Author: Chelly Wood

I am a school librarian with an English degree plus a library science endorsement, and I like to write. I've also designed commercial doll clothes patterns, and I make stop-motion videos with dolls. My literary agent is Elizabeth Kracht of Kimberley Cameron and Associates.
See how Chelly Wood created her "Sarah's Marigolds" fabric by watching the YouTube video, "Quiet Meditation Music with Easy Art Inspiration." This video thumbnail shows simple orange marigolds and pale minty green leaves on a paint canvas, resting on a wooden table. Overlaid on top of this are several paint brushes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Fabric, Links, Music Videos for Crafters, Paper Crafts, Tutorials: Crafts

Quiet meditation music and inspiration for your crafts! #Music #ArtsAndCrafts

It has been a while since I created a music video. They still exist on my YouTube channel, and you can find a playlist of instrumental music for crafting right here. This video shows how I designed my latest fabric on Spoonflower. I named it “Sarah’s Marigolds” because marigolds are my sister Sarah’s favorite flower. As I type this blog post, my kitchen table is … Continue reading Quiet meditation music and inspiration for your crafts! #Music #ArtsAndCrafts

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Three headless doll bodies (shown discreetly from the shoulders up) accompany four doll heads, with their hair all wild and woven together against a teal and turquoise polka dot backdrop.
Doll Collecting, Doll Makeovers, Uncategorized, Vintage Barbie

Connecting doll heads to doll bodies… Are there rules? #DollCollector #DollCollection

I don’t know about you, but when I come across a doll head without a body, or a doll body without a head, I feel an uncontrollable urge to connect some doll heads to those doll bodies! No doll body should have to go around headless, and no doll head should have to go around bodiless! How do you feel about putting vintage doll heads on … Continue reading Connecting doll heads to doll bodies… Are there rules? #DollCollector #DollCollection

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Here we see a photo of the Marie Osmond 6664 "Butterick's Personality Doll Wardrobe" envelope and its photo of an actual Marie Osmond doll modeling a red western shirt with white front yokes and a pair of shiny black pants. The pattern options to the doll's right are showing a yellow jumper (in the USA sense of "jumper" -- a sleeveless dress which is sometimes worn over a shirt): a floor length caftan dress with ribbon ties at the sleeve and a waistband; a blue, V-neck long-sleeved shirt with cuffs and a waistband; a long-sleeved white shirt with a collar and cuffs; a purple evening dance dress with a zig-zag-cut skirt and a bodice with straps that tie at the shoulders; a short camel-colored caftan blouse with a waistband and ribbon ties at the sleeves' ends; a green flared ice skater's skirt; a green body suit with long sleeves and a turtle neck. The Chelly Wood doll stands to the left of the envelope. The Marie Osmond doll is on the pattern envelope itself because Butterick 6664 is designed to fit the Marie Osmond Barbie doll.
Fabric, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

What does “directional fabric” mean? #BeginnerSewing #SewingHack

Have you ever wondered why floral and polka dot fabrics are so popular? One of the reasons why people love polka dots and florals is because they’re usually non-directional fabrics. But what does that mean? Well, that’s what I’ll address today, and I’ll let you know how I made alterations to a Marie Osmond doll dress when I didn’t have enough of a directional fabric. … Continue reading What does “directional fabric” mean? #BeginnerSewing #SewingHack

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You can sew the iconic pink gingham dress with free patterns for 18 inch dolls. Image shows American Girl doll Kaya wearing a pink gingham dress with full skirt, resembling the iconic gingham Barbie dress from the Barbie movie. Click the thumbnail to read the article and access the free PDF sewing patterns for making this doll dress for 18 inch dolls.
18-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, American Girl Doll Patterns, Daily Patterns, Fan Mail, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls, Uncategorized, Whole Costumes for Dolls

How to make a pink gingham Barbie dress for your 18 inch dolls… #BarbieMovie #AmericanGirl

  Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Today’s free pattern is brand new to the website, and this fulfills one of the many requests I’ve been given by my fans and followers. It’s my own version of the iconic pink gingham dress, worn by Barbie in the Barbie movie. Before I go on, I need to make … Continue reading How to make a pink gingham Barbie dress for your 18 inch dolls… #BarbieMovie #AmericanGirl

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In a purple square frame, a photo of spilled straight pins appears under the words "straight pins".
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store, Pincushions, Tips for Beginners

What size straight pins should I use? #SewingTips #BeginnerSewer

Sewing for dolls is a great way to break into sewing, for those who’ve never sewn before, so it probably won’t surprise you that I get questions about very basic concepts in my inbox now and then. Someone reached out to me in 2025 with the question, “What size straight pins should I use?” And I thought, That’s a good question to address in a blog … Continue reading What size straight pins should I use? #SewingTips #BeginnerSewer

Chelly Wood3 Comments
In this image, we see the top half of the Barbie Advance 9938 doll clothes sewing pattern. View 1 shows a typical just-below-the-knee strappy sun dress in yellow fabric. View 2 shows an Asian-style sheath dress with side buttons that run from the Mandarin collar across the bust, to the underarm. This View 2 dress is in solid blue. There's an arrow pointing to the View 3 dress, which is made with a pink bodice and a white floor length full skirt that's dotted with tiny pink flowers. This is a strapless party gown, and the doll wearing it is a cartoon-ish blond ponytail Barbie with a pink ribbon in her hair. The text which has an arrow pointing to the View 3 dress says "Advance 9938 View 3."
Curvy Barbie, Holiday Crafts, Jem and the Holograms, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tammy Doll Patterns, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Are there any sewing patterns that will fit big bust dolls? #MeMadeMonday #CustomDolls

When you own a doll with a big bust or a curvier figure than the average modern day Barbie, it can be challenging to find sewing patterns to fit her. People reach out to me now and then asking for patterns to fit dolls with curvier figures, from a variety of different doll making companies. So today’s blog post will show you an evening gown … Continue reading Are there any sewing patterns that will fit big bust dolls? #MeMadeMonday #CustomDolls

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Do a Pick. What will Barbie wear to the county fair? Barbie is shown in picnic set number 967 from a 1961 Barbie and Ken brochure (catalog). This is a thumbnail for a Barbie DoApick game at ChellyWood.com. When you click on this thumbnail, it takes you to a YouTube short in which you're told three different Barbie outfits to choose from, for Barbie to wear to the county fair. They are all vintage outfits from 1961, and the description area below the video gives links to the original doll clothes for sale on eBay.
Do a Pick! Game, Doll Play Videos, Vintage Barbie

Let’s Do a Pick — What will Barbie wear to the county fair? #DoApick #vintageToys

Today’s “Do a Pick” game features the following: Orange Blossom #987 Picnic Set #967 Friday Night Date #979 What’s the story behind this game? When I was a kid, whenever it was playtime with dolls, we would lay out all our dolls and their clothing items. Then we would “do a pick.” That’s where you take turns picking which doll or dolls you’ll play with … Continue reading Let’s Do a Pick — What will Barbie wear to the county fair? #DoApick #vintageToys

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Capri pants are trousers that fall between the knee and the ankle. Images shown include (clockwise from the top), a group of mannequins shown from the knee down, sporting various lengths of capris that fall between the knee and the ankle using various fabrics, including camouflage style with drawstrings at the hem, denims, and cotton fabrics; a vintage fashion doll sporting traditional 1950’s style pedal pushers; a photo of a woman in tight-fitting gingham ankle pants and a pair of wedge shoes (showing only her legs at a seated position); a diagram of a woman’s naked leg with brackets showing the hem area which falls between the bottom of the knee and the top of the ankle bone; a graphic of pajama pants with an elastic waist that are capri length; a graphic of a pair of khakis with a rolled hem, fly front, and pockets, that are shown as slightly longer than a pair of Bermuda shorts.
Crafts and Hobbies, Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What are capri pants exactly? #FashionWise #MakeYourOwnClothes

DEFINITION: trousers that fall between the knee and the ankle. This is my own definition. Of course you can google this term to find other definitions as well. Here’s a link to Webster’s definition, and here’s a link to the Cambridge English Dictionary definition. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You can learn more about my affiliate marketing program on the Privacy … Continue reading Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What are capri pants exactly? #FashionWise #MakeYourOwnClothes

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The Chelly Wood doll stands next to the Advance 9938 Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern with her cartoonish sewing room behind her.
Fabric, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

What fabrics to avoid when sewing doll clothes #VintageBarbie #thriftedfabric

Today’s project is a vintage Barbie dress with panels across the bodice. I used two different vintage Barbie patterns to make this dress for a good reason: I was trying to use up my tiny bits of leftover purple fabric! I also had some black fabric, which I had bought at a yard sale. This black fabric was some sort of polyester blend, and it … Continue reading What fabrics to avoid when sewing doll clothes #VintageBarbie #thriftedfabric

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Free Bolero Pattern! Fits 10 inch dolls. A4 patterns available. This YouTube thumbnail shows a Mattel Skipper doll (Barbie's little sister) modeling a handmade purple floral sun dress with a white bolero over the top as a jacket. Visit Chelly Wood dot com for the free patterns and tutorial video.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Daily Patterns, Skipper Patterns, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Make a bolero style jacket or short coat for Skipper with today’s free patterns! #DIYbarbie #SewingProjects

  Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Last Thursday I gave you the free pattern for making the long strappy sundress. Today I’m giving you the free sewing pattern for making a little bolero jacket to go over the top of it! As it says in the video, today’s little jacket is designed for 10 inch fashion … Continue reading Make a bolero style jacket or short coat for Skipper with today’s free patterns! #DIYbarbie #SewingProjects

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The thumbnail image shows a purple patch sewn onto a turquoise cloth. The words "doll clothes sewing chat" are written in the center of the purple patch. Floating in a circle around the patch are graphics of various sewing notions, from scissors, to a tape measure, to bobbins, to thread, and more. This feature on Chelly Wood dot com, is an open discussion about a sewing concept. The article will begin with a definition of the sewing concept, and then a discussion question will follow. This is a great place for people to ask questions about and/or give advice on sewing concepts related to making doll clothes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Fan Mail, Favorite Books, For Sale in the Store, Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

What is the right side in sewing? A quick guide… #SewingTips #EasySewingProjects

I’ve recently had some sewing newbies reach out to me, including one dad who’s teaching his daughter how to sew. Way to go, to all the dads out there who are learning to sew right along with their kiddos! And a question I often get from people who are new to sewing is this: What does “right sides together” mean in your videos? So today … Continue reading What is the right side in sewing? A quick guide… #SewingTips #EasySewingProjects

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Chelly Wood doll stands next to the pattern envelope for vintage Simplicity 9097, a 1970s era wardrobe for Barbie dolls. Among these patterns are the following ensembles: view 1: a wedding dress with empire waist, high collar, and bell sleeves; view 2: a similar evening gown shown in purple; view 3 a mod dress with pleated skirt and sleeveless bodice; view 3 B: the same mod dress shown with a short cape and scarf; view 4: a turtleneck blouse with raglan sleeves and a long skirt; view 5: the same blouse with a pair of trousers and a long, below-the-hip length vest.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Learning to sew with vintage Simplicity 9097 Barbie patterns #MeMadeMonday #SewRetro

Today’s blog post is a collection of lessons I’ve learned while sewing the Simplicity 9097 doll clothes patterns. As with other blog posts on my Vintage Pattern page, I’ll be adding to this list of lessons as I create different outfits using this pattern. Before I go on, I need to make my required disclaimer statement: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. … Continue reading Learning to sew with vintage Simplicity 9097 Barbie patterns #MeMadeMonday #SewRetro

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Free sewing pattern! Mattel's Skipper, the little sister doll for Barbie, shows off her handmade purple floor length maxi skirt sundress in a retro floral monochrome print.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Daily Patterns, Skipper Patterns, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Here’s a free pattern and tutorial video for making a long dress that fits Skipper! #Skipperdoll #FreePatterns

  Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. I’ve had the easy-to-sew long sundress (the one with the felt bodice) available on ChellyWood.com for a long time, but I have also used this Barbie pattern to create an all-cotton sundress for Skipper as well. So today’s video shows you how to do that. If you are looking for … Continue reading Here’s a free pattern and tutorial video for making a long dress that fits Skipper! #Skipperdoll #FreePatterns

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Free sewing patterns! Chelly Wood dot com. Next to the image of the paper pattern, which features all the pattern pieces for making a summer crop top and shorts, we see a Mirabel doll modeling the crop top and shorts in a purple floral small-print cotton print. The shorts fit to about mid-thigh length, are high-waisted, and snap in front at the fly. The crop top has four darts and a boat neck, exposes the doll's midriff, and has short sleeves. Please visit ChellyWood.com for the free printable PDF sewing patterns and the tutorial videos that show you how to make these doll clothes for your Mirabel doll.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, Daily Patterns, Mirabel, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Let’s sew a little summer outfit for Mirabel, to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo #CulturallyInspired #CincoDeMayo

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. If today’s summer outfit looks familiar, that’s because it also fits Curvy Barbie dolls, so I’ve posted this pattern before, in the Curvy Barbie gallery on my website. But for Cinco de Mayo, I really wanted to offer a pattern that Mirabel could wear, so I went through the various doll … Continue reading Let’s sew a little summer outfit for Mirabel, to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo #CulturallyInspired #CincoDeMayo

Chelly Wood5 Comments
This image is a quilt-like square with the Chelly Wood logo turned on its side. Beside the logo, we see a photo of Simplicity doll clothes pattern 8466 from the late 1960's or early 1970's. The dolls on the cover of this pattern are dressed in various fashions including one long dress pattern that uses an empire waist.
Daily Patterns

Making Bust Alterations to Simplicity 8466 for Vintage Barbie #MeMadeMonday #SewingHack

I don’t think it will surprise most of my regular readers, if I mention that a modern Barbie doll isn’t as busty as a vintage Barbie doll. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, compare bust measurements between Barbies of the 60’s and 70’s to the Barbies girls play with today. There’s a big difference! And yet I have a lot of vintage Barbie … Continue reading Making Bust Alterations to Simplicity 8466 for Vintage Barbie #MeMadeMonday #SewingHack

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