The projects are most attractive, but this comment focusses on some of the difficulties there are with making them.
I just mention some ways of getting extra information. It would take a huge effort to make the instructions easy to use by someone who hasn’t made a doll or clothes before. . . I could give possible instructions for items I have made. But when the instructions are unclear and there’s no photo of the finished item, I could well have guessed wrong !
Rag doll and many clothes for a doll about 14.5” high, with complex head and feet.
Available as a print book and several digital versions.
I bought the Kindle version.
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Patterns for clothes
The pattern templates are on the third page of the David & Charles template archives.
There’s a generous selection of clothes patterns in the download, 49 pages in all. Pdf format so easy to print out, patterns only – instructions are in book.
Clothes patterns in the pdf are not labelled for which doll they go with. They are labelled with the page number of the book. If you have a digital version, the page numbers may not be the same as in the print version.
Full size patterns. No need to enlarge, so ignore the enlargement instructions. But do remember to add seam allowances ! (3/8”-1cm for seams, 3/4”-2cm for hems. I add 1/4”-5mm at necklines.)
A few errors and sometimes mislabelling and missing information in the patterns, so experience needed.
Photos of materials may include items which aren’t used.
‘Tape’ usually means 1/2”-12mm ‘single fold’ bias.
Some of the materials quantities are generous, some stingy.
Instructions not for visual people. No illustrations, and not always easy to understand. They may need some puzzling out even if you have made clothes before. The only visual guide to what you’re making is the 1 or 2 colour photos of the fully dressed doll. So, for example, you may be trying to follow unclear instructions for finishing a neckline when the neckline is covered in the photo. And you are usually only shown either front or back of the outfit, not both. So only recommended for an experienced sewist.
One of the things I do like about these patterns is that they don’t ever mention velcro!
Images of all outfits on this pinterest board (these photos are the only visual information in the book about most of the clothes).
You can also buy download patterns for individual outfits – clothes only – links on the pinterest board.
Individual patterns are $3 so this is an expensive way to buy if you want all the outfits. But cheaper if you want the doll with one outfit.
There aren’t separate patterns for these :
Doll in blue – pinafore dress, blouse and shoes are included in other outfits, and the satchel is cut by measurements.
Off on holiday – cover for doll suitcase, cut by measurements.
For patterns I’ve tried, enlarging them by 125% makes a garment big enough for my American Girl type 18” doll.
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Making the doll
The book cover claims there are 11 dolls. In fact there are 11 outfits. Plus instructions for 6 hair styles. The Ballerina doll is made from the same pattern but about 15% smaller.
The doll pattern includes instructions for making the body, also hair and face for all the different versions of the doll. Plus patterns and instructions for underwear vest and bloomers.
This is not a doll for beginner sewers.
The head and feet are not flat, as in the simplest rag dolls, but three-dimensional. There are several places where you have to sew different shape fabric pieces together.
For hair and face you need to hand sew.
If you have made rag dolls with separate arms and legs before you may not have difficulty.
For a flat head doll, use the head front pattern for both back and front.
For a flat foot (shoe patterns with this doll won’t fit these), draw one of these onto the leg pattern.
(These are from oop or free patterns)
There used to be an excellent video on making the doll with complex head and feet and the blonde doll’s hair, with many good tips – from an earlier incarnation of Craft Daily, sadly no longer available.
The results are certainly charming, but using the patterns and instructions in this book is a challenge !
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Post first written March 2017, links corrected August 2022
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Help with sewing pattern instructions 