Nicki is rocking the red in her cute, bandana dress. It sends such a fun, summer and country vibe! It was easy to sew with elastic at the neck and sleeves (no closures) and pulls on over her feet. I found this doll scale bandana fabric in both red and navy blue at Walmart.
Dress your 18 inch doll like a country singer with a bandana print peasant dress and belt.
This is a very simple pattern hack and will work for any size doll, just adjust the measurements to your preferred length. Start with the Playtime Peasant Top Sewing Pattern. It’s available HERE for 18 inch Dolls, and HERE for other popular doll sizes like Bitty Baby and Wellie Wisher, plus more.
Nicki Fleming looks just like a country music pop star in a bandana print Playtime Peasant Dress.
To make this cute dress for your 18 inch doll, simply add one inch to the hem of your Playtime Peasant Top bodice. Cut an additional piece of fabric 3 inches x 30 inches for the ruffle and press it the long way with wrong sides together.
Complete the entire pattern as directed until you get to the hem. You can add the ruffle before or after your sew the 2nd side seam, it’s up to you. Gather the ruffle and with right sides together, attach it to the hem of your dress. Top stitch from the right side of the dress, with the seam allowance towards the dress.
Cut 10 inches of FOLD OVER ELASTIC. Sew the ends together, and use this as a belt. (It also works as a headband!).
Make your 18 inch doll an easy country western peasant dress with the Playtime Peasant Dress Sewing Pattern.
Even though the weather is warm here, it’s winter on the other side of the world! The Jumping Jack pattern is the perfect pattern for cute and unique outfits for fall, winter, and cooler weather.
The Jumping Jack sewing pattern offers 3 pieces that can be worn together or used to accent other outfits. The knit turtleneck shirt, flair legged shorts, and a button on apron style jumper lets your doll go from casual fun at the park, to dressed and ready for dinner. Enjoy these tester photos of this fun to sew pattern.
The hot and hazy days of summer are just around the corner. Need some inspiration for summer doll clothes sewing? The warmer weather means shorts, skirts, and bare shoulders and backs. All of these Oh Sew Kat! patterns are quick and easy with full color photographs of every step.
Best Doll Clothes Sewing Pattern for Summer: HalterAlls for Dolls
HalterAlls for Dolls is a quick and easy sewing pattern. You can easily make one in any size from just one fat quarter of fabric. With 2 basic pattern pieces and some 1/4th inch elastic, your doll will be ready for the summer heat in style. HalterAlls also look great on boy dolls! See more ideas with the HalterAlls pattern in the Inspiration Gallery. and find the pattern in four doll sizes HERE.
Best Doll Clothes Sewing Pattern for Summer: Reversible Popsicle Top
The Popsicle Top is the perfect match for all your shorts and short skirts. With hook and loop tape at the back, it’s quick to sew and can be made reversible for double the outfits. Add pretty lace or trim at the bottom. Click here to find the pattern in 5 popular doll sizes and in some value bundles. Shown here with the FREE Four Season Skirt pattern.
Best Doll Clothes Sewing Pattern for Summer: Sandbox Shorts
The Sandbox Shorts pattern has cute patch pockets and an elastic back with flat front. Check out this tutorial to move the pockets to the inside for another way to sew them. The Sandbox Shorts pattern is available in five popular doll sizes. Find them here. Shown here with a polka dot Popsicle Top.
Best Doll Clothes Sewing Pattern for Summer: Sixth Grade Skirt
The Sixth Grade Skirt was designed to go with the Popsicle Top pattern to make a cute and easy outfit for summer. In fact, I offer these two patterns as a value bundle here. Use this TUTORIAL to add pockets to your skirt or THIS ONE to add ruffles or lace. See even more ideas for the Sixth Grade Skirt pattern in the Inspiration Gallery. (Shown here with the Popsicle Top.)
So what darling outfits will you make for your dolls this summer? Share your photos on instagram with #ohsewkat or on my facebook page! Happy sewing!
Sewing for BeForever character Nanea Mitchell? Try these twists on patterns to make a variety of Hawaiian themed dress from Oh Sew Kat! patterns. Find all of these patterns in my Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/ohsewkat.
Sew Hawaiian themed doll clothes for Nanea with easy sewing patterns from Oh Sew Kat!
What other Oh Sew Kat! patterns might work for Nanea outfits? Visit the Nanea page of the Inspiration Gallery to see more ideas. Comment below with your ideas.
I added lace to the hem and made the waistband from a contrasting fabric. Blaire is also wearing a Playtime Peasant Top which completes the outfit. Both the gingham and white look so great I just can’t pick! Maybe white for spring, and gingham for fall!
Sew easy overalls and skirtalls with the Backyard Bibs sewing pattern.
Are your dolls ready for spring? They will be in their cute Backyard Bibs.
Your Oh Sew Kat! PDF patterns can just be the starting point for so many more outfits to make for your dolls. One advantage of using PDF digital patterns, instead of commercial, tissue patterns, are they are much simpler to print a new copy, and make a few tweaks, to make something a little different than the original pattern design. You can find a long list of easy pattern hacks of Oh Sew Kat! patterns on the Tutorials Page.
Try this fun pattern hack to make a sleeveless blouse for your 18 inch Doll.
This post will show you how to take my popular fall long sleeve blouse pattern, the School Bell Blouse, and make an easy, breezy sleeveless top for warmer weather too! Now you can use this pattern all year long!
See more ways to change up the look of the School Bell Blouse pattern here and here. The School Bell Blouse is available in 3 sizes. This hack will work the same for all three.
To make the School Bell into a sleeveless blouse, you really just need to make one change to the pattern. You can use either View A, the pleated neck top, or View B, the peplum top for this pattern hack.
View A: Make Sleeveless School Bell Blouse with a Pleated Neck.
View A: Pleated Neck Sleeveless Top:
Cut out the front and back for the top of your main fabric. Do not cut out the sleeves or the facing. Cut out an additional front and back using the pattern pieces from view B. This will act as the lining (inside) for your top.
Serge or zig zag stitch the bottom edges of the lining front and back.
Create the neckline pleat as directed in the pattern. Press.
Sew the fronts to backs at shoulders as stated in the directions and press seams open. Do the same for the lining pieces. (Main fabric to main fabric and lining fabric to lining fabric.)
With right sides together, pin the lining to the main fabric at the neckline and arm holes. Stitch, clip curves, press, and turn to right side. Press well. (Note: this turning to the right side can be tricky with smaller doll sizes. See this tutorial and this one to see the ways and tools I use if you start to have trouble. Just take your time.)
With right sides together, open up side seams and pin them together. Stitch as one seam (you are stitching the main fabric front to the main fabric back, and the lining fabric front to the lining fabric back in this step.)
Pull it down, right sides, out and press arm hole if needed.
Hem and finish the back opening according to the pattern directions.
View B: Make a Sleeveless School Bell Blouse with Peplum Skirt
View B: Peplum Top:
Cut out the peplum, two front pieces and two back pieces. Do not cut out the sleeves or the facing. Your additional front and back pieces will act as the lining of your top.
Serge or zig zag stitch the bottom edges of the lining front and back.
Sew the fronts to backs at shoulders as stated in the directions and press seams open. Do the same for the lining pieces. (Main fabric to main fabric and lining fabric to lining fabric.)
With right sides together, pin the lining to the main fabric at the neckline and arm holes. Stitch, clip curves, press, and turn to right side. Press well. (Note: this turning to the right side can be tricky with smaller doll sizes. See this tutorial and this one to see the ways and tools I use if you start to have trouble. Just take your time.)
With right sides together, open up side seams and pin them together. Stitch as one seam (you are stitching the main fabric front to the main fabric back, and the lining fabric front to the lining fabric back in this step.)
Pull it down, right sides out, and press arm hole if needed.
Attach the peplum, sew the hem, and finish the back opening according to the pattern directions.
You can also make a sleeveless version of the School Bell Blouse Dress, by combining this pattern hack with this one.
Sewing for BeForever character Julie Albright? Her stories are set in 1974 and she has some groovy fashions! Give your Julie a personalized 70s themed wardrobe with these twists on PDF sewing patterns from Oh Sew Kat! Find all of these patterns in my Etsy Shop:
Make a 1970’s themed outfit for your 18 inch American Girl doll.
What other Oh Sew Kat! patterns might work for Julie outfits? Visit the Julie page of the Historical Fashions gallery for more ideas. See more sewing ideas for the BeForever characters like Melody and Maryellen too! Comment below with your ideas!
Visit & follow my 1970s doll fashion PINTEREST Board for more ideas. Pin these images to save them for later!
Here at Oh Sew Kat! Designs, you will find quick and easy sewing patterns to make an entire doll clothes wardrobe for your 18 inch dolls (like American Girl®) as well as other, smaller sized dolls, like Wellie Wishers and Bitty Baby®. PDF patterns are simple to use (shop and print at home!) and easy to store (computer files- save your pattern pieces for next time or toss them and print them again later). Read below to learn more about the pattern sites where Oh Sew Kat! patterns are sold.
Many of us have favorite sites we like to use and choose and collect reward points to buy (yes!) more patterns. I want you to be able to shop where you like to shop- so I offer my patterns on multiple selling platforms. Each platform is a little different, and all patterns are not available on all the sites. Click HERE to find the FREE Four Season Skirt pattern in 3 sizes.
Please note: Due to the variety of internet browsers, you should always download your PDF file first, and save it on your computer, before opening it and printing your pieces at actual size.
The full catalog of all Oh Sew Kat! patterns is always found at Etsy.com. This is normally the only shop to find every single Oh Sew Kat! pattern. This site is simple to navigate, gives you different options to pay (credit card, etsy gift cards, and paypal), and your patterns remain in your library forever. Once you place your order (all orders are digital files- no physical patterns will be sent,) you will get an email confirming your purchase with the link to download your file and save it to your computer. You can also log into your account, and find your patterns in your profile, under PURCHASES and REVIEWS.
My etsy shop also has a selection of bundled patterns, to save you more when you purchase multiple patterns. Some bundles are by size (all for 18 inch dolls for example), some are for the same pattern in multiple sizes. Be sure to check out all the options HERE. See more bundles in THIS POST.
Who doesn’t love March? With the small glimpses outside that spring is just around the corner, and the daylight lasting a little longer each day, it’s fun to sew with shamrocks and rainbows. Here are a few dresses to inspire you this Shamrock Season.
I used my Cricut Maker to cut out these Party Time Dresses. Every doll in the house got one this year! I think the rainbow waistband gives a perfect pop of color!
Shirley Fombey of Doll Clothes by Shirley created these adorable Wellie Wishers outfits above using the Four Season Skirt and Popsicle Top patterns.
Find the Party Time Peasant Dress pattern (now available in 5 sizes!) HERE. Above for Saige, I layered a Sugar n Spice modified overdress to offer two outfits in one! Find more details HERE.
Carol Meadows made this darling Party Time dress below for her A Girl for All Time Doll. More shamrocks and polka dots!
Your Melody doll will feel groovy in a swing dress you made yourself with the Oh Sew Kat! School Bell Blouse pattern.
When you are fabric shopping, keep your eyes open for small scale prints that look retro. For Melody’s dress, I found this cotton fabric in a quilt store. I had no idea what I would make at the time, but I knew it would be perfect for Melody. Doesn’t she look great in this color?
Here are some pins on my Melody board on Pinterest that I used for inspiration. Don’t forget to follow me while you are there! This white dress for ladies , this Barbie sized pattern, and this blue and red dresses all have the same wide sleeves, a-line look, and even the front pleat.
This the pattern I used: The School Bell Blouse. It has two styles of blouses to make for your doll and comes in three sizes (Animators, 18 inch and Wellie Wishers). Click HERE and HERE for the tutorials to make this pattern into two cute dresses.
These cute little bows were the perfect color to accent the pleats in the front and sleeves of the dress.
Be sure to share your 60s dresses you make for Melody or any of her friends with hashtag ohsewkat.
