Sewing Clothes for Girls and Their Dolls

My grandmother was an amazing seamstress. One of my favorite memories is of her sitting at her Singer flip down, black sewing machine. She was frequently sewing something for me, or a cousin. My favorite thing that she made was doll clothes. Her clothes were the best that a doll could aspire to.

I wish that I would of inherited a little more of her talent. My sewing skills are not anywhere near her level, though I am working on improving. Being a grandmother now myself, I have longed to make some clothes as she did.

Recently, I bought my granddaughters both eighteen inch dolls. I am making matching outfits for the dolls, and their owners. It is actually not all that hard, and a lot of fun.

I found that there were many patterns available for clothes for eighteen inch dolls.  Here are a few choices you might want to consider. 

• Butterick 3329 is a wardrobe of clothing.  Included is an Ice Skating Outfit, Party Dress, Robe, Jacket, Top, Vest,  Backpack, Slippers, and Pajamas.
• Simplicity 7083 also is a diverse wardrobe of clothing.  jeans, Jacket, Jumper, Long sleeved blouse, Hoodie, more.
• There is a website called "Free Sewing Patterns".  Here you will find cute, free patterns.
• Books - Check Amazon, and Ebay.  Two books that I have been using are: "Two-Hour Doll Clothes", by Anita Louise Crane.  "All Dolled up"  by Joan Hinds.

I made T-Shirt dresses from the book "All Dolled Up".  These were not hard to make because they started with purchased T-Shirts.  The skirts had patchwork ruffles though, so that took some time.  For two girls and two dolls dresses, I purchased two different fabrics.  One had large polka dots, and the other small polka dots. I used both fabrics in both dresses.  One had mainly large dots, and the other mainly small dots.  I purchased a adult large T-shirt to use for material for both dolls shirts.  It was more than enough.  I will probably make leggings with the extra material.

The book explained how to sew the cotton skirts to the knit T-shirt material.  I gathered the top of the skirts in a loose hand stitch so that the waist diameter matched.  Then I sewed the skirt to the shirt with a zig-zag stitch, stretching the fabric as I sewed.

As my granddaughters get older, hopefully we will be able to work on some projects together.

Simple small sewing machines are available for kids.  There are also many projects that can be done with younger children using non-sewing techniques.  Fabric glue can be used for some simple seams, and knot tying can be used with fabrics like fleece.