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Monday, January 24, 2011

Handsewn 18 inch doll skirt and hair band

Wow it has now been a month of blogging and I am thrilled that there are more then 500 views of my blog, I am truly humbled.
This post is for those readers who may not have a sewing machine or are looking for an easy, rainy day, cost effective craft. This skirt will fit an 18 inch doll like the American Girl doll

To make this hand sewn doll skirt you will need:

2 pieces of felt (3 for $1.25 at my dollar store)
1 package or 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch elastic (2 in a pack $1.25 at my dollar store)
1 needle
thread
pair of scissors
1 piece of paper
1 ruler
2 safety pins
a pencil

First take your paper and measure 6.5 inches up the paper, make a mark.From that mark measure 3.5 inches and draw a line this is the top of the skirt. At the bottom of your paper measure 4.5 inches and draw a line this is the bottom of the skirt. Next using your ruler connect the top and bottom with a diagonal line this line should measure 6.5 inches. Cut out this shape from your paper . Fold over one of your felt pieces and place the straight edge of your pattern on the fold, trace on to the felt and cut out. Do this to the second piece so you have two pieces of the skirt. Next take your ruler and the elastic and measure out 10 inches of elastic. Cut the elastic and put a safety pin on either end of the cut elastic, place aside and thread the needle. Lay the skirt pieces on top of each other and sew up one side using a basting stitch. When you get to the top tie it off and fold the top over about one inch to create a casing for the elastic. Sew the casing closed using the same basting stitch. Once the casing is closed, use the safety pin elastic and snake it through. Once through to the other side match the safety pins together so that a bit of elastic is sticking out each side and stitch the elastic together so that it will not come apart. match sides together and using the basting stitch close the other side, then turn right side out and you have a skirt.

For the hair band cut 4 inches of elastic, then cut 6 inches in length and double the width out of the left over felt. Place the elastic on one end of the felt and fold the felt around it sewing it too the elastic, then repeat on the other end. Once attached at both ends stitch the remaining felt closed. You can cut a shape such as a heart out of a different piece of felt and attach it to the hair band with a simple stitch or you can add a button as I did.
I hope this makes sense, message me with any questions and happy skirt making!

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