One of the best reasons for wanting to make your own dolls clothing is to save money.  Both doll clothes patterns and materials are quite inexpensive.  Besides we’re talking about a small doll so you will never need much fabric for your sewing adventure.  Because so little fabric is used you can go all out and buy the higher end fabrics such as silk and satin.

The 5 must know tips for making doll clothing:

  1. You must choose your method of sewing the doll clothes.  Sewing by machine or hand have both their advantages and disadvantages.  If you sew with a sewing machine you have the luxury of speed.  The downside is that sewing machines don’t tend to be very portable therefore you can generally only sew while you’re at home.  On the other hand if you choose to sew by hand then its probably going to take you longer but you can sew the doll’s clothes during those times when you have a break such as during your lunch hour or even while waiting at a doctor’s office.
  2. Choose the best material and pattern for the job at hand.  Make sure the pattern compliments your skill level.  Some patterns can be quite complex and the designers often don’t provide adequate instructions.  Once you’ve chosen your pattern the material needed is quite easy to tackle as it is on the back of the pattern envelop.  Also, don’t be shy in asking the clerk at the fabric store for help in the event that these tasks become a little daunting.
  3. Use a checklist.  You want to make sure that you have all the items needed to complete your sewing extravaganza.  This may seem like a simple step but believe me when I say that more than one time I’ve sat down to sew only to find that I had omitted an important item to complete the job.  The good thing is that the fabric and craft outlets usually stock all the items you will need to for your dolls clothing.
  4. Pay attention to details so that you are successful the first time around.  All instructions are not created equal.  With some patterns you will trace the design onto the fabric rather than cutting them out.  Just make sure that you read the instructions carefully and don’t assume all instructions are the same for each pattern.
  5. Don’t be afraid to use your creativity once you have a few doll clothes under your belt.  The 18 doll clothes are some of the most fun to make. Once you’ve done this a few times you will begin to get some insight where you can make slight variations to what the designer intended.  In the end you want the doll clothes to reflect your inner vision and personal tastes.

Sewing doll clothing can be a lot of fun while you save a ton of money from buying those expensive clothes.  If you get really good you may want to start selling clothes on Ebay someday.  Good luck and happy sewing.

Other American Doll Clothes Resources

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