The Easy Up! Jumper is one of the easiest patterns in the Oh Sew Kat! PDF Pattern library to sew. You can simplify the process with fold over elastic straps and leave the side pleat in or take it out for a quick to sew one hour project.
Simple 18 inch Doll Sewing: Easy Up! Jumper
Find the Easy Up! Jumper pattern in three sizes in the Oh Sew Kat! Shop. This pattern is available for 18 inch dolls, 15 inch baby dolls, and 14.5 inch dolls like Glitter Girls® and Welliewishers™.
Both Luciana and Blaire are wearing the Easy Up! Jumper over a Playtime Peasant Top, which is also a super quick sew that you will use over and over with so many different outfits. Find the pattern HERE, and the Inspiration Gallery HERE.
This adorable bunny fabric was purchased at Walmart in their seasonal fat quarters. This pattern is perfect for your fat quarter collection. The faux button placket instructions are included in the pattern if you use the same fabric as the jumper, but I wanted a contrasting fabric down the center. It’s easy to do with just a tube of fabric pressed flat, and stitched down the middle of the jumper before you start assembling it. You can find the exact measurements and instructions in THIS POST.
Easy Easter Dress for Dolls: Easy Up! Jumper PDF Sewing Pattern
Every now and again, I find myself sitting down to the machine to make my dolls some basic (read boring) pieces for their wardrobe. But a stack of solid colored shirts, tees, and turtlenecks can be worn season after season and you will find the time you spent to make them was worth it!!
You can never go wrong with a basic, white turtleneck shirt. I like to use rib knit for my shirts. Find the pattern HERE.
Use the Jumping Jack Sewing pattern to make your dolls some long sleeved, single color shirts. You can put them under jumpers, with skirts, with jeans, and so much more!
Tell me if you have heard this one before? When sewing for dolls, never use a print fabric that has a motif bigger than the doll’s hand. As a general rule, I totally agree with that, but at the same time, it’s okay to break the rules. This post is showcasing how I took some fabric that should be “too big” for doll clothes, and turned them into fun doll fashions.
Kira’s sunflower dress (above) and Kelly’s pink roses dress (below) are two examples of large, bold prints sewn up for 18 inch dolls. Both dresses use the princess seam version of the School Dance Dress.
To be fair, I certainly don’t sew with large prints for dolls on a general basis. I like my tiny “scaled” prints that look realistic on the small dolls. But every now and then, I will come across a super fun fabric that I just love, and just decide to go for it anyway, no matter the rules!!
Doll Scale Fabric Tips
When you want to showcase a large print, the first suggestion I have is to pick a pattern that has large pieces to really show it off. Try to avoid patterns that will break up the pattern at the waist. Leah’s wearing a hack of the Jumping Jack 3 in 1 turtleneck shirt made from a large, festive knit. Find the pattern hack HERE. Corinne (below) has a jumper made from a Vera Bradley apron using the Easy Up Jumper. See this post for the full mix and match set I made in this pretty green and purple theme.
Riley (below) is also wearing Vera Bradley. Her Sunshine Dress (solid front option) started life as a napkin. I used the existing napkin hem and left off the sleeves. Read more about it HERE.
Easy to Sew Doll Clothes- Large Print Dresses
Below- Grace and Kelly are modeling more School Dance Dresses. These dresses are the ones that actually helped me get outside the lines. They were a custom order, and the customer provided the actual Vera Bradley fabric. It was cut into very small pieces, and when she chose the School Dance Dress, I really had no choice but to use the princess seam version that does cut up the center of the dress a bit, but I was so happy with the fit and the pattern that I used the same version (princess seams) on the Sunflowers and Roses at the top of this post as well.
Go ahead and break the rules a bit!! Step up your doll sewing with big, bold prints and see how they turn out! The dolls won’t complain a bit. 🙂
If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know that I love bold prints, but also bright batiks. These quilting style fabrics bring automatic motion and interest to any sewing, but especially to small scale doll clothes. Enjoy some of the makes I’ve done with batik fabrics!
Luciana’s reaching for the starts with the Easy Up! jumper with HTV wording on the front. I took a shortcut and used FOE (fold over elastic) for the jumper straps.
Batik Fabrics add motion and interest to your Doll Clothes Sewing
Starr (TM #89) below, is wearing a bright top made from the Summertime Stroll pattern. It’s fit and flare are cute for spring and summer!
Every now and again, I find myself sitting down to the machine to make my dolls some basic (read boring) pieces for their wardrobe. Shirts, tees, and turtlenecks can be worn season after season and you will find the time you spent to make them was worth it!!
Use the Jumping Jack Sewing pattern to make your dolls some long sleeved, single color shirts. You can put them under jumpers, with skirts, with jeans, and so much more!
Fall Looks for Dolls- The Easy Up! Jumper Sewing Pattern
The Easy Up! Jumper can be reversible too! I like to pair holidays together when I do this- Fall to Christmas, or Valentine’s to St Patrick’s Day or Easter. Two outfits for one sew!!
Find the Easy Up! Jumper Pattern HERE. It is available for 18 inch dolls, 15 inch baby dolls, and 14.5 inch Welliewishers.
Sewing Fall Doll Clothes: Easy Up! Jumper and Turtleneck Shirt
Don’t be afraid to try something new. Use a large floral print for a fun and festive dress!!
Click each photo below to see more ideas for your Fall doll clothes sewing!
Every now and again, I find myself sitting down to the machine to make my dolls some basic (read boring) pieces for their wardrobe. Shirts, tees, and turtlenecks can be worn season after season and you will find the time you spent to make them was worth it!!
I use a lot of bright colors in my sewing, so the turquoise turtleneck shirt gets a lot of use around here! Find the pattern HERE.
Use the Jumping Jack Sewing pattern to make your dolls some long sleeved, single color shirts. You can put them under jumpers, with skirts, with jeans, and so much more!
Sew the Jumping Jack Turtleneck Pattern for Dolls
The Jumping Jack pattern has a reversible jumper, that is worn over a pair of shorts, giving you even more wardrobe basics and mix and match options!
I really enjoy sewing mix and match wardrobes for dolls. It’s very satisfying to choose a few fabrics, a few patterns, and after spending an afternoon sewing, end up with coordinated separates that can be used together, or with other pieces in your doll wardrobe (Like white shirts, jeans, blue or white jean jackets, tights, leggings etc.)
As I have posted before, I don’t live too far from a Vera Bradley® outlet. They always have great sales, and I’m always on the hunt for things to repurpose into doll clothes. Sometimes it’s hard and sometimes it’s easy! These dresses were made from two Vera Bradley napkins I found one year, with the Sunshine Dress pattern. And I took a non quilted bag apart to make this dress. Much of Vera’s line is quilted, or canvas, so not much can be used for doll clothes. This time, I was picking up my usual “wet swim suit” tote to cut up, and found tea towels. Below the tea towels, whoo hoo!!! APRONS!!! Aprons are a little thinner than towels, and by price, gave me more fabric for my money.
Easy to Sew Mix and Match 18 inch Doll Clothes
I knew I wanted to make some clothes around this purple paisley print apron. I added some solid colors (the print is busy enough!) and spent some time thinking and planning. Vera Bradley fabric is usually a very large print, so although not ideal for doll clothes in some ways, it’s also perfect in others. In the end, I decided on the Easy Up! Jumper to show off the fun print (and the hedgehog I found in the middle!!!), and making it reversible was an easy choice. Put a solid peasant top underneath, that can also be worn with a print Sixth Grade Skirt. Just because they are so quick and easy, I always add a Popsicle Top (one print side, and one solid side) for good measure, even though I already had the darker purple popsicle top on hand.
18 inch Dolls: Mix and Match Wardrobe Sewing Patterns
My go to formula usually ends up being two tops, two bottoms, and one dress for a good array of outfits. With the reversible dress, I opted for just the Sixth Grade Skirt for now, but it would be simple to add a pair of shorts or capris if I feel like it needs a little more when I am done.
Once everything is cut, I give all the pieces a good press before I begin. With solid colors, or easily swapped pattern pieces (like the sides of the Sixth Grade Skirt), I keep the pattern piece pinned until I’m ready to sew, or mark each right side with a small piece of washi tape. I tend to sew all of the pieces at once. (It does help that I wrote the patterns and don’t need to follow them as I go.) My first step is to figure out which of my “hem” seams I can get done first.
I sit down at my serger, and finish off the bottom edges of the Playtime Peasant Top sleeves and the Sixth Grade Skirt waistband. I move to my sewing machine, and stitch the shoulders of the Popsicle Top pieces, stitch the Sixth grade skirt together, add the sleeves to the peasant top, sew the armholes of the Easy Up! jumper. Back at the ironing board, I press all my seams open (Sixth Grade Skirt, Popsicle Top) and clip any curves (Peasant Top and Easy Up!). I also press up the hems of my Peasant Top. Topstitching the Sixth Grade Skirt comes next, and in this case, for the solid side of the Easy Up! jumper, I added a strip of the apron strap down the center front. By this time, I’m off to the races. I seam any seams, moving from piece to piece, and then press them all at once. By using just one color of thread (usually white), I can get the whole wardrobe completed in one sewing session.
Once I’m done sewing, I look for other items I already have on hand that I can use. I do have a dark purple Popsicle Top, which didn’t make it into the photos. :). The purple headband is made by American Girl® and I knit and felted this cute, black bowler hat myself. Add in some shoes complements of Grace and Blaire (American Girls of the Year) to complete the look.
The Easy Up! Jumper is Reversible for Two Dresses in One!
Click each photo below to see more ideas for Mix and Match Doll Clothes!
Don’t pass by that huge fabric section of batik fabrics! I love to use batiks as “solids with interest”. With such a wide range of solid colors and fun patterns, you can create a whole new vibe for your doll clothes.
Use batik fabrics in place of solids to improve your doll clothes sewing.
This blue batik fabric was in my mother’s stash. It must have been a quilt backing as there is four or five yards of it! It’s my go to for a “denim” look because it’s so lightweight and easy to sew!
This batik fabric has a pattern over it, but the muted colors behind it make it perfect for spring play clothes, like this adorable Popsicle Top and Sandbox Shorts outfit for Welliewishers™ sewn by Pam. Find both patterns in THIS BUNDLE.
Use Batik Fabrics to in Your Doll Clothes Sewing
This patriotic batik is a stunner. Each outfit will have a little different look with fabrics that change colors. These outfits are both made with the Backyard Bibs pattern.
Batiks are fun to sew with. You just don’t know what you will get until it’s done. Try it out today!!
Make your American Girl® doll a sweet jumper for Easter with the beginner level sewing pattern, the Easy Up! Jumper. With optional contrasting side pleats, this jumper can be worn frontwards or backwards and is pulled on over the doll’s feet. Make it reversible!! This sweet bunny jumper (fabric was from Walmart) was made with fold over elastic for the straps as a short cut. Add the quick to sew Playtime Peasant Top underneath for a super spring outfit for dolls! Available for 14 and 18 inch dolls, plus 15 inch Bitty Baby!
DIY Easter Dresses for 18 inch Dolls like American Girl®
Instructions for the faux placket are included in the pattern, however for this version, I used contrasting fabric so it’s sewn on the front before the jumper is constructed instead. Sew many options!! What will you make? Find more Easter inspiration in the Easter Inspiration Gallery or by clicking the photos below:
Oh Sew Kat! 