4th of July Doll Clothes

It’s time to celebrate the red, white and blue here in the USA!  Here are a few 4th of July inspired outfits made with Oh Sew Kat! patterns.  Click on the photos to go right to the pattern.

Melody looks adorable in Bloomer Buddies!

Kendall shows her pride in Party Time Peasant Dress (photo credit: Amy Violet’s).

Sam is also in a Party Time Peasant Dress.

The Bitty Twins are ready for a picnic in their HalterAlls.

Summer classic:  Popsicle Top and Sixth Grade Skirt.

Emily and Mary keep cool in Popsicle Tops and Sandbox Shorts.

Nina Self made this cute version of Boardwalk Boutique.

Ashley Crawe has Bitty Baby all decked out for the holiday in a Popsicle Top and Sixth Grade Skirt.

Willa and Kendall look cute in their Popsicle Tops and Four Season Skirts.

 

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Step it Up Series: How to Make a Patchwork Top for Dolls

Try something new today! Do you have lots of scraps or small pieces of fabric?  My mother was a big quilter, and she was always buying those cute little 5 inch square packs of fabrics. Here is a great way to turn those small pieces into cute, one of a kind doll clothes.

The fabrics in this tutorial came from a pack of 5″ squares, called a “charm pack”.  This one is by Doodlebug Designs- I love the whimsical images.  None of the squares are big enough to make 18 inch doll clothes, so I picked a few of my favorites and patched them together, quilt style, to make my own fabric!

I used the Boardwalk Boutique pattern for this cute, halter top, but really any pattern will work to give the same effect.

1.  Choose your fabrics and lay them out on your table in a pleasing way.  Try to offset the colors and place the rows so you don’t have a four square in the center of your top (unless you are going for that look 😉 .  Ensure that your squares cover enough space for your entire pattern piece.
2. With right sides together, sew the pieces together in rows, moving from bottom to top with 1/4th inch seams.  Once you have your two rows complete, put them right sides together and sew them together to make a larger square or rectangle. Press all of your seams open.
3. If needed, trim the edges so your fabric piece is neat.
4. Pin your pattern pieces to your new patchwork fabric (being mindful of one way designs) and cut out as usual.

Once you have your pieces cut out, simply assemble the pattern as usual.

Ta da!! You’ve made a one of a kind top for your doll!

Find more tutorials for the Boardwalk Boutique pattern here and here.

Fan Feature: Disney Animators’ Outfits

I love getting emails or seeing posts of the amazing outfits you all make with my patterns. I was blown away by these outfits that Michele Anderson sewed and shared.  I hope you enjoy them too!  I love the entire ensemble!!

Here is Snow White. She is wearing a Sunshine Dress (made into a top- so cute!) and the capris are from the Boardwalk Boutique pattern.

Ariel is wearing a Sugar n Spice Dress with the reversible corset.

Anna looks so sweet in her Sugar n Spice dress. And that purse is adorable!!

Merida is dressed in a sundress made with the Boardwalk Boutique Halter Top.  The contrasting ruffle looks great with her hair!

And here is Belle, in her Boardwalk Boutique outfit.

Thank you so much for sharing, Michele!!  It’s so hard to pick a favorite!

Which one do you like best?  Find these patterns for Disney Animators, along with patterns in other popular doll sizes in my Etsy Shop.

 

Boardwalk Boutique Sewing Pattern for Dolls

Spring has arrived, which means that summer is just around the corner! Your dolls will be cute and cool in their Boardwalk Boutique Halter Top and Capris!  Or maybe try something new and stitch it up as a simple sundress!  Enjoy these simple variations of this popular pattern.

This pattern is so quick to sew, you can easily make up one or two in a naptime!  The easy elastic back and elastic pull on pants help little hands dress their own dolls. With fabric or ribbon ties, you can make up a set with a fat quarter of fabric.  Here are a few ways to stitch up your Boardwalk Boutique.  (Don’t forget, this pattern is available in 4 sizes!!!)

Nanea is ready for the beach.  I cut this yellow top off the center fold, to have extra fabric to make a little, center pleat. The extra fullness in the top is cute!

Have fun with ruffles!! Cut the longer top version and add a very tiny or very wide ruffle.

Cut the longer top version and leave off the ruffle.  Add some pretty trim for a sporty sundress!

Use pretty eyelet lace to make the back look special!  Find the full TUTORIAL HERE.

Double your ruffles and make it a maxi dress!! Find the full TUTORIAL HERE.

Or simply try the halter top with something different on the bottom. Here, Maryellen is wearing the standard halter top with the shortie length bloomers from the Bloomer Buddies pattern.

How will you make your Boardwalk Boutique for your doll this summer?  See more Boardwalk Boutiques here and here.  Find the pattern for bitty baby, animators’, and wellie wishers in my etsy shop.

 

Step it Up: How to Make a Lace Backed Halter Top with Boardwalk Boutique

Every little girl loves lace and roses! This tutorial will show you how to take the Boardwalk Boutique Halter Top up a step with a pretty, lace back.

Start with the Boardwalk Boutique sewing pattern.

Choose your lacy trim. I use pre-gathered lace because it’s already got a pretty, hemmed edge. When you buy it, buy as wide as you can.  Smaller dolls will use smaller trim. If you use eyelet or lace fabric, simply follow the directions as written.  Use these few changes to add the lace trim to the back of your halter top.

Carefully remove the stitching of the top of the lace trim with a seam ripper. If you lace trim is much wider than the pattern piece, you can cut it off. As you can see in the photo below, my trim was just a little shorter than my pattern piece (no need to turn up the 1/4th hem at the bottom) so I knew my top would be just a bit shorter than the pattern.) . Iron your trim and cut it the right size based on the pattern piece.  Cut out your front, facing, and ties (or ribbon).

Construct the front of the halter top according to the pattern directions, to include the back elastic casing and elastic.  You will have to hem the front piece before you attach it to the back.  Determine how big this hem needs to be based on the lace back piece as seen in the photo below.  Serge or zigzag the front hem, press up, and stitch in place.  With right sides together, sew the back to the front on each side.

It’s kind of hard to photograph these dolls’ backs.  🙂

Try this simple hack of the Boardwalk Boutique Halter Top for your dolls!  See more ways to sew this pattern here and here.

Step it Up Series: Boardwalk Boutique Ruffle Maxi Dress

Make a cute sundress with the Boardwalk Boutique sewing pattern from Oh Sew Kat! Choose one ruffle or two with this easy tutorial variation (pattern hack).  This look is perfect for American Girl doll, Julie Albright, a character from 1974.

Start with the pattern.  This tutorial shows the 18 inch doll size, but it can easily be adapted to any of the five doll sizes this pattern is offered for.

Cut out the Boardwalk Boutique top, using the “cut here to add ruffle” line.  (If you use the pattern piece with the extra inch, your sundress will have a little longer bodice, I’ve sewn it both ways! Just make sure you shorten the hem by an inch or so if you are making the double ruffle/maxi version.)

I put an existing top on my doll and used a ruler to decide how long I wanted the dress to be.  You can also lay the pattern piece over your doll.  Cut one or two ruffles.  For 18 inch dolls, the top ruffle measures 3 1/2 by 24 inches. The bottom ruffle measures 4 1/2 by 36 inches.  These measurements can be whatever you like to create a longer or shorter sundress.

Assemble the halter top according to the directions up to the side seams.  Stitch both side seams.  (Note: The directions say to stitch only one side, in order to attach the ruffle/hem flat and then sew up the side seam.  You can certainly use this method for the maxi dress, but with longer ruffles, the following method of attaching ruffles in the round may produce a better hang on the longer dress.)

Ruffle Prep:  With right sides together, stitch the short ends of each ruffle together, making each one into a circle.  Press seams open.  Serge or zigzag the hem edge of your bottom ruffle.  Press up 1/4th inch and stitch.  Mark both ruffles into equal fourths with pins or other markings, with one mark being on the seam line.

Mark the raw edge of your halter top in fourths with pins.  Put one in each side seam, and one at center front and center back.

Increase your stitch length and stitch two rows of gathering stitches along the top edge of the top ruffle, starting and ending at the seam.  With right sides together, place to the top inside the ruffle, match the four pins or markings, and pull up the gathering threads to fit the ruffle evenly to the bottom edge of the halter top.  Line it up so the seam is at the center back.  Pin the gathers in place, and using a regular stitch length, stitch the ruffle to the halter top.  Remove the gathering stitches.  Serge or zigzag your seam allowance and press it towards the halter top.  Top stitch from the right side of the ruffle.

Attach (Optional) Bottom Ruffle:  Increase your stitch length and stitch two rows of  gathering stitches along the top of the bottom ruffle, starting and ending with the seam.  With right sides together, match the four pins or markings, and pull up the gathering threads to fit the top of the bottom ruffle to the bottom of the top ruffle.  Line it up so the seam is at the center back.  Using a regular stitch length, stitch in place.  Remove the gathering stitches.  Serge or zigzag your seam allowance and press it towards the top ruffle.  Top stitch from the right side of the ruffle.  Ta da!! Beautiful!

Have fun with this new sundress for summer doll fun!!

See the INSPIRATION GALLERY for more Boardwalk Boutique outfits.

 

 

Sewing Pattern Bundles from Oh Sew Kat!

Did you know that I offer selected Oh Sew Kat! patterns in a bundle discount?  If you are new to Oh Sew Kat! patterns (welcome!), my pattern bundles are a great way to start your collection.  These bundles are available exclusively in my Etsy Shop and are currently available for 18 inch dolls such as American Girl® dolls, Animators’ Dolls by Disney, and 14.5 inch dolls such as Wellie Wishers and Glitter Girls.

Click here to see all of the bundles available.  I currently offer bundles around four basic themes:  Basics, Summer, Holiday, and Back to School in a few doll sizes.  Leave a comment below and tell me what other types of bundles you would like to see!  It’s probably time for me to put together some more options!

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Sew Basic:  This 3 pattern bundle for the WellieWishers dolls offers the first three patterns I created for this size.  It includes two tops and two bottoms.  The reversible Popsicle Top, the easy to make Sixth Grade Skirt, and the most popular Boardwalk Boutique Halter and Capri (can also be made into a sundress!) patterns will give you lots of pieces to mix and match if you are just starting out sewing for this sized doll.

 

 

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Sounds of Summer Bundle:  This bundle offers the short and sassy fashions to keep your doll cool and stylish all summer long with four patterns to mix and match.  Pair the reversible Popsicle Top with the Sandbox Shorts or the ruffled capri pants from the Boardwalk Boutique pattern.  The Sunshine Dress has three variations and also looks cute without sleeves as seen in this tutorial.   The Halter Top in the Boardwalk Boutique makes a cute sundress too!

 

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Back to School Bundle: This bundle offers the long pants and the long sleeves basics your doll will need to head to school in the crisp, fall air with 4 popular patterns.  The Playground Pants, and Sixth Grade Skirt provide the basics to pair with pretty School Bell Blouses (two styles).  The School Dance dress has three variations for even more options to sew!

 

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Holiday Bundle:  This bundle offers 4 patterns.  I put these four patterns together to make an “essential” wardrobe for someone who wants to give a doll a basic wardrobe.  It includes pajamas, a dress, a skirt, a blouse, a halter top, and capri pants, all of which can be mixed and matched in to make so many different outfits.  See THIS POST for a trio of outfits I made that inspired this bundle.

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I’d love to hear what bundles you’d like to see in my Etsy Shop.  Maybe multiple sizes of the same pattern? Maybe bundles of tops and bottoms, or a set of three dress patterns?  Pattern bundles are offered in select sizes as described, and there are no substitutions of the selections.

Valentine’s Day Doll Outfits- a little Inspiration

Today I’m sharing a little inspiration for some happy heart sewing.  It’s almost Valentine’s Day!  These outfits were stitched by the Oh Sew Kat! testers.  Share the love with your little friends and stitch one up today!  Each outfit can be made using fat quarters of fabric and a single afternoon.  Click the photos or the links below to get to the pattern page.

Party Time Peasant Dress by SewDolledUp81

Bloomer Buddies by The Pearl Pony

Sugar n Spice on Kendall and Four Season Skirt and Popsicle Top on Ashlynn by Oh Sew Kat!

Playtime Peasant Top and Twirl Skirt PJ Top with Boardwalk Boutique pants by Oh Sew Kat!

HalterAlls by The Pearl Pony

What are you sewing this Valentine’s Day?  Visit my Inspiration Gallery page to find lots of ideas for all the Oh Sew Kat! patterns.  See more Valentine inspired outfits here and here.

Summer Sewing for Dolls- Boardwalk Boutique

There is still plenty of summer left to stitch up an adorable outfit for your doll. The Boardwalk Boutique is a fan fave and takes very little fabric.  Use ribbons for easy ties on the pull on halter top to wear with easy, pull on capri pants.  Add a little creativity and your doll is ready to hit the boardwalk this summer!

This pattern is available in 4 popular doll sizes! Boardwalk Boutique is a perfect first sewing pattern for young girls.  What better way to spend a summer afternoon?

Find the patterns:

• 15 inch baby dolls like Bitty Baby
• 18 inch dolls like American Girl
• 14.5 inch dolls like Wellie Wishers and Hearts for Hearts
• 16 inch dolls like Disney Animators

Download your pattern and sew it up today! Find Oh Sew Kat! patterns on Etsy, Pixie Faire, You Can Make This, and Craftsy.

I can’t wait to see what you make!

 

Boardwalk Boutique – New Sewing Pattern for Bitty Baby and Bitty Twins

Boardwalk Boutique, a tester favorite, is now available resized for your 15 inch Bitty Baby and Bitty Twins baby dolls.  This fat quarter friendly pattern is a quick sew and the elastic waist and large ties are easy on little hands for dressing their own dollies!

 

Find the pattern for Bitty (and three other sizes too!) in my Etsy Shop

Find the pattern on Pixie Faire

Add a few inches to the top and it makes a cute sundress as well!

Easy to sew! Great beginner project! Share your projects with #ohsewkat on social media.

Make cute matching outfits for your Bitty Twin dolls!

Find the pattern for Bitty (and three other sizes too!) in my Etsy Shop

Find the pattern on Pixie Faire

Share with your friends!