When I was writing my newest book, Learn to Hand Sew for Mini Dolls, I created several patterns that I could not use in the book. Some of the patterns were not easy enough for the book. Some of the patterns could not be made with knits and I had decided that all the clothing should be made from knit fabric. My favorite pattern that did not make the book is this ballet costume.

The little tutu is made from tulle and is too difficult for a beginner. Here is a picture of a second, easier version of the tutu.

The free instructions include both versions of the tutu. Neither version is difficult for an experienced sewer, but I don’t think that a beginner should try either version.

The leotard is difficult to cut out, but once it is cut out I think that a beginner can sew it with needle and thread. An experienced sewer can make this whole costume or let a beginner help complete the easy parts.

I am giving this pattern away because I think it is too cute not to publish and I don’t have a place for it in any of my books right now. If you like the pattern, I hope that you look at my books, Sewing for Mini Dolls, which is for intermediate sewers and Learn to Hand Sew for Mini Dolls, which is for beginners. You might find a use for one or both or the books.

Click here for free ballet pattern 2.

Free Patterns, My books, my patterns American Girl mini clothes patterns, Our Generation mini doll clothes patterns

After I wrote the first edition of Sewing for Mini Dolls, many of my readers tried to use the book to teach their children and grandchildren to sew. I did not intend this book for children. Using a sewing machine to make items as small as mini doll clothing can be challenging for the beginner.

I considered including simplified handsewing patterns for beginners in the revised edition of Sewing for Mini Dolls that I wrote last year. I found that the book was too long for the added patterns.

I have just completed and published a separate book of simplified doll clothes patterns. If you need something for the complete beginner try my new book Learn to Hand Sew for Mini Dolls. The patterns will fit American Girl mini dolls, Target’s Our Generation mini dolls and Lori mini, Madame Alexander Travel Friends dolls, and my cloth doll Twinkle.

I have also found that these easy clothes sew up very, very quickly. I am planning to make a bunch of them for my Blue Santa project this year.

Check back in a few days for a free pattern that will fit the dolls that I have mentioned in this post.

My books American Girl mini clothes patterns, Our Generation mini doll clothes patterns

American Girl® Dolls has recently slightly changed the body of their American Girl mini doll.  Target now has Our Generation® mini dolls and Lori® mini dolls. Because of these changes, I decided to revise my “Sewing for Mini Dolls” book.

I have changed my Twinkle doll pattern to more nearly match these commercial dolls and have revised my mini doll clothing patterns to give them a better fit on these new dolls.

Because I was revising my mini doll book anyway, I decided to add new patterns to the book to offer a more complete doll wardrobe. I have also added accessories and extras to make the book more fun.

I have simplified the shoe patterns and added new touches to patterns that were in the book’s first edition.

I have slightly changed the book’s formatting.

I hope that you will take the time to check out my new book on Amazon. Sewing for Mini Dolls: New and Updated Patterns for Mini Dolls

My books American Girl mini clothes patterns, Our Generation mini doll clothes patterns

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

I made a pair of cool cotton pajamas for my Isabelle mini doll using my free Sundress and Summer Top pattern and the bloomers pattern from my A-line dress pattern. The pattern size for mini dolls is marked with a star.

To make the pajamas more comfortable, I hemmed the pants legs without adding the elastic suggested in the pattern instructions.

You can find the free summer top pattern on my pattern page by clicking here. If you would like to order the A-line dress pattern, you can scroll down to the second pattern below the free pattern on that page.

My down-loadable pattern has three sizes of small doll patterns. If you are only interested in sewing for mini dolls, I think that the better value is my Sewing for Mini Dolls book. The book has all the small doll clothing patterns found on my pattern page, but only in the mini doll size. The book also has shoe patterns, including the bunny slippers that Isabelle is wearing. You can learn how to order Sewing for Mini Dolls by going to My Books page.

If you want to draft your own pants pattern watch the Froggy Stuff video How to Make Doll Pants.

Here is Isabelle wearing her new pajamas:

You can find a free pattern for her Teddy Bear on Florabunda’s Page. Choose Beginning Sewing Projects from the directory and select the stuffed bear pattern. Use the pattern that is marked with a flower.

Playing with American Girl mini dolls Accessories for American Girl mini dolls, American Girl mini clothes patterns

I made a new sundress for my mini Isabelle using my free sundress pattern. You can find a free copy of the pattern on my Pattern Page.

The size pattern that fits AG mini dolls is marked with a star. I used a longer piece of wider ribbon than is listed in the pattern instructions. The shoulder bows were easier to tie with the new size ribbon.

You can find a larger pattern for the sundress that fits eighteen inch (46 cm) dolls in my book, Learn to Sew for Your Doll. Learn more about the book and were to buy it on My Books page. Learn to Sew is the third book as you scroll down the page.

Here is mini Isabelle in her new dress.

Playing with American Girl mini dolls American Girl mini clothes patterns

My husband (tech support) and I have just published two new books.

Here is the cover for Sewing for Large Dolls.

Here is the cover for Sewing for Mini Dolls.

The books are available from Amazon, and Amazon.co.uk. They should soon be available from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.ca.

Sewing for Large Dolls includes my Kitty doll pattern and all of her clothes and shoe patterns. Her clothes will fit other eighteen inch (46 cm) dolls such as American Girl dolls and dolls from the Springfield collection.

Sewing for Mini Dolls includes my six and one half inch (16.5 cm) Twinkle doll and her patterns. Twinkle’s patterns will fit other dolls her size such as the American Girl Mini dolls. The instructions for Twinkle and her clothing are the same as those in Florabunda’s book, but the patterns and measurements are for the smaller Twinkle doll.

To see the books on Amazon click here. To see the books on Amazon.co.uk click here.

My books Accessories for American Girl Dolls, American girl doll clothes patterns, American Girl mini clothes patterns, eighteen inch doll clothes patterns

I have finished Christmas dresses for my dolls. This morning I took them and their clothes to church to join other toys in the November toy drive. Here they are in their Christmas dresses.

Here are Florabunda and Kitty modeling Christmas dresses.

If you want to make doll dresses for a special Christmas gift, patterns in my book Learn to Sew for your Doll are quick and easy to sew. The necklines are gathered and the waists use elastic, so the clothing is easy to fit on a variety of eighteen inch (46 cm) dolls. Here are the other clothes that I made for my two dolls. 

The A-line dress pattern is the only pattern for eighteen inch (46 cm) not included in the Learn to Sew book. It is available for download purchase on my pattern page. The American Girl mini wears clothes made from my downloadable patterns for three small dolls. She wears Twinkle’s patterns.

Christmas Sewing American Girl mini clothes patterns, eighteen inch doll clothes patterns

I have finished red striped, flannel nightgowns for my Christmas dolls and Florabunda. I’m almost done with the Christmas dolls’ wardrobe. I’m only planning one more outfit, a Christmas skirt and top. Here are my eighteen inch (46 cm) doll and my American Girl mini in their gowns.

The eighteen inch nightgown pattern is in my book Learn to Sew for Your Doll. The mini’s nightgown comes from my Nightgown,Smock Top, and Two Tiered Skirt down-loadable pattern. The mini doll wears clothes made from Twinkle’s patterns.

When I make a cloth doll as a play doll, I like to include a flannel gown. I think that it adds to the tactile pleasure of the doll. Here are Florabunda and Kitty wearing flannel nightgowns.

The little cats that they are holding are part of a new easy to sew project that I am developing. I’ve made three sizes of cats. Here is Florabunda with the largest cat.

Christmas Sewing, My books, my patterns American Girl mini clothes patterns, eighteen inch doll clothes patterns