I’ve recently done a few blog posts on this McCall’s 2970 doll clothes sewing pattern, including posts about the tiny underpants patterns it comes with and various tiny dolls and toys that can wear this itty bitty pattern.
To read my previous blog posts, including the one that details the difficulties associated with the View B dress, please click here.
Before I go on, 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!
When I cut out my dress, I used an adorable geometric-themed vintage fabric that had been in my mother-in-law’s collection since the 1970’s. It’s probably older than that though, since it may have been her mother’s fabric from the 1930’s or 1940’s.
There wasn’t much of it — only a swatch — but it was just enough to make a little dress for a 6 inch Topper Dawn miniature doll.
If you look carefully at Figure A above, you’ll notice that the sleeve is strangely positioned on the pattern from McCall’s 2970 (View B). I talked about this in a previous blog post, which you can find here.
Once I figured out the logistics of this pattern, though, I was able to sandwich my pink lace between the lining sleeve and the outer sleeve, as you’ll see in Figures B and C above.
The key to sewing the front seam on the bodice was simple enough: I just needed to pay close attention to the bodice’s notches (Figure C).
There are lots of different ways to attach lace to a dress. As I’ve said, I sandwiched my lace in-between the layers of sleeve, but as you can see in Figure D above, I also added lace to a single-fold hem along the very bottom of the dress.
In hind sight, I think this dress would have fit better if I’d added the lace to the bottom of the dress along a double-fold hem. If you scroll down a bit, you’ll see that the dress is a just a wee bit long on my Dawn doll.
In Figure E above, I’m showing you that I had originally planned to just make the dress’s collar without a lace edge. That’s why I sewed the lining to the outer bodice along the neckline, making a clean edge there.
But eventually I decided to go ahead and add the lace, just as the original McCall’s 2970 pattern calls for. And generally speaking, I like how it turned out (see images below). What are your thoughts?
If I make this dress again, I think I’m going to use a simpler fabric, like a solid or maybe a gingham check.
The geometric vintage fabric was fun to work with, but looking at these photos of my Topper Dawn doll in the finished dress from View B of McCall’s 2970, I think the dress’s geometric patterns are just a tad bit too busy.
Questions: Do you sew for tiny dolls? And if so, what fabrics do you recommend for tiny dolls?
Here are 3 ways you can help support my website and YouTube channel:
- Buy something from my online store on ChellyWood.com (including fabric, buttons, snaps, zippers, etc.)
- Buy something you need or want from my Etsy store
- For teachers or librarians, purchase something from my Teachers Pay Teachers store
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 the ChellyWood.com site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include Amazon, 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.
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.