Learning to Sew? What pattern to start with?

I get asked this question quite often.

“What would be the best pattern for my young, or brand new sewist start with?”

Oh Sew Kat! offers patterns with basic pattern pieces and simple constructions for this very reason. The goal is to give success to someone who has NEVER SEWN A PATTERN EVER.  Here are my top 3 patterns for newbie seamstresses: The Sixth Grade Skirt, the Playtime Peasant Top, and the Easy Up! Jumper.

1.  Sixth Grade Skirt

The greatest thing about the Sixth Grade Skirt is that it’s very hard to mess it up. Because it is an open skirt, with a hook and loop tape closure in back, it fits a wide variety of dolls (and toys), and also accommodates a beginning seamstress’ (possibly) uneven seam allowances.  It’s fun to mix and match different fabrics, and you can add easy pockets with this TUTORIAL, or ruffles or lace to the hem like in this TUTORIAL.

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2. Playtime Peasant Top

As far as a doll shirt goes, the peasant top is a timeless staple for every doll wardrobe.  It really does not get much easier than this.  The simple construction still lends itself to whimsical fabric combinations for unique styles.  Feeding a safety pin through an elastic casing for the easy neckline will teach a beginner a skill that can be then used on skirts, pants and shorts too!

Make the Playtime Peasant Top with long sleeves with elastic at the wrist.  This classic look works for both historical and modern outfits.

Playtime Peasant Top with short sleeves with elastic.  Add lace to a skirt with this easy TUTORIAL.

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3. Easy Up! Jumper

The Easy Up! Jumper is just that! Easy! It’s easy to cut, and quick to sew.  For first time seamstresses, make the simple version (no side pleats) and use FOE (fold over elastic) for the straps. Be careful, this pattern is addicting! It’s hard to make just one!

 

Visit the Inspiration Gallery for each pattern to see more ideas.

Other simple patterns to try:  Boardwalk Boutique, Playground Pants, HalterAlls, and the Party Time Peasant Dress.

SHOP for Oh Sew Kat! Patterns

 

Share your projects!!

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Tester Tuesday: The Easy Up! Jumper Pattern for 18 inch dolls

Here are a few photos of the amazing Easy Up! jumpers from the Oh Sew Kat! testers.  They never cease to amaze me with not only how quickly they work, but also have creative they are!  Find the Easy Up! Jumper for 18 inch dolls here.

Above, Pam Ray of Amy Violet’s, used lace for her pleats and straps.  Such a pretty dress!!

Michelle Anderson added an adorable pocket to the front of this spiffy plaid jumper.  The pocket piece is not included with the pattern, but if you don’t have one from another pattern (like the HalterAlls for example), it’s very easy to make your own!

Sophie Pagr’s STUNNING dress blew me away.  The fabric is perfect with this off the shoulder peasant style top. Be sure to check her out on instagram at ProjectAGrunway for more stunning photos and doll clothes.

Nellie looks ready for anything in her adorable apple Easy Up! Jumper made by Koala-T. Find them on facebook and say hi!!  Koala-T sells her doll clothes online and at craft shows in Canada.

What will you add to your Easy Up! Jumper to make it uniquely yours?  Share your photos with me at #ohsewkat on instagram or my facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/ohsewkat.  See more Easy Up! Jumper ideas in the Inspiration Gallery and purchase the pattern HERE.

 

Gingham Peasant Dress Outfit for Julie Albright

I’m really enjoying sewing for Julie Albright, the BeForever character from 1974.  I think I’m attracted to her collection because I was seven years old in 1974 and I had very similar things- like her purple coat (mine was blue) and the sneaker skates (mine were bright yellow with orange stripes).

When I saw THIS PIN, I just knew that this peasant style outfit would be easy to recreate with Oh Sew Kat! patterns.

Click here to see other outfits I’ve sewn for Julie.

The top is simply the Playtime Peasant Top, sewn in white with long sleeves.  For the skirt, I used the overskirt that comes in the Sugar n Spice and Everything Nice bundle.  I cut the gingham fabric skirt longer by 4 1/2 inches, but didn’t make any other changes.  Add a little lace at the bottom, and ta da! A perfect, pretty bell skirt! Add a red or gingham ribbon to complete the look.  This outfit will be perfect for the Christmas holidays!

Find the patterns HERE.  Find more fashions for Julie (all made with Oh Sew Kat! patterns!) here and here.

 

 

 

New 18 inch doll Sewing Pattern: Easy Up! Jumper by Oh Sew Kat!

Just in time for fall and back to school sewing, the Easy Up! Jumper for 18 inch dolls is now available.  This is a simple jumper with elastic straps and a contrast pleat at the sides for fun.  Make it fully reversible for two dresses in one!  Special intro price ends Friday night! Download and sew up a quick jumper for your doll today.

This pattern has lots of fun options~~

• Simple jumper with elastic straps that pulls up over doll’s feet
• Cute side pleats, can be reversible, no closures to sew
• Easy to sew, detailed instructions and photographs of every step
• Instructions for simple and stepped up versions, BONUS front placket pattern piece
• Computer Drawn Pattern Pieces; PDF Digital download- print and sew today!
• Uses less than 1/4 yard of cotton fabric- mix and match your prints

SHOP NOW.

Available exclusively on Etsy, special intro price of $3.99 through Friday night.

The Easy Up! Jumper is the perfect jumper for every season!!  Find the pattern HERE in my Etsy Shop. Pair it up with the Jumping Jack turtleneck shirt! Coming soon in other sizes!!

Click here to see the Easy Up! Inspiration Gallery.  Get your dolls ready for fall with this fun, new, easy to sew pattern!

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Back To School with Oh Sew Kat!

The most wonderful time of the year!  Get your dolls ready to head back to school in style.

Willa and Camille are dressed in Simple, Sweet Tees with Four Season Skirt. Both of these patterns are so quick and easy, you can outfit the whole bunch in just one afternoon.  The Four Season Skirt pattern is FREE right here.

Kelly’s dress was made with the School Dance Dress Pattern.  With three different ways to sew it up, your doll will be ready for cooler weather in her own style!  Grace is comfy and casual in her Simple, Sweet Tee and boots.

Are your kiddos ready to head back to school?  Their doll friends will be with these cute outfits you made yourself!!

See more Simple Sweet Tee Ideas here and here, and the Four Season Skirt is here.

 

 

Julie Albright’s Sunshine Dress Tunic Top

The Sunshine Dress has so many options. There are many different ways to style it up to create just the look you want.  Here, I used it for the 1974 BeForever Character, Julie Albright.

 

Find tutorials for other ways to sew Oh Sew Kat! patterns for your Julie Doll HERE.

This top is very simple.  I only made one change to the pattern- I cut off about 1 1/2 inches from the hem.  I added a little bit of crochet trim, and Julie has a perfect tunic to wear with her bell bottoms.

See more ways to make the Sunshine Dress here and here, and find more fashions for the 70s and Julie Albright here and here.

Find the Sunshine Dress Pattern for 18 inch Dolls here (other sizes also available.)

Summer time Sunshine Dresses by Oh Sew Kat!

With three options to change up the front of the dress, the Sunshine Dress is a great pattern to stitch up some summer dresses for your dolls.  It’s available in three sizes:  18 inch dolls, 14.5 inch dolls, and 16 inch Animators.

Use this tutorial to turn the Sunshine Dress into a pretty Hawaiian muumuu dress.

The Wellie Wisher Sunshine Dress is so sweet.  Photo credit:  18onMain.

Don’t forget the Animators dolls!

How about a sleeveless version?  Find the tutorial HERE.

Have you tried the Sunshine Dress pattern yet?  Share your photos with hashtag #ohsewkat.  See more ways to use this versatile pattern here and here.

Tester Tuesday: The Sixth Grade Skirt

It’s Tester Tuesday!  The Sixth Grade Skirt has just been updated. It was the first pattern I ever published, so I have wanted to update the photos and images for awhile.

Here are some adorable skirts that my Oh Sew Kat! testers made as we tweaked the pattern for the perfect fit.  I had forgotten how easy and fun this skirt is!  If you purchased this pattern, contact me to get your updated copy.

Sophie Pagr made adorable skirts and her photos really capture the essence of summer fun!

Kathy McMilin added interest and contrast to her skirts. The lace front instructions are included in the pattern.

If you haven’t sewn a Sixth Grade Skirt in awhile, I encourage you to dust it off and give it a whirl. With a velcro close in back, it is easily adapted to fit nearly any brand of doll.

Find a tutorial to add pockets to your skirt HERE.

Find a tutorial to add a ruffled or lace hem trim to your skirt HERE.

Find the pattern in multiple sizes in my Etsy shop and on Pixie Faire.

New Sewing Patterns for A Girl for All Time Dolls

Now available in my Etsy shop– the summer favorites for A Girl for All Time dolls- the Sandbox Shorts and Popsicle Top.  Buy the bundle together, and get the Four Season Skirt pattern FREE!

You can use THIS TUTORIAL to put the pockets on the inside of the shorts.

Find the pattern bundle HERE. This bundle also includes a BONUS skirt pattern, The Four Season Skirt.

 

These patterns are also available in other dolls sizes, like 18 inch dolls, Animators, Wellie Wishers and Bitty Baby in my Etsy Shop.  What will you sew for your doll today?

Step it Up! Series: 50s Style Sunshine Overskirt Dress for Maryellen Larkin

These outfits came about completely by accident.  They don’t even need a tutorial or pattern hack. I simply used pieces from two different patterns together to make a new outfit.

I was making a doll skirt from my Everything Nice pattern. (The Everything Nice pattern is the accessory pattern that is sold bundled with the Sugar n Spice dress.) . It is a quick little skirt, attached to the waistband, with an open back. It was designed to give “dress up options” to the princess themed Sugar n Spice Dress.  In order to check my hook and loop tape placement, I grabbed the closest doll.  It was Melody, and she was wearing a Sunshine Dress I made for THIS post.  The dress seemed tight enough for my test, so I did not remove it.  As I stood back to check the skirt fit, I realized that by simply using two of my own patterns, I could create a similar look to Melody’s fancy dress or the popular overskirt fashions of the late 50s and early 60s.

I went right to Pinterest for some inspiration and found this pin,  and also this pin, and this pin.

Next I went to my fabric stash- and found some navy fabric to match one Sunshine Dress I’d already made…and chose some creamy, dreamy roses fabric for the other one.

This dress is the Sunshine Dress sewn with the princess seams option.  The Everything Nice overskirt fits perfectly over it- open it in the front or in the back!  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!  Find the Sunshine Dress HERE.

 

What other patterns can be used together to provide more value for your time sewing and money spent?  Share in the comments below.  Make a 50s or 60s inspired dress for your dolls today!