Altering pants is a little trickier than altering a simple dress. I made a copy of the shorts pattern found in Learn to Sew for Your doll. Then I measured from the doll’s crotch to her waist to see where I needed to move the waist line on the pattern.

I drew a line on the pattern at the new waist line and added a line one half inch above it for the elastic casing.

I cut out the pattern piece. Next I measured half way around her waist. I measured half the waist at 5 inches. I added 1 inch to my 5 inch measurement to find the new width for my pattern piece.

I cut the pattern in half and taped it together again, shrinking it to a 6 inch width.

I sewed the pants up, made casings at the waist and legs, added elastic to the casings. I adjusted the elastic to fit the waist and each leg.

Here is the doll in her diaper cover and sundress. I have pinned the dress up one half inch so that you can see how the dress would look as a top.

my patterns Adapting a pattern

About a year ago Soft Dolls and Animals! published an article that I wrote about making cloth doll toes. My eighteen inch (46 cm) cloth doll Kitty has toes made from my method of making doll toes.

Here is a close up of the toes.

You can purchase and down load Kitty’s pattern from My Patterns page by clicking here. Kitty’s pattern is also found in my book, Sewing for Large Dolls. You can find out how to order the book from My Books page by clicking here. My small dolls also have toe instructions included in their patterns.

I have had several requests for instructions on how to add toes to other doll patterns. If you would like to use my method of doll toe-making, download this free pdf by clicking on the words “Toe Text”:    Toe Text

I hope that you enjoy it

My books, my patterns Adapting a pattern

I altered the nightgown pattern from my Gown, Smock and Two Tiered Skirt pattern to fit eight inch Dora and Lalaloopsy Littles dolls.

Here is my  Lalaloopsy Little wearing and unaltered mini doll (Twinkle) nightgown.

The gown’s hem and sleeves are too long. I shorted the gown hem by one and three eighths inches (3 cm) and the sleeves by seven eighths inch ( 2.3 cm).

When I made the gown for my Lalaloopsy Little, I did not add elastic to the sleeves. Here is my Lalaloopsy Little wearing her altered nightgown.

I used my small doll (Florabunda) pattern for my Dora’s nightgown. Her she is wearing an unaltered gown.

For an easy alteration, I added one half inch (12 mm) to the gown hem and left the elastic out of the sleeves.

Here is Dora wearing the gown made from the altered pattern.

For a fuller gown, I copied the gown pattern and drew straight horizontal and vertical lines on both the front and back pattern pieces.

I cut both pattern pieces apart on the lines drawn. I glued the pieces back together on a piece of grid paper, leaving a one forth inch (6 mm) gap between the pieces. I added one fourth inch (6 mm) to the hem on each pattern piece.

Here is Dora wearing her gown made from this pattern

To order a down-loadable Gown, Smock and Two Tiered Skirt pattern, see the small dolls section of my Patterns page. The down-loadable pattern contains both small doll (Florabunda) and mini doll (Twinkle) size patterns.

To order a book with the patterns, see My Books page. All of Florabunda’s patterns are in the Sew a Small Doll and her Clothing book. Alter Florabunda’s patterns to fit Dora. All of Twinkle’s patterns are in  Sewing for Mini Dolls. Alter Twinkle’s patterns to fit Lalaloopsy Little.

Christmas Sewing, Patterns for Dora the Explorer, Patterns for Lalaloopsy Adapting a pattern, sewing for small dolls

I made a few fairly easy alterations in my A-line Dress, Jacket, and Bloomers patterns to make them fit eight inch (20 cm) Dora the Explorer and Lalaloopsy Littles better. Here is Dora in the small doll (Florabunda) size A-line dress.

I decided that the dress pattern did not need alteration. If you make an A-line dress for Dora, you should close it with Velcro or snaps all the way down the back. Dora cannot wear the dress with a zipper closing. Her feet are too big to step into the dress.

The short jacket was difficult to put on Dora. She had to reach back with both hands at the same time.

Here is Dora wearing the jacket when I finally got it on her.

I added one fourth inch (6mm) to the jacket back pattern at the fold line.

Here is Dora wearing her new altered jacket.

I used my mini doll (Twinkle) patterns to dress my Lalaloopsy Little. Here she is wearing an unaltered mini doll A-line dress and short jacket.

The dress is too long. I shorted the dress by three quarters inch (2 cm) at the hem.

I shorted the jacket sleeves by one quarter inch (6 mm) and added one quarter inch at the jacket back fold line.

Here is my Lalaloopsy Little wearing her altered A-line dress and short jacket.

If you make a  Lalaloopsy Little an A-line dress, you should close it with Velcro  or snaps all the way down the back.

To order a down-loadable  A-line Dress, Jacket, and Bloomers pattern, see the small dolls section of my Patterns page. The down-loadable pattern contains both small doll and mini doll size patterns. To order a book with the patterns, see My Books page. All of Florabunda’s patterns are in the Sew a Small Doll and her Clothing book. All of Twinkle’s patterns are in  Sewing for Mini Dolls.

Patterns for Dora the Explorer, Patterns for Lalaloopsy Adapting a pattern, sewing for small dolls

To make the dance skirt, make three copies of my A-line skirt pattern.

Cut the hem off all three pattern pieces. For the back pattern piece, use the entire pattern without the hem. For the right front, use the entire skirt waist, but cut a curve starting at the hem line and stopping half way up the side cut line. I traced around a drinking glass to get a smooth curve. For the left front the top of the skirt start at the side seam and measure one and one eighth inch (about 3 cm) at the waist line. Mark the measured point. Draw a straight line down the skirt from the measured point for about one and three quarters inch (4.5 cm). Then begin curving the line back to the bottom of the side seam.

From fabric, cut two of each pattern piece. You will use the second set of pattern pieces to line the skirt.

Sew the skirt left front and skirt back together at the side seam. Sew the left front skirt lining to the back skirt lining down the side seam. Sew  the left front/skirt back piece to its lining down the curve and hem. Sew the right front and right front lining together down curve and hem.

Trim the pieces, turn and press.

Lap the lined right front piece over the left front/skirt back piece. Line up the edge of the right front with the left front/skirt back side seam. Pin and then had baste the two pieces together.

Finish and then fold over the top edge of the skirt to make an elastic casing, and follow the directions in my pattern guide to finish the skirt.

Put the skirt on the doll and tie a matching or contrasting ribbon around the waist.

For free tips for making an elastic casing download my free Tools, Tips, and Techniques booklet and look on page 9 of the booklet.

You can purchase a download of my pattern Pants, Skirt and T-shirt from the small doll section of my Pattern page. It is the fifth pattern in that section.

If you are only interested in AG mini dolls, the pattern is also in my book, Sewing for Mini Dolls. If you only want mini doll patterns, I think that the book is the best buy. You can find out how to order it from My Books page.

Last week I showed you how to make the tights and top for this outfit. If you found this article from a web search, you may not have access to the rest of my blog. If you would like to make the tights and top, go to my blog and search for August 9, 2014.

Playing with American Girl mini dolls Adapting a pattern, sewing for small dolls

I adapted the pants pattern from my Pants, Skirt and T-shirt pattern for Twinkle to make the tights.
Make a copy of the pants pattern. Cut off the side seam allowances and the fold line for the elastic casing. Fold in the  side hem tabs at the bottom of the leg pattern.

For top and tights use a ladies thin black sock. Use black elastic for the top’s straps.

Cut the tights from the foot and toe end of the sock. (I took a picture with a pink sock, because I had already used all my black socks.)

Follow the pants pattern directions to make the tights.  I sewed the elastic casing at the waist by hand, because the sewing machine tended to stretch the sock fabric too much. After inserting the elastic use a quarter inch (6 mm) seam with a zigzag stitch to sew the back seam and the inside of the legs. Sew across the bottom of each pant leg, so that the doll’s feet stay inside the tights.

The doll’s top is made from the top of the sock, after the tights have been cut out. Try the sock top on the doll, by having her “step into” the sock top. The cut end of the sock should be pulled up to just below her shoulders. The finished end of the sock should be at her waist. Trim the cut edge of the sock to shape it like a doll’s top. Remember to leave enough of the trimmed sock fabric to add a hem.

I had to make a seam down the back of the top to make it small enough to fit the doll.

Hem the shoulder/neck/arm opening by hand and add black elastic at the shoulders.

Here is the doll in her tights and top:

For free tips for making an elastic casing download my free Tools, Tips, and Techniques booklet and look on page 9 of the booklet.

You can purchase a download of my pattern Pants, Skirt and T-shirt from the small doll section of my Pattern page. It is the fifth pattern in that section.

If you are only interested in AG mini dolls, the pattern is also in my book, Sewing for Mini Dolls. If you only want mini doll patterns, I think that the book is the best buy. You can find out how to order it from My Books page.

Next week I will show ;you how to make a dance skirt to complete the outfit.

Playing with American Girl mini dolls Adapting a pattern, American Girl mini clothes patterns

This dance ensemble for AG mini dolls is made from a ladies’ thin sock, elastic, ribbon and tulle fabric.

I adapted the pants pattern from my Pants, Skirt and T-shirt pattern to make leggings.

I made a copy of the pants pattern and cut off the side seam allowances and the fold line for the elastic casing.

Cut the leggings from the foot and toe end of the sock. Follow the pants directions to make the leggings. Use a quarter inch (6 mm) seam but sew the seam with a zigzag stitch. I sewed the elastic casing at the waist and the leg hems by hand, because the sewing machine tended to stretch the sock fabric too much.

The doll’s top is made from the top of the sock, after the leggings have been cut out. Try the sock top on the doll, by having her “step into” the sock top. The cut end of the sock should be pulled up to just below her shoulders. The finished end of the sock should be at her waist. Trim the cut edge of the sock to shape it like a doll’s top. Remember to leave enough of the sock fabric to add a hem. I hemmed the shoulder/neck/ arm opening by hand to prevent the sewing machine from stretching the fabric.

I had to make a seam down the back of the top to make it small enough to fit the doll. Hem the shoulder/neck/arm opening by hand. Add ribbon ties at the shoulders.

For the tutu, cut four 16 inches by 5 inches (41 cm by 12 cm) rectangles of tulle. Stack the tulle rectangles together and fold them lengthwise to make stack of folded rectangles measuring 16 inches by 2.5 inches (41 cm by 6 cm). Make an elastic casing by sewing a seam three eighth inch (1 cm) from the folded edge of the tulle stack. Insert about 5.5inches (14 cm) of one eighth inch (3 mm) wide elastic. Secure the elastic on both sides and then sew the two short sides of the gathered rectangle together to make the tutu back.

For free tips for making an elastic casing download my free Tools, Tips, and Techniques booklet and look on page 9 of the booklet.

You can purchase a download of my pattern Pants, Skirt and T-shirt from the small doll section of my Pattern page. It is the fifth pattern in that section.

If you are only interested in AG mini dolls, the pattern is also in my book, Sewing for Mini Dolls. If you only want mini doll patterns, I think that the book is the best buy. You can find out how to order it from My Books page.

Playing with American Girl mini dolls Adapting a pattern, American Girl mini clothes patterns, sewing for small dolls

One of the details that I enjoyed designing for my Kitty doll pattern was her toes. The current (Feb/Mar 2014) issue of Soft Dolls and Animals! includes an article that I wrote explaining how to add toes to a cloth doll foot pattern. Of course if you want a doll with toes, you can always make Kitty, but if you have another favorite pattern that needs toes, be sure to check out my article. The magazine has lots and lots of great patterns and ideas.

Pattern Making Adapting a pattern

We have a small tree this year and so I decided that my small doll, Florabunda, would make a great angel for the top of the tree. I made her gown from my “Gown,Smock, and Two Tiered Skirt” pattern. I cut the pattern from white bridal satin and made the skirt extra long. The wings are from two layers of gold lame bonded together with low heat fusible webbing. Her halo is made from a pipe-cleaner wrapped in gold midi braid.

Here is a picture of our little tree with Florabunda perched proudly on the top.

Christmas Sewing Adapting a pattern, sewing for small dolls

My two new patterns, Kitty, a Soft Doll, and Kitty A-line Dress and Short Jacket, are now available to purchase and download.

Kitty is an eighteen inch (46 cm) doll. She can wear the same clothes as dolls from the American Girl Collection. I know of two very nice doll patterns available that make an American Girl size doll out of knit fabric. I wanted an eighteen inch (46 cm) doll made from woven fabric, because I like to make doll faces with colored pens and pencils. When I make dolls from knits, I must either paint or embroider the face. I have designed a head that is very easy to sew together. Sometimes a woven cloth doll head is difficult to sew. The dollmaker may need to spent a lot of time clipping and easing the fabric to construct the doll’s head correctly. The pieces of this doll head fit together without any easing. Also it is easy to attach the head to the body. The head and body are sewn together before the center-back seam is completed. The pattern offers optional ears, fingers, and needle sculpted toes. The dollmaker may use a purchased wig or use the included instructions for a yarn wig that may be styled several ways.

Kitty can wear the clothes made from patterns in my Learning to Sew for Your Doll book and my new A-line dress pattern. The Kitty A-line Dress and Jacket will fit Kitty, American Girl dolls and many other eighteen inch (46 cm) dolls. It is a good basic outfit that goes together quickly. The jacket can be used with the sundress and summer top patterns that are found in my book. You can add buttons, lace, pin tucks, appliques, or ruffles to give the A-line dress your personal touch.

Please take a moment to go go to the pattern page and look at my two new patterns.

My books, my patterns Adapting a pattern, American girl doll clothes patterns, eighteen inch doll clothes patterns