Buyer’s Guide for Sewing Doll Clothes #SewingTips

I’ve compiled a few questions I’ve been asked over the years, about where to buy fabric, notions, buckles, buttons, snaps, ribbon, elastic, and more. So today’s blog post will hopefully address answers to some of the more common questions I get in my inbox.

This is just a list of where to buy and what to buy, but keep in mind that it’s always good to recycle, re-use, and treat our earth gently whenever possible. Read to the end of the article for ideas about how to be eco-friendly with your doll clothes sewing projects.

And PLEASE let me know if any of my links no longer work! That way I can keep this page updated.

Fabrics

cotton fabrics on Amazon
cotton broadcloth fabrics on Etsy
cotton small print fabrics on Etsy
cotton fat quarters (18 inches by 21 inches of fabric)
jersey fabrics on Amazon
jersey fabrics on Etsy
flannel on Amazon
flannel on Etsy
craft felt on Amazon
craft felt on Etsy
craft felt on eBay
tulle on Amazon

(also see video at the top of this post)

Closures

(See this blog post for reasons why I recommend Dritz snaps.)

Small Buttons and Button Hole Tools

teeny-tiny buttons on Etsy (for dolls 12 inches and smaller)
small-ish buttons on Etsy (for 13-17 inch dolls)
functional 5/8 inch (16 mm) buttons on Amazon for 18 inch dolls and larger
small-ish buttons for 18 dolls to be used as embellishments (not as a closure)
Clover button hole cutter
Button hole sewing machine attachments for various sewing machines
Seam ripper tool or un-picker tool

Embellishments

1/8 inch ribbon on Etsy
1/8 inch ribbon on Amazon
1/4 inch ribbon on Etsy
1/4 inch ribbon on Amazon
1/2 inch ribbon on Etsy
1/2 inch ribbon on Amazon
lace trim on Etsy
lace trim on Amazon
rickrack trim
embroidery floss on Etsy
embroidery floss on Amazon
1/4 inch double fold bias tape on Amazon

Elastic and Velcro

(With Velcro, it’s almost impossible to find sew-on Velcro smaller than that, so if you need it smaller, just trim pieces to the sizes you need.)

Other Items

*In the past, I’ve bought embroidered personalized labels from Dutch Label Company, but the last time I ordered from them, they got my embroidery colors wrong.

Instead of my logo colors, the labels came out yellow. Ugh! I had never had this problem before, but I’d always purchased their template designs.

So if you’re going to buy from them, don’t use their personalization. Go with their ready-made templates.

This year, when my daughter re-designed my logo, I switched to MayDay Labels on Etsy. Theirs are ink printed on fabric, but Sara Boatright at MayDay was able to make my labels VERY tiny at my special request!

So I’ll definitely be going back to MayDay Labels for my next set of sew-on labels. Here’s an image of my new itty-bitty labels:

The image shows a very tiny miniature garment label that says "Chelly Wood" inside the shape of a bodice pattern. The label is so tiny, it's even smaller than the thumbnail of the person holding the label (which is Chelly Wood). — Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

In my own doll clothes sewing projects, I’ve recently begun to really be conscientious about the products I buy. If I can buy my fabric in the form of second-hand clothing instead of buying brand new textiles, for example, I do so. It’s simply better for the environment.

To learn more about how textile manufacturing can hurt the earth, please read this article.

I also recycle my buttons, elastics, and other notions, whenever possible. If I don’t like how a handmade garment turned out, sometimes I’ll re-use the snaps, the fabric, and any other pieces I think might be re-usable, rather than throwing the whole thing away.

So when you click some of the links I’ve given you above, don’t be surprised if it sends you to “organic fabrics” or other eco-friendly resources. It’s the least I can do to help out our generous Mother Earth!