Follow This Pattern to Craft a Cute Dress

By Edith Schmidt

This pattern was created for bbflockling’s 10.5-inch (27 cm) Winnie and Jemima dolls and can be used for dolls with the same measurements. Expect to spend about six to eight hours making this outfit, excluding time spent cutting out pieces.

To Begin

Make a copy of the pattern and use it to cut the individual pieces out of cardboard. These can be used to easily trace the pattern onto the fabric with an air erasable pen. Cut inside or on the line to maintain proper sizing of pieces. If you intend to make multiple outfits, it’s recommended to cut all pieces before beginning to sew; you can use plastic bags or boxes to keep pieces organized.

Materials

  • Approx. 1 yard of fabric of choice
  • Approx. 1 ½ yards of lace or other trim
  • Approx. 5 ¼ inches of elastic
  • Thread
  • Closures of choice
  • Air erasable pen
  • Scissors
  • Sewing pins
  • Cardboard (optional)
  • Forceps (optional)
  • Bamboo skewer (6-8 inches) (optional)

When deciding on skirt length and width, consider how you want the skirt to appear in fullness and in length. The dress shown on the doll has 22 inches of fabric for the skirt waist and the skirt is 4.5 inches long with a ½-inch lace trim. If you want a skirt that is less full, use a length of 16 inches to 18 inches.

Rather than cutting the fabric for the skirt, tear it. This helps find the straight of the grain and eliminates wavy borders. Clip the fabric ¼ inch from the edge and tear both the hemline edge as well as the waist. I use this technique when working with batiste for making dresses with pintucks, tucks, and lace. Using a pintuck foot to sew multiple pintucks around the hem of the garment will help give more body to the bottom of the skirt.

When sewing more than one of the same garment, I sew the pieces in stages, doing all the lace on dress skirts, slip skirts, sleeve cuffs, etc. Then these pieces can be assembled into the finished garment.

Depending on the fabric, you will want either metal or nylon snaps for closures. When working with batiste, I prefer nylon snaps but will occasionally use metal. In either case, use a size suitable for the scale of the garment. Ribbons or hook-and-eye closures can be used for items like pinafores.

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