Scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns.
This pattern has been one of my most popular doll clothes patterns because it fits so many different dolls! I recently gave my mother-in-law my little red-headed, second-hand Our Generation doll, who appears in the video at the top of the page.
I went to make this doll a halter top, using my own pattern and realized that the video a.) was missing some parts and pieces and b.) didn’t have voice-over. So I thought I’d re-master today’s video with voiceover and a few additional instructions, like the option to choose to cut out the ties for the straps using a fabric that matches the halter top’s outer fabric.
Before we dive into this project, I need to make my required disclaimer statement: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more about how affiliate marketing works on my website, please go to the Privacy Policy page. Thank you!
I was pleased to discover that the halter top still looks as cute as ever, but I wanted to re-post some of these patterns with the option to print using A4 paper, along with the usual American printer paper.
For those of you who aren’t aware, a lot of countries use the metric system, and along with that, their printer paper is different from the typical American printer paper (which measures 8.5 by 11 inches — not metric).
So today’s video is updated, but also, the A4 patterns are found in the second set of bullets, along with the American printer paper patterns. That way, no matter what country you live in, you can still use my free PDF sewing patterns.
As you can see in the image above, my Kiya doll is wearing her halter top with a pair of trousers; whereas my Our Generation red-headed doll (scroll up a little farther) wears her halter top with a pair of shorts.
I do plan to eventually post all of these patterns again — the trousers, the duffle bag, the shorts, and the sandals patterns) — as A4 PDFs, but for right now, I’ve only created patterns for the halter top. So please be patient.
If you’re hoping I’ll create A4 patterns for another item in the ensemble, please leave a comment asking me to convert the patterns you want to A4, and I’ll see what I can do. (It’s a bit of a process, so it may take a while.)
In the meantime, to make today’s halter top, you may need some cotton fabric, some 1/4 inch bias tape (I think that works better than the 1/2 inch bias tape) or ribbon, and some snaps.
A few other goodies I use or mention in my video include: Fiskars Stitchers mini scissors; a lightbox; a Dritz Fabric Pencil; Fray Check; and chopsticks.
Today’s free printable PDF doll clothes sewing patterns will fit the following dolls:
- 18-inch dolls like American Girl dolls
- 18-inch dolls like the Adora Amazing Girls dolls
- 18-inch dolls like the Our Generation
- 18 inch dolls like the Journey Girls
- 18-inch dolls like the “My Life As” Dolls
- 18-inch dolls like City Girls from the New York Doll Collection
- 18-inch dolls like Madame Alexander 45 to 46 cm (similar body type to American Girl) dolls
- 18-inch dolls like the BFC Ink dolls
- 18-inch dolls like vintage Crissy
- 12-inch Baby Alive dolls*
- 13-inch Disney Princess Toddler dolls*
- 14-inch Hearts for Hearts Girls*
- 14 and a half-inch Wellie Wishers* from American Girl doll company*
- 15 and a half-inch vintage Velvet dolls from the Crissy family of dolls
* It fits these dolls a little longer, like a swimsuit cover-up.
And here are the patterns and tutorial videos you’re looking for:
- Pattern for 18″ doll halter top (for printing on American printer paper)
- Pattern for 18 inch/45 cm dolls’ halter top/summer top (for printing on A4 paper)
- Tutorial video showing how to make the halter top is at the top of today’s blog post
- How to do a whipstitch
- How to sew snaps on fabric
- How to do a backstitch
- How to use a needle threader
- How to do a basic straight stitch
- How to use bias tape
- How to choose fabric
- How to tie a knot using a needle and thread
- How to press seams open, using a hot iron
- How to sew rickrack
- How to use selvage
- How to attach ribbon to doll clothes
Remember that you can show your appreciation for my free sewing patterns and tutorials by sharing them on Pinterest and other social media platforms.
Here’s one you might enjoy posting on social media:
For more of my free tutorials, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, ChellyWood1.
If you would like to make a donation to this free doll clothes pattern website, please click here. There’s also a “Donate” button in the main menu.
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 C&T Publishing’s 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 the C&T Publishing website, using this link.
As always, feel free to pin, like, or tweet about my free patterns and tutorials.
To read more about my free sewing patterns and tutorials, please visit the “Helpful Tips” page.
Disclaimer/Credit/Affiliate Marketing Link:
*Please note: when you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include Amazon, JoAnn Fabric, Etsy, and the eBay Partner Network. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more about how my website uses affiliate marketing, please visit the website’s 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.
American Girl dolls are products offered by American Girl LLC, which holds the registered trademark for them (™). Please visit their website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
Adora Amazing Girls are products offered by Charisma Brands, LLC, which holds the registered trademark for them (™). Please visit their website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
Our Generation Journey Girls are products offered by Geoffrey, LLC (affiliated with Tru Kids Brands and Toys R Us), which holds the registered trademark for them (™). Please visit their website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
“My Life As” dolls are products offered by Walmart, which (although I couldn’t find it specifically listed in US trademarks) probably holds the registered trademark for them (™). Please visit their website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
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 Hearts for Hearts Girls, Dolls and Games are owned by the Playmates Company International, which holds the registered trademark for these toys. It should be noted, that for each H4H doll purchased, the Hearts for Hearts company donates a portion of their proceeds to World Vision, a global humanitarian organization.
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.
City Girls are products offered by The New York Doll Collection, Inc, which holds the registered trademark for them (™). Please visit their website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
Madame Alexander 45 to 46 cm dolls were products that were once offered by the Madame Alexander Doll Company, LLC, which holds the registered trademark for them (™). Be advised that at the time of this blog post, they no longer (to my knowledge) offer dolls in that size range; however you can visit their website to learn more about their company and the trademarked toys they are currently offering.
BFC Ink dolls are products that were once offered by MGA Entertainment, Inc., which held the registered trademark for them (™), but those dolls are no longer produced, and as of this blog post date, the US Trademark Office has listed the trademark as “Cancelled.” However MGA Entertainment, Inc. still produces toys, and you can visit their website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
Vintage Crissy Dolls are products that were once offered by Ideal Toys, Inc., but according to DollReference.com, they were “acquired by the CBS Toy Company in 1982, which eventually merged with Mattel in 1992.”1 Today Mattel holds the registered trademark for them (™). As far as I know, though, these dolls have not been produced since the 1970’s. However, you can always visit the Mattel website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
Footnote 1: “Ideal Dolls 1970s.” Doll Reference, 28 August 2022, https://dollreference.com/ideal_toy_dolls1970s.html