American Girl Doll Paper Bag Skirt and One Strap Bodysuit Tutorial AG021

I found different Paper Bag Skirt patterns on Pinterest.  With a combo of a few, I came up with this pattern.

Newberry is SEARS brand of the 18” doll.  Zoe is one of their Holiday Edition Dolls for 2014 and has come to live with us.  The AG doll clothes fit her just fine.

Paper Bag Skirt

Cut your fabric 7.5” in height and 20” in width.  Chalk mark the hem at 1/2 inch.  Chalk mark the top part of the skirt at 1- 1/4 inch.  Make sure that after folding and pressing, the skirt will be at least 5 to 5.5 inches in height.  Serge all raw edges to clean finish.  Press on chalk lines.

Sew the top or waist on the serged seam.

Sew again at ½ inch from the fold for a casing for the elastic and set aside.

Cut fabric 6 inch long by 1-1/4 inches wide for belt loops.  Serge one long edge (not necessary if using a selvage edge).

 Fold into thirds with the selvage edge or serged edge on top.

Sew a straight stitch on both sides about 1/8 inch from the edge.

Cut three strips measuring about 1.75 inch each.

Find the center of your fabric and mark with a pin.  Measure about 2 inches away from the center on both sides. That is where you will sew the belt loops.

Lay the right side of the belt loops on the right side of the skirt below the casing and stitch.

Fold belt loops up above the casing and stitch.

Feed 10” of ½” elastic through the casing with a safety pin on both ends of the elastic to prevent pulling it through.  Secure elastic.

With wrong sides together, sew the back seam with a 1/4 inch allowance.  Add a ‘back’ tag.

Sew the last belt loop at the center back seam.  Hem the skirt.

To make a tie belt, cut a strip of fabric 26” long by 1.5” wide.   Serge the short ends to clean finish.  With wrong sides together, sew the long sides at 1/4 inch allowance. Turn to the right side and tie a knot at the short ends.

Tack the belt at the back of the skirt with a couple of stitches.

You can also use matching or coordinating ribbon if you wish.

Bodysuit can be worn with other outfits if you desire.

One Strap Bodysuit

Wanted to give funthreads Dance Body Suit a try.  I had to alter the pattern as it would not fit Isabelle.  You can see my alterations in green on her original pattern.

Cut out 1 piece for the front and 1 piece for the back.  Cut 2 lining pieces.  I am using ‘cotton’ type fabric, not a knit.
Place one outer fabric and one lining fabric together with right sides together. Make the edges even and pin.   Sew the upper arm openings and shoulder strap using a ¼” seam.  Sew the leg openings.  Repeat this step for the second set of fabric. They will be opposites like the photo.  Carefully clip a small triangle off the corners.  Do not cut your stitches.  Pink or serge to clean finish the edges.

Turn right side out and press neatly.  Topstitch the front and back.

NOTE:  I caught a piece of soft sided Velcro to the wrong side of the front shoulder strap and one to the right side of the back shoulder strap at the time I was doing the topstitching.

Place the front and back together with right sides together. Make the edges even and pin.  Sew the side edges using a 1/4 inch seam.  Sew the crotch using a 1/4 inch seam.  Pink or serge to clean finish the edges.

Press.  Very quick and easy to make!

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