Doll Studio Boutique: Sew a Wardrobe; 46 Garments & Accessories for 14” Dolls

By Erin Hentzel

Craft a closet full of the exact looks you love… in miniature! Delight the doll lover in your life when you learn to stitch 7 basic garments and 46 variations, sure to inspire for creative play. These simple yet stylish patterns are drafted specifically for 14 1/2'' dolls, though most will fit a variety of brands in the 14'' to 15'' range. From vintage party dresses to cozy pajamas, raglan tops, and summer shorts, these tiny garments satisfy each season and special occasion. No matter your skill level, you’ll love these quick-to-sew garments and more advanced projects, many of which can be made from a single fat-quarter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C&T Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781644030899

Erin Hentzel

Erin Hentzel first fell in love with sewing as a child, when she began making stuffed animals and doll clothes. Today, she runs sewing pattern company Avery Lane and teaches sewing classes near her home in Willamette Valley, Oregon. averylanesewing.com

Book preview

PUBLISHER: Amy Barrett-Daffin

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Gailen Runge

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR: Roxane Cerda

MANAGING EDITOR: Liz Aneloski

EDITOR: Beth Baumgartel

TECHNICAL EDITOR: Helen Frost

COVER/BOOK DESIGNER: April Mostek

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Tim Manibusan

PRODUCTION EDITOR: Jennifer Warren

ILLUSTRATOR: Mary E. Flynn

PHOTO ASSISTANT: Gabriel Martinez

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY by Sydney Paulsen

INSTRUCTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY by Estefany Gonzalez and Lauren Herberg of C&T Publishing, Inc.; LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY by Sydney Paulsen and SUBJECTS PHOTOGRAPHY by Page + Pixel, unless otherwise noted

Published by FunStitch Studio, an imprint of C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549

Dedication

For my older sister, Maureen, who would hand sew and embroider for hours, and would always let me sit and watch.

Acknowledgments

A special thanks to my family: I love you and am grateful for each of you.

To Amy, Liz, Roxane, Beth, Gailen, Lauren, Helen, Jennifer, Mary, Gabriel, April, and Tim for their expertise and talent that helped make my book amazing.

To Art Gallery Fabrics, Benartex, Clothworks, Dear Stella, and Timeless Treasures, who generously provided me with their beautiful fabrics with which to create many projects for my book.

Special thanks to Cherry Guidry for making the graphics to match her fabric collection, Planted with Love, that I used with TAP to create special outfits for my dolls to wear in this book, and to Sydney Paulsen, it was such a joy to meet you and work with you; your photos are extraordinary.

Introduction

A complete wardrobe of doll clothes and accessories are modeled on three different brands of dolls throughout this book. The garments are designed specifically for 14½˝ dolls; however, most designs also fit 14˝–15˝ (similarly shaped) dolls nicely.

This book was written with the beginner in mind, so the projects focus on general sewing techniques for seven basic designs—skirts, tops, bottoms, knitwear, dresses, sleepwear, and accessories—as well as numerous variations. More experienced seamstresses will love the quick-to-sew designs as well as the advanced beginner and beyond beginner projects. No matter your sewing level, you will have plenty of patterns with which to create a complete wardrobe for your own, or for someone else’s, 14½˝ doll.

How to Use This Book

General Sewing and Sewing Techniques are your go-to reference chapters when you need more detailed instructions. These chapters include photo tutorials of many techniques that are used throughout this book. They explain everything you’ll need to get started and keep going!

Many of the projects use the same techniques. Instead of repeating the same instructions every time a technique is required to make a project, there is a page reference to the technique within the project instructions.

Sewing Levels

Every project features an icon that indicates the recommended sewing level for each project. The icons will help you decide which projects to begin with if you are new to sewing. Start with a beginner project and build your skills with more advanced projects! In this way you will gain confidence, challenge yourself, and develop your sewing skills in a natural progression.

BEGINNER: You are beginning to learn how to sew on a machine.

CONFIDENT BEGINNER: You are comfortable with the machine, have sewn several simple projects, and are ready to do more than straight seams.

INTERMEDIATE BEGINNER: You’ve got basic skills and are ready to learn some different techniques, like gathering.

ADVANCED BEGINNER: You have more than the basic skills and are ready to learn more, like sewing tiny sleeves.

BEYOND BEGINNER: You can pretty much sew any of the projects, and, though a couple steps may be challenging, you’re ready to learn.

Tools and Supplies

The proper tools sometimes make all the difference in your sewing success, and sometimes they even make a specific technique easier.

SEWING KIT

A basic sewing kit is all you need for most of the projects. It’s a good idea to have a basket or container to store the tools and supplies you need for sewing.

A DRESSMAKER’S SHEARS: A bent-handle design helps keep the fabric from lifting off the table while cuting.

Note Owning a variety of fabric scissors and shears is important because they all have different uses. Use them to cut only fabric and you will be grateful.

B 4˝ SCISSORS: Shorter-length scissors with sharp blades work great for cutting angles, clipping edges, and trimming threads.

C SEAM RIPPER: Slide the hook at the base under a stitch to cut the thread. To remove a seam, cut every two or three stitches; then gently pull the fabric pieces apart.

D PINKING SHEARS: These make zigzag cuts to prevent edges from unraveling.

E STRAIGHT PINS: I prefer to use silk pins ; these pins are .039˝ (.5mm) in diameter and glide easily into the fabric. Use ballpoint pins for knit fabrics.

F SAFETY PINS OR A BODKIN: Use these to insert elastic or drawstrings into casings. You can also use a LARGE BLUNT-TIP TAPESTRY NEEDLE to insert elastic into smaller casings.

G HAND SEWING NEEDLES: Use these to sew small embellishments, such as bows and buttons.

H SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES: Match the needle to the fabric. Smaller-size needles are suitable for lightweight fabrics, while larger-size needles are best for heavier-weight fabrics.

Sewing Machine Needles

Use a universal needle for sewing most woven fabrics, such as quilting cotton.

Use a stretch needle or ballpoint needle for sewing knit fabrics.

Use a microtex needle for fine, tightly woven fabrics, such as Swiss Dot, lawn, and voile.

Use a jeans needle for heavier-weight fabrics, such as denim, twill, and corduroy.

I SEAM GAUGE: Use this tool to measure consistently.

J RULER: Use this for marking cutting lines or fold lines.

K FABRIC MARKERS: Use these