Step it Up! Series: Make a Sleeveless Doll Top with the School Bell Blouse Pattern Hack

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.

Purchase the pattern here or on other sites where Oh Sew Kat! patterns are sold.

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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:

1.  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.
2. Serge or zig zag stitch the bottom edges of the lining front and back.
3. Create the neckline pleat as directed in the pattern.  Press.
4. 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.)
5. 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.)
6. 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.)
7. Pull it down, right sides, out and press arm hole if needed.
8. Hem and finish the back opening according to the pattern directions.

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View B:  Make a Sleeveless School Bell Blouse with Peplum Skirt

View B:  Peplum Top:

1.  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.
2. Serge or zig zag stitch the bottom edges of the lining front and back.
3. 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.)
4. 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.)
5. 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.)
6. Pull it down, right sides out, and press arm hole if needed.
7. 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.

VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! INSPIRATION GALLERY TO SEE MORE DOLL CLOTHES IDEAS.

Find more ideas for the School Bell Blouse pattern here and here.  What will your doll wear today?  Find the patterns at the links below.

School Bell Blouse Pattern for 18 inch Dolls (like American Girl®

School Bell Blouse Pattern for 14.5 inch Dolls (like Wellie Wishers™ and Glitter Girls)

School Bell Blouse Pattern for 16 inch Animators’ Dolls

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Step it Up! Series- 60s Dress for Melody Ellison- School Bell Blouse Dress.

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?

VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! HISTORICAL FASHIONS GALLERY TO SEE MORE IDEAS.

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.

VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! HISTORICAL FASHIONS GALLERY TO SEE MORE IDEAS.

FREE OH SEW KAT! SKIRT PATTERN FOR DOLLS (3 SIZES)

Step it Up! Series: School Bell Blouse Dress Pattern Hack 2- Valentine’s Day Dress for Blaire

Welcome back to Oh Sew Kat!  Your one stop shop for PDF sewing patterns for your dolls.  I’ve been playing around with my Valentine fabric…and came up with this super cute dress for the new Girl of the Year, Blaire Wilson, who just joined our family this week!

See more sewing pattern for 18 inch and other sized dolls in my Etsy Shop!

This cute dress was made using the School Bell Blouse pattern. Read more about the pattern HERE.

Make a sweet dress with the School Bell Blouse sewing pattern.

First, you will need the pattern.  Click the photo to purchase this pattern for 18 inch dolls, 14.5 inch dolls like Wellie Wishers™ and Glitter Girls®, and 16 inch Animators’ princess dolls.

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This dress is made from View B, or the School Bell Blouse with the peplum., shown in green on the right on the pattern cover.  You don’t even need to make very many changes to turn this cute top into a fun dress!  Click here to see another tutorial to make a dress using view A.  You can make so many different tops and dresses from just one pattern!

1.  Print out your pattern pieces.  Measure up one inch from the bottom of the bodice front and back, and cut on this new line.  This will make the bodice more of an empire waisted dress.  You can also leave this piece as is and keep the waistline at the natural waist.
2. Do not cut the peplum out.  Instead, cut a “skirt” piece that measures 7 x 36 inches.  Finish one long edge, and press up 3/8th inch. Stitch the hem in place.
3. Follow the pattern as directed, using your gathered skirt instead of the peplum piece when you come to that step.
4. Finish your dress with a pretty bow, or sparkly belt.  Use ribbon, fold over elastic or other fun trim.  I used some glitter trim I found at Hobby Lobby and added velcro to the ends like a belt, so I can use it with other outfits too!

Make a dress for your 18 inch doll with the School Bell Blouse sewing pattern.

VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! INSPIRATION GALLERY TO SEE MORE DOLL CLOTHES IDEAS.

There are lots of ways you can sew this one, simple pattern in order to create a look that is as unique as your doll is.  Find other ideas for the School Bell Blouse pattern here and here.

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This 18 inch doll dress is easy to sew with the step by step School Bell Blouse pattern.

Step it Up! Series- Make a Dress with the School Bell Blouse Pattern by Oh Sew Kat!

Welcome back to Oh Sew Kat! Designs- where you can find an endless stream of ideas of new ways to sew the PDF sewing patterns for dolls I offer.  Today’s post will show you a simple pattern hack of the School Bell Blouse.  See how easy it is to take the School Bell Blouse pattern, and make a super sweet dress for your doll.

Make a cute doll dress with the School Bell Blouse Sewing Pattern.

This pattern is currently available sized for three dolls:  18 inch Dolls like American Girl® dolls, 14.5 inch dolls like Wellie Wishers™ and Glitter Girls™, as well as the 16 inch adorable Animators’ Dolls made by Disney®.

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The pattern looks like this and you can find it where Oh Sew Kat! patterns are sold.  This post will show you how to make a dress from View A, the pleated front top (shown in pink on the cover.) Check back soon to see more fun variations with this fun pattern!

Use this easy tutorial to turn your School Bell Blouse into a School Bell Dress for Dolls.

1.  To begin, cut out all of your pattern pieces.  I made my dresses from View A, the pleated front version.  Tape each front piece and back piece near the top a new sheet of paper.  You will be extending these pieces at the hem by three inches for 18 inch dolls and 1 1/2 inches for 14.5 inch dolls.  Measure from the two hem corners, and also in the middle, to create a new hem line parallel to the bottom of the pattern piece.

2. At the corner where the side seams will meet, measure out 1/2 inch to the side (less for smaller dolls if you even need any at all).  Draw a line from this point, back up to the armhole to give the dress a little bit more flare in the side seams at the hem. Do the same for the back piece.  Cut out your new pieces.

3.  You will need to cut a front and 2 backs from view b (peplum top).  These will be the lining for your dress. You do not need the facing piece.  Serge or zigzag the bottom of each lining piece.

3.  Now simply follow the pattern as directed to make your doll dress!  I like to decorate the neckline of my blouses and dresses with crystals (found in the bead or scrapbooking section of craft stores) for some extra sparkle.

You can make it sleeveless too!!  Follow the same steps as seen in THIS TUTORIAL.

Easy pattern hack to make a blouse pattern into a dress for dolls.

Or give it a retro feel for BeForever characters Melody or Julie.

Try this pattern hack to take a pattern for a top, and make it into a cute dress!  See more ideas for the School Bell Blouse pattern here and here.

VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! INSPIRATION GALLERY TO SEE MORE DOLL CLOTHES IDEAS.

OH SEW KAT! FREE SKIRT PATTERN FOR DOLLS (3 SIZES)

New Wellie Wishers Sewing Pattern! School Bell Blouse for 14 inch Dolls

Now available on Etsy and Pixie Faire- the perfect cotton top / blouse sewing pattern for your 14 inch dolls.  Now available:  School Bell Blouse for 14 inch dolls.

New Sewing Pattern for 14.5 inch Dolls like Wellie Wishers.

This pattern is easy to sew and offers two fun styles!  One has a pretty pleat at the neckline, and the other has a fun peplum skirt.  Both styles have long sleeves, with a pretty pleat above the wrist to give a “bell flare” to the sleeve hem.

Make a blouse for your 14.5 inch doll with this easy School Bell Blouse sewing pattern.

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New easy sewing pattern for Wellie Wishers and Glitter Girls Dolls.

VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! INSPIRATION GALLERY TO SEE MORE DOLL CLOTHES IDEAS.

Find the pattern HERE.  It is also available for 18 inch dolls HERE and Disney Animators Dolls HERE.  Find more ideas for this pattern here and here.

Make a sleeveless version with THIS tutorial or make it as a dress like THIS.

The School Bell Blouse will fit your Wellie Wishers, Glitter Girls, or Style Girls 14 or 14.5 inch dolls.

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Back to School Sewing Patterns – School Bell Blouse

It’s so hard to believe it’s already August!! For most of us, that means back to school time! I’ve always loved the feel of back to school shopping- and who doesn’t love those aisles and aisles of school supplies that pop up in every store this time of year?  Be still my heart!

Your dolls will be ready for a great year with a few new outfits too!  Check back often to see more ideas for Back to School doll fashions that you can make yourself!

Today’s feature is the School Bell Blouse.  This pattern features two versions of a short top with long sleeves.  Pretty pleats on the sleeve give you a cute spot for a bow or button accent.  With or without the peplum, this trendy blouse is fun to make and cute for your doll to wear!

The quick and easy Sixth Grade Skirt is the perfect skirt to complete the outfit. 

School Bell Blouse by OhSewKat

Find the pattern for 18 inch dolls HERE and for 16 inch dolls HERE.  Coming soon for Wellie Wishers 😉

See more School Bell Blouse ideas in the Pattern Inspiration Gallery.

Sixth Grade Skirt- An easy skirt sewing pattern for dolls

The Sixth Grade Skirt was the pattern that started it all!  I had just finished a pattern making class, and a few friends and I were all working together to publish our first patterns.  We worked together and tested each others’ work, challenging ourselves to publish our first patterns! We all did it!  And the Sixth Grade Skirt was mine.

Because it was my first pattern, the learning curve was pretty steep. Who knew there was so much work in a pattern? I chose a simple design that my (at the time) 12 year old daughter could easily sew.  Thank you to all of you that have purchased this (and any that have come since!) pattern!

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The Sixth Grade Skirt is a simple skirt to sew.  From cutting to finishing, you can easily complete it in under an hour.  With the overlap in back, it’s easy to fit for different sized dolls.  You can make it for summer, or winter, or anything in between!

Add pockets to your skirt with this easy tutorial!

Choose shiny fabrics and pretty trim to put in between the seams.  Here is the Sixth Grade Skirt for Hearts for Hearts Dolls.

Make an easy skirt for your Hearts for Hearts Dolls.

This rainbow skirt was fun to make and is perfect for a hot summer day.  I turned my fabric when I cut the center panel for interest.

VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! INSPIRATION GALLERY TO SEE MORE DOLL CLOTHES IDEAS.

Maryellen is ready for the holidays in her red, corduroy Sixth Grade Skirt.  A perfect fall skirt to take your doll right into the holidays and on to Valentine’s Day!

This pink skirt was made with simple, pink cotton.  It easily works in summer and winter. Because dolls don’t get cold 😉

Make an easy skirt for your 18 inch dolls.

School Bell Blouse and Sixth Grade Skirt by Oh Sew Kat!

Make an easy skirt for your Animators’ Dolls.

Rapunzel’s summery outfit was stitched by Jaci of JGooseandCO.  Mixing and matching prints make a perfect play outfit for Disney animator dolls.

Find the patterns here to stitch up your version today!  You can find all the sizes in my ETSY SHOP.  These patterns are also available on Pixie Faire, and You Can Make This.

Sixth Grade Skirt for 18 inch dolls

Sixth Grade Skirt for Animators

Sixth Grade Skirt for Bitty Baby

Sixth Grade Skirt for Wellie Wishers

Sixth Grade Skirt for Hearts for Hearts

Make an easy skirt for your Wellie Wishers Dolls.

Shirley of Doll Clothes by Shirley used the Sixth Grade Skirt with pretty embroidery and fold over elastic as the trim for her Wellie Wisher outfit.

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VISIT THE OH SEW KAT! INSPIRATION GALLERY TO SEE MORE DOLL CLOTHES IDEAS.

Back to School Doll Clothes for Animator Dolls: School Bell Blouse by Oh Sew Kat!

Are your princess dolls ready to go back to school?  Stitch up a cute School Bell Blouse (also available for 18 inch dolls like American Girl).

Make it with a peplum, or a sweet, pleated neckline.  Pair your School Bell Blouse with the Playground Pants, Sandbox Shorts, or Sixth Grade Skirt patterns for a perfect fall outfit!

Make it a GREAT day!

~Kat

Style It Up! Color Combo to Try: Blue and Pink

It’s time to Style it Up! Open up your doll’s closet and dress her in a fresh, new color combination! Getting ready to sew? Try putting these fun colors together, either as complete items, or bright accents.

Dress your dolls in dreamy pinks and blues to move from a balmy spring to a sizzling summer!

Bright blue and hot pink make me think of the the tropics.  A bright combination in any pattern, your dolls will shine in these colors. I used one batik print as my focal point for these outfits.  (Grace is wearing a School Bell Blouse with the easy Sixth Grade Skirt.  Lanie has a Popsicle Top paired with Sandbox Shorts).  I love the added sparkles a few crystals can give!

How about just a splash of color?

You can even take each shade a little lighter!

Here the Boardwalk Boutique for Animators gives the princess dolls a soft and feminine look for spring and summer.

Find all the patterns for these outfits and  much more in my Etsy Shop and at http://www.youcanmakethis.com and on Pixie Faire.

What will your doll wear when you Style it Up?

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Today, Sunday Dec 20th, 2015, save 20% on all pattern downloads!

Here’s a quick link to my pattern listings…but be sure to shop around. There’s so much you can make!  😉

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