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 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

Pieced Pants from regular pull-ons for dolls

In 2018 I made these pieced pants into a stand alone pattern for the 18" size. It is Pattern No. 1885

I am going to make these trousers from 1813 Gathered Pull-ons

I drew these from a drawing I found on the internet. Front on the left. Back on the right.

Print out the boxers view 4 front and back and the extensions. For Australian Girl Doll use 2013.

Cut the extensions into front and back and attach to the top sections to make a separate front and back with long-long length.

Pinch the bottom edge of the back to find the middle. Draw a line down the centre of the back. Cut the back along this line.

On the front pattern piece measure along the inseam from the mid-long line 3” and put a dot. I used the mid long line because it corresponds with the finished length of the pants. I had to judge the height of the pieces using the finished length.

Measure along the side seam line 1 1/4” from the mid long line and put a dot.

Join the points to get the angle piece for the front.

Place the back and front side by side and mark the dots so they are level with the dots on the front. Draw the line at the correct angle across the side back only.

When cutting out:

I am going to add an extra 1/4” at the hemline so I have plenty of room to make a casing for 1/4” elastic.

I am going to add 1/4” seam allownaces to the centre line edges of the back pieces.

I am going to add 1/4” seam allowances to the angle edges.

The side seams I just cut level with the paper pattern.

Join the pieces. Top stitch along each seam as you sew it. By top stitching you don't need to neaten the seam allowance for the section.

Overlock all the edges on all the pieces if you want to press the seams open.

Join the side seams then make the trousers as for 1813 Gathered Pull-ons View 1.

When you do the hems, overlock the raw edge then turn up 1/2” and stitch close to the fold and the edge to make a 1/4” casing. I threaded 5” of elastic at the ankle and finished like the boxers waist casing. 

I hope you have a go at these. They are really easy. 

Happy Sewing,

Val

Hippie Style

Working pockets seems to be quite a selling point for doll clothes patterns. It is not the pockets that make the pants though. It is the cut of the pattern. It is easy to start with a good pants pattern and add any kind of pocket you like.  I hope I inspire some of you to give it a go.

So, first up is a variation on 1813 and 2013 Snugfit Mildred by using the pockets from 1812 and 2012 Snugfit Martha. I used the patterns for the Australian Girl Doll, 2013 and 2012.


Trying to reduce the number of pieces I print I have folded the pattern pieces rather than cut them.

Cut out two pockets from the main fabric or lining fabric. Cut out two more pockets from the main fabric or a contrast fabric but this time cut straight up the side edge and straight across the waist edge so you square off the top corner.

This time I just pressed the fold line over the pattern piece. My marker wasn't going to show on this fabric.

Pin the regular pocket face down on the pants front and stitch with a 1/4” seam around the short curve only.

Trim it back to the seam allowance then clip the curve.

Trim it to 1/8”. Turn and press. Topstitch around the pocket opening.

Line up the square cut pocket piece using the pattern piece. 

Mine didn’t align perfectly so I just trimmed it even.

Stitch the pocket edges together. I just overlocked mine.

Put the back pockets on. Because the fabric was thin I made the patch pocket as I did in 1412 Snugfit Martha. (Denim is a bit thick to double up the patch pockets.)

Complete the bell bottoms as per the 1413 Snugfit Mildred pattern. 

Next is a blouse from my very first blouse 2002 Snugfit Anna. It will have a wave hem and flared sleeves and a slit at the neck. I want it to complete the hippie look.

My goal with the fashion files is to provide some inspiration. I love to play with my patterns and spend a lot of time testing and trying new things. I figure if I blog about how I did something it will make life easier for other keen doll clothes sewers.

I cruise around Pixie Faire sometimes and can't believe there is a pattern for pyjama pants and a pattern for shorts and a pattern for yoga pants and a leggings pattern and a skinny leg pattern and a wide leg pattern and a pattern with pockets and a pattern with patch pockets and a pattern with a flat front and a pattern with a gathered waist and a pattern for crop pants and bermuda shorts and they are all $3.99 or $4.99 and sometimes dearer.

I have two pants patterns out that can pretty much do all of the above. My third pants pattern will be one with a separate waist band and I think that will be pretty much it for any kind of trousers that you might want to make. My patterns are $2.00 each on Craftsy and $2.50 each on Etsy.

The slogan I have come up with is:
Great price, Great Fit, Easy to Read and Innovative.

I say innovative because many of the pattern pieces, such as collars and sleeves and pockets and skirts, can be swapped between designs.

I post my blog posts to my Facebook page so if you Like me on Facebook it is easy to see when I do a new pattern or a new Fashion File. 

You can download the instructions for this fashion file as a PDF.


Happy Sewing,
Val