Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns.

For a long time, people have asked me, “Do you have a pattern for the red Christmas pinafore dress that appears on the link page for 18 inch doll clothes free patterns?” And well, the answer has always been, “Sorry. I don’t.”

But recently I have created one like it, and today’s pattern and tutorial will work well, if you want to create a pinafore style doll dress for your 18 inch dolls.

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!

To anyone who recognizes this pattern, yes, it’s the same basic pattern as my 18 inch doll nightgown. But instead of using flannel, we’ll be using cotton to make this dress.

And if you notice, in the picture above, I suggested that you can put a long-sleeved shirt with a collar under the pinafore dress for more of a vintage schoolgirl look.

Here’s a link to my free pattern for a collared shirt with long sleeves, and yes, it’s designed to fit 18 inch dolls.

The Christmas version, which appears on my platinum blonde Madam Alexander doll above, used a different pattern, but you could easily make something similar, using my pattern.

I made the red Christmas dress for my two girls, back in the early 2000’s, before I created ChellyWood.com, so I can’t remember what commercial pattern I used for that dress. I may have designed it myself, but if so, that dress pattern is long gone.

So to make today’s pinafore dress look like the red one in the image above, just choose a small print cotton fabric with a Christmas print. I also gave my little Christmas dress a petticoat with eyelet trim, by simply cutting two skirts (one from white cotton for the petticoat and one for the outer layer skirt) and sewing both of them inside the bottom of the bodice, as shown in today’s video.

In the video at the top of the page, I mention a video that shows how to “cut on the fold.” I’m a little embarrassed to say this, but that video is still in the processing stage. I haven’t gotten it finished yet, and it’s had some glitches.

So instead, here’s a link to an article I wrote on how to “cut on the fold.” It offers plenty of photos as well as written explanations to help beginners.

However, you may have noticed that today’s pattern has four out of five flowers on my difficulty scale. That’s because it’s not really for beginners. So if you’re new to sewing, please consider looking through my gallery of free 18 inch doll clothes patterns, to find something a little easier to make.

To make today’s doll clothing, you will likely need one or more of the following items:

• cotton fabric or
• cotton small-print Christmas fabric
• eyelet lace trim
• rickrack trim
• 3/4 inch sew-on Velcro
• chopsticks (for inverting doll clothes)
• Dritz fabric pencil
• Fiskars Stitchers mini snips (for clipping seams efficiently)
• Tulip mini iron (mentioned in my video)
• Gutermann sewing machine thread

This list comes from my “Buyer’s Guide” page, which is easily accessed from the home page. And if you’re interested in using earth-friendly fabrics, please consider buying your fabric from FabScrap. FabScrap is a fabric recycle and reuse service, where you can buy fabrics that would otherwise go into landfills! Watch my FabScrap unboxing video to see what kinds of fabrics they sent me!

To learn more about FabScrap, this page on their website will tell you what a wonderful resource they offer!

*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  Journey Girls dolls
  • 18-inch dolls like the Our Generation dolls
  • 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 Fancy Nancy

 

And here are the patterns and tutorial videos you’re looking for:

• American PDF sewing pattern for 18″ doll pinafore dress
• A4 (international) PDF sewing pattern for 18 inch doll pinafore dress
• Tutorial video showing how to make the dress is found at the top of the page
• This link will take you to a blouse pattern, if you would like to make a collared shirt to go under the pinafore

You may also find one or more of these videos helpful:

• How to do a whipstitch
• How to sew snaps on fabric
• How to do a backstitch
• How to gather fabric
• How to use a needle threader
• How to do a basic straight stitch
• 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
• How to add a ruffle to a skirt

For more of my free tutorials, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, ChellyWood1.

Here are 3 ways you can help support my website and YouTube channel:

1. Visit my eBay store to see if there’s anything you need there, and if so, make a bid
2. Purchase one of the fabrics I’ve designed — here’s a link to my Spoonflower store
3. Pray for this website to grow and prosper!

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, 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 dolls are made by Battat (AKA Maison Battat Company), and they hold the registered trademark for them. Please visit their website to learn more about the Our Generation dolls.

Journey Girls dolls are made by Lotus Onda, but I believe their trademark is owned by Tru Kids Brands. (Someone please correct me if I’m wrong. I had trouble finding the origin of these dolls!) As I understand it, in the past, they have been distributed by Just Play LLC in the United States, but I’m unable to find the Journey Girls brand name on their website at this time. So distribution may have changed for these dolls. The Journey Girls dolls may have other companies involved in their trademark rights and/or distribution in other countries outside the US.

“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.

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.

Footnote 1: “Ideal Dolls 1970s.” Doll Reference, 28 August 2022, https://dollreference.com/ideal_toy_dolls1970s.html