Today I’m going to share my free patterns and tutorials for making this fancy zip-up-the-front jacket and these easy jeans. The jacket pattern can be quite tricky, so I only recommend tackling that project if you’re already an advanced sewist. Jeans are easy enough, though, even for someone who’s relatively new to sewing.
These patterns are designed to fit Barbie™ and similar sized fashion dolls. I’d also like to offer recommendations for good companies from whom you can purchase jacket-style zippers for dolls of different sizes.
In case you’re new to sewing, let me explain that a jacket-style zipper opens at both the top and bottom; whereas a dress zipper stops unzipping when it gets to its base. So to make this jacket, it’s important to use a jacket-style zipper.
You can buy zippers from Zipperstop on Etsy, Zipper That Doll, or Nancy’s Notions. I got my zipper from Zipperstop, but I think the zip-grip is a bit too bulky for Barbie. So the next time I buy a separating zipper for a doll, I’ll probably try Nancy’s Notions or Zipper That doll instead.
Without further ado, here are the patterns and tutorials for making my doll jacket and jeans:
___________________
Remember that you need to enlarge my patterns to fit an American-sized sheet of printer paper (8.5 x 11 inches or 216 x 279 mm), without margins, before printing. Feel free to pin,like, or tweet about my free patterns and tutorials. If you can’t find a specific pattern, just submit a question to me directly.
Need help printing my patterns? This link will take you to a tutorial showing you how to download my free, printable patterns.
I’ve also got a playlist of tutorials for the beginning sewists on my YouTube channel. It includes video tutorials showing you how to do a basic straight stitch when sewing by hand, how to use the whipstitch to hem a garment, how to sew on snaps, and even how to design your own doll clothes patterns, for those who are new to design and alterations.
If you’re wondering why I make patterns and tutorials without charging a fee, please visit the “Chelly’s Books” page, and that should explain my general motivations. Overall, I love to sew, design doll clothes, and embroider, and I think it’s important to share my talents with the world, so others can learn to do what I do.
And in case you haven’t heard, I have also designed commercial patterns for Lammily LLC. They have some new dolls coming out soon, so you might want to visit the Lammily website to see what they’ve got going on.