Use the Backyard Bibs PDF Pattern to make a Bib Skirt Overalls Outfit for your 18″ Joss Doll
Joss is American Girl®’s Girl of the Year for 2020. I’ve found she looks stunning in everything, but especially in bright, cheery colors.
Make a quick summer jumper with the Backyard Bibs Sewing Pattern from OhSewKat!
Joss is wearing her jumper with the Playtime Peasant Top. It’s a quick and easy top that can work under so many different outfits. I make them in many solid colors to have for mix and match options. I used this HACK to make ribbon straps instead of fabric ones.
More about Nicki Fleming- the 2007 Girl of the Year
Nicki Fleming, was the Girl of the Year™ released by American Girl® in 2007. She was born in 1997 and lives near Denver, Colorado. She has a brother, Adam, and two sisters, Rebecca and Cristine. Her biggest loves are animals and helping others. Above, she’s dressed in a snowman jumper made with the Backyard Bibs PDF pattern by Oh Sew Kat!
Nicki’s fashions from American Girl® are casual with a western flair. She loves to take walks and to go skiing! Her horse is named Jackson, and it is a lot of work to care for him, but she loves it. Her wardrobe includes a cowboy styled hat, boots, and riding chaps.
Nicki has curly, carmel colored hair, watery blue eyes, and a splash of freckles across her face. She’s a beauiful doll and her story will pull you in to her world of helping animals and training service dogs, like Sprocket™. Nicki’s jumper (below) is made of a soft batik fabric that looks almost like a denim! I used the Easy Up Jumper and the Jumping Jack Turtleneck (bundle available here!) for her outfit. See more ideas for this pattern HERE.
Nicki joined the Oh Sew Kat! modeling group in 2018. I bought her from American Girl in 2007, the year she came out. My daughter, was five at the time. She had a doll, but not an American Girl doll. Nicki was the first doll to have freckles, light blue eyes, and a tint of red hair just like my daughter. The next year, however, I took Molly to American Girl Place in New York City to select her first doll- and she chose Mia. Mia looks a lot like Nicki, so I just kept Nicki hidden. For YEARS!!! LOL. One day, I pulled her out of the closet, to maybe sell her, and just fell in love with her innocent look. She has since earned her keep as the perfect Oh Sew Kat! model. 🙂
You can read more about Nicki in her story: Ad: https://amzn.to/3cEP0VZ. You can still sometimes find them on Amazon and at American Girl, or your local library.
Nicki’s red bandana outfit (below) was made with the Playtime Peasant Top PDF pattern. Find the instructions HERE.
Make your Nicki Fleming American Girl Doll a Special Wardrobe with OhSewKat Sewing Patterns
The Backyard Bibs pattern is quick and simple to sew- plus you can add your own unique flair to each and every one. I reach for this pattern over and over, no matter the season! Find the sewing pattern HERE.
Use fun holiday fabrics to make your own “one of a kind” doll clothes
Your dress can look completely different just by changing the shirt color you pair it with. (Both the red and black shirts were made using the Jumping Jack pattern.) The red gives it a more “Christmas” feel where the black could be worn into January a well. Instead of tights, try fun, striped socks and boots. I found this striped bias tape in a sewing catalog- they offer it in a few colors and patterns. It’s such a fun accent for waistbands, hems and straps in the perfect scale for dolls.
Make one of a kind doll clothes with easy to sew PDF sewing patterns.
Although this Easy Up! Jumper is not the exact same fabric as the one above, it is a coordinating print and gives the same effect. Teeny tiny snow globes! I purchase most of my fabric at AD: Fat Quarter Shop. This jumper would also look stunning over the black turtleneck shirt as well. Find the Easy Up! Jumper pattern here.
Have some fun mixing and matching prints and create your own one of a kind fashions for your dolls with easy to sew, Oh Sew Kat! PDF sewing patterns. The Easy Up! Jumper and Backyard Bibs are easy to sew up in just one afternooon! Try one or both today!
I love the fall! Here in Virginia, we get the color late, but it’s so rich! We go apple picking and use our fire pit and enjoy being outside in the nice weather. Here are a few outfits sewn with the Backyard Bibs sewing pattern I’m reaching for to get my dolls ready for the Pumpkin Spice season this year.
This idea was sent to me by one of my customers, Laura C. It’s really easy to switch out the sewn in straps on the Backyard Bibs pattern and replace them with pretty ribbons you can tie into bows. Once you tie them nicely, you can easily slip the outfit on and off without untying them each time. I used 1/4th inch ribbon for this adorable strawberry romper. Simply cut 4 pieces, 9-10 inches each, and stitch one into each part of the bodice (You will stitch one on each side of the front, and one on each back piece at the top, just as you would for connected straps.) Remember to keep them free as you complete your sewing!
Make your doll a quick summer outfit with the Backyard Bibs PDF Sewing Pattern for Dolls
Another easy change to the Backyard Bibs pattern is to put elastic in the legs of the capris or the shorts. I used the capri length pattern piece (no cuff), and turned up the hem by 3/8th inch for the elastic casing. Four inches of elastic is perfect for this knee length romper. Maryellen is ready for a day outside in the Florida sunshine!
Use the OSK Backyard Bibs pattern to make a cute summer romper for your doll.
With or without a Playtime Peasant Top shirt, it’s a cute summer outfit!! Find more fun pattern hacks to try HERE and see more ideas for the Backyard Bibs PDF Sewing Pattern here and here.
Try this simple pattern hack to the Oh Sew Kat! Backyard Bibs to replace the sewn straps with pretty ribbon bows!
The Backyard Bibs is one of my favorite patterns to sew. It doesn’t take a lot of fabric, has just a few steps, and looks great no matter what fabric I choose.
This idea was shared with me by one of my customers. Thank you, Laura!! It’s really easy to switch out the sewn in straps on the Backyard Bibs pattern and replace them with pretty ribbons you can tie into bows. I used 1/4th inch ribbon for this adorable sundress. Simply cut 4 pieces, 9-10 inches each, and stitch one into each part of the bodice (one on each side of the front, and one on each back.) Remember to keep the ribbons free as you complete your sewing!
Easy Oh Sew Kat! Pattern hack: Make ribbon tied straps on the Backyard Bibs
It doesn’t matter which version or which size of the Backyard Bibs pattern you are making. Four simple ribbons are the perfect touch to give your Backyard Bibs a unique look, no matter the season!
Tie the ribbons in pretty bows, and leave them tied, as you dress and undress the doll. You could even stitch them in the tied position to keep them looking perfect through hours of playtime!
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.
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.
Picnic PlayBackyard BibsBackyard BibsEasy Up JumperEasy. Up Jumper
Backyard BibsBackyard BibsBackyard BibsEasy Up JumperHalterAlls
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.)
American Girl offers trendy shoes for your 18 inch Dolls.
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.
American Fashion World offers a large selection of doll shoes in lots of popular doll sizes.
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.
Find a large selection of doll shoes on ebay and etsy.
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!
The Backyard Bibs pattern is a quick sew with lots of options. Make it with capri length pants, as shorts, or choose an A line or gathered skirt. The one piece bib is simple and quick with sewn in straps and no fussy buttons or buttonholes. All outfits close up in back.
Make easy overalls for dolls with the Backyard Bibs sewing pattern in 5 sizes.
The Backyard Bibs is super popular for the 18 inch doll. Find it HERE in my Etsy Shop. You can purchase it with or without the peasant top pattern. See many more ideas for the Backyard Bibs pattern in the Inspiration Gallery.
Try A Girl for All Time PDF Sewing Patterns by Oh Sew Kat!
A Girl for All Time is a popular new ball joined doll- (BJD). I’ve resized many of my patterns to fit them as well. Find the Backyard Bibs for AGAT here. Michele Anderson’s Clementine doll is ready for summer in her patriotic bibs.
The Disney Animators dolls are also 16 inches tall. The animators patterns will also fit the Mae Meadow dolls (some patterns may need a little tweaking.). Find a full assortment of Animators’ patterns, including the Backyard Bibs pattern here.
Find the Easy to Sew Backyard Bibs PDF Pattern at Oh Sew Kat!
Bitty Baby, and the retired Bitty Twins dolls from American Girl are 15 inches tall. They look adorable in the Backyard Bibs pattern and this pattern also makes super cute brother /sister sets too! Find the Bitty Baby pattern here.
Find the Backyard Bibs for 14.5 inch dolls here. (Wellie Wishers, Ruby Red Fashion Friends, and Hearts for Hearts Dolls. Photo credit Michele Anderson. See more Backyard Bibs for the little dolls here and here.
