Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend to all of my American dolly friends!
Find the Backyard Bibs and Playtime Peasant Top PDF sewing pattern bundle HERE.
There are so many ways to change up your sewing patterns to create your own unique doll clothes. One of my favorite fashion features is to add a pocket (or two) to a simple garment. Some of my patterns include pattern pieces to add a pocket (HalterAlls for example) but any square or circle scrap of fabric can work too.
Enjoy these outfits that POP with the addition of pockets.
My Oh Sew Kat! Testers love pockets too!! Michele is my pocket QUEEN! Pam, Sophie, and Shirley also add stunning accents to outfits with their pockets. Be inspired to try a few pockets on your next outfits.
What outfit will you add cute pockets to?
The Sixth Grade Skirt was the first pattern published by Oh Sew Kat! back in 2015. With simple lines and a hook and loop tape close, it’s a quick sew from scraps of fabric and can be adjusted easily to fit other sized dolls. It’s available in 6 sizes (18 inch dolls, 16 inch A Girl for All Time®, 16 inch Animators’, 14.5 inch dolls, and 14 inch Hearts for Hearts Dolls) in my ETSY SHOP, sold alone and in value bundles. Often paired with the Popsicle Top or a Jumping Jack turtleneck, it’s a go to skirt for year round fun.
The pattern includes instructions to make a pleated or lace center panel for the skirt.
Try these other fun ways to change up this simple pattern to create even more fashion wardrobe items. Click on the photo to go right to the tutorials.
Use contrasting fabric or the same fabric to add easy pockets to the Sixth Grade Skirt.
A little trim, eyelet lace, or a small ruffle is the perfect addition to the Sixth Grade Skirt. This polka dot trim I used was pre-ruffled so it was super quick and easy!
Make the Sixth Grade Skirt into a sparkly maxi skirt with this easy tutorial.
Visit the Sixth Grade Skirt Inspiration Gallery for more ideas and stitch up a Sixth Grade Skirt for your dolls today!
The super cute PDF sewing pattern, Picnic Play, is now available sized for the 14.5 inch dolls like Welliewishers™, Glitter Girls®, Ruby Red Fashion Friends, and Style Girls. Download your pattern and stitch up a cute outfit for your doll today!
Michele’s dolls are ready for summer in their fun, mix and match Picnic Play outfits. Michele added matching backpacks for each girl, complete with a cool drink for her to take along to the park.
Find the Picnic Play PDF pattern in my Etsy Shop, along with a large selection of patterns for 14.5 inch dolls, as well as 18 inch dolls like American Girl® dolls and 15 inch baby dolls like Bitty Baby®.
The reversible top, with an easy, one piece design, can be worn with the snap or button closure in the front, or the back for even more cute Welliewisher™ outfits for summer! Visit the Picnic Play Inspiration Gallery to see more ideas, as well as THIS POST and THIS ONE.
I often get asked where I buy the cute shoes my dolls wear with my outfits. As you can see, my dolls have not always had the fanciest footwear.
Be sure to check out my favorite way to organize my doll shoes in THIS POST.
That works for some of the summer outfits… and sometimes I just crop out their feet 🙂 but at the same time, a well dressed doll deserves some perfect shoes to complete the perfect outfit. If you are looking for doll shoes, and don’t want to make your own, I’m sharing where I buy most of my shoes to help your doll shoe shopping needs! (Kendall’s outfit is made with the HalterAlls sewing pattern.)
My favorite place to buy shoes is directly from American Girl®. They offer trendy styles (although pricey, especially if you have to buy the outfit to get them), but they are well made, fit perfectly and come in all sorts of styles and colors. My daughter is now 18 years old. We got her Bitty Baby when she was 1, and her Mia GOTY doll when she was 6. That is a LOT of years of buying doll clothes and shoes from American Girl, so you just have to watch the styles and try and purchase what you like when you see them. (Riley’s boots- above- which I use ALL the time, are the meet shoes that came with my Saige GOTY doll.) Patterns used: Backyard Bibs, Playtime Peasant Top Pattern bundle.
Emily’s shoes above are from Nicki’s collection also from American Girl®. Nicki was the GOTY in 2004. Emily’s outfit is made with the Picnic Play top and the Everything Nice Skirt worn backwards.
Every so often, I place a large order from American Fashion World. Their prices are very low, and the quality and fit are not as high as American Girl®, but they are perfect for playtime and for photographs and offers lots and lots of styles and colors, to include boys’ styles, along with other things like tees, hats, belts, and much more. You no longer have to have a wholesale account with them- find them on Amazon. Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/378OrPr. This three pack of tennis shoes is just $9.99. Or find these cute “sherpa” look boots in lots of colors here. (Maryellen’s outfit: Jumping Jack sewing pattern.). Both wellies in the photo below are wearing AFW shoes and the Picnic Play sewing pattern was used for their outfits.
Don’t forget some of the more popular online shopping sites to look for cute and inexpensive doll shoes. Etsy and Ebay also offer some options. You can find a whole range of styles by searching by doll size (Animators’, 14.5 inch dolls for example.). I’ve found lots of really cute shoes on Etsy. Plus there are tons of patterns out there if you want to make your own!
So those are places I shop the most often for my doll shoes. Do you have any shops you would add to this list? Leave a comment below and let us know!
I also had recommendations from readers about Sophia’s and also Monique’s. I think if you poke around the net, you will find lots of places to buy some cute doll shoes to match your adorable handmade outfits!
Don’t forget to check out my idea for organizing doll shoes in my POST here.
Spring has sprung!! With flowers and showers, the entire world seems to wake up overnight when Spring arrives. Maryellen can’t wait to remove her saddle shoes and put her bare feet in the grass. Her cute whale skirt is paired with a reversible Popsicle Top and the skirt waistband matches the top. This skirt was actually one of the prototypes I used when I created the Four Season Skirt pattern, which you can get for free HERE. This skirt is a little shorter in both the waistband and the skirt, which gave it a fuller flare for spring!! Check out Grace in her pink Easter egg skirt here. See more Four Season Skirts here and here.
The Picnic Play PDF Sewing pattern for 18 inch dolls includes an easy and reversible one piece top, cute cuffed capri pants, and a cinch style back pack for your doll. Enjoy these great outfits made by the Oh Sew Kat! testers!
Sophie’s summer blues outfit looks cool and comfy in stripes and denims. The included backpack pattern makes the perfect accessory for your outfit!
Pam’s pockets add just the right touch to her playful outfit! And with the reversible top, it’s two outfits in one! Find more of Pam’s amazing creations on Facebook @Amyviolets.
Melissa’s fresh desert colors are perfect for Nanea. So super sweet!!
See more ideas for the Picnic Play sewing pattern in the INSPIRATION GALLERY. The pattern is also available for 14.5 inch dolls like Welliewishers and Ruby Red Fashion Friends HERE.
Are your dolls ready for the summer weather? The Boardwalk Boutique PDF sewing pattern from Oh Sew Kat! is one pattern that will give you just what you need to keep your 18 inch and other sized doll cute and cool this summer.
The pattern includes an easy ribbon or fabric tie halter top (with elastic back- no closures) and cute, ruffled capri pants. But you can also use this pattern to make a cute sundress too!
The Boardwalk Boutique top has two cutting lines. Use the longer one- and add a ruffle or pretty trim. A little ruffle for a short dress, or a longer, fuller ruffle for a full length dress. You can make it maxi length too! See my tutorial HERE and find the pattern at the blue button below in multi sizes and bundles.
These Disney Animators’ dolls look ready for summer fun in their halter sundresses. With ribbon or fabric straps and an elastic halter back, the pattern sews up quickly to get your girl off to play. Again, use the longer top cutting line and add lace or a ruffle to make it the perfect length as a Boardwalk Boutique sundress!
Saige is ready for fun! This Boardwalk Boutique pattern has two cutting lines for the top- with and without the ruffle. Use the longer one, and add some fun trim to make a cute sundress or add a pair of leggings!
You can create even more cute sundresses just by adding more, or longer, ruffles. Create this 70’s vibe Maxi Halter Dress with two ruffles sewn to the Boardwalk Boutique top. Find the full tutorial here. How will you make your cute Boardwalk Boutique Sundress?
Find more ideas for this quick and easy PDF pattern here and here, or click on the photos below. Find this pattern and many more (plus value pack bundles!) in my ETSY SHOP.
The Easy Up! Jumper is quick to sew and makes a no closure jumper that pulls up over your doll’s feet. The technique is easy to follow, but sometimes you may prefer a dress that has a back closure for simple dressing. It’s simple to make the Easy Up! Jumper with a back closure instead. Start with the Easy Up! pattern for 18 inch or 14.5 inch Dolls. Find it in my Etsy Shop HERE.
Use this hack to make a summer beach jumper like Joss’s coral dress.
Isn’t this little birdie fabric so sweet for spring? I just love the fresh lilac and lavender colors. See more Easy Up! Jumper ideas here and here.
Simple to sew and fat quarter friendly, the Halteralls PDF sewing pattern from Oh Sew Kat! is a perfect beginner project. Use ribbon or fabric for the straps and add buttons, belts, or bows to create your own one of a kind summer romper for your 18 inch American Girl® doll.
Make a simple belt to complete your outfit. I use buckles found at the craft store in the scrapbook section. You can also use fold over elastic as seen in THIS TUTORIAL.
Find more ideas for the easy HalterAlls pattern HERE and HERE. This pattern is available in 4 popular doll sizes HERE.
