What can you sew in 30 minutes? As examples, I can probably put in a zipper, set in a sleeve, serge several seams, or stitch a few quilt blocks. If you’d ask my Sewing With Nancy guest that same question, she would state that in 30 minutes she could sew a complete skirt, stitch a top, and create a pair of pants . . . of doll clothes! My guest is Joan Hinds designer of easy-to-sew doll clothes for the popular 18″ dolls.
Doll sewing doesn’t have to be detailed. The simple pattern pieces mix and match and can be quickly sewn for an instant gift. Let me share the cute outfits featured in the second Sewing With Nancy program of this 2-part TV series titled, 30-Minute Doll Clothes. Watch online or on Public TV.
Playtime Top
This show begins with a playtime ensemble. Playtime is imagination time. Your little girl and her doll will go on all sorts of adventures while you supply the wardrobe.
School Days
A little girl can get her doll dressed for the first day of school in a coordinating red, white, and blue outfit. The vest, top and skirt each take 30 minutes or less to stitch. The sewing is made simple with flat construction tips. Nancy will show you how to use your serger to simplify the sewing steps.
Jiffy Jumper
There are three criteria for doll clothes in my book: cute, easy to make, and durable! This Jiffy Jumper fits all the benchmarks with ease. Flat construction, fusing, and serging are components for success.
Sweet Dreams
Your little girl can dress her doll for sweet dreams after you make a simple nightshirt out of mere inches of fabric. We have a few helpful hints to assist you in streamlining the sewing process.
You’ll find all the instructions and the sewing patterns for these doll clothes and more in the book, 30-Minute Doll Clothes. You can watch this show online—it’s the feature show this week.
Watch 30-Minute Doll Clothes online at nancyzieman.com or on Public TV.
You guessed it, we’re giving away a copy of the 30-minute Doll Clothes book, compliments of Nancy’s Notions. To qualify for the give away, think back to when you played with dolls, hmm. Remember? What was your favorite doll outfit? A random winner will be chosen next week from the postings! Thanks for your interest.
Bye for now,
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Loved making doll clothes as a little girl. I played for hours! My favorite was a wrap dress I made with my mothers scarf. I thought It was soo beautiful!
I love watching you sew Nancy! Wish I could sew like that!!
Happiness is busy hands, busy mind,
Kathleen Woodson
Thank you for this tutorial
I am looking for the cape pattern measurements mentioned In the end of the show on doll patterns. It was a cape for kids.
Here’s the link Roselyn: http://www.enchantedmakeovers.org/dynamic/?page=104
To find info on my Nancy’s Corner guests, go to http://www.nancyzieman.com. You’ll find all things related to Sewing With Nancy at the site. Along the bottom of the home page, you’ll find the Nancy’s Corner area. Click there and then search for the interview of your choice.
My favorite doll had a blue dress. We didn’t have extra money for doll clothes. With many brothers and sisters we had to share with each other. I love to sew , now I make doll clothes for grandkids.
We bought Barbies and one Ken at a garage sale along with alot of clothes. Some of these dolls were well “loved” and were missing a leg, an arm, hair styles awry but my daughter didn’t care. Now they have gone thru 3 daughters and 3 granddaughters and they still look the same…Well loved. I did make a few more clothes for them but have also made matching cheerleading outfits for the American dolls as well. It is great seeing the next generation enjoy the dolls as well..
My favorite doll was a Chatty Cathy and I had a Barbie and a Ken. I was always making houses for them complete with beds, couches, tables etc. I don’t remember sewing doll clothes but I used cut pieces of fabric into coats or vests. I had tons of fun with them.
When I was 7 years old, my friend and I each hand sewed a matching skirt and shirt for our dolls. We used matching blue printed fabric and used a needle and thread to sew the entire outfit. Those first doll clothes got me hooked on sewing and now I am teaching my grand daughters to sew for themselves and their dolls. We do like to use the sewing machine now.
Oh I have fond memories of my sister and I playing with our Barbies (well OK I had a Midge doll since my older sister had Barbie!). We’d take over the living room couches and could leave our “homes” out for a couple of days when our dad was away on business. Naturally our dolls had to change outfits all the time! …I always loved the beautiful handmade wedding gown hoping someday I’d have one too! (and I did!) I still treasure both gowns!! Can’t fit in my anymore LOL- but I’m going to go see if Midge fits in hers : )
Wow, it is had to pick just one favorite outfit! My mother made a few clothes for my bigger baby dolls, but I made the Barbie clothes out of scraps of fabric. No pattern, just cut holes for their arms to go thru. I remember one doll that a mouse chewed on, so I wrapped her leg with a bandage. I even used kleenexes for clothes!
I am looking forward to making doll clothes for MY little girl, who loves her babies!
I got a Barbie soon after they came out but we didn’t have enough $$ to get any other clothes because my father had just died. A friend of the family tried to copy Barbie’s black evening sheath for me. It was a little thick but I was delighted.
I was given a Barbie for Christmas in 1967 when I was seven-years-old and my Mother made all sorts of cute clothes for her! My Mom is my sewing inspiration and my favorite outfit Mom made was a yellow knit dress with long, white gloves. Can you imagine making clothes that small? Barbie looked so sophisticated. Imaging growing up very poor but having this beautiful doll and that very 60′s style knit dress and gloves.
Thanks for letting me share my memories!
I have had dolls for as long as I can remember. If fact my first sewing project was a doll’s dress. To pick just one outfit or dress is hard! I guess it would have to be one that my grandmother made me. She taught me to sew, and for that I will always be grateful to her for that. Thanks to Joan for creating another great book and to Nancy for wonderful show!
My favorite was the crocheted dress my grandma made for my big baby doll. Wish I still had her! I made my own dolls with the clothes for awhile, I have 3 of my four grand-daughters who don’t have one yet. My DIL’s keep reminding me… Time for Grandma of get out the doll patterns again.
I loved my Barbie, I carried her with me everywhere, my Mom knitted her outfits and I carried her around in a little suitcase.
I remember a skirtd that slipped on and a top that was sleeveless and opened completely in the back. It is hard to remember what clothes I dressed my doll(s) in but I probably made them.
I had many dolls and stuffed animals I sewed clothes for. My favorite outfit was a dress I made for my Barbie – an original one, bought when they first came out. I still have many of the outfits I made for her!
My favorite doll outfit was an outfit my Great Aunt made for my cabbage patch doll. She used a commercial pattern but added her own touch by smocking. I still have this outfit and the doll.
I remember having crocheted Barbie doll clothes for my vintage Barbie. Mom also made clothes for her, sewing all those tiny seams.
My favorite doll outfit was a velvetine coat my mother made. We were poor, so she sould go to various companies and go through their cast outs for fabric. She made lovely doll clothing.