Do you make doll clothes to sell? Craft show season has started! Many sellers use Oh Sew Kat! patterns for craft shows because they are quick and easy, and don’t use a lot of fabric but still offer fun design options for a few sizes of popular dolls. Here are a few tips to speed up your doll clothes sewing whether you are sewing 1 doll outfit or 100…use one or many to be more productive this craft show season!
Try out Oh Sew Kat! PDF Patterns for Free: Two Free Patterns
Find the Four Season Skirt pattern in 3 sizes HERE, and click HERE to get a free bloomers pattern sized for Bitty Baby 15 inch baby dolls.
Use these tips to speed up your doll clothes sewing.
10 Tips to Sew Doll Clothes Faster by Oh Sew Kat!
- Use bias tape instead of cutting a waistband that will be on the inside of the garment and does not show (Try this: Sixth Grade Skirt)
- Use a rolled hem on your serger sewing machine instead of pressing up and stitching a hem. (Try this: Party Time Peasant Dress, Twinkle Twirl Skirt)
- Use folded bias tape (half inch double fold) at the hem of a skirt. You can find cute patterns online, like the red gingham I used in this POST and also the black stripes in THIS ONE. (Try this: Easy Up! Jumper, Party Time Peasant Dress, Backyard Bibs)
- Use Fold Over Elastic instead of sewn straps on jumpers like Backyard Bibs and Easy Up! Jumper, like in this POST and this ONE. Use ribbon instead of fabric ties. (Try this: Backyard Bibs, Boardwalk Boutique and HalterAlls)
- Read through all directions first so you know what you will have to do. Look for places where you can combine steps. Most patterns are written in sections (bodice, sleeves, skirt for example.) . There is no reason you cannot hem the bodice lining, the sleeves, and the skirt all at one time. Also look for ways to maximize the changing of your sewing machine feet by waiting to top stitch until you have another part ready as well. (Try this: Party Time Peasant Dress, Playtime Peasant Top, Sugar n Spice Dress)
- Chain sew your pieces together. Sew a seam, then add the next pieces without clipping the threads in between. If you have to sew them twice (like two shoulder seams), clip the last one and put it back in front.
- Cut more than one garment at a time, that uses the same color of thread. Sew both at once, even if they are different patterns.
- Spend down time cutting out projects in advance. Keep them in zip lock bags until you have time to sew. Even if you just have time to sew a few steps or seams, those captured moments can really add up if you only sew 10 minutes a day for a week or so.
- Press as you go (again, possibly working on two or three sections at one time.) Sew what you can, put aside what needs to be pressed, move on to next pieces until they also need to be pressed, and then press all at once. Example- finish the edge of the sleeves, bodice lining, and skirt hem. Take them all to the ironing board, and press them up, then sew all the hems. (Try this: Sugar n Spice, Bloomer Buddies)
- Use tools!! Find 25 of my favorite sewing notions and tools and a few machines that can speed things up too!
Sew doll clothes faster with this list of 10 quick sewing tips.
You can also invest in electronic cutting machines, that can also help speed up your sewing jobs. Check out the Brother Scan n Cut in THIS POST and the Cricut MAKER in THIS ONE for more information.
Oh Sew Kat! 