I worked out that you can add a 1/2" to the depth of the waist band without affecting how it fits then combine it with the circle skirt from 1827 and you have a whole new look. It is easy to make a few adjustments to the length of the suspenders before you sew them on with the buttons.

I have started laying out my photo tutorials with the instructions written in the photo caption area. I noticed that when you convert it to a PDF to save or print out the photos tend to end up all over the place compared to the body text. However, the caption sticks to the photo.

The circle skirt for 1827 is a longer vintage length but it needs to be a bit shorter and cuter for the suspender skirt design.

Print out the 3 skirt pages for 1827. Make sure you make them 100%.

Cut them out and tape the sections together.

I liked the length of my dirndle skirt. It measured 5" so
I made the unfinished length 5 1/2" for my circle skirt.

Work around the skirt putting marks at the 5 1/2" length.

Make them close together enough so you can easily join them up.

Draw the cutting line by joining the marks.

Cut it off then do the other pattern piece. 

It is now ready to cut out for your pretty suspender skirt. Of course, you can always just make a regular skirt with a straight waist band and put a poodle applique on it.

My newsletter readers already have the custom designs pattern envelope to use for their custom designs. Just print it out and put it together then draw the new suspender skirt design on the doll outline. Pop in your new pattern pieces.

I haven't gotten around to putting a link to the custom envelope pieces in my blog but I will soon. Look out for it.

Some of my favourite customers have already made up the suspender skirt as in the pattern and with the wider waist band. I know some of them aren't keen to do much drafting so I will be publishing this wider waist band and short circle skirt in my shop soon. I just want to make a matching blouse pattern before it goes up. So look out for those too.

Happy Sewing,
Val

Custom Creation Doll clothes by Valspierssews

Use my Designing without Drafting method to make Custom Creations with a Fabulous Fit.

I have been saying how easy it is to create your own designs using my patterns because it just is.
Here is the cute school dress I put together using fashion elements from various patterns.

You can read about it here

The latest variation on 1827 bodice is a square neck. I haven't tested this out yet so fingers crossed it looks great. I plan to combine the bodice with the pencil skirt from 1828. I will be using the blouse as is from 1827 to go under the dress.

I'm still testing out the square neck pattern piece but when you make your own creations you will be using pattern pieces that you know look great from other Valspierssews patterns.

There are lots of sleeve variations across my designs and they can be used with almost any other pattern. The same with the skirt styles and there is a growing number of bodice styles too.

How you can do it:

• Print out a blank envelope with the doll outline on it.
• Draw up your design from your head or a picture you have.
• Choose patterns that have the fashion elements you are after.
• Print out a new set of the pieces you want.

I will be posting a link to the envelope soon.

If the square neck dress looks good you will be able to download the square neck variation soon too.

Print out a blank envelope with the doll outline on it.
Draw up your design from your head or a picture you have.

Choose patterns that have the fashion elements you are after.

Print out a new set of the pieces you want.

Print out a new set of the pieces you want.

You will be able to keep all your new designs neatly stored.

When you sign up to receive my newsletter you won'y have to worry about missing any free content upgrades because I always put links to the blog posts for that fortnight in the newsletter.

Sign up now.

Happy Sewing,

Val

3 Steps to a Custom Doll Clothes Design for 18" Dolls

1. The cute bodice on 1827 is perfect for using with lots of different skirt styles.
   
2. You need 1827 and you just replace the front bodice with the V-neck one.
   
3. For the skirt I used the 'just below the knee' pattern pieces from 1804. on Etsy .    Read more about the 1804 dress pattern here. 
4. There are several length choices for the gathered skirt in the 1804 design.
   I used the V-neck variation that you can get for free when you join up the to the newsletter. Look for pattern number  24_1827 Vneck bodice front.
5. Read more about the v-neck variation here.

I sewed the braid on after completing the bodice because I wasn't sure if it would look just right. If I do the braid again I will sew it on the main bodice before joining it to the lining. I centred it on a line 3/8" from the seam line.

Other feature that made a huge difference to the overall look were the 3 button down the front and the red top stitching around the neck and armholes. It looked really boring without the buttons and the neck looked too low without the top stitching because the braid seemed to look like the edge of the neckline.

The dress is so fast tp make and using different fabric for the bodice and skirt means you can use smaller pieces left over from other projects.

The belt is a rectangle 1 1/2' wide by 15 1/2".

I folded it in half and creased the fold then turned under 1/4" along each side. I also turned under 1/4" at one end. I stitched it together down both long sides and across the finished end.

I slipped the raw end into the buckle and sewed it together to hold it in place.

You can buy 1827 from my Etsy shop now.
It comes with a gorgeous full circle skirt for the dress and a cute blouse to wear under it as a jumper dress.
Next I am going to use the pencil skirt from 1828 with the original neckline and the blouse to go under.

Happy Sewing,
Val


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Happy Doll Dressmaking,
Val

How to get even more from Valspieressews Patterns

Want patterns that allow you to create your own custom designs?

Do you struggle to get the perfect fit when you want to create a new design for your doll?

Do you wonder how you can get more from a pattern?

When I started my design journey I was trying to solve these problems for myself. I created classic designs that allowed me to easily swap sleeves, skirts, bodices and collars. Sometimes it is just a matter of a slight change to the neckline to give a whole new look.

Use the link at the end to get the front bodice with the V-neck that I drew up for this dress. And before you scroll down you should join my Newsletter Friends by using the sign up form in the side bar of my blog, just incase you are not already receiving my newsletters.

While I was working on my drop shoulder bolero series 1870, I needed a dress with a V neck to look just right under the curved hem of Module 3 Bolero.

I needed:

• a wide neckline so it matched the neck of the bolero
• a neat fitted bodice
• no sleeves

Looking through my patterns I found 1827. This is a 50s design with the wide shoulders and neck and a circle skirt. It has darts in the bodice for a nice tailored look.

Without changing the fit I just drew in a v-neck. The front bodice pattern piece is half the front and cut on the fold. All I had to do was draw my line and fold under a tiny section of the pattern at the centre front neck.

I know that it takes a bit of getting used to the idea that you can make small changes to get just the look you want without compromising the fit but I am happy to show you how. 

I have included the adjusted front bodice pattern piece as a free download below. You can add the circle skirt or a gathered skirt from 1804 or have a go at pleats like I did. The pleats are a story on their own that I will save for another post.

So add this pattern piece to your pattern envelope and make some notes on the back of the envelope for next time.

Join up the newsletter to gat access to a variety of free patterns. 

The v-neck is no. 24_1827 Vneck bodice front

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Start looking at designs you wish you could make and think about the different elements of the design. Do you already have patterns with those elements? If you have been collecting Valspierssews Patterns you know that lots of the elements can be mixed and matched to create your favourite custom designs.

If you would like to add 1827 to your pattern collection you can get it in my Etsy shop. 

Get 1827

It comes with easy to follow pictorial instructions that are perfect for printing. The design includes the dress that can also double as a jumper dress using the cute 50s style blouse that comes with it.

The bodice is lined and it is easy to enclose the waist seam for a neat look on the inside as well.

I have lots of ideas to share about customising designs.

Valspierssews Patterns allow you to mix and match design elements so you can create your favourite designs and get a perfect fit without multiple test garments.

Make sure you download the free pattern adjustment for the 1827 front bodice and keep it in the pattern envelope.

Get you free v-neck piece from the newsletter pattern vault. Just join up the newsletter and look for pattern no. 24_1827 Vneck bodice front.

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If you don't already have pattern 1827 you can get it here:

 Find 1827 in my Etsy Shop

Happy Sewing,

Val

Bolero Mania - So many and So Simple to Sew

The 1870 Bolero Series continues with another must have bolero style.

Module 3 is out now.
Find it in my shop.
1870 Module 3

• Make it in fur or regular fabric
• Make it completely reversible
• also Super easy non reversible version

Modules 1 and 2 are in my Etsy Shop

Module 1 has a square front. It can also be buttoned up.

Module 2 is a cute shrug. Do it in fur or fabric.

I make my designs with a view to using them as jumping off points for creative custom designs. The bolero series provides many variations but there is still room for unique customisation. 

* Lengthen the sleeves and have a turn up cuff (you can use pattern 1868/2068 as a guide for the length)

* Cut off the seam allowance around the hem edges and add a ruffle

* Gradually add to the curved edge from the hem to the neck edge until it is 1/2" wider at the neck. You can now overlap it and do it up like a jacket.

* Place the bodice from 1804 Round Neck Dress on top matching the centre front to the seam line on the front of the bolero and match the necklines and shoulder lines. Trace the armhole for the dress on top of the bolero piece. You can now add many different sleeves to this little jacket. 

These are just 4 ideas that spring to mind.






One of the reasons I kept adding to this Bolero Series as I was creating it was because there are just so many ways to make a bolero and I can't stop until I have designs for them all. Well, I have decided that I just have to stop at 5 Modules because I will never get onto anything else.

Adjusting designs is just so exciting. I keep seeing how I can change things just a bit and I generally don't even worry about making a sample to check for fit - I just use my best fabrics straight up.

That's what I did when I altered the neck on the wide neck dress 1827. The fabric is gorgeous. It feels so nice. It did cost me $27 a metre so I only bought enough to make one dress with sleeves or two without sleeves. I know the dress will fit so changing the neck a bit should not affect the fit. 

I didn't muck around doing a cheap version. I'm not saying that I recommend this for all designs but when you use my designs as slopers and just make small changes there is minimum risk of failure.

1870 Bolero Series is a collection of Bolero variations.
They are great to use as slopers for all sorts of custom designs.
There is no need to make lots of ill fitting test outfits if you like to create your own designs.

Look out for Module 3 of my Bolero Series in my shop soon.

Happy Sewing,
Val

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Latest Doll Clothes Patterns

Pattern 1827 Dress and Blouse

I get so excited about my patterns that I completely forget to promote them on my blog. I just put them in the shop and do a quick post on Facebook.

So today I introduce the first of my 50s Collection of doll clothes for American Girl Doll. It is such fun to design the outfits for doll size and now we have MaryEllen to wear them. I don't have her yet, but she is on my wish list.

Here is an elegant wide neck dress with slightly overhanging shoulders and a full circle skirt. Perfect for any occasion.

It has a lined bodice and does up in the back. I use velcro.

It is designed to be worn as a dress by itself or as a jumper with a blouse underneath.

The gorgeous 3/4 sleeve blouse is included in the pattern. I made this pink one in linen and it looks and feels wonderful.

The blouse has a small peter pan collar and inseam plackets in the sleeves. It does up in the front with velcro and I put 3 pairs of buttons down the front.

It works with both modern and vintage outfits. Here I have teamed it with my free pleated skirt pattern.

You can find the pattern for the dress and the blouse as 1827 in my Etsy store and in my Craftsy store

Here is a preview of the next design. It will come out as two patterns. 1828 with the dress and also a skirt and blouse version. 1829 will be the jacket.

I am just doing a few slight adjustments to the pattern. Look out for it soon. 

If you follow my page on Facebook you will be kept up to date.

Happy Sewing,

Val