AG045 18” Doll Jean Skirt and Heart Pop Top Tutorial

Jean Skirt

Once you have made a jean skirt using the hem of the jeans as I did in AG026, you can continue making skirts as there is a lot of leg left on the jeans.  Cut 5-1/2” from bottom of leg. 

Refold the leg with the top stitched seam placed on the fold.  Measure about 7” from the fold and cut – I don’t find the skirts look quite as cute if they are much wider than that. 

Serge each center back seam and across the hem to clean finish.  Press hem up at ½”. 

Cut ½” wide elastic at 9” long.  Place center of elastic to center of waist on the wrong side.  Zig zag across top and bottom of elastic, stretching to fit. 

Serge top of waist to clean finish. 

Sew center back seam.  Topstitch the hem over the elastic at center back seam. 

Heart Applique Pop Top

I came across this shrug by daydreamdollboutique.  It was exactly what I was looking for!  She made hers from felt but I wanted to use fabric plus I wanted the opening at the back.  So I made some minor adjustments and came up with exactly what I wanted. I put notches at the shoulder seams as it can be difficult to figure out top and bottom! Here is my pattern: 

I punched a heart from cardstock using my Stampin’ Up punch then traced it on to the fabric. 

I pressed a crease down the center front for a guide for my heart placement.  Baste heart in place then zig zag around it.  I used my sewing machine to sew on the buttons. 

Serge the shoulder seams together.

Cut a piece of knit 1-1/2” wide by at least 9” long.  Apply to neck opening stretching as you sew.  Trim excess.

Serge the center back seams with a couple of inches of interfacing reinforcement for Velcro placement.

Serge and press under sleeve hems about ¼”.  Topstitch.

Sew side seams.  Clip curves.

Serge across hem, press under 1/4” and topstitch.  Add Velcro. 

Here is Jenna, my Maplelea doll wearing the same outfit.

If you would like to order this outfit, click "Like" on my 18” Doll Clothes Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more 18” doll clothes tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my posts!  These outfits fit any 18” doll such as the American Girl, Maplelea, Newberry (from Sears), My Life etc.

Would love to read your comments below!

Jean Skirt

Once you have made a jean skirt using the hem of the jeans as I did in AG026, you can continue making skirts as there is a lot of leg left on the jeans.  Cut 5-1/2” from bottom of leg. 

Refold the leg with the top stitched seam placed on the fold.  Measure about 7” from the fold and cut – I don’t find the skirts look quite as cute if they are much wider than that. 

Serge each center back seam and across the hem to clean finish.  Press hem up at ½”. 

Cut ½” wide elastic at 9” long.  Place center of elastic to center of waist on the wrong side.  Zig zag across top and bottom of elastic, stretching to fit. 

Serge top of waist to clean finish. 

Sew center back seam.  Topstitch the hem over the elastic at center back seam. 

Heart Applique Pop Top

I came across this shrug by daydreamdollboutique.  It was exactly what I was looking for!  She made hers from felt but I wanted to use fabric plus I wanted the opening at the back.  So I made some minor adjustments and came up with exactly what I wanted. I put notches at the shoulder seams as it can be difficult to figure out top and bottom! Here is my pattern: 

I punched a heart from cardstock using my Stampin’ Up punch then traced it on to the fabric. 

I pressed a crease down the center front for a guide for my heart placement.  Baste heart in place then zig zag around it.  I used my sewing machine to sew on the buttons. 

Serge the shoulder seams together.

Cut a piece of knit 1-1/2” wide by at least 9” long.  Apply to neck opening stretching as you sew.  Trim excess.

Serge the center back seams with a couple of inches of interfacing reinforcement for Velcro placement.

Serge and press under sleeve hems about ¼”.  Topstitch.

Sew side seams.  Clip curves.

Serge across hem, press under 1/4” and topstitch.  Add Velcro. 

Here is Jenna, my Maplelea doll wearing the same outfit.

If you would like to order this outfit, click "Like" on my 18” Doll Clothes Creations by Carole Facebook page as the ordering info is there.

Stay tuned for more 18” doll clothes tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my posts!  These outfits fit any 18” doll such as the American Girl, Maplelea, Newberry (from Sears), My Life etc.

Would love to read your comments below!

AG053 18” Doll Bow Sleeve T-shirt and Leggings Tutorial

I came across this tutorial for an 18” Doll Bow Sleeve T-shirt  by PixieFaire with the ties at the sleeves. Thought I would add a ruffle to the bottom as well.  I used the Scientificseamspattern.  I cut half an inch off the bottom of the front and back to allow for the ruffle.

Sew the shoulder seams, and hem the sleeves.  Add 4” strips of interfacing at Velcro placement.  Press. Cut neckband 1.25” wide by 10” or more depending on how stretchy the band is.  Press in half. 

Sew the neckband to the tee stretching slightly. 

Press towards the garment and topstitch.  Press again.

Find the middle of your 12” pieces of ribbon. Pin one to the outside edge of each shoulder.

Pin and sew the sleeves into the tee -- being sure you're sandwiching the ribbon between the sleeve and the body of the tee.  Clip curves, but be sure not to clip any of the ribbon!  Press towards sleeve.

Sew the side seams.  Press.

Cut ruffle 2” wide by 20” or so long.  Hem one long edge.  Chalk mark in quarters.  Press.

Gather the Nancy Z way (AG036).  With wrong side of fabric facing you, place the fabric under the presser foot on the stitching line about a seam width away from the edge. Turn the wheel by hand to make one stitch. Pull up on the top thread and bring the bobbin thread to the top of the fabric. 

Pull bobbin thread to a length equal to the area to be gathered. 

Place the thread under the presser foot. Adjust your machine for a medium zigzag stitch with a length of about 3.0.  Stitch over the bobbin thread just inside the seam allowance, making sure not to stitch over the bobbin thread. 

Stop a seam width away from the edge. 

Pull on the bobbin thread to gather the fabric. Since the thread was secured in the beginning, it will not come out.

Pin to bottom of tee matching chalked quarter marks.  Sew – I like to sew it twice.

Add a 3” of Velcro closure at the back.  Tie the ribbons into bows.  Trim the ends if needed and burn to prevent raveling. If your ribbon doesn't like staying tied, you can stitch through the bows once or twice to keep them in place.

Leggings

I did a bit of altering to Dollar Doll Clothes Pants/Pajama pattern and I am happy with how they fit. Because this fabric is so stretchy, I used a very slight zig zag on all the seams. 

Sew the center front seam using a 1/4-inch seam.  Clip curves.  Baste 9” of 1/2” elastic to waist. Press 3/8” for the leg hems.  

Serge to clean finish elastic at the waist.  Sew the hems and press.

Sew center back seam, adding a ‘back’ tag.  Clip curves.

Refold the pants bringing the center seams together and sew the inner legs.   Clip to stitching.  Press. 

Ordering info is on my 18” Doll Clothes Creations by Carole Facebook page.

Stay tuned for more 18” doll clothes tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my posts!

I came across this tutorial for an 18” Doll Bow Sleeve T-shirt  by PixieFaire with the ties at the sleeves. Thought I would add a ruffle to the bottom as well.  I used the Scientificseamspattern.  I cut half an inch off the bottom of the front and back to allow for the ruffle.

Sew the shoulder seams, and hem the sleeves.  Add 4” strips of interfacing at Velcro placement.  Press. Cut neckband 1.25” wide by 10” or more depending on how stretchy the band is.  Press in half. 

Sew the neckband to the tee stretching slightly. 

Press towards the garment and topstitch.  Press again.

Find the middle of your 12” pieces of ribbon. Pin one to the outside edge of each shoulder.

Pin and sew the sleeves into the tee -- being sure you're sandwiching the ribbon between the sleeve and the body of the tee.  Clip curves, but be sure not to clip any of the ribbon!  Press towards sleeve.

Sew the side seams.  Press.

Cut ruffle 2” wide by 20” or so long.  Hem one long edge.  Chalk mark in quarters.  Press.

Gather the Nancy Z way (AG036).  With wrong side of fabric facing you, place the fabric under the presser foot on the stitching line about a seam width away from the edge. Turn the wheel by hand to make one stitch. Pull up on the top thread and bring the bobbin thread to the top of the fabric. 

Pull bobbin thread to a length equal to the area to be gathered. 

Place the thread under the presser foot. Adjust your machine for a medium zigzag stitch with a length of about 3.0.  Stitch over the bobbin thread just inside the seam allowance, making sure not to stitch over the bobbin thread. 

Stop a seam width away from the edge. 

Pull on the bobbin thread to gather the fabric. Since the thread was secured in the beginning, it will not come out.

Pin to bottom of tee matching chalked quarter marks.  Sew – I like to sew it twice.

Add a 3” of Velcro closure at the back.  Tie the ribbons into bows.  Trim the ends if needed and burn to prevent raveling. If your ribbon doesn't like staying tied, you can stitch through the bows once or twice to keep them in place.

Leggings

I did a bit of altering to Dollar Doll Clothes Pants/Pajama pattern and I am happy with how they fit. Because this fabric is so stretchy, I used a very slight zig zag on all the seams. 

Sew the center front seam using a 1/4-inch seam.  Clip curves.  Baste 9” of 1/2” elastic to waist. Press 3/8” for the leg hems.  

Serge to clean finish elastic at the waist.  Sew the hems and press.

Sew center back seam, adding a ‘back’ tag.  Clip curves.

Refold the pants bringing the center seams together and sew the inner legs.   Clip to stitching.  Press. 

Ordering info is on my 18” Doll Clothes Creations by Carole Facebook page.

Stay tuned for more 18” doll clothes tutorials or better yet, sign up to my Blog so you won’t miss any of my posts!

AG042 18” Doll Nightie Tutorial

Found this cute Nightie/Pajama tutorial and pattern by shwinandshwin for the 18” dolls.  It fit perfect!  Jenna from Maplelea is doing the modeling.

I cut my faux front placket 2” x 2”, pressed up one short end and folded the two long ends inward.

Place the rectangle in the center of the neckline of the front piece and sew all around the edge.

A long sleeve and short sleeve are included in their pattern -  hem either one at 1/2”. With right sides together sew the front of the sleeves to the front bodice then sew the back pieces to the back sleeve.  Press the sleeves flat.  Now you have a circle.

I added a neckband.  Cut neckband 1.25” wide by 10” or more long depending on how stretchy the band is.  Press in half.  Sew the neckband to the nightie stretching slightly.

Press the neckband towards the garment and topstitch.  Press again.

I dropped my feed dogs and used my darning foot to add buttons.

Because the hem line is on a curve, it is easier to run a basting thread at ¼” from edge.

With Right sides together, sew the side seams.  Press.

Sew center back seam closed about 4” from the bottom.  Bar tack.

Add about 5” of fusible web to the back at the Velcro placements.  Sew on 4” of Velcro.

Hem the bottom by turning to the basting line and sewing in place.

Remove basting thread.  Press and you are done!

Found this cute Nightie/Pajama tutorial and pattern by shwinandshwin for the 18” dolls.  It fit perfect!  Jenna from Maplelea is doing the modeling.

I cut my faux front placket 2” x 2”, pressed up one short end and folded the two long ends inward.

Place the rectangle in the center of the neckline of the front piece and sew all around the edge.

A long sleeve and short sleeve are included in their pattern -  hem either one at 1/2”. With right sides together sew the front of the sleeves to the front bodice then sew the back pieces to the back sleeve.  Press the sleeves flat.  Now you have a circle.

I added a neckband.  Cut neckband 1.25” wide by 10” or more long depending on how stretchy the band is.  Press in half.  Sew the neckband to the nightie stretching slightly.

Press the neckband towards the garment and topstitch.  Press again.

I dropped my feed dogs and used my darning foot to add buttons.

Because the hem line is on a curve, it is easier to run a basting thread at ¼” from edge.

With Right sides together, sew the side seams.  Press.

Sew center back seam closed about 4” from the bottom.  Bar tack.

Add about 5” of fusible web to the back at the Velcro placements.  Sew on 4” of Velcro.

Hem the bottom by turning to the basting line and sewing in place.

Remove basting thread.  Press and you are done!