Month: October 2023

On a turquoise blue square background, a photo of a Chelsea doll (from Mattel, Barbie's little sister) wearing a ghost Halloween costume and carrying a candy bucket shaped like a pumpkin with jack-o-lantern features appears under the text that reads "free pattern" and to the right of the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
5-inch doll clothes patterns, 6-inch doll clothes patterns, Chelsea, Holiday Crafts

Sew a ghost costume for Chelsea (Barbie’s little sister) with today’s free patterns!

Please scroll to the very bottom of this page for today’s free ghost costume pattern. Happy Halloween everyone! I’m afraid this is a repeat post, but this little ghost pattern gets a lot of downloads at Halloween time each year. So here you go! Last week on Friday, I gave you my free, printable PDF sewing pattern for making the little pumpkin Halloween candy basket, … Continue reading Sew a ghost costume for Chelsea (Barbie’s little sister) with today’s free patterns!

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This is a framed thumbnail with the following text written inside a bodice pattern outline: "Vintage Patterns with lessons for beginners" and a small yellow arrow points to text that states, "available after 30 October 2023".
Crissy Family of Dolls, Marie Osmond dolls, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Pepper Dolls (Vintage), Tammy Doll Patterns, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Vintage Barbie, Vintage Brad, Vintage Francie, Vintage Ken, Vintage Skipper, Vogue Ginny Dolls

Lessons from Vintage Doll Clothes Patterns (Gallery)

NOTE: These are not free doll clothes patterns! If you would like to download any of the hundreds of free, printable sewing patterns that I offer on this website, please view this video to learn how to find free patterns to fit the doll you’re sewing for. With that said, please click on the doll clothes patterns you would like to learn about: I created … Continue reading Lessons from Vintage Doll Clothes Patterns (Gallery)

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A Mattel Ken or Ryan doll stands in a whitewashed room wearing a tux. To his right is a white pillar with climbing vines curling their way around it. To his left is the bust of a famous composer, and above that, a window with a purple painted frame. The Ken dolls wedding attire consists of a white cotton shirt with collar and tie, a black felt jacket, and a pair of black cotton trousers. He wears black plastic dress shoes as well.
12-inch doll clothes patterns, Ken Patterns, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Free Ken doll jacket patterns, shirt pattern, and pants patterns, to make a full suit!

I’m re-posting this ken suit pattern page because I’ve updated all these patterns from JPG images to easy-to-download PDF’s! But I need to apologize… On more than one occasion, people have complained that it’s really hard to see my black thread stitches on the black felt of this dinner jacket. So I’ve got “re-do Ken jacket tutorial” on my Editable Sewing Planner, which, by the … Continue reading Free Ken doll jacket patterns, shirt pattern, and pants patterns, to make a full suit!

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This is the thumbnail for a #DoApick game, in which we choose which Halloween costume our Barbie dolls will wear for trick or treating in the year 1970. The image shows a cell phone featuring a vintage Barbie wearing a ballerina costume. To play along, click on the image and view the YouTube Shorts video to choose which Halloween costume you would choose from a selection of three options. The background behind the cell phone image is purple with a rainbow of clouds in green, yellow, and blue arching behind the cell phone, reminding us of a bygone era. The text reads, “Do a Pick” followed by “Halloween trick or treat costumes.”
Do a Pick! Game, Doll Play Videos, Vintage Barbie

Let’s Do a Pick — Go Trick-or-Treating with Barbie in your VW Bus! (It’s 1970!) #DoApick #vintageDollCollector

If you weren’t alive in 1970, then you probably think the early 70’s were all about hippies and Woodstock. But actually, my childhood included some of the same Halloween adventures that kids today experience, like dressing up as a Ballerina, a nurse, or a favorite character from movies and TV shows. My favorite Barbie playtime cousin’s family actually did have a Volkswagen bus, and we … Continue reading Let’s Do a Pick — Go Trick-or-Treating with Barbie in your VW Bus! (It’s 1970!) #DoApick #vintageDollCollector

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Set in a purple cotton background with tiny white polka dots, the text "free pattern" overlaps a photo of a very tiny doll's hand holding the green ribbon strap for an orange jack-o-lantern shaped pumpkin candy bucket for carrying Halloween candy when a child goes trick or treating.
5-inch doll clothes patterns, 6-inch doll clothes patterns, Chelsea, Holiday Crafts

Sew a miniature pumpkin (jack-o’-lantern) trick-or-treat Halloween candy bucket with today’s free patterns!

Please scroll to the very bottom of this page for today’s free pumpkin candy bucket pattern. Imagine my surprise when I went to print this pattern recently and discovered that (at least in the 5 inch doll area of the website), the pumpkin jack o’lantern part of the pattern was still in JPG form! I had not yet converted it to a PDF! So today’s … Continue reading Sew a miniature pumpkin (jack-o’-lantern) trick-or-treat Halloween candy bucket with today’s free patterns!

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On a turquoise blue cotton background, we read the words "how to use a needle threader" and beneath these are images of a needle and a traditional tin threader. In the lower left corner is the ChellyWood.com logo.
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store, Tips for Beginners

Unlock the Magic: a Guide to Mastering the Needle Threader!

  Last Wednesday, I talked about hand-stitching with sewing needles. These unbelievably important items for your sewing kit came in at #1 on my list of “must-have” tools for beginners who are just learning to sew. While reading last Wednesday’s blog post, you may have been thinking, “But I hate threading needles! It’s hard!” Don’t worry; I’ve gotcha covered with my second necessity for those … Continue reading Unlock the Magic: a Guide to Mastering the Needle Threader!

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Surrounded by a quilted frame, we see the ChellyWood.com logo and images of dolls modeling doll clothes from the 1970's. This image comes from Simplicity doll clothes pattern 7737, dated with a copyright of 1976.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie

Learning to sew with Simplicity 7737 doll clothes patterns #VintageDolls #DollClothesPatterns

Every time I look at the pictures on the cover of my Simplicity 7737 doll clothes pattern envelope, I remember the little sewing room my mother and I shared, when I was in junior high and high school. I made every single outfit offered on this pattern by the time I was 16, and those pants suits — the ones that are designed like a … Continue reading Learning to sew with Simplicity 7737 doll clothes patterns #VintageDolls #DollClothesPatterns

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Two women share a sewing table, as seen from above, with the words "Who shares your sewing passion?" above the photo. This thumbnail image is framed in purple fabric with tiny white polka dots, and the Chelly Wood dot com logo appears at the bottom of the thumbnail.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Interviews With Crafters, Whole Costumes for Dolls

A sister-in-law who shares your passion is a treasure indeed!

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. Look at this pretty freckle-faced beauty! She’s modeling a lovely pleather jacket that my sister-in-law made from black pleather and (I believe cotton) cheetah print fabric. My sister-in-law used my Ken jacket pattern and made some alterations to the jacket, so it would basically fit a Barbie doll. I … Continue reading A sister-in-law who shares your passion is a treasure indeed!

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In a turquoise blue frame, a Creatable World doll with Caucasian complexion and long black hair with bangs (fringes) models a pair of cargo pants and a sleeveless crop top. The text reads, "free pattern" above the Chelly Wood logo.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 8-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, Creatable World Dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Make a swingy crop top for Creatable World dolls with today’s free PDF sewing patterns @ ChellyWood.com

Please scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free printable PDF sewing patterns and links to any additional relevant tutorial videos. When I first designed today’s crop top, I was designing it to fit the LOL Surprise! OMG dolls, but once I got the thing made, I decided that although the crop top does fit her in the hips (the most challenging … Continue reading Make a swingy crop top for Creatable World dolls with today’s free PDF sewing patterns @ ChellyWood.com

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A woman with curly red hair sits cross-legged and holding a doll in her right hand, a sewing needle in her right hand, and there's a green thread dangling mid-air between the doll and the sewing needle. The woman appears to be happily sewing the doll's dress with a basket of fabric sitting beside her. This image is superimposed upon a purple gingham background with the Chelly Wood dot com logo in one corner.
Crafts and Hobbies, Tips for Beginners

What type of hand-stitching sewing needles do you use? Please leave a comment!

I often get this question: “I’m new to sewing. What do I need?” So in the coming weeks, I’m going to offer up some simple items that I think are essential in a first-timer’s sewing kit. Today we’re going to start with sewing needles. When I buy hand-stitching sewing needles, I typically purchase a set that includes multiple sizes. But the bigger ones in these … Continue reading What type of hand-stitching sewing needles do you use? Please leave a comment!

Chelly Wood2 Comments
A photo of colorful fabrics in prints and solids, all folded in a pile, appears at the bottom of a blue frame. At the top, we read the words "Big Fabric Haul!" followed by, "and how to deal with other people's scrap fabric."
Crafts and Hobbies, Plushies/Stuffed Animals, Tips for Beginners

BIG FABRIC HAUL! — and How to Deal With Other People’s Scrap Fabrics #Fabric #FabricHaul

Recently I discovered an enormous plastic bag filled with scrap fabrics at my local Goodwill second hand store. What a find! It was almost all cotton fabrics, with just a few flannels, felt, and lightweight denims thrown in. All but one of the printed fabrics were small-prints in a variety of colors. There were Christmas fabrics, itty bitty polka dots, and ginghams. Woo-hoo! I was … Continue reading BIG FABRIC HAUL! — and How to Deal With Other People’s Scrap Fabrics #Fabric #FabricHaul

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The image shows a vintage McCalls Craft Pattern number 2686 which offers Barbie sized doll clothes including coats and jackets, prom dresses, and business as well as casual wear.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie

Learning to sew with McCall’s 2686 doll clothes patterns #WinterCoats #DollClothesPatterns

The pattern we’re learning about today is McCall’s 2686 doll clothes patterns for fashion dolls. It has three different styles of coats that will fit Barbie and other fashion dolls, which is what makes this McCall’s Barbie-sized patterns stand out among the others. View A offers a long fur coat; view B shows how to make a shorter winter coat, which would work well with … Continue reading Learning to sew with McCall’s 2686 doll clothes patterns #WinterCoats #DollClothesPatterns

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A Tinkerbell fairy doll models a long-sleeved shirt with a pair of trousers or cotton pants. The text reads "free patterns" over top of the Chelly Wood dot com logo. Please visit ChellyWood.com for the free printable PDF sewing patterns and tutorial videos for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes, including this doll clothes outfit and others that will fit your Tinkerbell 9 inch fairy dolls.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 8-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, Disney Princess Dolls, Tinkerbell fairy dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Let’s make a shirt and pants for Tinkerbell fairy dolls w/free doll clothes patterns!

Please scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free printable PDF sewing patterns and links to any additional relevant tutorial videos. Yesterday I gave you the free pattern for the long-sleeved shirt, along with the video tutorial showing how to make it. And at the end of September, we looked at how we can take these pants and turn them into cargo … Continue reading Let’s make a shirt and pants for Tinkerbell fairy dolls w/free doll clothes patterns!

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In a small blue frame, the words "free pattern" are at an angle over the top of a photo of a Tinkerbell fairy doll modeling a long-sleeved shirt. The Chelly Wood dot com logo appears in one corner.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 8-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Sew a pretty long-sleeved Shirt for Tinkerbell or other 8-inch to 9-inch fashion dolls with today’s free doll clothes patterns!

Please scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free printable PDF sewing patterns and links to any additional relevant tutorial videos. Today’s video and free doll shirt pattern will show you how to sew a long-sleeved shirt that will fit 8 inch to 9 inch dolls like the Tinkerbell fairy dolls from Disney. There’s a whole list of dolls that will fit … Continue reading Sew a pretty long-sleeved Shirt for Tinkerbell or other 8-inch to 9-inch fashion dolls with today’s free doll clothes patterns!

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Within a purple frame that has tiny white polka dots, it says, "Free Pattern" next to a photo of a Hasbro World of Love "Soul" doll wearing handmade doll clothes including a shirt, pants, vest, boots, and a hat. The ChellyWood.com logo appears beside the image.
8-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, Daily Patterns, Romeo & Juliet, Whole Costumes for Dolls, World of Love Doll Patterns

Sew a lovely Renaissance costume for your 8 inch dolls with today’s free doll clothes patterns at ChellyWood.com

Please scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free printable PDF sewing patterns and links to any additional relevant tutorial videos. I can’t remember if someone left a comment, pointing this out, or if I, myself, stumbled across this pattern on my website and realized that it had not yet been converted to a PDF. Either way, this is one of the … Continue reading Sew a lovely Renaissance costume for your 8 inch dolls with today’s free doll clothes patterns at ChellyWood.com

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