Don't spend a fortune dressing your American Girl dolls.
American Girl dolls are a trademarked brand of dolls that began in 1986. Starting with historical characters, American Girl expanded their line to include Girl of the Year, Bitty Baby, Bitty Twins and new for 2011 the 25th Birthday dolls. While the American Girl stores offer an unlimited amount of accessories, from furniture to clothing, they are often expensive. Just one dress can often run $20 to $30 each. Before spending a fortune on clothes for your American Girl doll, try designing some on your own.
Instructions
1. Pin the pattern pieces onto the fabric with the straight pins. Cut around the pattern pieces and leave the paper pattern attached to the cut pieces. This way you know what each piece is. Cut a piece from the same cloth as the dress that is 16-by-3/4 inches, this will be the bias for the collar. Fold the long sides of the bias strip inward and baste, leaving a strip that is 1/4 inch wide.
2. Measure 5/8 inch away from the outer edge of the collar and pin the bias all the way around the collar. Hand sew the outer edge of the bias all the way around and then iron the inner edge and stitch around the inner edge. Iron the collar again and remove the thread used to baste the bias.
3. Pin the collar and lining together with the right sides facing inward. Stitch around the outside leaving one end open to turn the collar right-side out. Cut small triangles all the way around the outside edge taking care not to cut the hem. Turn right-side out and iron.
4. Pin the front and back of the bodice together with the right-sides facing inward. Sew leaving a 1/4-inch seam. Press the seams open and zigzag stitch over the edges so they will not unravel. Fold the dress in half and lightly press to find the center. Lay the collar flat and fold it in half, lightly pressing to find the center. Line up the center line on the dress with the center line on the collar and baste the collar in place. Pin the collar in place along the edge of the neck and sew the short seams of the collar to the shoulder seams on the dress. Then, sew the collar to the edge of the neck and remove the basting thread.
5. Gather the sleeves by running a needle and thread around the bottom edge. Pin the sleeve bands to the sleeve and sew one side 1/4 inch from the edge, then remove the gathering threads. Fold the band over and stitch in place. Repeat on the other sleeve. On the top of the sleeves, gather the fabric 1/8 inch from the edge and another row 1/2 inch from the edge. Pin the right-sides of the sleeves to the right sides of the shoulder seams gathering so they will fit into the arm hole. Sew with a 1/4-inch seam allowance and remove the gathering threads. Repeat for the other sleeve.
6. Gather the skirt 1/8 inch from the edge and again 1/2 inch from the top edge. Pin the skirt to the bodice, tightening the threads to match the hole in the bodice. Sew the skirt to the bodice with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Sew along the bottom with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Sew the hook and loop tape from the neck to the bottom of the bodice that will hold the dress closed.
Tags: American Girl, from edge, inch from, inch from edge, 4-inch seam, seam allowance, 4-inch seam allowance
