Let's Sew Doll Clothes part 5

 

Watch the video here.

 

This week we start sewing our doll t-shirt. I picked this pattern because although it looks complicated if you take your time and work carefully this is really an easy pattern. I do walk you through all the steps and if you have questions be sure to ask me.

When you are cutting out your pattern you need to make sure that you have the greatest amount of stretch going around the doll's body. If you are doing like me and using a t-shirt for your fabric it is really easy just cut you pattern the same direction as the shirt is. If you are using fabric from the store most likely the most stretch goes across the fabric width.

Now let's talk about sewing machine needles. You will need to use a needle that is for stretch fabric, on the package it will either say “for stretch fabric' or it will be labeled as a “ball point” needle. We are working with a medium weight fabric so you will need about a size 11 or so.

When you are sewing stretch fabric you will need a stitch that has a bit of give to it. If your machine has a “stretch stitch” use that otherwise use a narrow zig-zag stitch.

Since neither the zig-zag stitch or the stretch stitch can be moved from the center of the foot I like to make myself a guide for my fabric at the correct place. I just use a piece of masking tape. As long as you remove it as soon as you are done with it no harm will come to your machine. (if left for a long time it can leave a sticky residue) I know that there are magnetic guides that you can purchase for this but I have been using the tape method for so long and it works well for me. I would rather spend the money on something more useful.

Whenever I am working with delicate fabric, especially with a narrow seam allowance I like to sew off of a scrap of fabric rather than start at the edge of my seam. Sewing machines have a bad habit of “eating” fabric (meaning they drag the fabric down into the feed dogs and make a mess) so if you start from another piece of fabric it helps a lot.

Remember to ask any questions you have and I will do my best to answer then as soon as I can.