Every doll needs a pair of winter pj’s so I know your doll will really love my new 18 Inch American Girl doll clothes patterns Winter Pyjamas.  It includes a collared, long sleeve shirt with easy Velcro fastening at the front and long pants.   If you have just made a pair of pyjamas for your daughter/granddaughter, you may have enough fabric left over to make matching pj’s for her doll.  Wow, I can just see how excited your little girl will be going to bed with her doll wearing matching jammies!

Because this includes a pattern for long pants and a collared shirt, try making the pants in denim, the shirt using small check fabric and you instantly have a casual country outfit.  Use the patterns separately to make different shirts or pants for your dolls that can be mixed and matched.  Wow, with this pattern you can make lots of different outfits.

When you purchase my Winter Pyjama doll clothes pattern you get downloadable PDF pattern pieces, written instructions and LIFETIME access to my online video tutorials where I show you step-by-step how to make this great pair of winter pyjamas.   The tutorials are so easy to follow, that your daughter will be making them herself!  

Download the pattern today and make it up in time for dolly to go to bed tonight.

My 18 inch American Girl doll clothes patterns range will also fit the Canadian Girl, Australian Girl doll, the Gotz doll and other similar 18 inch dolls.

Happy Sewing

If you’re like me and love sewing and craft, you probably enjoy making your own Christmas gifts so sewing doll clothes to give as gifts this Christmas (or any time at all) is a wonderful idea.  The giving of homemade gifts is really personal and means so much more to the recipient as they appreciate the special thought and effort that has gone into creating their gift.

Making your own doll clothes to give as Christmas gifts not only says ‘I love you’, each and every outfit is special because it is unique.   Because all my PDF doll clothes patterns come with step-by-step video tutorials, you will also find that it really is quick and easy to make doll clothes.   You can literally purchase my pattern in the morning, print the pattern pieces out and make the outfit before morning tea time (or smoko time in Australia)!

Best of all, making your own doll clothes doesn’t cost the earth!  While others are spending a fortune buying brand name doll clothes from big department stores, you can save heaps of money making your own because the doll clothes patterns and fabric are inexpensive, especially if you use fabric left over from another sewing project.

I have one customer who has 5 granddaughters and she purchased my How to Sew Doll Clothes online tutorial so that she could make doll clothes for them.    She has made up the doll clothes patterns that come with the course and has purchased a new pattern just about every month since finishing the course so she now has a lovely stash of doll clothes to be given as gifts this Christmas.  Ann is really looking forward to seeing the excited looks on all her granddaughters’ faces when they open their gifts from her…I can see why she is their favorite grandma!

I also have another customer who has just purchased my How to Make Doll Clothes online tutorial to give her crafty daughter as a Christmas gift.  Her Aunty and Grandmother are putting together a ‘sewing essentials kit’ with fabric, elastic, ribbon, thread and little bits and pieces that she can use when making the free doll clothes patterns that come with the course.  I think this is an absolutely awesome idea as this family is encouraging their special daughter, granddaughter and niece to learn and enjoy the wonderful craft of sewing.

‘Sew’ become someone’s favorite Grandma, Aunty, or the Best Mum in the World this Christmas and give that someone special in your life, the gift of doll clothes personally made by you or encourage them to learn to sew themselves and give them my ‘How to Sew Doll Clothes’ online tutorial.  They will truly love and thank you for it!     

Happy Sewing

This is a question best answered by another question…What colors do YOU like together?

When choosing what fabrics and colors to use for making doll clothes (or when sewing any project at all) I usually spend a bit of time ‘playing’ with color and print combinations to see what I like best, or what achieves the look I want ie. subtle or dramatic, pretty or startling, fun or more traditional?

If you really don’t know where to start when combining colors, you could refer to a color wheel.  This is a way of visually seeing what colors ‘work’ together to create harmonious color combinations.  Technically speaking, complementary colors are any two colors opposite each other on the color wheel, any three colors equally spaced around the color wheel forming a triangle, or any four colors forming a rectangle.  Colors beside each other on the color wheel also work well together.  Then there are all sorts of variances within these combinations.

So rather than worry about what colors ‘technically’ work well together, simply ‘play around’ with the colors you have available to see what YOU like, or if you are making doll clothes for your daughter or granddaughter, why not ask what THEY like.  Doing this can result in some really groovy combinations as kids are very open to any color or print ‘working’ together.

Another way of using color combinations is to pick just one color from a print and highlight that color in the trim or as the matching piece of clothing e.g. colorful print top with pants in a single color from the print.  This is something I often do when making doll clothes, as you can see from the photos below.

The best advice I can give regarding what color combinations to use when making doll clothes, is to know what colours YOU like and don’t like, then you can’t go wrong with the colors that you choose.  The most important thing is to have fun mixing things around.

If you would like to learn how to make doll clothes I have a fantastic How to Make Doll Clothes Course that comes with 8 Free doll clothes patterns.

Happy Sewing

Things are certainly starting to cool down in the northern hemisphere so I feel it’s the perfect time to be releasing the first of my winter 18 Inch American Girl doll clothes patterns.  This fun Funky Fur outfit will brighten up the bleakest of winter days and keep your doll warm from head to toe.

This is one of the more popular outfits sold on my Rosie’s Dolls Clothes website and so I’m really excited to be releasing this Funky Fur doll clothes pattern today because it now means that you too can make this great outfit for your doll!  It will certainly keep your doll warm as toast while playing with friends this winter and is ideal for wearing on the ski slopes.

The Funky Fur pattern includes pattern pieces for the fur trimmed hooded top and the fur trimmed long pants.  And remember, when you purchase my downloadable PDF patterns and written instructions, you also receive LIFETIME access to my online video tutorial where I show you step-by-step how to make this great doll clothes pattern.   

My 18 inch American Girl doll clothes patterns range will also fit the Canadian Girl, Australian Girl doll, the Gotz doll and other similar 18 inch dolls.

Enjoy sewing my doll clothes patterns and I would love to see your photos or videos and share them on my Blog.

Happy Sewing

What a wonderful day to be releasing my versatile Tights 18 Inch American Girl doll clothes patterns.  Essential to all girl’s wardrobes are great mix ‘n match pieces and the same goes for dolls too!  This tights pattern creates the perfect mix ‘n match basic for your doll to wear.  Wear them under a skirt, with a big shirt or combine with my One Piece Swimsuit pattern for a great ballerina leotard and tight set.  Make them shorter and they become ¾ length tights for the ‘in-between’ months or go shorter again and you have a great pair of bike shorts.

The combinations and variations are endless, so you can see why I’m so excited to be releasing these Tights doll clothes patterns today.  It is an easy to make, ‘must-have’ pattern to economically expand your doll’s wardrobe!

Remember, when you purchase my downloadable PDF patterns and written instructions, you also receive LIFETIME access to my online video tutorial where I show you step-by-step how to make this great doll clothes pattern.

My 18 inch American Girl doll clothes patterns range will also fit the Canadian Girl, Australian Girl doll, the Gotz doll and other similar 18 inch dolls.

Enjoy sewing my doll clothes patterns and I would love to see your photos or videos and share them on my Blog.

Happy Sewing

Oh, I know I’m an Aussie but I do love Halloween.  We have some American friends up the street and every year they have a fantastic Halloween party which is absolutely the best fun!  They decorate the whole house, both inside and out, have scary music playing and organise heaps of games for the kids.

Last year they actually had the garage set up like a haunted house with cobwebs everywhere, ghosts, black cats, broom sticks, black streamers hanging down from the ceiling…it was really spooky.  After quite a few of the children had gone in and wandered around getting lost and freaked out by things bumping into them and going across your face, a group of adults decided it was their turn to show how brave they were.  Well, our neighbour had organised for someone to be sitting very quietly in there not moving or making a sound until the group of adults went in.  After about a minute of giggling and silly business, he burst into life and set off one of those poppers that have streamers flying out…..we all got the fright of our lives.  I’m sure I aged 10 years in that split second.  When we finally got our heart beats under control again, we had a big laugh and the kids haven’t let us forget how scared we were since.

I can’t wait for their party this year and now that I have released a range of Halloween American Girl doll clothes patterns and Cabbage Patch doll clothes patterns, my daughter and her friends will have their dolls joining in the fun too!   I have some great Halloween costume patterns to choose from.  There is a Fabulous Fairy costume that includes patterns for a pretty fairy dress, a dainty headpiece and the essential fairy wings.  My Wicked Witch costume has patterns for a spooky witches dress and of course, the wicked witches hat.  Or my personal favorite is the cool Pumpkin costume which comes with patterns for the pumpkin suit as well as the tights to wear under the pumpkin suit.  These Halloween doll clothes patterns normally sell for $9.95 each but as a Halloween spooky special, they are now only $7.95 each – that’s a huge 20% discount!

All my patterns are downloadable in PDF form with written instructions.  And the best part is, you also get LIFETIME access to video tutorials where I SHOW you how to make the outfit – I’m with you every step of the way!

So get your sewing machine out and have some extra family fun this Halloween.  Create some super cool costumes for your dolls.

This offer is only valid until 31 October, 2011 so be quick before the fairy dust runs out!

Happy Sewing

Halloween is just around the corner and to make sure your dolls don’t miss out on all the fun, I have sprinkled some fairy dust around to create a magic deal on my Halloween costume doll clothes patterns.  For a short time only, I am offering all my Halloween doll clothes patterns in both 18 Inch American Girl and 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch doll sizes at a super spooky price of only $7.95 each.

This magic price includes downloadable PDF pattern pieces & written instructions and LIFETIME access to video tutorials where I SHOW you step-by-step how to make the outfit.  That’s right, with the magic of the internet I am right there with you every step of the way!

Choose from my

• Fabulous Fairy Costume with a gorgeous fairy dress, dainty headpiece & cute fairy wings,
• Cool Pumpkin Costume which includes a Pumpkin suit & tights, OR
• Wicked Witch Costume including a Witch’s dress & Witch’s hat

Normally my Halloween doll clothes patterns are $9.95 each, but buy before the 31st October, 2011 and you will pay ONLY $7.95 each.   That’s a fantastic 20% saving!

‘Sew’ what are you waiting for?  Download the patterns, watch the videos and start sewing!

Happy Sewing

I came across a Home Schooling article the other day and this got me thinking about how much fun my cousins must have had growing up on a cattle property in central Australia.  They had ‘School of the Air’ lessons which I guess must have been a bit like home schooling because my Aunty used to teach some lessons and then a couple of times a week my cousins would interact with a teacher and other students over the radio for additional lessons.  (Today, I think most of these lessons are done via computer hook-up.)  This made me feel a little envious of my cousins because they got to do lots of really cool stuff that I could only dream of doing because I went to a ‘normal’ school.  Now that I am an adult, I have total admiration for parents who take the time to educate their children as it must require extreme organization, patience and creativity.

Anyway, this article mentioned that because parents can adapt the teaching to suit the interests of each child, they have a much more successful outcome – the child is engaged in doing something that interests them and so is absorbing the learning so much more fully.  I then realised that my How to Sew Doll Clothes online tutorials would be an ideal teaching tool for Home Schooling parents because it covers basic sewing stitches, differences in fabric types, hems, working with elastic and lots more useful sewing tips.  And the fun part is that the child gets to make new clothes for her doll by using the free 18 inch doll clothes patterns that come with the course.

So if you are a Home Schooling parent and are looking for a new and exciting way to engage your child/children in learning, why not try my How to Sew Doll Clothes online tutorials.  It is a great tool for teaching the wonderful craft of sewing, encouraging creativity and instilling confidence.  The course is broken up into 6 modules but if you prefer to do half a module one week and then finish it off the next, that is completely up to you and your child but I’m sure once they get started, they won’t want to stop. You don’t need to know how to sew yourself, just be there supporting and encouraging or why not learn along with your child…what a wonderful memory that would be.

The eight free doll clothes patterns allow your child to practice what has been learnt in each of the modules and they can make something that will be played with for years to come.  Imagine the pride your child will feel each time they dress their doll in an outfit they made themselves!  The patterns also come with LIFETIME access to video tutorials where I show you every step of the way, so it is just like I am in the room with you.

Home Schooling can be so rewarding for both the child and the parent and I would be honored to share the experience with you via my How to Sew Doll Clothes online tutorials.

Happy Sewing

I was having a reflective moment the other day and I started wondering ‘why do I like sewing so much?’  This got me thinking and it isn’t just one thing but a whole lot of things that give me joy when I’m sewing.

I love wandering through fabric stores selecting fabrics and trimmings – I could do this for hours and hours and I feel just like a kid in a candy store.  How many times have I picked up beautiful fabric that is totally not appropriate for the outfit I was looking to buy fabric for, but just had to have it reasoning that ‘I will make something with it one day’ and yes, that ‘one day’ usually does come where the fabric is absolutely perfect for the project I am working on.

I love starting with an image in my head and bringing that image to life through all the stages of design to construction and decoration.  The sense of satisfaction when the project is completed is just awesome!

I love mixing colors and textures of different fabrics together and creating new and unique outfits, the creative part of sewing is so good for the soul.

I love seeing other people enjoy looking at, wearing or playing with the things I have created with my sewing machine….it is a wonderful feeling to bring joy to others.

So after looking at all the things I like about sewing, I have decided that I don’t ‘Like’ sewing, I ‘LOVE’ sewing and I hope that with my How to Sew Doll Clothes online tutorial, I can teach others to sew and they too will grow to love sewing as much as I do!

Happy Sewing

Every doll needs a versatile bag to carry all her ‘stuff’ in so I’m really excited to be making this cute little doll size beach bag doll clothes pattern available.  It is just the thing for your doll to take to the beach, the Mall or when visiting friends!  

Make it ‘yours’ by adding rick rack trim, 1 row of ribbon, 2 rows of ribbon, lace or whatever decoration you like – or have no decoration at all!  Make it up in denim, bold colored cottons, use soft pastel shades, the variations are endless.  This doll clothes pattern is easy to make and you can use your fabric scraps, so why not make up 5 or 6 bags in different colors with various trims so you have a bag to match with all your outfits!

This Beach Bag Pattern is suitable for your American Girl, Australian Girl doll and other 18 inch dolls, as well as many of the Cabbage Patch dolls.  In fact it is just the right size for most dolls from 12 – 20 inches (30 – 50cm).

When you purchase this downloadable PDF pattern and written instructions, I also give you LIFETIME access to a video tutorial streamed via my website where I show you step-by-step how to make this Beach Bag doll clothes pattern.   

Enjoy sewing my Beach Bag pattern and I would love you to send me photos or videos of your creations and I will share them on my blog.

Happy Sewing