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i made this for a friend of mine's niece Stella, she got an American Doll for Christmas and i told my friend Kam that i wanted to make a couple of outfits for Stella doll

This message has been edited. Last edited by: califgal,

here's the simple dress i made. this is a 18 inch doll my daughter gave me as a model so i could try the clothes on before i give them to Kam so she can mail them to Stella, I wanted to make sure they fit.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: califgal,

You did a fine job on both outfits. Stella will love those outfits for her new doll. It was very nice of you to make those for her.

Cute! My GD recently got an 18" doll and I want to make a couple of outfits. Nice to see yours.

Adorable. My friend made her GD several outfits for her new Am Girl Doll. So much fun.

Very nice! I have never made doll clothes before.

Cute! Isn't it fun to sew like that? Doll clothes were where I started my sewing career. But I just have to ask: Were you raiding my stash?! I have that top blue fabric (in green) & that lace! LOL!

I have a friend who was bl*ssed with 6 granddaughters all in a row, like stair steps. My friend bought some dolls @ Goodwill (to keep at her house) but moaned the fact that the poor things arrived "in their birthday suits." Starry to the rescue. I sewed a bunch of doll clothes & gave them to her for Christmas. The next time I saw the clothes, I didn't know whether to be horrified or pleased... The girls had played with the clothes so much that they were pulled & stretched every which way! Looked like one big bad mishap at the laundromat, LOL! I learned after that to do as much stay-stitching and top-stitching as I could to try to stabilize the edges where the girls would be yanking on the clothes as they dressed & undressed the dolls. (There were some very young hands trying to dress those dolls!)

Funny to think that those granddaughters are now making my friend a great-grandma, it's been so long! Wonder what happened to the doll clothes & if they can be used again??

Cute. I've just started making Am Girl clothes for my granddaughters. So much easier than Barbie clothes.

you are getting me thinking...I should start now on the doll clothes...

Right now my 3 yr old DGD likes the babies to all be ***** and rips all of the clothes off but if I start now maybe I will have a few things by the time she wants to put clothes "on!"

Such cute clothes! My stepD does not want her little girl to be a girlie girl. I've made a baby doll for her second birthday which is Sunday - so see how that will go. If she does get into dolls, I would like to get her an AG doll or an AG size doll.

I've posted this link for AG original patterns before but I want to do so again. Some of the how-to directions are a bit fuzzy, but if you sew at all, you can figure it out. And while most of the clothes are 'dated,' you can simplify for today's era.

Each set is a pdf file...easily downloaded or saved to your computer.

http://agplaythings.com/AG%20P...llDressPatterns.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KeepYouInStitches,

My DGD was given an AG doll by her other grandma this year and she asked me to make some more clothes for her doll. I just remembered, lol. KYIS thanks for for the link but I didn't realize how fancy they were. Are the commercial patterns simpler? I see JA has patterns on sale right now. So patterns for 15" dolls fit AG dolls?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Quiltinana2,

the patterns have to be for an 18" doll and it says that on the pattern, also says clothes will fit American Girl dolls. patterns are on sale at Joann's right now for a dollar each and i bought 4 different ones.

the clothes for this doll are soooo expensive, on ebay some are over $50.00 and people actually bid on them.

naturally i'm using fabric from my stash and the lace too. gonna work on another dress today.
and yes much easier to make than Barbie doll clothes.

Patsy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: califgal,

Looks like I've got a reason to go to JA's today! Thanks for your answer.

KYIS...thank you so much for the link to the AG doll clothes pattern. Will save it for later.

KYIS, good luck on that to your SD. The girl will decide if she wants to be a girlie girl. Same with boys- my DGS Eddie was just over a year when he started making truck noises, and his first words were Big Truck, said in this deep, deep voice, LOL. And my DGD won't wear anything that isn't pink or purple.

Yes, those original pattern are more complicated because they are mostly 'period' patterns with ruffles and stuff. The can be simplified though. Be sure to look at the slip, nightgown, undies patterns though.

Holly SJ - Yep. I'm praying that DGD is a frilly girlie girl myself. The road generally runs one way - we go see them. I think they were here in June. I had DSs (yes my son's) Cabbage Patch boy doll sitting in a youth chair (antique high chair) in my guest room (had to get it out of the dining room because DH would put his booted foot on it to snap the snaps on his motorcycle chaps even after I asked him not to). DGD walked in the room, pointed at the doll and grinned. I asked her DD if she had a doll...he said no. Well, she will on Sunday. Hopefully this granny can get away with it without a chewing out. She's also getting MY doll bed... OH! I also bought netting and made a tutu...it's in stepDs favorite color - black but I added hot pink too.

i have 4 granddaughters and the youngest is 12 and she's not into dolls anymore. she is into sports especially basketball. she really never liked dolls. she said she didn't like them staring at her. she liked stuff animals better.

I made an entire wardrobe for an AG doll for a great niece at Christmas. I made clothes that mirror her life: karate outfit, cheerleading and girls basketball, a party dress to match hers, coat, etc. I could hardly stop and probably made too many but I was having a ball.

Check out the books by Joan Hind. Think JoAnn's carries them so could possibly use a coupon. Her designs are for more basic outfits. One book does have dressy dresses, but the one I got and can't find was for play outfits, school outfits etc.

Sewing with Nancy did some nice clothes a while back, so maybe check there too. I liked the ones she had on the show.

Our sewing guild chapter dresses dolls for a charity for Christmas. Hadn't sewn doll clothes for a long time. Agree---18 inch much better than the small fashion dolls.

Doll Clothes of Yore are period outfits made by a very nice young lady. She has spoken at our chapter sewing guild. For the work and the research she puts into them, they are not too terribly expensive.

Link didn't work. BRB

ETA: Hope this one works.

http://www.yoreclothes.com

It works. If you click on Learn, she gives historial information. Know this isn't patterns, but the outfits are really nice. Don't think I could make them.

Have fun.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Strings,

Well, all the patterns designed for AG dolls clothes were sold out at JA's so I bought 3 for generic 18" dolls. 2 are for a variety of clothing separates so I should be able to make an assortment of pieces. The third one is a "mother"/daughter pattern that I will try to make for her upcoming b'day end of March.

My DD never pushed the girlie clothes but once DGD started daycare, around 2, purple and pink are all she wants to wear - and swirly skirts and tutus. My DGS's first word was "uck" - (truck) even though his parents have never pushed him one way or another.

I bought my first Barbie pattern the summer I turned 12. It said it would teach young girls to sew. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I was having trouble with the turned 1/4" waistband for a 2" waist on a pair of Pleated Culottes. Imagine that! My sewing-accomplished mother tried to help me put the snap on the waistband and finally threw the whole thing down in disgust. "It's much easier to teach you on real clothes!" and we went and got something in a size we could see to sew.

I have an Am Girl doll and some patterns somewhere. I need to sew some, they look so fun!!!

The summer before that some auntie of my friend Tornado Helen made complete outfits for 2 dolls that were exactly like. We were in He aven! I was so astonished that someone would take the time to make us both the clothes and give me a doll too that I'll never forget the surprise and will do it someday for some other little girls. Pay it forward.

cute outfits. I like the blue material

The beginning of the American Girl doll started here before the company was sold to Mattel. I always wanted one of the girls to want to go to Chicago for one of the "teas" but that didn't happen. I'll have to wait for a DGGD now

Yesterday I purchased a pattern at Joann's for regular 18" doll clothes. Simplicity patterns were on sale for only $1. The one I got had an original price tag of $16.75! Still cannot believe that.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wannaquilt2,

I bught three doll patterns there yesterday and my register slip says I saved $43.85. I have been playing this afternoon while I was watching Quiltcam and have made a skirt, peasant blouse and cut out a vest. Wish I had a doll here to try them on!

My understanding is that Joann's has a similar size doll. I think Clotilde has one too. You might purchased your own doll to audition the clothing.

I gave the girls the clothes yesterday. The only thing that didn't fit was a blouse from a free online pattern. The things made from the store bought patterns were a perfect fit. Now I have pj's and robes to make and grandpa is making the dolls bunk beds.

quote:

Originally posted by KeepYouInStitches:
My understanding is that Joann's has a similar size doll. I think Clotilde has one too. You might purchased your own doll to audition the clothing.

Believe me KYIS I have thought about it and probably will! But then I may have to make MORE doll clothes and that would take away valuable sewing time from other things! - and they don't use up much in the way of stash. I was actually thinking yesterday, while auditioning fabric, that I needed more small scale prints, lol.
Joan

JJ, a friend of mine bought generic 18" doll beds at Ikea and then painted them, and another friend made quilts to match the painted beds! Think 20 paper-pieced pineapple blocks that finished at 3" .

They did 3 and won 2nd prize in two categories at the Houston Quilt Show a couple of years ago. Thankfully they have 3 granddaughters between them and were able to share the beds.

So glad that y'all are getting dolls and clothes for little girls to play with. They need that creative play.

Quiltnana the doll i'm using as a model is not an Ameican Girl, dmy duaghter rita bought it at a thrift store. she is the same size as AG Doll. here is another outfit i made. a denim vest and pants to match. sorry the picture is blurry, new camera and still learning how to use it.

and matching denim skirt.

Very nice!

Very nice.

A.C. Moore and Michael's have shoes and accessories. Coupons come in handy.

thanks for info strings , i didn't know that

patsy

You're welcome. They have clothes too, but not as nice as you made. Footwear includes Crocs, boots, dress shoes, ice skates, atheletic type etc.

Not real sure of the name, but have a catalog that has lots of 18 inch doll stuff. Think it is called "Home Sew". do know that at one time Clotilde's carried stuff too. Haven't gotten a paper catalog in a long time from her company in a long time. She passed away a while back. May not be the same since then.

Anyway, really like the outfits made.

Califgal - thanks for the info. I was doing some surfing last night and found this website:

www.infinitefreedom.com

She has a free pattern for a dress for AG dolls and issued a challenge to sewers to adapt it and post photos. There are a lot of varieties to the original dress. May give it a try once I get these two donation crib quilts done (my posted goal for the week!).

Here is a cute pattern. Loved working with the elastic thread just remember to lengthen your stitch when sewing with the elastic thread, it makes a difference.