Changing the fabric can make a BIG difference! #Sewing #Fabrics

This vintage Simplicity 4883 Tammy doll clothes wardrobe includes a red 3/4 length sleeve coat; a sleeveless sheath dress with a ruffle and matching belt at the waist; a pair of pedal pushers with a sleeveless crop top; a blue A-line wrap-around skirt with suspenders to match and under these, a red check short sleeved shirt; and finally a lovely prom dress with a red spaghetti strap bodice that meets a full white gathered skirt that's got tiny red silk roses sewn onto it here and there. This pattern also features a shoebox that has been converted to make a pretty, girlish closet with fabric lining and rack for hanging doll clothes. — Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

I often have people contact me to request pajamas for the doll of their choice. Even if I’ve never made a specifically labeled “pajama” pattern for a doll, it’s likely that I’ve made patterns you can use for pajamas.

What do I mean by this? The fabric makes all the difference!

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A vintage Ideal Tammy doll models a pair of pedal pushers and ruffle-trimmed crop top made of 100% pinstriped cotton fabric. The doll stands next to the image from the Simplicity 4883 pattern's drawn image of the doll wearing the exact same outfit, also made of green pinstriped fabric with a little white ruffle at the bottom of the crop top. Under these two nearly identical images, it says "View 4" to indicate which outfit it is from the Simplicity 4883 doll clothes sewing patterns for Ideal Tammy dolls. — Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable PDF sewing patterns and tutorial videos for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

Let’s have a look at the View 4 pedal pushers and crop top from my Simplicity 4883 doll clothes patterns for Tammy and Sindy, for example.

When you sew the outfit from cotton, it makes a perfectly good set of play clothes for Tammy or Sindy. Right?

But what if I made the exact same outfit from flannel?

A vintage Ideal Tammy doll models a pair of pink flannel pajama pants that are pedal-pushers length and lace-trimmed crop top made of the same pink flannel fabric that’s dotted with little burgundy, black, and pale pink hearts. These pajamas were made using the View 4 pedal pushers outfit from Simplicity 4883. Beside Tammy is a Pedigree Sindy doll wearing an identical set of pedal-pushers-style pajamas made from the same pink heart-patterned flannel fabric. Under these two nearly identical images, it says "View 4" to indicate which outfit it is from the Simplicity 4883 doll clothes sewing patterns for Ideal Tammy dolls. — Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable PDF sewing patterns and tutorial videos for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

In the image above, the dolls are wearing pajamas made from flannel, using the View 4 pattern from my Simplicity 4883 doll clothes pattern.

So just by using flannel instead of cotton, I’ve taken a pants-and-top combo pattern and turned into a pair of pajamas.

Now use your imagination with the View 1 dress from Simplicity 4883…

A vintage Ideal Tammy standing next to a vintage Pedigree Sindy doll, demonstrates by comparison that Tammy is taller than Sindy, but the dolls wear two dresses made from the same pattern. Sindy wears a denim version while Tammy wears a soft cotton version. These dresses were made using Simplicity 4883 doll clothes patterns for Ideal Tammy. Both dresses are belted, but the denim dress has a longer, two-layered ruffle with pink gingham under the shorter denim ruffle. Sindy also carries a denim purse with her dress. — Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

What if we made this dress out of silky pajama fabric? What if we made it out of flannel and trimmed it up with lace instead of that cotton ruffle at the bottom? What if we put lace around the neckline?

And the little coat that comes with it… What if we used a silky pajama fabric for that coat? It would easily become a bathrobe, right?

A Sindy doll holds up Simplicity 4883 vintage doll clothes sewing patterns, and we see a close-up of Sindy's hand and a corner of the sewing pattern, where in View 1, a vintage Ideal Tammy doll is drawn, wearing a pretty sleeveless dress with a tie belt around the waist and a ruffle around the knee area at the bottom of the floral dress. — Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

The tammy on the envelope is holding a purse. Well what if we used the same flannel from our bathrobe to make her a bedspread and a pillow?

There are many ways to get creative and make coordinating accessories to go with your pajama set!

So when you’re looking through my patterns, and you’re not finding any specifically labeled “pajamas” for a doll, consider changing the fabric to something more pajama-ish! Sometimes that’s all it takes to change a dress into a nightgown or a pair of shorts into a set of summertime PJ’s!

The image shows an 18 inch doll modeling a pair of pajama shorts and a pajama top. The doll holds a quilted pillow, like she's about to participate in a pillow fight. She wears slippers shaped like bunny rabbits. Behind her on the wall is a quilt with fabrics sewn in the shape of appliqued hearts. The overlay offers the URL of the website where you can download and print the PDF sewing patterns for making these flannel shorts and the super-easy-to-sew felt top: ChellyWood.com — Visit ChellyWood.com for free printable PDF sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and sizes.

Most of the commercial patterns I display and talk about here on ChellyWood.com are also available for sale on eBay. However, if you’ve never purchased a pattern on eBay before, it’s a good idea to read the article I wrote called, “Tips for Buying Used Doll Clothes Patterns on eBay.” It will save you time, money, and will likely prevent buyer’s remorse.

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For anyone who would like to expand their dolls’ wardrobes, you should really check out my “How to Alter Doll Clothes Patterns” course and my “Design Your Own Doll Pants Patterns from Scratch” classes on the Creative Spark online learning platform. Here’s my bio page on their website, where you can learn more.

For any class on Creative Spark, you don’t have to follow a schedule. Just sign up when you’re ready.

It’s a one-time fee for the course, and there’s no specific time limit to finish your course. You can just take your time and learn at the pace that suits you. So go check out my paid courses on Creative Spark, using this link.

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Disclaimer/Credit/Affiliate Marketing Link:

Chelly Wood and the ChellyWood.com website are not affiliated with the pattern company or companies mentioned in this blog post, but Chelly finds inspiration in the doll clothes designed by these pattern companies. To purchase patterns from Simplicity, McCall’s, Butterick, Vogue, or other pattern companies shown and discussed in this blog post, please click on the links provided here. These links below the “Disclaimer” section do not help raise money for this free pattern website; they are only offered to give credit to the company that made these patterns.