Scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns.
Whenever I create a brand new pattern, I have to make a blog post that connects the gallery page to the pattern and tutorials. That’s what today’s blog post is all about.
Now collars can be challenging for beginners, but this little sailor-style shift dress is made of easy-to-sew felt! So although it’s not an ideal project for those who are just starting to learn how to sew, it’s not a bad introduction to the sewing techniques used with collars.
For today’s sailor shirt or shift dress with rounded collar, you’ll need to use some craft felt, Offray ribbon, and snaps.
Today’s free printable PDF doll clothes sewing patterns will fit the following dolls:
- 12-inch Baby Alive dolls* (it fits as a long dress or nightgown)
- 13-inch Disney Princess Toddler dolls* (also as a long dress)
- 14 and a half-inch Wellie Wishers* from American Girl doll company*
- 16-inch vintage Velvet dolls from the Crissy family of dolls*
- 18-inch dolls like vintage Crissy*
- 18-inch BFC Ink dolls*
And here are the patterns and tutorial videos you’re looking for:
- Free printable PDF sewing pattern for making the sailor-style tunic or shift dress
- Tutorial video showing how to make the dress
- Tutorial video showing how to do a whipstitch
- Tutorial video showing how to do a backstitch
- Tutorial video showing how to do a baste stitch
- Tutorial video showing how to sew snaps on fabric
A word of caution: when you seam rip your baste stitch, be very careful not to hook your whipstitch into the seam ripper (the un-picking tool)! Use good lighting while you work, and baste in a sharply contrasting color to make this step less difficult.
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To read more about my free sewing patterns and tutorials, please visit the “Helpful Tips” page.
Disclaimer/Credit/Affiliate Marketing Link:
*ChellyWood.com earns money by linking to Amazon, eBay, Michaels, Etsy, and other online affiliate programs. Links provided above may be affiliate links. For a full list of my affiliate programs, and to understand how cookies are used to help this website earn money, please see my “Privacy Policy” page.
To honor the trademark rights of the doll companies mentioned in this blog post, I am including links to their websites here. Please feel free to visit their website and consider purchasing one or more of the dolls mentioned.
The Baby Alive dolls are produced and marketed by Hasbro, who owns the trademark rights to them (™). Please visit Hasbro’s Baby Alive page to learn more about the dolls, or visit the Hasbro company website to learn more about the company itself.
The Disney Princess Toddler dolls are products offered by the Disney corporation, which holds the trademark for them (™). Please visit the Disney Toys website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
The Wellie Wishers and the 18 inch American Girl dolls mentioned in this blog post are products offered by Mattel, which holds the registered trademark for them (™). Please visit the Mattel Toys website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
The Crissy family of dolls which includes dolls like vintage Crissy, Velvet, and other dolls, were produced by the Ideal Toy Corporation, which held the registered trademark for them. That company is no longer producing the dolls, and at the time of this blog post, no known company has purchased the trademark to re-produce these dolls. But if you wish to purchase one of these dolls, you can sometimes find them on eBay (see link in the first set of bullets).
MGA Entertainment is the company that produced the BFC Ink dolls, and it still holds the trademark rights to them (™). The BFC Ink dolls (aka Best Friends Club dolls) were in production, starting in 2009, but at the time of this blog post, they are no longer available in stores. You may be able to find a used one on eBay, though, if you’re thinking about collecting them (see link in the first set of bullets). These dolls can swap clothes with Crissy dolls, but their bodies are much more articulated. They have very lovely faces.