American Doll Closet/clothes hangers Tutorial

Sweet pea recently received her very first American Girl Doll, so you ladies know I just had to sew her Isabelle doll clothes!! Ellie Inspired has so many great AG doll patterns, in fact almost every pattern she has there is a doll version of them. I am sewing my way through every single pattern too! Now that brings me to today's blog post. Right now Miss Isabelle has 7 dresses and a shirt/skirt set with nowhere to put her clothes so I had to make her one. (Now I say that like I didn't want to, you know I did!!!) You can find all her doll patterns here.

This closet is really very easy and quick to make. I used a crafting crate from Jo Ann's but you can find these at Wal-Mart as well. I paid $8 for mine on sale. I also bout a 1/2" round dowel rod a 1/4" dowel rod.

To make the curtain rod and the clothes rod I marked on both top sides of the crate. For the clothes rod I marked the center of the second from the back panel, 3" down. (I used the 1/2" dowel rod for this one)

For the curtain rod I marked the first panel on the front top side down 2" from the top. (I used the 1/4" dowel rod for this one) My wonderful dad then drilled both holes for this using a 1/2" drill bit for the back and 1/4" for the front. Then cut each dowel rod to the same width of the crate then glue in with wood glue. At this point if you want to you can paint or stain the crate.

Here is the view of the top od the closet, the curtain rod in the front and the clothes rod in the back.

Now onto the clothes hangers!! These are just as easy and quick. I took some wire hangers from the dry cleaners and cut off part of the top curved part and the sides/bottom just like the photo above. I used wire cutters for this part.

I then used needle nose pliers to bend the top into a curved shape and the sides in to make a bottom. I bent the sides at the at the second indentation  on the clothes hanger.

Now to keep the two ends together I used duct tape so there would be nothing to snag on the clothes. You could even use the fancy colored/printed duct tape too for this part.

Now they are just the right size for the doll's new wardrobe! This is her EL pink Ballerina dress. I am not done yet! Now for the curtain!

Cut one big rectangle 16 1/2" x22" and four smaller ones 2"x3". The smaller
ones are for the curtain tabs. Then pressed the curtain a 1/4" then another 1/4" to make a narrow hem.  Then stitched just the two short sides and the bottom, leave the top unstitched for now.

 

Next fold he curtain tab in half the long way to make a narrow tube. Stitch the end and the long side, leaving the one short end unstitched. Turn and press. Then top stitch the three stitched sides. (see the picture above)

Now take the four curtain tabs and place them evenly spaced under the narrow pressed hem of the top, pin in place, then stitch the across the top sewing the tabs into place.

To finish the tabs you can add buttons and button hole but to keep it simple for my daughter so that she can change the curtain herself I use hook and loop tape. I cut four small squares of the hook and loop tape and sewn them onto the front side of the curtain a 1/2" down and to the tab on the front side. Lastly just add your curtain to your new closet and you are done!!

Now your daughter's American Girl doll has a place to store all her beautiful home made clothes!

Isabelle is modeling her Ellie Inspired Miss Merry Mack dress. It is the very same dress as Sweet pea's too. Sweet pea loves that her doll ahs all matching clothes as hers. They will look great this Christmas!

Next up will be all the clothes I have made her so far!

Until then Happy Sewing!!

Sharon

Olaf Big Sister and Brother Outfits for Winter and a sale!

My two little ones lately love have matching outfits and have requested a few of them....ok Prince C first requested a matching dress like his sister but I found him some patterns that were better for him, lol.  

Both children had seen this amazing smocked insert over on a Face Book smocking stitches group that a wonderful woman shared with the group, the Olaf smocking plate. I have not smocked very much for Prince C so I wanted to it for him. Along with the smocking plate both children really loved the fabric that this gal used as well, Olaf the snowman. It took me a while but luckily my mom found it for me a Wal-Mart. (Jo Ann's now carries in store as well) For Sweet pea's dress I used the Miss Merry Mack dress, the very same dress pattern as her plaid Christmas dress. This one I added pin tucking to the bodice and I fuss cut the blue Olaf fabric to make the baby piping to tie the bodice into the skirt.

I added a sash onto this dress too. (The sash is included in the pattern as well.) That was one of her requests that it have a bog bow in the back. Also not really seen but is the Icing Skirt that is under her dress. It gives the look of one of those gathered pettie skirts but this skirt sews up so much easier and quicker. It has several circle skirts sewn onto a waist band, no gathering what-so-ever in this pattern! It took me about 2 hours to sew. It was pretty much all sewn on my serger, the neatest part of the skirt is that the edges are sewn with fishing line in them! It gives the skirt this lovely curvy edges to it.

You can see the Icing skirt better in this picture of Ellie Inspired. I love how the how the edges of this skirt curl! It can even be worn without and over dress too.

The bodice of her dress has these light blue pin tucks on it. I thought the light blue would look lovely on the white bodice and help tie in the skirt fabric. I fussy cut the Olaf fabric so I had just the blue snowy part od the fabric to use to make the piping for the bodice.

For Prince C outfit I used the Dancer and Dasher Dungarees with the Buttons and Bow body dress shirt. I added in the smocking insert to the overall's. It was my very second time picture smocking, were there is room for improvement I am very happy with it! One of my new sewing/smocking friends helped me with the picture smocking. I plan on making more of them! I really love it. (Now to get my own pleater, hint, hint hubby!!)

Here is a close up of the Olaf. I was so happy that he really looked like Olaf when I was done! Yes, it is the little things that make me happy. :-)

For his shirt I used fold over elastic for e leg openings. It made sewing this a bit quicker and I love the way it fits on him and the way it stays tucked in his pants as well!

I cannot wait to see what these two little ones request next time!

For this week the Miss Merry Mack dress and Icing skirt are paired together for a great sale on Crasty at 25% off! You can find them here.

Happy sewing!!

Sharon

A Santa dress

I am a bit behind on my blogging so I still have not shared everything I made last month still. This is Sweet pea's Santa dress, made with the Sugar and Spice dress with the very same mods as this dress here. This has been a very popular design for Sweet pea, she really loves the fit of these dresses . She has had one for apple picking, the pumpkin patch and now for her "meeting" Santa dress this year. The pattern comes in sizes 1-5 but now it also come in newborn-36 months as well with no mods/changes needed to the pattern! It's the Holly Days Pattern.

I even made a Santa applique'. It's all hand done with my regular everyday sewing machine. It was pretty easy enough to do but next time I think I will use a heaver white fabric that's not so see through. The pattern does come with several applique' options for different Holidays.  

This dress was made in a cotton woven and red light weight corduroy. The pattern is terrific and easy to sew. I made this dress with all French seems for a lovely finish inside and out. I have been sewing almost everything I make lately this way including the boys dress shirts. There is just something about a French seam that I love!

I am planning on making m Prince C a matching outfit as well with the Buttons and Bows dress shirt with the Dasher and Dancer Dungarees overall's. I will have to share the pattern for the Santa applique' here too. It's fairly easy to make just a lot of layering and small pieces to sew on.  

I still have one more to share form last month then I can start on this months list of blogging! (Can you tell I am feeling much better now?!)

Happy Sewing!!

Sharon