Simple Sunshine Dresses for Melody Ellison

The Sunshine Dress pattern is simple and stylish- there are so many different ways to sew it up for your dolls.  Currently available in 3 doll sizes, it’s a must have for your dolly wardrobe.  This pattern has had a recent update.  Check your file and make sure that it says Copyright 2018 at the bottom of the front cover.  If it doesn’t, you can find the updated version where you purchased the pattern, or send me an email with where and when you purchased it and I will send you the update.

Read on to see some simple sundresses made from the Sunshine Dress pattern for Melody.

Here, I used view A (solid front) and THIS TUTORIAL to make a sleeveless version that is perfect for Melody Ellison, the BeForever character from 1964.  This dress started as a pair of shorts of my daughter’s! The bold print was perfect for the simple front of the Sunshine Dress. A little accent bow completes the look.

Here are a few Sunshine Dresses with some fun fabrics! This simple dress will be perfect for all of your dolls.

Elastic headbands for dolls also make great belts!!!

Find more ideas for the Sunshine Dress pattern here and here.

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Step it Up: How to Make a Lace Backed Halter Top with Boardwalk Boutique

Every little girl loves lace and roses! This tutorial will show you how to take the Boardwalk Boutique Halter Top up a step with a pretty, lace back.

Start with the Boardwalk Boutique sewing pattern.

Choose your lacy trim. I use pre-gathered lace because it’s already got a pretty, hemmed edge. When you buy it, buy as wide as you can.  Smaller dolls will use smaller trim. If you use eyelet or lace fabric, simply follow the directions as written.  Use these few changes to add the lace trim to the back of your halter top.

Carefully remove the stitching of the top of the lace trim with a seam ripper. If you lace trim is much wider than the pattern piece, you can cut it off. As you can see in the photo below, my trim was just a little shorter than my pattern piece (no need to turn up the 1/4th hem at the bottom) so I knew my top would be just a bit shorter than the pattern.) . Iron your trim and cut it the right size based on the pattern piece.  Cut out your front, facing, and ties (or ribbon).

Construct the front of the halter top according to the pattern directions, to include the back elastic casing and elastic.  You will have to hem the front piece before you attach it to the back.  Determine how big this hem needs to be based on the lace back piece as seen in the photo below.  Serge or zigzag the front hem, press up, and stitch in place.  With right sides together, sew the back to the front on each side.

It’s kind of hard to photograph these dolls’ backs.  🙂

Try this simple hack of the Boardwalk Boutique Halter Top for your dolls!  See more ways to sew this pattern here and here.

Tester Tuesday- A Girl For All Time Sewing Pattern Party Time Peasant Dress

The Oh Sew Kat! testers had a ball with the Party Time Peasant Dress. This pattern is my first pattern resized for these sweet, British dolls.  Find the pattern in my Etsy Shop.

This simple dress is all one piece- with a fitted waistband and pretty puffed sleeves that can be made with or without the elastic cuff.  This blue and white dress was made by Sandy Simpson.  Such a fresh and pretty look for spring and summer!

Juliette Auckland made these next two beauties.  Mixing and matching different fabrics makes the dress look a little different each time!  Try a contrasting ruffle!

Three pretty tiers!!

See more Party Time Peasant Dress ideas here and here, and visit the Inspiration Gallery here. This pattern is now available in 5 sizes:  18 inch doll, 16 inch Animator, 16 inch Slim, 14.5 inch Wellie Wishers, and 15 inch Bitty Baby.

Oh Sew Kat! is proud to be featured at Feedspots TOP 100 doll blogs!! Take a minute and check out their list!

 

 

 

Feedspot’s Top 100 Doll Blogs List!

Wow! I’m so honored to find my little doll blog on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Doll Blogs around the web.  #47!!!  Thank you, Feedspot!

If you have a chance to pop over and take a look, some of these blogs are very familiar- others are brand new. I took the opportunity to follow a few news ones myself.

I hope you enjoy the list- and thank you so much to Feedspot and to you, my loyal readers, for the honor of being #47 of the Top 100 Doll Blogs!

 

4 Sewing Tools that are worth the Investment for Sewing Doll Clothes

Sewing doll clothes can be a pretty quick project as a general rule. The pieces and seams are small, they don’t take long to cut out, and they don’t use much fabric. However, if you want to sew a lot of clothes (like for a craft show) or you just have a short nap time to work in, here are four tools that can save you a little more time and make your sewing time more efficient, and, in my opinion, are really worth the investment.

 

1. A good Serger- sergers are funny machines. People that sew fall into three categories. Those who can’t live without a serger, those that bought one but it’s still in the box and are afraid to use it, or those who simply don’t want one or see its benefits. No matter which category you fall into, one sure way to speed up your sewing is with a serger. First of all, the speed settings on a Serger are higher than a sewing machine. It doesn’t stitch backwards, but it goes faster! 🤗 When you use a serger, you learn to work with flat construction. This also speeds up the sewing process. Spend some time on you tube watching videos of your specific model, as well as how to use one in general. If changing the thread is intimidating, you can simply leave it with gray or white thread for most fabrics. 😉  I love my jet air threading Evolve serger made by Babylock!  (I use stickers to help me remember the settings for quick stitch changes!)

2. A Ruffler foot- if you like gathered skirts and ruffled hems, this one tool can save 10 minutes per outfit- at least! My machine is a Bernina, and yes, the ruffler foot was pretty pricey.  I watched one you tube video and I was off and running. There is a great e-book here if you want to get serious with the math. I just started to experiment and kept a spreadsheet with every measurement I tried. With that sheet, I have a baseline to start with to vary the stitch length to ruffle the skirt from each if my patterns with.  It doesn’t have to be exact- just “close enough” at first.  (You can always pull a little back out at either end if it ends up too short.)  It takes 15 seconds to gather an 18 inch doll skirt this way! Well worth the hefty price tag and time to learn and experiment in my opinion.  (You can also attach and gather the ruffle to the fabric at the same time…I intend to learn how to do that too, I just haven’t gotten to it.)

3. An overlock foot- this probably came with your machine; mine did. This is a much cheaper option than the serger.  Again, hop on over to you tube and learn how to use it. Since I purchased my new Bernina last June, I have really started taking advantage of all the feet that are offered. I change feet at least 9 times an outfit. (Bernina has an easy one hand hook mechanism so this doesn’t take long at all.) My Serger is around the table from my sewing machine. In some cases, making a quick switch to the overlock foot is faster and just as productive as using the Serger.  I also really like this thinner stitch for underarm sleeves on smaller doll clothes. Will this save you a whole lot of time? Probably not like the two above, but it’s another tool for your tool box and a great option if a serger machine is not on your wish list or in your budget.

4. The Cricut Maker- this is definitely not your cheapest time saver! At $399, it’s a big price to pay for something you can do with a nice pair of scissors. (You can save 10% with a subscription to cricut access; click AD: here to read more about that.). If you’ve never used an electronic cutter, you may need to get familiar with your machine and its software first. Once you are comfortable using it, and you spend the time to get your files set up, this can really be a huge time saver, especially if you sew mutliples items at once! The cricut maker cuts up to 12×24 inches- it’s perfect for doll clothes! I set up all of my patterns for the cricut maker and can cut them out quickly and cleanly in literal minutes! See this tutorial for more specifics.  There are also so many other fun things you can do with a cricut machine; sewing doll clothes is just the start!  (If you don’t want to splurge on the Cricut maker, or already have a cutting machine, the time to set up your files can be worth it to cut out your printed patterns as well, as another way to save a little time.)

So many sewists have a room full of tools and toys and still sew with the same 2-3 sewing feet or stitches day in and day out.  Hopefully this post has given you a little inspiration to dig out something you’ve already bought, or invest in something you hadn’t thought of. The right tool for the job makes this hobby even more fun!  What tools might you add to this list?  If you try something new, leave a comment and tell us about it!

 

 

Step it Up Series: Boardwalk Boutique Ruffle Maxi Dress

Make a cute sundress with the Boardwalk Boutique sewing pattern from Oh Sew Kat! Choose one ruffle or two with this easy tutorial variation (pattern hack).  This look is perfect for American Girl doll, Julie Albright, a character from 1974.

Start with the pattern.  This tutorial shows the 18 inch doll size, but it can easily be adapted to any of the five doll sizes this pattern is offered for.

Cut out the Boardwalk Boutique top, using the “cut here to add ruffle” line.  (If you use the pattern piece with the extra inch, your sundress will have a little longer bodice, I’ve sewn it both ways! Just make sure you shorten the hem by an inch or so if you are making the double ruffle/maxi version.)

I put an existing top on my doll and used a ruler to decide how long I wanted the dress to be.  You can also lay the pattern piece over your doll.  Cut one or two ruffles.  For 18 inch dolls, the top ruffle measures 3 1/2 by 24 inches. The bottom ruffle measures 4 1/2 by 36 inches.  These measurements can be whatever you like to create a longer or shorter sundress.

Assemble the halter top according to the directions up to the side seams.  Stitch both side seams.  (Note: The directions say to stitch only one side, in order to attach the ruffle/hem flat and then sew up the side seam.  You can certainly use this method for the maxi dress, but with longer ruffles, the following method of attaching ruffles in the round may produce a better hang on the longer dress.)

Ruffle Prep:  With right sides together, stitch the short ends of each ruffle together, making each one into a circle.  Press seams open.  Serge or zigzag the hem edge of your bottom ruffle.  Press up 1/4th inch and stitch.  Mark both ruffles into equal fourths with pins or other markings, with one mark being on the seam line.

Mark the raw edge of your halter top in fourths with pins.  Put one in each side seam, and one at center front and center back.

Increase your stitch length and stitch two rows of gathering stitches along the top edge of the top ruffle, starting and ending at the seam.  With right sides together, place to the top inside the ruffle, match the four pins or markings, and pull up the gathering threads to fit the ruffle evenly to the bottom edge of the halter top.  Line it up so the seam is at the center back.  Pin the gathers in place, and using a regular stitch length, stitch the ruffle to the halter top.  Remove the gathering stitches.  Serge or zigzag your seam allowance and press it towards the halter top.  Top stitch from the right side of the ruffle.

Attach (Optional) Bottom Ruffle:  Increase your stitch length and stitch two rows of  gathering stitches along the top of the bottom ruffle, starting and ending with the seam.  With right sides together, match the four pins or markings, and pull up the gathering threads to fit the top of the bottom ruffle to the bottom of the top ruffle.  Line it up so the seam is at the center back.  Using a regular stitch length, stitch in place.  Remove the gathering stitches.  Serge or zigzag your seam allowance and press it towards the top ruffle.  Top stitch from the right side of the ruffle.  Ta da!! Beautiful!

Have fun with this new sundress for summer doll fun!!

See the INSPIRATION GALLERY for more Boardwalk Boutique outfits.

 

 

New Sewing Pattern for A Girl for All Time

Newly released!! The Playtime Peasant Top and Twirl Skirt sewing pattern is now available for your A Girl for All Time doll.  Find it in my ETSY SHOP to download and print on your home printer.

With three different sleeve lengths and a “dress” cutting line, you will love creating this  basic outfit for your doll.   See how to add the lace between the layers HERE.

Look for more patterns for these lovely 16 inch slim dolls later this spring and summer!  This easy to sew pattern is also available in other doll sizes (18 inch American Girl, 14.5 inch Wellie Wisher, 16 inch Disney Animator) in my Etsy store.

 

The Four Season Skirt: The perfect doll skirt for any season

Easy to sew without any patterns pieces, the Four Season Skirt is the only one you need all year long!  This pattern is FREE when you sign up for my email list in 3 sizes (WellieWishers, American Girl, and Disney Animators).  Add tulle, make it longer, try some lace… it’s perfect for every occasion!!

Winter:

Spring:

Summer: (add a reversible POPSICLE TOP!)

Fall:

Get your copy of this FREE easy pattern in 3 sizes and see even more ideas to make it HERE.  How will you make your Four Season Skirt?

Happy Mail. Mini Doll Backpack for Dolls

I got some happy mail today!!!  Look how cute!!  Such thoughtful packaging!

When I saw these mini doll backpacks by Julia at Kiss my Compassion , I simply could not resist!!  I mean, seriously!!!  Look how cute!!!  I even got to choose my own print!

Grace was more than happy to try it out with her own doll, also Grace Thomas.   Grace is wearing a dress made with my Sugar n Spice dress pattern.

Here’s the link if you want to get one (or two!) for your own dolls’ dolls!  Julia also offers these adorable packs to fit your child, so she can carry her 18 inch or other doll.

Kiss my Compassion on Etsy.

Some things are just too cute to pass up.  🙂 . Have a great day today!!

 

Wellie Wishers Wee Wardrobe

These adorable outfits were made as a special order for a good friend to give as a gift.  She gave me a price range, and let me decide what I would make.  I love to sew that way!  I don’t know the child, so I thought a few pieces that mixed and matched together in different ways might be a good place to start.

My favorite pattern for all dolls, but especially the Wellie Wishers, is the Party Time Peasant Dress.  This dress lets me use three different, cute fabrics at once and is now available in 5 doll sizes!

I wanted to make two tops and two bottoms.  The tops I chose are the Playtime Peasant Top (purple), the reversible Popsicle Top (pink stripes and puppies).

The two bottoms I decided on are the Four Season Skirt, and Sandbox Shorts with contrasting pockets.  Between these four pieces, the lucky, little girl can make 6 different outfits!  Because I used fat quarters, I still have enough of each color that I could make another set.  Inexpensive fat quarter bundles from Walmart and other craft stores like Hobby Lobby are great for these kinds of projects!

 

I hope the little girl enjoys her new doll clothes! I had fun making them for her!  Find the link for the free Four Season Skirt pattern by clicking HERE.