When Joan Hinds proposed the idea of 30-Minute Doll Clothes for a Sewing With Nancy program, Nancy’s interest piqued. She asked Joan if the pieces could truly be made in just 30-minutes instead of several sewing sessions. Her answer—absolutely!
Nancy gave Joan the go-ahead to submit ideas centering on sewing for the popular 18″ dolls. She sent Nancy sketches and photos. The difficult part was to narrow down the selections for a 2-part TV series! Part 1 is this weeks featured program on The Best of Sewing With Nancy.
Birthday Party Trio
The Birthday Party Trio is a double skirt, camisole, and leggings combo. It’s a mix and match ensemble that is a breeze to create. In the 30-Minute Doll Clothes book and DVD and on the TV show you’ll see how flat-construction tips streamline the process.
Pretty and Perky Combo
Dig through your fabric scrap box and search for a pretty little print. With just a few straight seams and 30 minutes of time, you’ll be able to create a skirt. Spend another half-hour of time and stitch a top. The result is a pretty and perky combo.
Speedy Sundress
Your favorite little girl can have an extensive doll wardrobe using Joan’s simple patterns and speedy sewing tips. This sundress, the Speedy Sundress to be exact, is so quick to sew that you could create two dresses in just about the same time as sewing one of them. Simplified techniques make it possible.
Bonus Project
Joan stitched an updated version of her sundress since recording the TV show. Here are her hints:
- Simply cut 2″ off the bottom edge of the original pattern. A band of two fabrics gives the dress more interest, while keeping the stitching time within 30 minutes.
- Cut the top band 1-1/4″ wide and fold it in half lengthwise.
- Place it over the bottom band, which is 2-1/2″ wide. Match the raw edges.
- Then, stitch the double band to the lower edge of the dress.
Tea Time
This doll is set to attend an afternoon tea party. Bolero jacket and dress—a perfect combo—like tea and cookies, will delight any little girl.
Meet Me at the Mall
Our next doll is ready to go shopping. The knit shirt, top, and skirt ensemble is the perfect outfit for a doll to wear during an imaginative Meet Me at the Mall outing.
Popular Book with Patterns!
You’ll find all the instructions and patterns for these clothes and more in the book and DVD, 30-Minute Doll Clothes. You can watch this show online—it’s the featured show this week.
Watch 30-Minute Doll Clothes online
For a chance to win a 30-Minute Doll Clothes book and DVD, tell us which doll outfit you would like to make for an 18 inch doll.
The randomly selected winner of a copy of The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew from Nancy’s Notions is Emily Hunter Boyd.
Her comment is: Making or at least trying to make Buttonholes used to leave me in utter despair until I lucked out acquiring a sewing machine with a buttonhole maker. Zippers were my downfall until I finally threw the installation instructions away and figured out a better way. Nancy’s instruction about replacing a zipper on a jacket? – pure genius!
Happy Sewing,
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.
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They are all so cute. Probably I would sew “meet me at the mall” as a first outfit.
Meet me at the mall is my favorite, but my granddaughter would love all of them.
I have 11 granddaughters who have 18 inch dolls! I hope to make the tea time outfit for each of them. They all got wedding gowns for their dolls at Christmas. They were made out of real wedding gowns! A lovely woman (on a farm), and her mother in Wisconsin sewed them. Found her on Etsy. I need the easy, fast doll projects. Love this! Nancy and her gifts continue on. I loved how Nancy sewed with her granddaughters. I am trying to follow her example.
Tea Time would be the first one I would make. The bolero jacket is cute. So many color combinations and fabric choices to choose from.
The Speedy Sundress would be my first choice. I was inspired by one of Nancy’s Corner segments featuring “Stitchin’ for Kids.” Although the organization has its own patterns, perhaps this sundress would be acceptable since it would be a happy reminder of sunny days for little patients who might not be able to play outside themselves.
What a cute fashion wardrobe! I love the Tea Time outfit.
I love the speedy sundress! So cute and quick! I would love to whip up some quick doll dresses for my great niece! So much fun!
I like them all, but I would make the Tea Time outfit first. It’s just adorable and would make a cute church dress, too.
I would love to make the tea time outfit.
I would make the Tea Time outfit for my niece. No granddaughters all grandsons.
love the tea time dress and bolero
The tea time dress and bolero is so cute! My grand daughters would really like this outfit.
I love the pretty and perky combo dress. It seems like just yesterday I was sewing American girl clothes for my daughter and now I’lm going to be sewing for my granddaughter. I love the idea of quick sewing.
I’d make the bolero jacket and dress (Tea time!) It reminds me of an outfit my daughter wore when she was 3 years old.
Birthday Party Trio is just too cute. Hard to believe it’s so easy!
Love the birthday party trio so cute!
I would love to make the tea time outfit for my granddaughter’s American Girl doll.
I’d make the Tea Time outfit for my granddaughter, who recently received the doll her mother played with almost 30 years ago and who enjoys having tea parties with her doll and her grandmother.
I have to say it is a tie for the Birthday Party trio and the Tea Time outfits as my make first outfit. I would have to confer with my granddaughter as to her favorite and hopefully incorporate her help in making the the dress or outfit.
I would make Tea Time, the jacket is very cute.
For my granddaughters doll, I would like to choose the Birthday Party Trio for her upcoming birthday for her 18″ doll.
Love Teatime!!
Would love to make the Tea Time outfit for my granddaughter’s doll. Depending on the fabric choices, a different look, casual or dressy, could be achieved with the same pattern!
I like the Pretty & Perky and the Tea Time ensembles.
Very pretty!
I like “Meet Me at the Mall.” I know little girls like to dress their dolls in the same kind of outfits they wear themselves.
I would love to make the Tea Time dress with its little jacket. Thank you.
The Birthday Party Trio. Actually, all of them.
I was so anxious to purchase the book and DVD but now I’m disappointed that it is OUT OF STOCK. I’ve added it to my Wish List and hope it becomes available ASAP.
Betty,
You can watch the DVD here: https://wpt4.org/wpt-video/sewing-nancy/the-best-of-sewing-with-nancy-30-minute-doll-clothes-ki1kzb/
Enjoy!
Thanks for your comment.
DD
I would love to make all these doll clothes for my great niece. She received two 18′ dolls for Christmas and it would be great to help add to their wardrobes. I especially like the fact that the clothes are quick and easy to make.
I would love to make The Pretty and Perky outfit! I have 2 grand daughters and they both have dolls!
I would love to make birthday trio, and then be able to teach the youngsters who come to the sewing classes I teach, many of them want to sew for their 18”dolls, and these would be so easy for them.
I have dreaded making doll clothes for my grand daughter for so long, but these outfits don’t look too difficult. I especially like the speedy sundress.
They are all very cute! I would start with Tea Time.
What a great thing to be able to create your own clothes with your little ones for their dolls! I like the tea time outfit.
I would start with the speedy sundress and move on from there.
Tea Time for sure. Love the Bolero jacket and dress. I would really make them all for my granddaughters doll.
Tea time outfit is my favorite.
The Tea Time outfit is so cute. I think I even have some similar fabric in my stash. Thanks for the inspiration.
I love the tea-time outfit.
Tea time is cute.
Only 30 minutes! That is a “can do”. Love all the outfits and the girls will, too.
Love the Tea Time outfit.
All the dolls look good in their outfits.
I now have a granddaughter, and with our British heritage, Tea Time is the first one! I think I fell in love with it, as it is reminiscent of one of the first Barbie outfits I received with my Barbie. If I start now, I might have a few outfits done by the time she’s old enough for an 18″ doll. (she’s just 1!) Another great item to add to my shopping list.
They are all so cute, especially the Birthday Party Trio. These outfits are a perfect addition to the Sew For Fun book that I’m using with my granddaughter!
I would make the speedy sundress, it is adorable.
Each outfit is so cute!! I can imagine the fun times playing with the dolls and their new outfits. I would choose “Meet me at the mall”. Making outfits from Nancy’s Sewing programs in the past brought alot of joy to myself for making them for my neighbor girls and others.
I would find a way to brighten up a little girl’s day and make all the outfits. Seeing all my grandkids are grown and I would have to adopt a little girl. can
I do not have a girl to sew for either. So, I dress dolls and hope to sew clothes for Appalachian girls. There is a website “Dolls for Appalachia” where you can learn more. I would think there are many charities that would spread your handiwork to happy girls.
For my granddaughter — I will probably make them all.
I like the speedy sundress for I like to sew the pillowcase dresses for girls out of fabric. I think that pattern would also fit a little girls teddy bear if she didn’t have an 18″ doll.
Oh, my! They’re all so sweet and do-able! The SPEEDY sundress is my first choice, really cute! Thanks for the opportunity!
Meet me at the Mall is a great outfit!!
I have been teaching our granddaughter to sew with Nancy’s ‘I SEW FOR FUN’ book and she has loved every minute of it! I know she would love to sew a a Tea Time dress for her dolls to wear to her next tea party! How Fun!
Pretty and perky combo would be the first one I would make. Thanks for this opportunity ….
Best book for teaching and learning any beginner…..you love it, simple and cute!
I love making doll clothes for my great granddaughters – I probably would start with tea time -red is my favorite color so spotted that outfit immediately but like the Pretty and Perky too.
My granddaughter loves her 18 inch doll. She is also starting to sew. This looks like a great project for myself and her to do. I love then all, but I think the first one I would tackle would be meet me at the mall.
Meet me at the Mall is such a cute way to try out this technique f looks like something my granddaughter would wear!
My granddaughter is very outdoorsie, so I wanted a very simple summer dress for her and one to match her doll, so when they travel south from Louisville, KY they will have something warm and also match.
All the doll clothes are sweet, but I would make the birthday trio first for my granddaughter. Then she will let me know which ones she would like me to sew for her. Thanks!
My granddaughter would love to have a birthday party trio dress for her doll! They styles are all so cute!
Since tea parties are my granddaughter’s favorite activity, I’d have to make the Tea Time outfit for her doll. So sweet!
Tea time – these are so adorable!
I love this book and the concepts! Tea Time with the adorable bolero would be the first thing I would make!
Love them all!! But Pretty and Perky Combo is my favorite among these. I’ll let my granddaughter choose her favorite from the book!! Thanks.
I would make the birthday trio, but I would use cotton to make pj’s for my great nieces doll