The Dolls' Wardrobe

[Lachica]

When clearing out my dad's spare bedroom (so that a carer can stay if necessary), I found my mum's stash. Part of it was a bagful of fabric scraps, some of which I recognise as leftovers from making maternity dresses (35years ago) and baby/toddler dresses and some from dolls clothes made for my daughter's in the late 1980s. There was also the pattern she'd used, presumably for  my dolls clothes (late 1950s) no idea how old but it cost 1shilling. Anyway, I've traced the patterns & modified them so I now have leggings & T shirt patterns and have cut out a wardrobe for my granddaughter's new doll, which I'll be giving her very soon, before her baby brother arrives. It will be a boy doll wearing 'jeans', T-Shirt and denim jacket. I've also cut out a dress, leggings and a red t-shirt with a foiled heart (good use of new foiling kit) which will dress the doll at our house. And shoes!! Spent a happy hour working out a pattern for these.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

Sounds lovely Lachica.
I remember when I was very, very little, trying to make clothes for my dolls while my Mum was sewing.  They may have been mainly oblongs with holes for arms, and of course hand sewn.  How much easier it would have been with patterns 

[Fabric Lover]

Can’t wait to see these Mary - I can contribute scraps if you want any more ( without the snakeskin fabric  )

[Gernella]

Now this takes me back.  One of the local newspapers used to run a competition for the best dressed doll. They gave you a naked doll and off you went.  It was my first attempt at 'designing' and making a pattern when I was 14.  From memory I think I won the school prize but came second in the newspaper one.  They were all packed in a shoe box (you had to decorate the box as well) for charity.  The second lot must be pyjamas. I did make another one when I'd started work which was much better but by that time I was in another age group so had more competition.

Love the wallpaper, very 50's!

[Lachica]

That's lovely @Gernella , and I'm impressed you can lay your hands on the photo! I'll post photos when I get home, I'm on holiday and tried to post pix yesterday from my phone but they won't upload.
Edit: it works on iPad! But upside down

[Lachica]

Photos! Warning: they may be upside down but should rotate when opened. Just look at the ad on the back of the doll photos! I've also cut out a hoody, need to make a pattern for the hood now. Wonder if I can get an open end zip the right size?

[Fabric Lover]

You could always shorten a zip?

[Gernella]

Now they do look professional @Lachica.  I think my patterns were made out of either newspaper or greaseproof paper.

When my mum died we found a tin box full of old photographs that most of us had never seen so I set to and scanned them all for distribution to family members.  That's how I could lay my hands on it so quickly .  Although I have to admit I stopped and had a look down memory lane at the same time.

I've got stacks of leftover fabric, kept just in case I might need them, although some do occasionally come in useful.

[Sandra]

These are great. 

I love little dolly clothes yet I never loved dolls. Horrible stiff, un-cuddly, poky in the eye with their pointy fingers, things.

What zip do you need? I have lots of odd sized/type zips, and if I've got one suitable, you can have it. 

Sandra.
xxx

[Ploshkin]

Gosh, that takes me back.  My mum always had Woman magazine.  She was (still is) a great seamstress but although we were 5 girls in the family none of us really liked dolls so I don't recall mum ever making dolls clothes.

[Nevis5]

Aw, how lovely, @Gernella !  My mum used to knit dolls' clothes for our dolls,  and when I was old enough she bought me a copy of a dolls' dressmaking book from which I used to sew clothes for my dolls and those of my sister.  I still have the book and when I looked through it, it was incredibly well written with lots of quite advanced techniques which I merrily sewed by hand without a second glance.  When my son was small and carried a soft cat around with him, Cat got a wardrobe of clothes from that book, too. 

Nice memories, thank you, Gernella xx

[BrendaP]

I remember when I was very, very little, trying to make clothes for my dolls while my Mum was sewing.  They may have been mainly oblongs with holes for arms, and of course hand sewn.  How much easier it would have been with patterns 

I remember making a few doll's clothes like that! 

[Ellabella]

I am hoping new grandbaby (due next week ) will like dolls as i love making dolls clothes and having to redress spiderman is not as much fun.

I've also bought this just in case
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bunny-girl-in-a-dotty-dress

[Lachica]

@Sandra that's a very kind offer, I may take you up on that.
 @Fabric Lover any scraps of plain coloured jersey would be welcome.
@Ellabella that pattern is lovely, lucky baby. @BrendaP I was surprised at the detailed instructions with this pattern, also the number of balance marks. I've only basted my toiles at the moment as am on holiday without a machine, but they go together well & techniques are quite advanced. My mum was a skilled knitter and I still have a set of knitted dolls clothes. I won't give them to DGD yet as they're lacy & I think too frustrating for a 2 year old as dolls fingers get stuck in the lacy pattern.
@Bodgeitandscarper I also made dolls clothes as a child, mine also tended to be tubes with neck holes!

[wrenkins]

I'm more of a Meccano/Lego girl myself and anything I did with dolls involved making something and not the doll itself. I made them shoes and Peggy-Kate still has a rather fetching cape which I fashioned using a channel across the top and a piece of elastic. My first go at safety pinning elastic down a tube. I found all the processes fascinating.

When I got to sewing in P6 I proudly piped up that I knew how to make a gathered skirt as it was done in the same way.