Yes, it’s Christmas in July again at Rosie’s Doll Clothes Patterns and you get to save 20% Off everything for the whole month of July with coupon code JollyJuly!

What’s this, Christmas in July? you ask.  No, we don’t really celebrate Christmas in July, but some of us crazy Aussies feel we’re missing out on a lot of the traditions that those in the northern hemisphere get to enjoy when celebrating the ‘real’ Christmas in December.  Such as snuggling up inside beside the fireplace and sharing hearty food and warm drinks with family and friends.  Instead we’re sweltering in our underwear trying to keep cool in front of the fan.

So, some of us decided it would be a great idea to enjoy an extra celebration in what’s usually the coldest month of the year.  It’s not an official holiday and it’s not celebrated by everyone, but it’s popularity is growing and I’m certainly joining in!

‘Sew’, because I can’t have you all over for dinner, my way of celebrating with you is to offer 20% off everything storewide.  Simply enter JollyJuly in the coupon code box at checkout and save 20%!

I’d love you to add to your collection of 18 inch American Girl or 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch Kids doll clothes patterns today.  Or perhaps join in the fun and take one of my in-depth online courses – Learn How to Make Doll Clothes or Learn to Love Your Serger.  With this awesome special, why not do both!

This special offer expires July 31, 2018 so start shopping now.

Happy sewing and Merry Christmas in July!

Well, it’s been a couple of big months for me as I’ve had some improvements done to my website home page and some work on the back end too.  I’ve released my Learn to Love Your Serger online course and released my new Overalls for All Seasons pattern in both the 18 inch American Girl and 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch sizes.,,,whew!  I’ve got another pattern on the drawing board but I have a heap of special orders that I need to get done first.

It’s great to see so many of you joining in the activity in my Sew and Share Facebook group by sharing photos of your creations, asking questions, giving advice and encouraging others on their sewing journey.  Many of the photos I share here in my blog have come from this group and I must say how proud I am to be part of this wonderful community.

Firstly, we have Carol who has been having fun sewing for the smaller 14 inch dolls.  It’s amazing how different the same pattern can look by using different prints and adding different trim.  The stripe dress looks so smart and summery and the blue dress is so pretty with the lace trim.

Great job Carol.

‘Had great fun reducing the summer Dress pattern to fit a Wellie wisher doll. I followed Rosie’s instructions exactly as written in her resources folder and the dress fits perfectly and it also fits Petitcollin Minouche dolls!

So versatile!’

Kathy is a regular in the group and has been busy sewing a cute little Beach Bag and the short version of my Overalls for All Seasons – which makes them ‘summer overalls’!  Apparently, she has been having some problems with her eyesight (like most of us of a certain age!) and her solution and the following comment made me laugh so much I just had to share.

‘… now that I have purchased a magnifier, I can see where my needle is when I am sewing. I may look like a mad scientist but………… haha’

If you love doing something Kathy, you’ll find a way to keep doing it and I’m so pleased that you’ve found this magnifier is working for you.  We all look forward to seeing what you make next.

Karen has been a member of our group for some time now and I love watching her journey and seeing her grow in confidence.  She recently did my Learn to Love Your Serger course and shared a photo of her setup

‘Guess what I’m doing today?’

Karen has also recently set up her very own Etsy Store – So Cute Doll Boutique.  We all shared in her excitement when she made her first sale and felt her relief when one of her outfits arrived safely in Canada (it was a long trip from Australia). Congratulations Karen.

The following are some of the outfits she has been busy making.  New PJ’s for Kit using my Winter Pyjama pattern, a pretty Fun ‘n Frilly Dress and a Fun ‘n Frilly Top matched with Capri Pants. 

Jacqueline is another member of the group that has recently done my Serger course and it’s great to see that she has taken that first step and is now using her serger. 

‘Mrs Rosie Just wanted to let you know I brought your serger lesson yesterday and I think it is awesome.  Watched most of it all ready, hopefully will get to do them sometime today.’

And then a couple of weeks later Jacqueline posted a photo of her ‘first ever serger project’.  I think she’s done an awesome job and I can’t wait to see what she makes next.

These ‘Little Shopkins’ Overalls that Peggy made from my Overalls for All Seasons pattern showed me just how much I’ve lost touch with what’s hot with young one’s these days.  I had no idea what Little Shopkins were and had to Google it.  Well apparently, they have been super popular with young children all over the world for a few years now…even in Australia!

Thanks for introducing me to Little Shopkins Peggy ?

I’d love to know what you think of the new look Rosie’s Doll Clothes Patterns home page and of course feedback on any of my courses and patterns is always welcome too.  So please feel free to email me or post comments on my Facebook page or in my Facebook group.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their doll clothes creations and I hope you’ve all been inspired to try something new.

Happy sewing

I’m super excited to release my latest Doll Clothes Pattern for 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch Kids. These Overalls have been designed so that you can make them either short or long and from cool cotton or warm corduroy which makes them perfect for All Seasons.

The pattern pieces also show cutting lines for a plain hem or a cuffed hem on both the short and long overalls. The contrasting colour of the cuff not only looks cute, it gives the overalls a more casual country look.

What I love most about this pattern is the sweet heart shaped pocket which gives the overall a real girlie touch.  But it also comes with the option to make a traditional rectangular pocket if you prefer, making it suitable for both boy and girl dolls. Mix it up and use a contrasting fabric for the pocket and your overalls will really stand out in the crowd whatever shape pocket you choose.

The straps cross over at the back and I’ve added elastic in the waist for flexibility so this overall pattern will fit a variety of Cabbage Patch Kids doll sizes which is super important because Cabbage Patch is hand stuffed and variations in size is common.

My step-by-step videos also included some additional sewing tips that may come in handy when doing your everyday sewing of thick fabric or small pieces.

Can’t decide which one to make? Then make them all and your doll will have something to wear in All Seasons.

Click here to get your 18 1/2 inch Cabbage Patch Kids Overalls for All Seasons pattern and start sewing today.

Happy sewing

I’ve often been conflicted when I release a pattern for summer in Australia, as it will be winter in the USA and all my American customers will be wondering why I’m putting out a bikini pattern when they’re all snuggled up inside beside the fire.

So today I’m so excited to be releasing my new Overalls for All Seasons pattern for 18 inch and American Girl dolls. Because it has options to make the overalls either short or long and from cooler cotton or warmer pinwale corduroy, making them perfect ‘For All Seasons’!

Although these overalls are designed for the 18 inch dolls such as American Girl and Our Generation, there’s cutting lines for the taller Australian Girl dolls too.

I’ve also included options to make the hem plain or add some interest with a cuff on either the short or long overalls. I especially love to see the contrasting colour of the cuff if your fabric has a definite contrast on the reverse side.

My favourite feature is the super cute heart shaped pocket. What little girl doesn’t love hearts? But if you prefer your overalls to be more traditional, then there is the option to have a rectangular pocket too. And you can change the look by using a contrasting fabric for the pocket whatever shape you choose to do.

The back of the overall has cross over straps and an elastic waist for flexibility. I always make my patterns with flexibility of sizing in mind as I know dolls come in all shapes and sizes.

I’ve also included some additional sewing tips in my step-by-step videos that may come in handy when doing your everyday sewing of thick fabric or small pieces.

Click here to get your 18 inch and American Girl size ‘Overall for All Seasons’ pattern and start sewing today.

For everyone wanting the Cabbage Patch size pattern, I’m working on it now so I’ll be releasing it soon.

Happy sewing

Do you have a serger? Or if you’re an Aussie, do you have an overlocker? Is it still sitting in its box in the cupboard because you just don’t know how to use it or are too scared to change the threads?

Then my new Learn to LOVE Your Serger online video course is for you! My goal with this course is that by the end of the 2 ½ hours of high quality, in depth instructional videos you will no longer fear changing threads or adjusting the tension dials, and be well and truly on the way to ‘Loving your Serger’.

I will show you how to:

• Re-thread the easy way
• Master the thread tension
• Understand the differential feed and what it will do
• Use your overlocker to neaten edges
• How to finish seams
• Sew rolled hems
• Use your serger to gather fabric, create tubes, serge around curves, attaching elastic, create a flatlock stitch and attaching lace
• As well as lots of Cool Tips along the way!!

Everything I show you can be incorporated into making doll clothes, full sized clothes or general sewing projects.  Once you’ve mastered these serging techniques, a whole new world opens up for you and you truly are limited only by your imagination.

The course is all online so you work at your own pace, at a time that suits you and you can stop and start or replay as often as you want.

So if you want to get your serger out of the cupboard and gain the confidence to finally use it, or maybe you know how to do the basic 3 and 4 thread serging but want to learn what else you can do on your serger, then click here to join me today and ‘Learn to Love Your Serger’.

Happy sewing

When I was designing my Fun ‘n Frilly Top I had so many variations swirling around in my head and this one just wouldn’t go away. So instead of working on my new pattern, I pulled out my Sports Shorts pattern and my Fun ‘n Frilly Top pattern and started to play.

And I can’t believe just how easy it was to get the cute little Playsuit that I was dreaming of. With only one trial outfit, a few adjustments and the result was perfect!

Rather than create a new pattern to sell on my website, I wanted to show you how easy it is to adjust patterns to create something new and encourage you to get adventurous with your existing patterns. You’ve got to love a ‘free pattern’!

The following shows you exactly what I did to create this super cute Playsuit.

1. Cut 1/4 inch (6mm) off the top of my Sports Shorts pattern.

2. Cut 1 inch (2.5cm) off the end of the Frill of the Fun ‘n Frilly Top.

3. Take 1 inch (2.5cm) from the centre of the Fun ‘n Frilly Front and Back Piece for Options 1 and 2. I did this by drawing a line 1 inch (2.5cm) to the left of the dashed line and gluing Part 1 on top of Part 2 matching the solid line with the new line.

4. Make the Sports Shorts up as per the instructions BUT without making the top casing.

5. Make the Fun ‘n Frilly Top up as per instructions BUT instead of hemming the top, press ¼ inch (6mm) of the raw edge to the right side.  Complete the remainder of the top as per instructions but do not add elastic around the neck.

6. With the top inside out, mark the centre front and back of the top with pins.

 7. With the shorts right side out, match the centre front and back seams of the shorts and mark the folds at each side with pins.

 8. Slip the Shorts inside the Top matching the centre front of the shorts with the centre front pin of the top, the centre back of the shorts with the centre back pin of the top and finally the two side pins of the shorts with the side seams of the top. The rights sides should be together.

 9. Now move the raw edge of the top of the shorts down ½ inch (12mm) and pin in place. The extra fabric from the top will form the casing for the waist elastic.

 10. Sew together ¼ inch (6mm) in from the raw edge of the shorts.

11. Pull shorts out so that everything is inside out and fold under the ¼ inch (6mm) raw edge that you pressed earlier. Pin in place. This will be the casing for the waist elastic.

12. Sew close to the fold starting at the centre back and leaving a small gap at the end of sewing so that you can thread the elastic. Secure the stitches at the beginning and end with reverse stitches.

13. Thread elastic through waist casing, overlap the ends and stitch.

14. Thread elastic through top casing and finish off the top as per the instructions. Turn playsuit to right side and dress your doll.

I was so surprised at just how easy this outfit was to create from two of my existing patterns and one of them, the Sports Shorts, is available separately or is a bonus pattern that comes with my How to Make Doll Clothes video course.

It also works the same for the Cabbage Patch patterns.

‘Sew’ I’d love you to give it a try and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to send me photos so I can share them in my next Share and Tell blog.

Happy sewing

Wow, it’s been wonderful to see so many of you enjoying my new Fun ‘n Frilly Top pattern and I’m so glad that I included the bonus dress pattern as it seems that many of you have been making the fun ‘n frilly dress.

Within hours of the pattern being released, Joan had bought the pattern and made her first dress. She then made another 3 dress I think it was that day and the cat print one shows how she has added a pretty pink belt made from Fold Over Elastic to complete the look and the next one shows how she has substituted wide lace for the frill. This makes it a lovely feminine dress.

‘Purchased your pattern a few hours ago….love the style. Very easy and quick to make. – Joan’

Karen received the Fun ‘n Frilly pattern as a thank you for suggesting the name for this pattern and it didn’t take her long to make her first couple of dresses. What a lovely surprise when she told us that she had already sold this beautiful Unicorn dress only days after making it!

‘All I can say is WOW!! Rosie this is the most fun little dress to sew!! I absolutely love the pattern. So quick to make, EASY, and they come up so well! Thank you for yet again making a fool proof pattern! – Karen’

The Yellow dress was made by Peggy. This print is perfect for this dress, it’s so cute.

I love the way another Karen has used a contrasting fabric for the frill, it makes it a stand out feature.

Laurie used a lovely bright print and trimmed the hem nicely with yellow to match the flowers. Great idea.

‘Really enjoyed making this new pattern. Instructions were great and the video was so helpful. – Laurie’

At last, we have a Fun ‘n Frilly Top! Yes, Kathy made this sweet top and used a contrasting blue for the neck frill, it looks adorable. But the best thing about Kathy sharing her photo is that she also shared with me how a little tip I gave in my step-by-step videos has helped her finishing off her seams. I absolutely love it when someone gets an ‘aha’ moment.

‘Hi Rosie. Well here is my first top from your fun and frilly top pattern. Didn’t have anything to match so I borrowed the jeans from the Our Gen girl (April) I bought this week. She didn’t mind as long as she gets the top once Emma takes it off. The next thing to sew is the sarong (short) I have cut out to go over a swim suit I made earlier this year. Love this pattern of yours. I will be making more of them. I also have to give you some kudos. Something you said about finishing seams with zigzag. I did it because of your tip on how to do it and the settings on the machine. I am so excited, because now I will be able to finish ALL of my seams. So appreciative of you Rosie. – Kathy’

And the last of the Fun ‘n Frilly dresses for this blog. Jane dress has turned out beautifully – no need for any extra trims.

‘I love this pattern. Thanks Rosie! – Jane’

Now let’s have a look at some other patterns that you have been busy making over this last month.

Janyt sent me this photo of her gorgeous Winter Nightie. I love how she has used lace as the frill on the bottom, it makes it so pretty.

Margaret did my How to Make Doll Clothes course back in September last year and has purchased many patterns since then. Although she hasn’t sent me in a photo I just had to share her email as the last part truly made my week. Hearing how I’ve helped someone go from not liking sewing, to loving it is so heartwarming.

‘You are a wonderful teacher and I am really enjoying all your tutorials, excellent… I am only a learner at sewing, I do know the basics but you have taught me so much and I truly appreciate all your time and effort…Thank you so much 🙂 Keep up the great work, I never used to like sewing…now I love it thanks to you. Best regards, Margaret’

Every now and then I hear from customers who have started selling their doll clothes either online or at local markets. It’s great to see Elaine taking her love of sewing to this level.

‘Hi Rosie, I just wanted to show you what you have got me started doing. I am making a lot of doll clothes to sell on etsy (myretirementcure) to keep me sane. I mention each time I use one of your patterns so I can somehow send a thank you back to you for your encouragement and the great lessons you have given me. Elaine’

My Wedding Dress pattern continues to be a very popular pattern and I love seeing photos especially when you have made your own special tweaks. Lynda’s grandchildren had difficulty keeping the veils on the doll’s head using the slide comb so she has come up with a great solution and I am sharing it here just in case it works better from someone else who has had this problem too.

‘We finally got all the “girls” together in their wedding dresses so I’m sending you a picture! The two ivory dresses are for my granddaughters’ dolls and the white one is for their best friend’s doll. They were fun to make but I couldn’t help customizing a bit here and there!

We had a few issues keeping the veils on the dolls. I made headbands out of decorative (ruffled) lace, wove the band through the teeth of the comb and stitched it into place. It worked like a charm. Even the youngest child can put the veil on now, and best of all, they stay in place!

Thanks for your fabulous pattern. Lynda’

Wow, what a busy month we’ve all had.  Thank you to everyone who has sent in their photos and shared their sewing stories with us, it all helps to inspire and encourage each other so please continue to share your photos and stories.

And don’t forget that everything is 20% off this month with March Madness.  Use coupon code Madness20 during checkout to receive 20% discount on ALL patterns and my How to Make Doll Clothes video course.  Valid until midnight 31 March, 2018.

Happy sewing

March Madness was so successful last year that I have been encouraged to do it again.

‘Sew’ that means that for the whole month of March you will save a huge 20% on all purchases….Yes, that’s 20% off my How to Make Doll Clothes Video Course – either online or DVD set, and 20% off ALL my 18 inch American Girl and 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch Doll Clothes Patterns….absolutely EVERYTHING in store!

If you haven’t tried one of my pattern yet, then you haven’t experienced my step-by-step video instructions and it’s these instructional videos that everyone tells me they love because they make sewing my patterns super easy! With 20% off all patterns, now’s the perfect time to give it a try, I’m sure you’ll love them too.

Normally, my How to Make Doll Clothes Video Course is awesome value with over 130 videos showing you tips and tricks that make sewing doll clothes stress free AND it includes 8 bonus patterns to help get you started. At 20% off the normal retail price, my online course is just USD$29.60 – an absolute steal!

This madness ends midnight March 31, 2018 so go shopping today and enter coupon code Madness20 during checkout to save 20% on absolutely everything in store so start shopping now.

Happy sewing

I’m so excited to be releasing my new Fun ‘n Frilly Top for 18 ½ inch Cabbage Patch Kids. The feedback from my 18 inch American Girl size pattern has been awesome with everyone agreeing that it is a super easy pattern to make.

The top has an elasticized neckline with a pretty frill, or ‘ruffle’ for my American friends. It can be worn with the frill around the neckline or off the shoulders and looks a little like a peasant top. There are 3 Top Options for you to choose from and a BONUS Dress Options too!

Option 1 is the short top that finishes at the waist with an elastic casing for a clean, cool look.  Or you may prefer to leave it loose. Option 2 is the short top with an elasticized waist and finished with a bottom frill.  This emphasizes the waistline creating a more feminine look. Option 3 has a longer, tunic length hemline making it perfect to be worn with tights or skinny jeans. By adding your own embellishments such as rickrack or lace you can create a beautiful top that can be worn with skirts, jeans or shorts.  Mix and match two fabrics together to make the neckline frill a real feature or add a contrasting belt around the waistline to make it really pop! Any light to medium weight woven fabric is ideal for this pattern but it can also be made with knits. As with all my patterns, you also get access to step-by-step video instructions where I show you how to make the top and dress. Click here to get your 18 1/2 inch Cabbage Patch Kids Fun ‘n Frilly Top with bonus Dress pattern and start sewing today!

Happy sewing

I had so much fun creating this Fun ‘n Frilly Top that my daughter had to tell me to stop playing around and get the pattern finalized!  I was constantly coming up with different options and then mixing up the look by adding trims and embellishments and using different fabrics and color combinations.  My last count was 15 tops….I think I was getting a little too carried away!

‘Sew’ the final pattern has an elasticized neckline giving it a feminine, peasant look but without the sleeves.  It can be worn with the frill around the neckline or off the shoulders and I’ve provided 3 Top Options for you to choose from.  Which one will you make first?

Option 1 is the short top that finishes at the waist with an elastic casing for a clean, cool look.  Or you may prefer to leave it loose.

Option 2 is the short top with an elasticized waist and finished with a bottom frill.  This emphasizes the waistline creating some curves.

Option 3 has a longer, tunic length hemline making it perfect to be worn with tights or skinny jeans.

Have enough tops and want to make a dress?

You can make that too with the BONUS Dress Option!

This pattern is so quick, easy and fun to make that I’m sure you’ll be trying ALL the options.  And because it has the elastic waist and neckline it is super flexible too.  Meaning that this one pattern will fit 18 inch dolls such as the American Girl doll, the taller 20 inch Australian Girl doll and the smaller 17 inch Baby Born doll.

Any light to medium weight woven fabric is ideal for this pattern but it can also be made with knits.

As with all my patterns, you also get access to step-by-step video instructions where I show you how to make the top and dress.

Click here to get your 18 inch and American Girl Fun ‘n Frilly Top with bonus Dress pattern and start sewing today!

Happy sewing