The Sewing Place

Sewing For Dolls

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #60 on: June 16, 2020, 11:34:02 AM »
I spent some time sewing DH a shirt and decided to use up the scraps to make Kit a summer wardrobe. The goal was to use only left over fabric from other projects. The check is left over from DH's shirt, the chambray from ?? and the yarn from other doll's knitting. I had to buy snaps and buttons as I ran out or had none. The ladybug button was in the stash.

I made 9 pieces for Kit's wardrobe and one pattern for everything but the jacket and hat. I have to say the pattern was well used.






It was a fun and satisfying project after having had a failed project and burn out. I actually took a month off from pattern testing as I was not doing well with the stress of having to meet short deadlines. I'm back again with a goal of only 1 item a month.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #61 on: July 14, 2020, 12:31:03 PM »
Another dress done. This time for Anna. It's the start of her wardrobe. I chose to pin tuck the bodice and do a patchwork skirt.


The back skirt has the two green panels sewn together so a lesson learned for the next time I make this for the other dolls.


Now onto another item for her wardrobe.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Efemera

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #62 on: July 14, 2020, 12:39:15 PM »
They’re just so cute....

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #63 on: July 15, 2020, 10:33:15 AM »
@Efemera, thank you.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #64 on: July 31, 2020, 05:39:23 AM »
Anna's second item for her wardrobe is a pair of overalls. This pair has a bit of a girlie look to it with a bow on the front. It was fun to make with a lot of pieces that went together like a puzzle. Not hard to do - just had to read the instructions carefully before I sewed the pieces together.


Next is a blouse by the same designer. It has a lot of pieces in it and I'm looking forward to making it.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #65 on: August 04, 2020, 10:36:13 AM »
I finished a test sweater and it has a sailor collar. I like it but doubt if I'd knit it again.


I also made Anna a pair of capri length leggings. A very simple sew but the pattern fits the dolls to perfection.


There was enough fabric left over from the children's capris (bought) that I made 2 more pairs for Lily and Laura.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #66 on: August 30, 2020, 11:15:23 AM »
I finished and outfit and a sweater this month. The outfit is a 1940's dress and jacket designed by one of my favorite designers - Keepers Dolly Duds.


I've had the fabric for 2 years as it is hard to find a yellow plaid fabric. I matched the green for the jacket. The bodice is white and the collar is the plaid.


I also knit a sweater and quite love it also. The yarn was bought 7 years ago for socks but is does not have merino wool in it. Hence why it is used for the dolls.


I'm now finishing a sweater I started a long time ago. I'm almost finished the 2nd sleeve but have a lot more knitting to do on the body -- cross over collar and back button bands. It will get done one day.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Gernella

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #67 on: August 30, 2020, 12:09:21 PM »
My first attempt at dressmaking was on dolls with of course everything sewn my hand (I wish I could go back and look at the stitches).  They were from memory around 9 inches high.

These look gorgeous, so realistic, they are really are for looking at and not playing with.
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #68 on: August 30, 2020, 21:09:57 PM »
@Gernella, thank you. The clothes I make for the dolls are for doll collectors and are to be admired and not played with. I did give a young girl a doll and some lovely outfits and she took great care of them as she was so excited to get them as a gift when we moved to Nova Scotia. That girl was about 10 years old. Our friend's granddaughter was 3 when I gave her a doll and she loved it and took awesome care of it too. Our friend helped her look after the doll so she learned early on how to handle it.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Gernella

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #69 on: August 31, 2020, 09:34:30 AM »
My paternal grandmother had a sister who had never had children so her house was so immaculate that to me it was a palace, especially as ours was totally different, toys everywhere etc.

On one particular call I was doing some roaming while my mum was talking and in a formal sitting room I found a doll, beautifully dressed (we're talking 50's here @Ann).  Anyway when she realised what I'd  found she said that I could hold her but I could only sit on the settee and I couldn't leave the room.  We didn't go for every often but I always aimed for that doll to sit with her on my knee.  I often wonder what happened to it when she died or if that was 'her' child.

I have heard of women taking the 'new born' dolls for walks in prams and I suppose if it is missing in your life it gives comfort for maybe something you can't have. 
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #70 on: August 31, 2020, 12:00:17 PM »
@Gernella, I wonder about people with dolls also. A couple of ladies I know have collected every Gotz doll for years. They have a huge collection each and it amazes me how they do it. Another lady has limited her numbers and writes short stories of her doll's adventures. Always a lesson in them.

The new born babies are not to my liking and I guess some people love them as their own. There are others who have to take their dolls everywhere they go; shopping, to the AG store, on holidays. Mine get to stay home in the sewing room.

My dolls are models for outfits I make. I was going to sell the outfits and may down the road. Right now I am collecting them for the dolls just in case I decide to give them away. I would like each one to have a wardrobe if I choose to do that. I love my dolls but I think I have enough to keep me busy.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

CraftyIrish

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #71 on: September 29, 2020, 21:32:19 PM »
Hi, my cousin is mad into America dolls and would love loads of clothes for them. I want to learn how to make clothes and i think starting with small dolls clothes would be great. Do you have a link to any of the patterns or is there a book.
Stitch a long
Instagram sew_web

Marniesews

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #72 on: September 29, 2020, 22:33:46 PM »
Your dolls are lovely, Ann. Lovely styling and presentation.  :)  Sadly my granddaughter was never into dolls that much although she did love a little doll I made of her in her bridesmaid's outfit. It soon needed a hair restyling though!  :S

I adored dolls as a child and I recall how gently my mum always handed them to me showing me how to treat them with respect and love. In her later years she developed dementia and I got her a doll dressed in Victorian dress. She loved it and I saw that same gentleness when she held it on her lap cooing to it. Those times are cruel to live through and hard to dismiss from your immediate memory when thinking of the person for several years after so I try to remember her like that then push back into the memories of when she was herself all the time.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Ann

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #73 on: October 25, 2020, 20:37:18 PM »
@CraftyIrish, a good place to start is Oh Sew Kat. A lot of her patterns are easy to make and if you look under the tab "Tutorials and Pattern Hacks" she show what she does with her patterns. Part way down the page is the free doll skirt which you get when you sign up for her emails (and they are great emails). In the Tutorials and Pattern Hacks she shows how she added lace to that free skirt. You can go to her Etsy shop through her blog. Pixie Faire is a site that many doll designers sell their patterns at. Some are easy and some are intermediate and some are difficult.

@Marniesews, thank you for the kind words on the styling and presentation. I do this for me as we have one grandson. He's almost 14 and into soccer and swimming. I understand you about a parent with dementia. My mom had it and it was a difficult time in our lives.

I made another outfit for the dolls. This one is a Christmas outfit so I went with something with red in it. Actually the jumper fabric is from the Christmas section in our quilting store.


They said it is an easy pattern but matching plaids or checks is not easy. It would be a fairly easy pattern to make if you used a print.

I'm not happy with the pictures as the jumper does not seem to be centered on the doll.


I'll have to redress the doll and get the jumper centered on her body. It does fit perfectly and the blouse is linen so not slippery for moving the jumper into place.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres

Marniesews

Re: Sewing For Dolls
« Reply #74 on: December 08, 2020, 16:05:06 PM »
Hi @Ann
Just to let you know you have new company with the doll's clothes making.  :)

I've just bought an Our Generation doll for my friend's 5 year-old girl as a Christmas gift with a plan to make a few clothes to go with it (she already has one doll of the same make with different coloured hair & eyes) and then work on a wardrobe with a wider range of accessories for her birthday in May. I've been really lucky to find a used doll for £10 locally and when it was described as in excellent condition it was very true. Not a mark on her , pristine clothes and the long straight hair looked like it had never been brushed or messed up at all. She's identical to the one she already has so I won't be giving it to her but she'll be an ideal model for trying on and fitting the clothes.

This is such a welcome new project for me as my DGD (now only two months off 18) was never into dolls. Perhaps the previous owner of my clothes model is the same. I've been waiting a long time for this. Another friend has a 9-month old DGD so there may even be hope for the future too.  :dance:

I've just got a Craftsy $5 subscription so now I'm watching their lessons on dolls clothes making and already have a few free patterns from Happy Bankky Crafty Mom and Pixie Faire to start off with. I'm pleased to see that the sloper pattern included in the class materials shouldn't need much tweaking either. I may well look back through your dresses here for some great ideas and inspiration if that's okay but strictly no direct copying. Any advice on good tutorials etc would be much appreciated. I've joined one of the facebook groups for 18" dolls - boy is there a lot of talent and inspiration there too!

Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.