American Girl Doll Mock Smocked Top and Jean Shorts Tutorial AG007

I am really enjoying Wren Feathers site!  That is where I got the pattern for this top.  I did do a few changes to her instructions. 

American Girl Doll Mock Smocked Top AG007

I cut my fabric 5.5” x 20”.  Serged all four sides.  Pressed under ½” on all four sides.  Chalk marked the long sides into 4ths.

From the wrong side, run three parallel rows of gathering stitches starting one quarter of an inch from the hem that will form the top edge of your dress.  I spaced my rows the width of my presser foot – maybe about 3/8” apart.  I like to gather Nancy Zieman’s way; Position the fabric under the presser foot, placing the needle ¼” from the edge.  Turn the hand wheel by hand to take one complete stitch in the fabric.  Gently pull the top thread and draw up the loop that appears, bringing the bobbin thread to the top of the fabric.

Grasp both top and bobbin threads.  Pull the threads so they measure as long as the area to be gathered.

Twist the two threads together and position them under the presser foot.  Zigzag over the twisted threads – make sure not to sew through the threads.  Stop stitching ¼” from edge.  Gently pull the twisted threads to gather.  Because the threads are anchored in the first stitch, they will not pull out of the fabric.

I found this package of trim in my mother in laws sewing machine - she has been gone for 25 years this December.  A little difference in price to what we pay now eh?  I cut 3 strips of this trim at 13” long, divided it into 4ths, matched these marks to the blouse and sewed over my gathers.

I made straps instead of ties.

American Girl Doll Jean Shorts Tutorial AG007

I used Sew Adollable’s free pattern for these shorts.  I did add one inch on to the fold and 3/8” to the top of the pattern so that it fit Isabelle.  I chose to cut a full pattern rather than one in half.

I drew a fake fly and pocket placements on my pattern then transferred it to cardstock.

I traced around that with a chalk pencil.  Remember to flip the cardstock pattern over to trace the other pocket only.

Topstitch the chalked lines.

Sew center front seam.  Press and topstitch waist casing and hems. Add bar tacks.

Insert 9” of ¼” elastic.  Stitch in the ditch at the center front to keep the elastic from twisting.

Sew center back seam!