AG038 18" Doll Santa Cape Tutorial

Grace is going to help me make this cape following Old Days Old Ways instructions called ‘Doll Cape--from Santa Hat’ from her December 22, 2009 Blog.

Open the seam of the purchased Santa Hat, remove the fur from the bottom and if it has a pompom, remove it.

Follow Old Days Old Ways instructions to make the darts.

Once I pinned the darts at the shoulders, I traced the fabric on to paper for a pattern as I wanted to make more capes than one.

Lay the pattern on to the hat as close to the bottom as possible.

To make the hat from the left over piece, measure 4” at the top and 5” at the bottom. Cut and set aside.

Turn center front seams of the cape to wrong side using 3/8” seams.  Create a tuck at one end of a 14” length of 7/8” wide ribbon.  Pin the ribbon under the 3/8” seam about ¼” from the top.  Topstitch down the center front seam.  Repeat for the other side.

Sew the fur to the bottom of the cape.  Clip and serge to clean finish.

Sew the darts at the shoulders and trim to about ¼”.  Set aside.

Sew center back seam of the hood.  Put it on the dolls head.

As you can see, the hood does not come to the front of the dolls head so, pin the fur so the fur is at the front of the dolls head.

Sew at the back of the fur only.  It looks a little strange from the inside.

Sew another seam close to the first one then trim close to the seam.

Pin hood to cape with right sides together, being careful not to catch the ribbon.

Sew, clip the curves and serge to clean finish.  Bring the ribbon to the front and tack.

If you would like one, click "Like" on my American Girl Doll Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more American Girl doll tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my AG posts!

Please leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed this!

Grace is going to help me make this cape following Old Days Old Ways instructions called ‘Doll Cape--from Santa Hat’ from her December 22, 2009 Blog.

Open the seam of the purchased Santa Hat, remove the fur from the bottom and if it has a pompom, remove it.

Follow Old Days Old Ways instructions to make the darts.

Once I pinned the darts at the shoulders, I traced the fabric on to paper for a pattern as I wanted to make more capes than one.

Lay the pattern on to the hat as close to the bottom as possible.

To make the hat from the left over piece, measure 4” at the top and 5” at the bottom. Cut and set aside.

Turn center front seams of the cape to wrong side using 3/8” seams.  Create a tuck at one end of a 14” length of 7/8” wide ribbon.  Pin the ribbon under the 3/8” seam about ¼” from the top.  Topstitch down the center front seam.  Repeat for the other side.

Sew the fur to the bottom of the cape.  Clip and serge to clean finish.

Sew the darts at the shoulders and trim to about ¼”.  Set aside.

Sew center back seam of the hood.  Put it on the dolls head.

As you can see, the hood does not come to the front of the dolls head so, pin the fur so the fur is at the front of the dolls head.

Sew at the back of the fur only.  It looks a little strange from the inside.

Sew another seam close to the first one then trim close to the seam.

Pin hood to cape with right sides together, being careful not to catch the ribbon.

Sew, clip the curves and serge to clean finish.  Bring the ribbon to the front and tack.

If you would like one, click "Like" on my American Girl Doll Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more American Girl doll tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my AG posts!

Please leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed this!

AG034 18" Doll Halloween Costume Tutorial

I used the Pumpkin and hat pattern from Joan Hinds book, Doll Costume Dress Up that I received as a gift from my sister.  I did do some changes of course.  I cut one front and two backs from orange broadcloth then I cut myself a partial lining for the front and back.

Sew shoulder seams.  Repeat for lining.  Place lining to main with right sides together. Sew around neck and armholes. Pink or clip.

 

Pull the backs to the front through the shoulders.  Press.  Set aside.

Trace face onto fusible web.  Adhere to black fabric.  Place face pieces to pumpkin front and press in place.  Straight stitch around each piece.

Open lining and sew side seams.  Serge to clean finish bottom of lining, center back seams and hem.

 

Topstitch around neck and armholes.  Hem bottom at ¼”.

 

Insert 11” of 1/8” elastic through hem.  Sew center back seam closed about 3.5” from hem.  Add Velcro.

 

I followed Joan Hinds pattern for the cap.  I didn’t have a pipe cleaner to use as part of the leaf/stem so I just sewed two leaves at the center top.

 

I used the free pattern from TheScientific Seamstress Blog (called Tee Time from her February 7, 2011 post) for the top.  I love how she has hemmed everything before she cuts it out!  Very clever!

 

My fabric is a fairly firm knit so I was unable to stretch the sleeve in place so I eased it the Nancy Zieman Sleeve Easing Techniqueway.

Stitch inside the seam allowance.  Use a regular length stitch, start sewing about 1” from the end of your sleeve. Keep your index finger pressed against the back of the presser foot, catching the fabric you've just sewn and forcing it against the presser foot.

 

Hold tightly, causing the fabric to bunch up. Keep holding and stitching, until there's so much fabric it spills over your finger.

 

Release, and continue stitching and "bunching" until you're 1" from the other end of the sleeve cap.

 

This process eases in the excess length of the sleeve cap without any nasty little pleats.

Now, fit the sleeve into the armhole. The sleeve may even be a little too small. If so, just stretch it to fit.

As you can see, without even pressing, the sleeve fits perfect!

 

I cut the collar 1.75” x 11”, stretched as I sewed in place then cut off the excess.

I used the same pattern as the scrubs in AG013 since it is my favorite pants pattern (just type ‘scrubs’ in the search box at the top left corner of my blog to find it).

 

If you would like one, click "Like" on my American Girl Doll Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more American Girl doll tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my AG posts!

Please leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed this!

I used the Pumpkin and hat pattern from Joan Hinds book, Doll Costume Dress Up that I received as a gift from my sister.  I did do some changes of course.  I cut one front and two backs from orange broadcloth then I cut myself a partial lining for the front and back.

Sew shoulder seams.  Repeat for lining.  Place lining to main with right sides together. Sew around neck and armholes. Pink or clip.

 

Pull the backs to the front through the shoulders.  Press.  Set aside.

Trace face onto fusible web.  Adhere to black fabric.  Place face pieces to pumpkin front and press in place.  Straight stitch around each piece.

Open lining and sew side seams.  Serge to clean finish bottom of lining, center back seams and hem.

 

Topstitch around neck and armholes.  Hem bottom at ¼”.

 

Insert 11” of 1/8” elastic through hem.  Sew center back seam closed about 3.5” from hem.  Add Velcro.

 

I followed Joan Hinds pattern for the cap.  I didn’t have a pipe cleaner to use as part of the leaf/stem so I just sewed two leaves at the center top.

 

I used the free pattern from TheScientific Seamstress Blog (called Tee Time from her February 7, 2011 post) for the top.  I love how she has hemmed everything before she cuts it out!  Very clever!

 

My fabric is a fairly firm knit so I was unable to stretch the sleeve in place so I eased it the Nancy Zieman Sleeve Easing Techniqueway.

Stitch inside the seam allowance.  Use a regular length stitch, start sewing about 1” from the end of your sleeve. Keep your index finger pressed against the back of the presser foot, catching the fabric you've just sewn and forcing it against the presser foot.

 

Hold tightly, causing the fabric to bunch up. Keep holding and stitching, until there's so much fabric it spills over your finger.

 

Release, and continue stitching and "bunching" until you're 1" from the other end of the sleeve cap.

 

This process eases in the excess length of the sleeve cap without any nasty little pleats.

Now, fit the sleeve into the armhole. The sleeve may even be a little too small. If so, just stretch it to fit.

As you can see, without even pressing, the sleeve fits perfect!

 

I cut the collar 1.75” x 11”, stretched as I sewed in place then cut off the excess.

I used the same pattern as the scrubs in AG013 since it is my favorite pants pattern (just type ‘scrubs’ in the search box at the top left corner of my blog to find it).

 

If you would like one, click "Like" on my American Girl Doll Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more American Girl doll tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my AG posts!

Please leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed this!

AG022 18" Doll Long Peasant Top and Leggings Tutorial

I started out using the Tunic /Dress pattern by WrenFeathers (Posted on her May 3, 2013 blog).  I made some alterations as the pictures show.

 

I have wrote out the instructions without using pictures.  My AG017 post has the picture tutorial so you can follow then follow the elastic waist instructions below.

Chalk mark hems for bottom and top of sleeves at ½”.

Chalk mark bottom hems at 1/4”.

Chalk mark tops of blouse at ½”.

Sew sleeves to front and back.

Pink seams to finish edges.

Serge neck opening, bottom of sleeves and back opening to clean finish.

Topstitch neck at ½”.

Hem sleeve at ½”.

Cut 11” of ¼” elastic and thread through the neck casing.

Cut two pieces of ¼” elastic each 4.5” long and thread through each sleeve.

Sew side seams.  Pink seams to finish edges.

Serge hem.

Add a bow at the neck.

 

Cut a piece of double fold bias tape 17” long for casing at the waist.

Start sewing bias casing at 2” from the bottom edge.

 

Cut 12” of ¼” elastic and feed it through the casing.  Stitch to secure both ends of the elastic.  Sew center back seam 3.5” from bottom edge with ½” seam then hem bottom.

Add Velcro and bartack.

The Tutorial for the Leggings can be found on my AG009post.

 

If you would like one, click "Like" on my American Girl Doll Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more American Girl doll tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my AG posts!

I started out using the Tunic /Dress pattern by WrenFeathers (Posted on her May 3, 2013 blog).  I made some alterations as the pictures show.

 

I have wrote out the instructions without using pictures.  My AG017 post has the picture tutorial so you can follow then follow the elastic waist instructions below.

Chalk mark hems for bottom and top of sleeves at ½”.

Chalk mark bottom hems at 1/4”.

Chalk mark tops of blouse at ½”.

Sew sleeves to front and back.

Pink seams to finish edges.

Serge neck opening, bottom of sleeves and back opening to clean finish.

Topstitch neck at ½”.

Hem sleeve at ½”.

Cut 11” of ¼” elastic and thread through the neck casing.

Cut two pieces of ¼” elastic each 4.5” long and thread through each sleeve.

Sew side seams.  Pink seams to finish edges.

Serge hem.

Add a bow at the neck.

 

Cut a piece of double fold bias tape 17” long for casing at the waist.

Start sewing bias casing at 2” from the bottom edge.

 

Cut 12” of ¼” elastic and feed it through the casing.  Stitch to secure both ends of the elastic.  Sew center back seam 3.5” from bottom edge with ½” seam then hem bottom.

Add Velcro and bartack.

The Tutorial for the Leggings can be found on my AG009post.

 

If you would like one, click "Like" on my American Girl Doll Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more American Girl doll tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my AG posts!