Sewing Machine Gifts 2012- Doll Dresses

Sharing at several Linky Parties.

Note: Here is a post I drafted shortly after Christmas and forgot to post.

I thought I'd still share.

One of my sewing machine gifts for this past Christmas of course included some clothes for G's Granddaugters' 18" doll.

I used the T-shirt Pattern found @ The Scientific Seamstress as the base for this sleeveless dress.
I lengthened the pattern for the desired dress length.
Then, I cut another shorter version for facing and used the flat construction technique found in Nancy Zeiman's Video- 30-Minute Doll Clothes, Part 1.

 The first dress, I added 1/4 inch seam allowance to the pattern, and the dress turned out too big.  

 So I added pleats in the front.

 For the back, I overlapped the back and used a large button (easier for little hands) closure on the back.

The next dress fit perfectly when I cut the pattern exact.

Had some tiny pink rick rack that's no telling how old to trim the hem.  The flower is a strip of edge surged ruffled fabric with a "no telling how old" button sewn in the center.

The flower is placed with a safety pin so the child can be somewhat of a designer for her doll and change the look by moving the flower.

Then, I turned the pattern around and the back opening became a deep cut neck line for a dress made from a sparkle fabric from a blouse I wasn't going wear anymore.  The bow was the bias edge of the neckline of the old blouse.  I just did a close trim and tied in a bow which needed no sewing.

 This bow was safety pinned as well so it can be used on other clothes.

One more dress with wider shoulders & drape effect for a drop shoulder look.

Thanks to these FREE programs:

Photoscape for downsizing & watermarking photos

GIMP for cropping & effects

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