Outfits with the new trousers and shorts

My latest pattern is flat front pull-on trousers and shorts - Snugfit Martha.
There are so many cute outfits you can make with them. These first three are made with 1412 Snugfit Martha and 1406 Snugfit Elaine.

The top blouse here is 1402 Snugfit Anna. The Short sleeve blouse is 1406 Snugfit Elaine

The western blouse is 1402 Snugfit Anna again and the crop top is 1501 Knitfit Lucy

This blouse is 1406 Snugfit Elaine again and a skivvy from 1501 Knitfit Lucy. The tote bags are part of 1401 Doll Tote

Five of these outfits are made with the same two patterns. I hope you can start to see what my vision is for my pattern business. I want my patterns to be used as templates for unlimited numbers of outfits. 1412 Snugfit Martha Flat Front Pull-ons provides you with lots of different lengths so you don't have to experiment for the look you want. You also get lots of design ideas to start you off.
I know they don't have working front pockets and they are not skinny but they are easy to make and easy to put on the doll. I am working on designs with the front pockets and different leg styles but I wanted to publish a good basic design first.

If you are wondering how they look on the doll...

You can find 1412 Snugfit Martha and 1406 Snugfit Elaine on Craftsy and Etsy.

Happy Sewing,
Val

Roll up Sleeve with a Tab. Tutorial for my shirt pattern.

I have been updating parts of my Snugfit Elaine Open Neck Blouse pattern and wanted to try another way to make the roll up sleeve. I wanted to make it so you wouldn't see any seams when you rolled up the sleeve. Extra sleeve pattern pieces are now included in the purchased pattern.

I also tried out my pointed pocket pattern.
I used the pattern pieces from DD 1406 Snugfit Elaine to make this shirt.
There is a link to this tutorial in the pattern you purchase.

A note about machine needles.
Before trying to topstitch my pocket or the tab, I put in a new machine needle. I normally sew with a universal size 80 but for the tiny pieces I use a sharp needle size 75. I do have some Sharps but only in size 80 and 70 so I used a Quilting needle because they are also sharp.

If you want a pocket you should put it on before stitching the shoulder seams. I always forget and have to do it with the shirt half finished. (I should follow my own instructions!)
Fiddly but worth the effort even if you don't get it perfect.

Here's the pocket since you should do that before the sleeves.

I cut one main and one contrast (for one pocket)
Put them right sides together and stitch with a 1/8" seam leaving most of one straight side open for turning. I folded both seam allowances away from the gap and pressed them before turning.

Carefully push out the corners and point and press. Fold the flap down and stitch across the top edge then across the point edge, back stitching at each of the ends.

I placed the pattern piece under my shirt front and I could see the pocket placement outline through the fabric. Pin the pocket in place. Stitch around the sides and bottom.

For the tab sleeves.
Put in the upper sleeve but don't sew the side seam. See Pattern instructions View 2 Sleeves.

A note about little pleats in your sleeve seam.

It is hard to get the sleeve seam smooth. You need to use your left hand between the fabric layers to move the shirt as you sew, pushing it away from you to straighten it out.
If you do get a pleat...

Snip the stitch holding the pleat and a few either side. Smooth out the pleat and restitch just that section. Back stitch at each end of your stitching.

Make the tabs. See Pattern instructions View 2 Sleeves.

Cut the tabs from contrast fabric. (I used one main and one contrast because I had already cut one out of the main fabric before I decided to use a contrast.)

For this method you need to trim the tab to 2" on the straight side.

Before

After

Press the lower sleeve in half.
Turn under 1/4" on one long side of the lower sleeve.

Pin the tab on the wrong side of the upper sleeve in the centre.

Turn it over and pin the lower sleeve on top. Right sides together.

Stitch, then press the seam towards the lower sleeve.

Pin the sleeve and side seams right sides together and stitch.

Press the seam open.

Fold the lower sleeve in half so the turned in edge covers the seam. Hand stitch it in place.

Turn the shirt right side out.
Fold up the cuff once just a 1/4" from the seam line. Press.

Fold it over again so the seam line is hidden. Fold the tab over and pin in place.

Sew a button on the tab.

So cute!

Happy Sewing,
Val

Cute Open Neck Blouse Pattern

I have just published a new pattern. It is an open neck blouse with a convertible collar (as opposed to a collar with a stand). I am re-familiarising myself with many clothes sewing terms since I started on the doll clothes. I love the way I can experiment in miniature.

The new pattern is 1406 Snugfit Elaine - Open Neck Blouse

There are darts and shirt tails and button tabs and pockets.

Even before finishing the file I had started to play with a jacket idea. Just for fun I added in another short sleeve pattern page so you can make your own long sleeve by just extending the side lines. This was after I decided to include the Market Tote tutorial in the download as well as a nicely drawn up rectangle so you don't have any excuses to put off making the little tote from my previous post.

Visit my shop on Craftsy for a great deal on all my patterns. Only $1.50 US and and $2.00 US and most of the pattern pieces can be mixed and matched to create your own designs.

I love Craftsy. It is such a good place for Indy Designers to sell their patterns.



Happy Sewing,
Val

Tip for putting a yoke on an existing blouse pattern

I always love an easy way to get a great look, and doing intricate piecing before you cut out the pattern can make things a bit easier.

I want to put a fancy yoke on my open neck blouse so I drew a line where I wanted it to go and worked out how big my fabric rectangles needed to be to fit the pattern on later.

I then cut out rectangles for the yokes and rectangles for the back and fronts.

I pieced them together adding a few details to the back and then cut out the pattern piece.

This is as far as I got this morning but I can see it is going to look so cute. I am using my open neck blouse pattern that is still on the design desk but coming up next for publishing. I am going to use an almost straight sleeve so I can get a soft gather that won't get in the way when the sleeves are rolled up a bit.

I worked a lot on my Snugfit Donna Versatile Vest pattern instructions yesterday so it is very close to being published. I have used some Christmas fabrics in the samples.

I also sat and drew up some ideas for Fashion File 3 which will be mainly about using Snugfit Donna. There are lots of cute drop waist designs that work with it because it is straight sided and skims over the hips when you make it longer.

I am still perfecting my instruction format. After six patterns I have made a few improvements along the way. I really want all my patterns to have exactly the same feel when you work with them because that is what I would want. This means I will be spending some time changing the first patterns so they match the latest pattern instructions in look and layout. Not sure how long that will take me because cutting and sewing is much more fun, but I won't be completely happy until I get it done.

I would also like to say thank you to all those people who have bought my patterns so far. It is very exciting to have my work 'out there'. It is very encouraging to see that people buy one pattern and obviously look at it then come back and buy the others.

Cheers,
Val

Preview of my next designs

I only have 4 doll clothes patterns published and 3 more that I have some samples done and I have this huge pile of doll clothes on my shelf.
I have hung up some of the ones I am working on now and they look so cute hanging on the door.

The Versatile Vest is almost ready to go.
The vest can be a vest that opens in the front or a pinafore or dress by adding a skirt. There is also the pattern piece for a back opening top or pinafore or dress.

The Christmas pinny has coordinating fabric trim that I plan to make a dress out of using the Snugfit Carol pattern but the pinny looks cute as a dress on its own too.

The open neck blouse is so easy to make and looks so 'human' on the doll. This is the next design to be published after the vest.

The white blouse with the vest above has slightly puffy sleeves and a pleat with a button on the bottom edge. I have made a different design with straight sleeves that roll up with a button tab. Both sleeve patterns will be included in the blouse pattern and probably a few more sleeve lengths as well. Since it will be part of the Snugfit range the sleeves can be used with other designs. The little pleated sleeve will look great on Snugfit Carol Dress.

Be sure to visit my Craftsy shop to see what is on offer. If you follow me on Craftsy you will see when I put up something new.
Craftsy online has a great sale on too.

Cheers,
Val