Tips for Making Your Own Fashions

Creating Your Own Patterns
Working Without Patterns
Fitting Patterns to a Doll
Controlling Frayed Edges
Sewing vs. Gluing
Hand-sewing vs. Machine-sewing

Creating Patterns

I've created patterns three ways:

• Taking apart existing fashions and tracing patterns
• Modifying patterns for larger fashion dolls
• Making up a pattern

If you take apart an existing fashion, remember that it shouldn't be so ratty that you can't get the dimensions right. If an item is severely frayed, you'll want to be sure to fit the pattern to the doll before sewing it.

You can take patterns for 11-1/2" dolls and scale these down. I've tried 50% reduction--I think Chantell once shared that 54% works best. Be sure you fit the pattern before cutting out the real pieces, because Dawn and B*rbie vary in dimensions.

Working Without Patterns

I've taking a piece of trim or fabric, stretched or draped it around a doll, trimmed it, pinned it, then sewn it together--and it's worked! Not as reliably as coming up with a pattern, but good enough.

Trim sections of fabric stores are filled with cool stuff for Dawn. Ruffled trims can be snipped and sewn up the back for a quickie skirt--you can add a bodice if you like, or make it a two-piece outfit. You can layer gathered trims on a skirt for multi-tiered affects. Very narrow trims can serve as gown straps and belts. There's lots to find!

Fitting Patterns to a Doll

The best thing I ever did (for my sanity) was to cut the pattern out of muslin, mark the seam allowances in pen, and then baste the pattern right to the doll. I baste it with a fast running stitch in colored thread with the seams on the outside, not the inside. I find this so helpful to determine the fit before I commit to cutting out the "real" fabric.

Basting the pattern doesn't take care of all potential problems (you still have the variables of fabric type and actual seam allowances) but it helps quite a bit. It doesn't take very much time, either, and can give you confidence about creating your own patterns.

Controlling Frayed Edges

Many of the fabrics that we just know Dawn will love--metallics, sheer fabrics, satins--fray as soon as you cut them. You can get around this by using a product called Fraycheck. It's a liquid that you squeeze onto your fabric and let dry--before you do the cutting.

If you decide to try Fraycheck, test part of your fabric first to make sure it doesn't discolor it. I think some people have used hairspray for the same result, but I haven't figured out how to control it as well. You can find Fraycheck at fabric stores.

Sewing vs. Gluing

You don't have to sew your fashions if you don't want to. There are fabric glues and fusible webbing that can make the whole process a lot less stressful.

I use a combination of sewing and fusible webbing.

For hems and finishing armholes, I use Quilter's Edge Ultra Hold...this is quarter-inch webbing that comes on a roll. With the permanent bond (this might not be true of light bond) you can't stitch through the fused material afterward, so you need to plan ahead. (For armholes, I cut the webbing in half length-wise for a narrower strip.)

For gathering, sewing skirts to bodices, darts, and vertical seams, I sew the seams (often by hand) because I like the way it hangs.

I have used liquid fabric glue when I wanted to attach fine trim (like very narrow cord) around a neckhole or armhole...it's a nightmare trying to roll a seam like that under by hand or with an old sewing machine. Glue saves the day.

Hand-sewing vs. Machine-sewing

Hand-sewing is often easier because of the small seams and tricky corners on tiny fashions, but if you're skilled with a machine, go for it.

Sewing small fashions often works better when you baste pieces together before stitching them. It gives you more control.

If you have a problem (as I did) with the fabric bunching up under the sewing machine foot and being pulled into the bobbin case, try using a fabric stabilizer such as Stitch N' Tear. This stuff looks kind of like interfacing and you can ask for it at the cutting counter of a fabric store. To use it, you baste or set your pieces on a section of Stitch N' Tear that's a bit larger, and then do your sewing with the Stitch N' Tear on the bottom. When done, you tear away the stabilizer. This is especially helpful with slithering glamour fabrics.

Note: The problem with fabric bunching seems to be happening when the plate beneath the sewing machine foot has a needle hole sized for zigzag stitches--it's wide enough that the descending needle will push lightweight fabrics down into the bobbin case, especially with a narrow seam allowance. If you have this problem, see if you can change plates on your machine.