When my daughter was about three years old, she developed an affection for my glass head silk pins. She also had a fondness for my tomato pin cushion, but that is another story. She called the pins “sticky pins.” I think that the name came from the constant warnings that she was given not to stick her finger. I let her play with the pins when I was around to watch her, although I worried that I was a bad mother for letting her play with something that could hurt her. For her the pins were little people that had adventures as she took them out of the pin cushion and then replaced them.

I have written about learning to sew from my grandmother. Unfortunately we were not able to continue this tradition with my daughter. My own mother passed away before my children were born and my mother-in-law never lived close enough to give consistent lessons. My daughter did have at least one sewing adventure with her grandmother, however. My mother-in-law stayed with my daughter and her older brother, when my youngest child was born. Weeks later, when I had time to look at my sewing things, I noticed little triangles pinned to many of my pins. I ask my daughter about them and found out that Grandmother had made dresses for some of my sticky pins.

Here are some dressed “sticky pins.”

This is their close up shot.

sherralyn Uncategorized, learning to sew memories

Late summer is the time to sew school clothes.

I made these three little dolls matching outfits. It is really easier to make three different outfits. Because the fabric was the same, I kept getting the pieces for different sizes mixed up. I hope the girls enjoy being dressed alike. I probably won’t do this again for a while.

sherralyn my patterns sewing for small dolls

My family has always been tolerant of my enthusiasms. They have found my love of doll making and dressing fairly amusing, but never complained about it. In the past I never really bothered anyone with my hobby, although it could be messy at times. Lately my husband has been helping me draft my patterns and illustrations. I have mentioned his help before. He looks at the drafting as an intellectual exercise, with programing, geometrical, and creative challenges.

My youngest child is home from college for a few days. He will be a senior in computer science when school starts again. Last night I decided to use him as a guinea pig to check some instructions that I had been writing. He agreed to be a test subject. College students are probably experimented on more than any other part of the population, so he was use to it.

I handed him a tiny doll jacket that was not finished. The jacket had been sewn to the lining, but had not been turned right side out. I ask him to turn it right side out without explaining anything to him. He had an extra challenge that I hadn’t planned. One of our cats decided that he wasn’t getting enough attention and besides the incomplete jacket was definitely a cat toy.

I took charge of the cat and showed my son three pictures of the jacket being turned. He was able to turn it right side out immediately.

My experiment confirmed two things. Sometimes a picture sequence is the best way to explain a skill and my son is a good sport. (But I already knew the second fact.)

sherralyn Pattern Making, my patterns

I used to spend a lot of time fussing with elastic when a pattern had an elastic casing. With the method I use now I am finished with the elastic in no time.

For doll clothes I always use one eighth inch elastic and my favorite bodkin.   

Use the whole length of elastic. Do not cut the elastic until it is secured on both sides of the casing.

If a seam is inside the casing, the two seam edges should have been finished together and pressed to one side. The bodkin should travel over the stitching first and then over the finished seam.

Pull the elastic through the casing with the bodkin. 

Release the elastic from the bodkin and secure the released end to the casing by sewing through it several times. 

Check the pattern instructions for measurement. Gather the casing fabric over the elastic to the desired length without stretching the elastic. 

Try the garment on to check the size.  

Secure the second side of the elastic to the second casing opening by sewing through it and the casing several times.  

Cut off the excess elastic.

sherralyn sewing tips sewing tools

I use clear stretchy bands made for pony tails and braids to help display my dolls. I have found two sizes of the bands in stores next to combs, brushes, and hair ornaments. The bands are almost invisible and help to pose the doll or allow it to hold small objects.

Tender Heart and Floribunda have clear bands holding their Teddy bears.

My Madame Alexander doll has borrowed Floribunda’s jeans and T-shirt and is using a clear band to hold her skateboard.

Clear bands hold Twinkle and Kitty in place. Part of the band holding the French fries is visible in the picture. 

In the May 23 blog entry, I used clear bands to keep Floribunda and Twinkle on the scooter and trike.

sherralyn Displaying Dolls sewing tools

The easiest way to finish raw edges in doll clothes is by using the zigzag stitch on your machine. You do not need to change machines or find your pinking shears to finish the seam. It is also easy to sew small curves with a zigzag stitch.

Finishing two raw edges together

Sew the seam with a straight stitch.

Set the zigzag stitch about one eighth inch wide.

Make the zigzags close together, but not a satin stitch.

Zigzag close to the straight stitch so that there is about an one eighth inch raw edge.

Trim the seam close to the finished edge.

Press the seam to one side.

Finishing single edges in hems and casings

Sew near the edge to be finished.

Turn up the hem the desired amount and slipstitch.

For hems in A line garments add a machine gathering stitch next to the finished edge.

Pull the gathering thread until the hem lies lies flat against the skirt and slipstitch.

sherralyn sewing tips sewing tools

I sometimes use my serger to finish doll clothes seams. I like the finished look that it gives, but I always stitch the seam first and then serge. I think my serger’s stitch is too wide to use as a construction seam. Small curves on doll clothes such as those on sleeves and necklines are difficult to do with a serger.

Finishing two raw edges together

Sew the seam with a straight stitch on a sewing machine.

Serge using only three spools of thread. This method produces a narrow finished seam.  Serge close to the machine stitching so that the serger knife will trim the seam to about one eighth inch.  Note that the bottom of the sample has not been serged to show how the serger knife has narrowed the seam.

Add a drop of seam sealant on the stitching at the beginning and end of each line of serging.

Press the seam to one side.

Finishing single edges in hems and casings

Use only three thread spools to make a narrow finish.

Serge near the edge so that the fabric is not cut with the knife.

Turn up the hem the desired amount and slipstitch.

For hems in A-line garments add a machine gathering stitch next to the finished edge.

Pull the gathering thread until the hem lies lies flat against the skirt and slipstitch.

sherralyn sewing tips sewing for small dolls, sewing tools

I recently treated myself to a new pair of pinking shears. I have had a hand-me-down pair for many years. When I tried to use the old pair, they were hard to open and close. They tended to mangle the raw edges that I was trying to finish. I always ended up discouraged and finally decided that pinking was an inconvenient way to finish seams. I am amazed at how well my new shears work. I can even use them to finish narrow doll clothes seams. Here are a few tips for pinking doll clothes seams:

• Pink the seam close to the raw edge. The measurement from the peak of the pinked edge to the stitch should be almost ¼ inch.

• Small curves are difficult to cut with pinking shears.
• These seams may be pressed open unless they are inside an elastic casing.
• The Pinked edges may be pressed in the same direction so that the machine stitching is visible inside the garment. The edges must be pressed in one direction if they will be inside an elastic casing.

sherralyn New Things, sewing tips sewing tools

I am in the process of redrafting and rewriting my free pattern. When I looked at it a few weeks ago, I decided that it needed a lot of revision. I now have three sizes of the pattern. I hope to offer the patterns for my three small dolls in a few months. I will offer the revised free pattern at the same time. Here are some of the doll clothes I have made with my revised pattern.

Twinkle is wearing her sun dress. Floribunda has on her sleeveless top and two tiered skirt. Tender Heart is ready for bed in her blue flannel nightgown.

These two Floribundas are wearing a summer nightgown and a sun dress.

Twinkle has changed into her flannel nightgown. Floribunda is wearing her smock top and Tender Heart has on her sun dress.

Twinkle and TenderHeart both have sleeveless tops and smock tops, but I haven’t made their two tiered skirts, yet. They will have to model them for you another day.

sherralyn Pattern Making, my patterns designing patterns, sewing for small dolls

I learned to sew before I learned to write. My mother never thought that I held my pencil correctly, but she approved of the way I used a needle. I still sew the way I was taught by my grandmother and use a thimble on the middle finger of my right hand. I have been surprised to learn that some very good seamstresses don’t bother with a thimble. At this point in my life, I don’t think that I could manage without one.

My mother-in-law gave me these lovely thimbles when her poor vision made it impossible for her to continue sewing. The two smaller thimbles are inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The larger one is sterling silver. I use them all the time. I think of them as sewing jewelry.

sherralyn hand sewing memories, sewing tools