Making a Dance Ensemble for Your American Girl Mini Doll
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.
