How to recycle a denim skirt into a skirt for your doll

I made this really cute denim skirt from a skirt that my daughter outgrew but still loved. Actually, it started out as a hand-me-down, so it was well loved! I love working with used denim because it gives you a wonderful worn and faded look that you can't get working with new denim fabric! This skirt has it all... ruffles, tucking, iron-on studs and an embroidered hem! And it only required sewing one seam!

This is the original skirt I started with. I think that I will be able to get several projects out of this one skirt!

This skirt already has a great side zipper that I used for the finished doll skirt. I also used the original waistband that just happens to have a great little tuck on it!

This photo shows the bottom tucking details. I ended up not using the bottom of the skirt for this project, but I know that I will use this for some other fun project!

1) First, I put the skirt on the doll, and with the zipper on one side, I pinned where the new side seam will be. I also pinned 3/8" away from the first pin for the seam allowance. Most doll patterns use a 1/4" seam allowance, I like to use 3/8", because it allows me to make adjustments if needed, and it can always be trimmed back to 1/4" later if I want to.

2) Next, I cut straight down from the waistband at the outside pin. I cut the front and back pieces separately. Because I new that I wanted to save the bottom of the skirt for future projects, I cut down only 6 1/2". The skirt had an adjustable waistband, so when I cut the waistband I removed the adjustable elastic.

3) I measured 6 1/2" down from the top of the waistband all around and marked with pins.

4) I cut the bottom of the skirt off along the pinned line, and this is how it looked so far.

5) I added a decorative machine embroidery stitch to the bottom edge. I did this because I like to avoid hemming whenever possible, and the stitching will keep the fraying to a minimum.

A detailed view of the hem.

6) Pin the side seam.

7) I sewed the side seam with a 3/8" seam allowance. I tested the fit on the doll. And since it fit well, I trimmed the seam allowance to 1/4" and finished the seam with a stretch zig zag stitch.

8) The skirt could be finished at this point, but I decided to add a row of iron-on silver studs (which you can see in the first photo and below) along the ruffle edge. Other iron-on or sew-on details could be added for a fun look!

Thanks for visiting!

I hope I have given you lots of ideas for making your own doll's denim skirt!

Creatively Yours,

Donna


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How to recycle a baby sweater for your doll

   This is a great project for non-knitters (but knitters can have fun with this, too!). It requires only 3 basic hand sewing stitches. I chose this baby sweater to work with because of its bold colors that don't say "Baby Sweater", and the stripes are perfectly scaled for dolls. The yarn mixes and accent stitches are a plus!

   I started with this thrift shop sweater that cost me $1.99. It was a size 3-6 months. You could work with other sizes but keep in mind scale- the younger sizes will have easier scales to work with, smaller buttons, smaller patterns, smaller trims, etc.

This photo shows you some of the details.

 

   The first thing I did was take apart the sweater. I cut the sleeves off at the armhole seams. I cut the sides at the side seams. Then I very carefully cut the neck trim away from the body with a seam ripper, cutting only the threads that attach the trim to the sweater and not the trim itself!. It is very important to take your time with this detail. The neck trim will look best if done carefully! 

   After I cut up the sweater into pieces, I played with the front, putting it up to the doll to see how long I wanted it to be and were I thought the neck should fall. (In the above photo, I show only 3 buttons. At this point I wasn't sure of the neck placement yet).

    I decided to make the sweater a little longer than I showed in the previous photo. I pinned the front to the back to get the desired body width (with pieces right sides together). And I marked the shoulder with a pin.

   Here you can see my pins for marking body width and shoulder placement. I measured the width from pin to pin at the bottom edge. This gave me the finished body width measurement. I adjusted my pattern so that the pattern front was 1/2 this measurement plus 3/8" seam allowance. I also measured the body length from the bottom edge to the shoulder pin and added 3/8" seam allowance for the shoulder seam. I adjusted my pattern to this measurement.

   I placed the center front edge of my pattern onto the center front of the placket, and the bottom edge of the pattern onto the bottom edge of the sweater front, as shown above. I cut each side of the front one at a time, flipping the pattern for the other side. Because I was still on the fence about the neck placement, I decided to cut the neck higher than I made the pattern, so that I could adjust it later.

   Next, I placed the cut out front on top of the back piece. I did this so that I could make sure that the stripes match up at the side seams and shoulder seams. I pinned the front piece  in place and cut out the back using the front as a pattern. I cut straight across for the back neck, because I wanted to be able to adjust the neck after I finished the rest of the sweater, (you will see in later steps how I did this).

Cutting out the back piece.

This is how it looks after both front and back pieces were cut out (right sides together).

   Then I turned the the sleeve piece inside out and placed it up to the front and back pieces. The stripe placement worked out well and I was able to match the stripes at the armhole seams.

I then placed the sleeve pattern on each sleeve sleeve and cut out each sleeve one at a time.

The above photo shows all of the pieces cut out.

   I sewed the side seams, the shoulder seams, and the underarm seams by hand with a fingering weight yarn and a 3/8" seam allowance. I used a "back stitch"for the seams, which has more stretch than a running stitch. I then finished the seams with a "blanket stitch". See above photo and below for stitch chart. 

For your reference, I made an embroidery stitch chart that you see above.

All seams are done in Back stitch.

Finish all seams in Blanket stitch.

Attach neck trim in Chain stitch.

   Then, I sewed the sleeves to the body with a "back stitch" and finished the seams with a "blanket stitch", same as the other seams. I turned the sweater inside out and put on the doll. I adjusted the neck until I liked the placement and pinned it in place. I made sure to use the existing buttonhole from the neck trim. The other end of the neck trim will be cut and folded back once the trim is sewn in place. I sewed the trim to the body with a "chain stitch", carefully catching each knit stitch of the trim. I used a regular sewing thread for the neck trim. The neck trim was the most tedious part of the whole project, but if you take your time you will have great results!

The finished sweater! No knitting required!

So now, I hope I have inspired you to recycle a sweater for your own doll! The possibilities are endless!

Thanks for visiting!

Creatively Yours,

Donna

How to make matching girl and doll tee shirts

 

   My daughter has been begging for a matching outfit for her and her doll. So after finishing the Heart Tee Shirt for her doll (see my post dated 2/15/12), I had a heart shaped piece left over of the original sequined heart. My daughter had a solid color pink long sleeve tee that I thought would work perfectly for this matching girl and doll idea. It is not an exact match but it is still cute and cost me nothing!!!

  

This is the solid color pink long sleeve tee that I will put the sequined heart on.

   This above photo shows the smaller sequined heart, shown on top, that I used for the doll tee, and was cut from the center of the larger heart, shown underneath.

I folded the tee in half lengthwise to find the center front and pinned the heart in place.

The pinned heart.

I turned back the extra fabric on the outside edge of the heart and sewed the heart to the tee shirt. I also sewed the heart down along the inside edge.

   I originally planned to leave the heart as is and not add anything else to it. But my daughter saw it at this point and commented that it looked "empty inside". Of course, she was right!!! So I added a row of mixed pink beads along the inside. Done!

Matching outfits for my daughter and her doll at last!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Creatively yours,

Donna

Fabulous Finds Friday!

I want to share with you some of the great things that I found today! It was a great thrift shopping day!
It was the day after a snow day...and I wanted to get out of the house.. and I had a few things I needed to donate anyway...do I really need excuses to go thrifting?

   I found this perfectly proportioned wicker chair for $3.00 at one of my favorite thrift shops! I have a rule of not spending more that $2.00 on any one doll item ... but I couldn't resist this chair and decided that rules are sometimes meant to be broken. Yes, it is hard to tell from the photo, but it is doll sized at 8"wide and 9"tall. You will be seeing this chair again in future posts I'm sure.

I also found this very cute jewelry case that looks like a little purse. Just the right size! And only $2.00.

This is what it looks like on the inside. I think that I will keep it this way and not try to change it because my daughter may want to use it for herself some day and not just for her doll.

So cute with the Holiday outfit! I wish that I had it for when I did my Holiday post!

I also found two scarves that I think I will make sweaters out of. Or hats. Or vests. Or...I guess you will have to wait and see! They were $1.99 each.

This scarf may not make it into doll's clothing... I think my daughter wants to keep it as a scarf for herself! Oh well, I can't blame her! It is rainbow colored, which, I think she would say, is her favorite color. Maybe if she gets tired of it someday it will find new life as a doll sweater!

Happy Thrifting and Crafting!

Creatively Yours,

Donna