Sew a Halloween Costume for Your American Girl Doll

What is more fun than dressing dolls up in adorable Halloween costumes that you make yourself?  Here are a few ideas of costumes that your American Girl dolls would love to wear.  All of these patterns are also available in other doll sizes in my Etsy Shop.

Do you want to be a snowman?  Use the Jumping Jack pattern to make a super cute, snowman outfit that the pieces can be used for other outfits too, since it’s a shirt, shorts, and an open sided apron style jumper.  I found the hat at Michael’s craft store in the fall. (Maybe it’s a pilgrim hat?)

How about a cute cowgirl?  This outfit was made using the Playtime Peasant Top and the free skirt pattern:  Four Season Skirt.  The hat came from American Girl as part of Nicki Fleming’s Girl of the Year collection in 2004.

Sew a sweet Cinderella dress!! She’s so cute even before she gets to the ball.  These were both sewn with the Sugar n Spice dress pattern, the top photo is by Sophie P. and I sewed the one below it.

Find the head scarf tutorial for 18 inch dolls HERE.

This darling angel costume was also sewn using the Sugar n Spice pattern.  The wings were found at the craft store.  I made a white dress, a white overskirt, and put a decorated corset over the top for this angelic costume.

See more Halloween inspired sewing ideas here and here, and be sure to check out the Inspiration Gallery as well.

 

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Sew a Halloween Costume for Your Wellie Wishers Dolls

What is more fun than dressing dolls up in adorable Halloween costumes that you make yourself?  Here are a few ideas of costumes that your Wellie Wishers would love to wear.  All of these patterns are also available in other doll sizes in my Etsy Shop.

Today’s costume theme is the color BLUE!!

Use the Popsicle Top and Sixth Grade Skirt patterns to make a sweet Elsa inspired costume.  The full tutorial for the skirt is HERE.

Julie H. of Sew Dolled Up 81 made this beautiful ice princess outfit with the Sugar n Spice pattern.   It’s amazing how some fancy fabrics can completely change the look of a simple dress pattern.

And finally, Jaci G.  of JGooseandCo made this beautiful Alice in Wonderland outfit for her Hearts for Hearts doll with the Sugar n Spice pattern with included bonus apron.

See more Halloween costume ideas here and here, and be sure to check out the Inspiration Gallery as well.

 

Gingham Peasant Dress Outfit Tutorial for Julie Albright- A BeForever Pattern Hack!

I’m really enjoying sewing for Julie Albright, the BeForever character from 1974.  I think I’m attracted to her collection because I was seven years old in 1974 and I had very similar things- like her purple coat (mine was blue) and the sneaker skates (mine were bright yellow with orange stripes).

When I saw THIS PIN, I just knew that this peasant style outfit would be easy to recreate with Oh Sew Kat! patterns.

Click here to see other outfits I’ve sewn for Julie.

The top is simply the Playtime Peasant Top, sewn in white with long sleeves.  For the skirt, I used the overskirt that comes in the Sugar n Spice and Everything Nice bundle.  I cut the gingham fabric skirt longer by 4 1/2 inches, but didn’t make any other changes.  Add a little lace at the bottom, and ta da! A perfect, pretty bell skirt! Add a red or gingham ribbon to complete the look.  This outfit will be perfect for the Christmas holidays!

Find the patterns HERE.  Find more fashions for Julie (all made with Oh Sew Kat! patterns!) here and here.

 

 

 

Step it Up! Series: Make a 50s Style Sunshine Overskirt Dress for Maryellen Larkin- A BeForever Doll Pattern Hack!

These outfits came about completely by accident.  They don’t even need a tutorial or pattern hack. I simply used pieces from two different patterns together to make a new outfit.

I was making a doll skirt from my Everything Nice pattern. (The Everything Nice pattern is the accessory pattern that is sold bundled with the Sugar n Spice dress.) . It is a quick little skirt, attached to the waistband, with an open back. It was designed to give “dress up options” to the princess themed Sugar n Spice Dress.  In order to check my hook and loop tape placement, I grabbed the closest doll.  It was Melody, and she was wearing a Sunshine Dress I made for THIS post.  The dress seemed tight enough for my test, so I did not remove it.  As I stood back to check the skirt fit, I realized that by simply using two of my own patterns, I could create a similar look to Melody’s fancy dress or the popular overskirt fashions of the late 50s and early 60s.

I went right to Pinterest for some inspiration and found this pin,  and also this pin, and this pin.

Next I went to my fabric stash- and found some navy fabric to match one Sunshine Dress I’d already made…and chose some creamy, dreamy roses fabric for the other one.

This dress is the Sunshine Dress sewn with the princess seams option.  The Everything Nice overskirt fits perfectly over it- open it in the front or in the back!  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!  Find the Sunshine Dress HERE.

 

What other patterns can be used together to provide more value for your time sewing and money spent?  Share in the comments below.  Make a 50s or 60s inspired dress for your dolls today by checking out these other pattern hacks here and here!

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.

A few Easter Dresses for your Dolls

Here are some more pretty Easter dresses to inspire your sewing as we get ready to leave March behind and head right into April and spring!! Soft pastels and bunnies are in season!

These dresses were made using the Sugar n Spice pattern. Find it in three sizes on Pixie Faire, Etsy, You Can Make This, and also Craftsy.

I used THIS TUTORIAL to make the plackets on the bodices before I attached it to the lining. For both dresses, I moved the fold line over 3/4th inch and added trim before I topstitched it down.  Try ric rac, lace trim, or piping.  Do not add anything to the bodice lining piece.  I suggest that if your bodice with the placket seewn doesn’t match the lining exactly, simply trimb it to fit. (The lining is the true bodice size.)

Find the Sugar n Spice pattern here.  The pink ruffled trim is Strawberry Slush ruffle elastic trim from Stampin’ Up! It’s not attached to Emily’s waist, I just added it on top like a belt and couldn’t really decide which way I liked it better, flipped up or down.  It was the perfect color!!

This bunny face print is just so much fun!!  I wanted to bring out the black face accents, so I chose a black gingham to accent it.  I love black and white with pops of color!

I had a few different fat quarters that a friend picked up as a surprise for me at Walmart and it was fun to mix and match the prints.  My girls are ready for Easter.  Are yours?

 

Sugar n Spice Dress for Wellie Wishers and Hearts for Hearts (available as dress only, or bundle file)

Sugar n Spice for 16 inch dolls like Disney Animators

Sugar n Spice for 18 inch dolls like Our Generation and American Girl dolls

See more ideas to use your Sugar N Spice/Everything Nice pattern HERE!!

 

Easter Dresses for your Dolls

Wow, is it me or does it feel like Easter is early this year? I was happily sewing shamrocks and then I looked at the calendar! Yep, Easter is in just two weeks!! If we blink, we just might miss it.  I wanted to share a little Easter inspiration if you are looking for something to fill a special someone’s Easter basket.

These dresses were made using the Sugar n Spice pattern. It’s available in three sizes (so far!) on Pixie Faire, Etsy, You Can Make This, and also Craftsy.

Each season you can use the same dress- just add a different overskirt!! Isn’t this Henry Glass fabric just perfect for dolls?  Here I used the green and yellow dresses. But click HERE to see the Valentine version over a white dress.

 

Choose a few solid colors and stitch up the Sugar N Spice dress.  Use your specialty fabric for a cute overskirt- a skirt and waistband…so quick and easy! Don’t forget the rest of the accessories included in the Everything Nice pattern or the Bundle (18 inch size).

Here’s the green dress again! With this pattern, I use the same dress over and over.  😉

 

Sugar n Spice Dress for Wellie Wishers and Hearts for Hearts (available as dress only, or bundle file)

Sugar n Spice for 16 inch dolls like Disney Animators

Sugar n Spice for 18 inch dolls like Our Generation and American Girl dolls

See more ideas to use your Sugar N Spice/Everything Nice pattern HERE!!

 

Sugar n Spice & Everything Nice for St Patrick’s Day

This spring I stitched up a donation for a local church’s St Brigid’s Day celebration.  I chose the Party Time Peasant Dress and made one with short and one with long sleeves. This is my go- to dress for quick, easy and cute!

I wanted to make a single outfit, with a St Patrick’s Day theme, that could also be used for other seasons for extra doll play.   I loved how these came out!

Once the under dress was done, I wanted to make a shamrock themed “overdress” to go with it.  I turned to the Sugar n Spice Dress, and decided to modify the pinafore to get the look of a vest.

I printed a new Sugar n Spice bodice, and on the back, I cut a low, scooped neckline.  I put it together following the pattern, and attached the skirt moving the skirt edges in about an inch on each side of the bodice, so the polka dot party dress could be seen underneath.  I added a few AD: kam snaps and it was done!  I think the overdress could also be worn reversed as well.  I don’t know which sleeves I liked better.  🙂

See more dresses in the INSPIRATION Gallery and purchase your copy of the pattern here.  Are your dolls ready for St Patrick’s Day jigging?

 

Valentine’s Day Dress for Dolls

Sugar n Spice and Everything Nice!

I found this rectangle of “beary” cute fabric on my sewing table, cut off of another project.  It was the perfect size to hem up, gather, and add a ribbon waistband to in order to make a simple, Valentine apron.  Riley is wearing it over the white Sugar n Spice dress I made last year. (Take some advice from me.  🙂  Spend a weekend and make a few Sugar N Spice dresses in three or four solid colors.  You’ll find you have the perfect dress to add just a little (and quick!) holiday accent to when the time comes just like I did here.  You can see the same white dress as an angel for Halloween HERE and under the black checks/bunny dress HERE.)

Find the Sugar n Spice and Everything Nice Pattern for 18 inch Dolls like American Girl®

Find the Sugar n Spice and Everything Nice Pattern for 14.5 inch Dolls like Wellie Wishers™

Find the Sugar n Spice and Everything Nice Pattern for 16 inch Animators’ Dolls.

 

Sewing Doll Clothes: Sew Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

Sew something pink this month for breast cancer awareness!  Everyone knows someone who has fought this battle.

The Popsicle Top Sewing Pattern and many other sewing patterns for doll that are 14-18 inches in my shop on on Etsy, Pixie Faire, YouCanMakeThis, and Craftsy.  The Four Season Skirt pattern is FREE here.