Before you print your doll clothes patterns, it’s necessary to adjust the settings on your printer. If you don’t do this, your printer may automatically reduce the size of the pattern pieces to fit within standard 1-inch wide margins. This results in the pattern, and therefore the finished outfit, being too tight for your American Girl Dolls.

Proper fit depends on preventing your printer from scaling the patterns.

1. In your printer’s settings, make sure the box next to ‘Scale to Fit” is NOT checked.
2. Then set your margins to 1/2-inch all around.
3. If you have the option, print the document at 100%.

Also remember to save your doll clothes patterns on your computer, so you can use them over and over. Your American Girl Dolls will thank you for it.

Technorati Tags: American Girl Dolls, Doll Clothes Patterns

Remember my blog post about the long hoodie? (If not, read it here.) That hoodie is almost ready. I’m just finishing the instructions. So, you can expect to see it soon.

The new doll clothes pattern includes the long hoodie, a long-sleeved tunic, slim pants and these adorable fringed, lace-up knee boots. The hoodie is sewn from fabric. It is NOT knit from yarn. So, it’s very quick and easy to make.

I’ll send an email to the list to let you know when this new pattern is available on the site.

Your American Girl dolls will love it. Here’s a sneak peek…

Please leave a comment and let me know how you like it.

Technorati Tags: 18 Inch Doll, American Girl Dolls, Doll Accessories, Doll Clothes Patterns

First, click the ‘Add To Cart‘ button and fill in your name, address, etc. on the order form. Then click the ‘Continue’ button to go to the next page. On that page you will have a choice of using PayPal or your own credit card. To use your credit card, just click the link next to the pictures of the credit cards.

Thanks to all you American Girl Doll lovers, for supporting the blog!

Technorati Tags: 18 Inch Doll, American Girl Dolls, Doll Clothes Patterns

Quite a few of the readers who are sewing doll clothes patterns for American Girl dolls are looking for a less expensive 18 inch doll who can wear the same clothes. The three dolls shown in the photo below are Madame Alexander Girlz dolls.

I bought these three dolls…last October at Costco. When I was shopping at Costco yesterday, I noticed the Christmas merchandise is already in the store. My local Costco store is selling three new Madame Alexander Girlz dolls, priced at $24.99 each. If you’re on a budget this Christmas, or just looking for an affordable ‘fit model’ for your doll clothes patterns, now is the time to shop. So run, don’t walk. Last year these dolls sold out very fast.

How do these dolls compare to American Girl dolls?

1.) Probably the biggest difference is that American Girl dolls cost around $100 and come with a very high quality, durable wig so girls can spend lots of time styling the dolls’ hair. The Madame Alexander wigs don’t seem to be intended for ‘hair play’ or styling. Their heads aren’t fully covered with hair. So when their hairstyles are changed, sometimes the Madame Alexander dolls may appear to have bald spots.

2.) Madame Alexander Girlz have very pretty faces and soft pink skin tones. The Girlz have heads that tilt side-to-side. They’re much easier to ‘pose’ than American Girls, so they have the ability to show many different expressions.

3.) There are only slight differences when sewing doll clothes patterns for the two dolls. The MA Girlz are a little taller than American Girl dolls, but it really doesn’t affect the fit. The main difference is the Girlz breast plate, which makes their shoulders seem a little thinner. But on the positive side, when the Girlz wear low cut necklines or sundresses, their cloth bodies are not exposed. American Girl dolls’ cloth bodies often show under their summer clothes. To see the dolls’ bodies and for more fitting information read the earlier post, Doll Clothes Patterns That Fit Perfectly.

Bottom line… the price is right! So, if you’re willing to handle the Madame Alexander wigs with care and make some slight fit alterations to your doll clothes patterns, these may be the Girlz for you!

Technorati Tags: American Girl Dolls, American Girls, Doll Clothes Patterns, Madame Alexander Girlz

It’s easy to make a headband for your doll. Our headband features a giant silk flower. But you can use lots of different odds and ends like feathers, beads or buttons to make yours unique.

Recently, my mother brought this silk Hawaiian lei home from a party. (shown in the photo below) I decided to recycle it. I used 5 layers of the silk flower petals to make the big flower on each doll’s headband. There are 2 medium-colored layers on top, 2 dark-colored layers in the middle and one light-color on the bottom. I gathered them up in the center with a hand-basting stitch and sewed them on to an elastic band.

It takes about 12 inches of elastic to go around an American Girl dolls head. I used white elastic for the blonde and black elastic for the brunette, but you could also match the band to your doll’s outfit.

The secret to planning great looking accessories is to look at the doll clothes patterns you’re about to make, and find items that compliment the fabrics and colors you’re using.

The headband has lots of popular variations. This year, with the anniversary of Woodstock in the news, the forehead band is back in style too. Maybe you should celebrate Woodstock with retro-styled doll clothes patterns in updated tie-dye looks.

Shown above: The forehead band, a retro-look inspired by Woodstock.

Whatever you do, have fun and use your imagination. If you have an idea for a cute headband, leave a comment below, and share it with the other Doll Clothes Patterns readers.

Technorati Tags: American Girl Dolls, Doll Clothes Patterns

The Springfield Collection is sold at Michael’s craft stores. Although they’re not as well-made as American Girl, they’re considerably less expensive than American Girl, …and they make good ’starter dolls’ if you’re on a tight budget. If you watch for a half-price coupon, you can get a real bargain. Just remember, because of the size difference, you’ll have to adjust your doll clothes patterns to get a great fit.

Compare these measurements to the measurements listed in the earlier post (on Nov. 10, 2008) if you’re attempting to alter commercial doll clothes patterns made for 18 inch dolls. Also, because all these dolls have cloth bodies, the measurements may vary slightly from doll to doll. Allow for ‘ease.’

Overall Height: 17-1/2 inches tall

Bust: 10-1/2 inches, Waist: 10 inches, Hips: 11-3/4 inches

Inseam: 6-1/2 inches, Thigh: 5-1/4, Calf: 4-1/2 inches

Arm (shoulder to wrist): 5-1/8 inches

Arm (armpit to wrist): 3-1/4 inches

Around the Shoulders: 13-3/4 inches

Around the Neck: 5-3/4 inches, Neck Height: 3/8 inches

Around Head: 11 inches, Foot: 2-5/8 long X 1-3/8 inches wide

Technorati Tags: American Girl, Doll Clothes Patterns, Springfield Collection Dolls

Find used baby clothes in good condition, and recycle the ribbed knit trim:

Try this idea. Go to your local thrift store and look for infant clothing. Babies outgrow their clothes so fast, it’s easy to find outfits in great condition. Many show very little wear and are very inexpensive. Recycle the baby clothes by removing the ribbed knit trim from the sleeves and around the neck. Then reuse the baby’s knit trim for your doll clothes patterns. The buttons on baby clothes also work perfectly for dolls.

One of the secrets to maintaining a great source of materials is to go to the thrift store often. Get to know the people who work there, and let them know what you’re doing. Tell them you’re always looking for baby clothes with white knit trim, …or whatever colors you use most. As they get to know you, they’ll start setting things aside for you. You’ll soon have all the supplies you need for your doll clothes patterns.

Technorati Tags: 18 Inch Doll, American Girl, Doll Clothes Patterns

Girl-sized fabric:

Say you want to use a flowered print. If each of the flowers on the fabric you’ve selected for the girl are about the size of the girl’s hand, then you’ll want to find a matching fabric for the doll with flowers about the size of the doll’s hand.

Doll-sized fabric:

It’s easier than you might think. A good place to start is with cotton quilting fabrics. These fabrics are often designed as coordinated groups, with the patterns in different proportions so they’ll look great when used together. Other fabric lines produce coordinates, so the smaller-sized print can be used as trim on the finished garment. But instead of using it for trim, the smaller-sized print is the perfect fabric for your doll clothes patterns.

Girl-sized fabric:

Doll-sized fabric:

For a quick-and-easy solution, start with gingham checks or striped fabrics. Both patterns come in a wide range of colors. These classics have been around forever, so they’re easy to find in most fabric stores.

Girl-sized fabric:

Doll-sized fabric:

While you’re at it, don’t forget to adjust the proportions of the trim and notions you use on both dresses. If the girl is 2 or 3 times taller than her doll, and the girl’s dress has a 1-1/2 inch wide ribbon belt, the dolls belt should be about one-half to one-third as big, or 3/4 to 1/2 inches wide. It’s not an exact science. Just ‘eyeball’ it, and do what makes sense visually.

The same rule applies to flower trim, ruffles, lace, etc… and especially buttons.

If you use solid colored fabrics, you won’t have this problem. But, you still may need to adjust the weight of the fabrics you use. Because the doll is so much smaller than the girl, select lighter weight or softer fabrics for the doll clothes patterns than you select for the girl’s patterns, so your doll’s dresses won’t look too stiff.

Technorati Tags: Doll Clothes Patterns

Look in your closet for cotton knit fabric you can recycle and reuse to make your doll a rag scarf. All you need are two or three old t-shirts in coordinating colors. If you’re creative, you can use white t-shirts and dye them before cutting the strips.
Be brave with your color choices. Experiment. Mix and match until you find striking combinations, like sky blue, aqua and teal …or maroon, apple red and pumpkin.

The ‘rag boa’ shown in the Alabama Stitch Book by Natalie Chanin with Stacie Stukin inspired our doll’s scarf. We converted their human-sized project to a doll-sized scarf. We made the finished scarf 27 inches long for one of our 18-inch tall American Girl dolls, Julie.

To begin, cut strips of cotton knit in three graduated widths. For example, cut strips 3 inches, 2 inches and 1 inch wide, using a different color for each width. Make each strip 27 inches long, or as long as the finished scarf. These important dimensions are the only doll clothes patterns you’ll need to complete this project.

Please note: It’s important to cut the length of the scarf (the 27 inches) on the straight of the grain of the knit. This is the direction of the stretch.

Stack the colored strips as shown in the photo, using the width of each strip as a guideline. For example, from the bottom to the top, layer the strips by the width. (1-2-3-2-1) Start with the orange strip that’s 1 inch wide, then add the brown 2 inch strip, then the light blue 3 inch strip, add another brown 2 inch strip and finish on top with another orange 1 inch strip. Sew the stack of five colored strips together lengthwise, with your stitches running down the center of the strips.

Finish by making parallel cuts in the stack of strips about one-half inch apart, the entire length of the scarf, to create the rag effect. To avoid cutting through the center of the scarf, stop cutting about one-eight inch before you reach the center seam line.

Wash and dry the scarf to get it to curl. Pull each small piece from the end, to make the knit roll up and curl more. Then, fluff the scarf with your fingers until it looks full. Now your 18-inch doll has a cute and colorful scarf.

The next step is to select some great doll clothes patterns, and give the rest of the old clothes in your closet a new life. Your dolls can have an inexpensive, fashionable wardrobe from your recycled hand-me-downs. And, you can help save the earth. Cool, dude.

Here’s a close-up, so you can see it better.

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One of the strongest accessory trends we see today is the tote… or oversized handbag. (A hobo bag is shown below.)

The oversized handbag has replaced the backpack as the new ‘must have’ fashion item. It’s seen in many shapes; like the hobo bag, the oversized tote and the mailbag. Bags with drawstring tops and heavy hardware trim are also popular. You’ll want to look for these design details when you translate the new fashion trends into your doll clothes patterns.

Girls today are influenced by the styles they see other kids wearing in magazines and on TV. So, for a ‘total look,’ you should always select doll clothes patterns that include doll accessories… like handbags, shoes, hats and jewelry.

Technorati Tags: Doll Clothes Patterns