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.
On the left side of the image, over a turquoise blue background, the text reads, "ChellyWood.com... free sewing patterns for a seventeen inch monster doll." On the right side of the image, over the lilac background, stands a Freak du Chic 17" Monster High Gooliope doll modeling a yellow felt sleeveless shirt and a pair of dark blue denim jeans.
17-inch doll clothes patterns, Daily Patterns, Monster High Doll Clothes Patterns

Free printable PDF sewing patterns for the BIG 17 inch Monster High dolls #MonsterHigh #MHdoll

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Yes, this sleeveless top and jeans pattern set has been available on my website before, but in the past, it wasn’t available as a PDF (easy-to-print) sewing pattern. Rather, my patterns only existed here as a JPG image that you could click on and download. If you’re wishing the pattern was … Continue reading Free printable PDF sewing patterns for the BIG 17 inch Monster High dolls #MonsterHigh #MHdoll

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A black and white photo of a pair of sewing scissors with spools of thread lying on a work surface. Text says simply "Thread" with the Chelly Wood dot com logo beneath it. Thumbnail colors are turquoise blue and white with the name Chelly Wood in lilac / purple. Click this thumbnail to read an article about thread recommendations and leave a comment on your own opinions for the best brands of thread to use when sewing.
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store

What’s the best thread for beginners? Please join the discussion! #Sewing #LearningToSew

Recently I received a comment on my blog, asking me to give advice on which type of thread a beginner should use. The answer I gave is the subject of today’s blog post, but if you have an opinion, please feel free to leave it in the comments at the bottom of today’s post! Before I go on, I need to make my required disclaimer … Continue reading What’s the best thread for beginners? Please join the discussion! #Sewing #LearningToSew

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With a quilted frame around it, we see a section of a McCall's vintage fashion doll clothes sewing pattern for making a cape that will fit a fashion doll like Barbie and similar-sized dolls.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized

What are the best patterns for Barbie capes? #FashionDolls #SewWithMe

Fall is right around the corner, so we’ll need to keep our little dolls warm. A coat is easy enough to make, but capes are usually even easier! Before you read on, please note that many of my links are affiliate marketing links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more about this, please see my Privacy Policy page. Thank you! … Continue reading What are the best patterns for Barbie capes? #FashionDolls #SewWithMe

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On a purple background, the text reads "VOTE!" and it shows a person's hand dropping a ballot into a voting box.
Daily Patterns

Please Vote for My Hand-Painted Celtic Knots in the Snow in the #SpoonflowerDesignChallenge on #Spoonflower

Last Thursday I published a YouTube short, showing me making my hand-painted Celtic knots, and I announced that it would be available as a fabric you could purchase in my Spoonflower store. I’ve entered my Celtic knots fabric design in the Spoonflower Design Challenge contest, and I’d love it if you’d vote for my fabric! Here’s the link to the contest. Look for “Small Celtic … Continue reading Please Vote for My Hand-Painted Celtic Knots in the Snow in the #SpoonflowerDesignChallenge on #Spoonflower

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An image shows a cell phone displaying a vintage Mattel Francie doll. The doll is dressed in a brown winter coat with a matching hat and belt. Behind the cell phone, a rainbow with yellow, turquoise blue, and green colors creates cloud-like curves against a purple background. The screen displays the text "Do a Pick," indicating the name of the game, with a subtitle that reads "New coat for back to school," suggesting the game's theme focuses on buying a new coat for the fall school season.
Do a Pick! Game, Doll Play Videos, Vintage Barbie

Let’s Do a Pick — Back to School Coats for Francie or Skipper! #BarbieGames #BarbieFun

Today’s “Do a Pick” game features the following: Francie’s brown coat with collar and matching hat, Best Buy #8646 Francie’s long red and white coat with matching purse, Best Buy #3368 Skipper’s red velvet coat with furry collar, Best Buy #8613 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 … Continue reading Let’s Do a Pick — Back to School Coats for Francie or Skipper! #BarbieGames #BarbieFun

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A woman in a long dress with a bustle is silhouetted in white on a purple background with a turquoise blue frame. She holds a bouquet. a man in a top hat holding a cane stands beside her. The Word "History" is in all capitals, stylized in a historical font, beneath the two silhouetted figures in white on the purple background.
History and Research, Sewing and Fashion History, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Men’s and Women’s Fashion in History #EuropeanHistory #AmericanHistory

The video above comes from the Catherine Sews YouTube channel. I love a good romp through fashion history, and Catherine (who like me is retiring from her teaching career to focus on her own creativity) takes us on a wonderful journey through fashion history in this video, which chronicles both men’s and women’s fashion, from the 1700’s to the 2000’s! I hope you enjoy this … Continue reading Men’s and Women’s Fashion in History #EuropeanHistory #AmericanHistory

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A pink screen shows a video play button and the text reads "History of American Dolls: Video."
Doll Collecting, History and Research, Sewing and Fashion History

Fashion Doll History from the DAR Museum #FashionDolls #History

The video above comes from the DAR Museum’s YouTube channel. As a member of the DAR myself (the Daughters of the American Revolution), I have thoroughly enjoyed some of the podcasts and YouTube videos the DAR Museum has done on sewing history. To see the whole “Making-Meaning-Memory: A Sewn in America Symposium” playlist, please click here. You may recognize some of the dolls featured in … Continue reading Fashion Doll History from the DAR Museum #FashionDolls #History

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The thumbnail, framed by a turquoise blue and purple quilt, shows the front of the envelope for Simplicity 5861, a vintage doll clothes pattern for Skipper, from 1964. The text in this thumbnail reads, "Vintage Skipper Simplicity 5861" and under this, we see the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls, Uncategorized, Vintage Skipper

What is a hook and eye closure, and how do you sew one? #SewingHacks #SewWithMe

Today I’m going to explain how to sew a hook and eye onto the back of a doll’s garment. Specifically, I’ll be working with the bodice for Dress View 6 in the Simplicity doll clothes wardrobe pattern 5861 for vintage Skipper dolls. Let’s stat with a quick explanation of the notion referred to as a “Hook and eye” or “Hook and loop.” The pink arrow … Continue reading What is a hook and eye closure, and how do you sew one? #SewingHacks #SewWithMe

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Inside a purple frame, talk bubbles express Q for Questions and A for Answers. The text reads, "Sewing tips for beginners." This is a thumbnail for a Q and A blog post for beginners who are learning to sew and want to "pick the brain" of an experienced doll clothing designer, Chelly Wood.
Crafts and Hobbies, Fabric, Fan Mail, For Sale in the Store, Links, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

What do I need to use my sewing machine? #SewingMachine #LearningToSew

Recently I saw a Reddit post that asked, “What do I need, to use my new sewing machine?” So I thought this might be a good follow-up topic to the last two Friday posts, which answered the questions, “Which sewing machine brand is the best?” and “What brand of iron do you use?” For today’s blog post, in addition to my usual affiliate marketing links, … Continue reading What do I need to use my sewing machine? #SewingMachine #LearningToSew

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On a white background, we see an array of Celtic knots forming green and blue squares, all of which seem to be linked together by circles of red. This Celtic knot pattern has been made into a fabric, which can be purchased at Chelly Wood's shop on Spoonflower, a fabric website. The Chelly Wood dot com logo appears in one corner of this Celtic knot patterned fabric swatch.
Contests, Crafts and Hobbies, Fabric, Favorite Books, Holiday Crafts, Paper Crafts, Tutorials: Crafts

Celtic Knots and Patterns… Celebrating Celtic Heritage with Style #Scotland #Art

Some of you are already aware that I’ve begun experimenting with painting and fabric design. I now have an account on Spoonflower where you can see and (if you’re interested) purchase the fabrics I’ve designed. Of course I’m just learning how to make my own fabrics, and I’m by no means an expert at this point. However I’m particularly proud of the fabric I designed … Continue reading Celtic Knots and Patterns… Celebrating Celtic Heritage with Style #Scotland #Art

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Alt text: "Early 2000s Lemon Meringue Strawberry Shortcake doll by Playmates, featuring jazzy blue streaks and handmade clothes: a white cotton top and a purple floral mini skirt. Click to access a page with free patterns and sewing tutorial videos for creating these doll clothes."
6-inch doll clothes patterns, 7-inch Dolls, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Daily Patterns, Strawberry Shortcake Dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Free Patterns to Sew a Summer Top and Skirt for 6¾-Inch Strawberry Shortcake Dolls #StrawberryShortcake #CraftyMom

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. It’s confession time. Strawberry Shortcake actually belonged to my younger sister’s generation, not mine. I was a typically snooty middle-school girl when the original Strawberry Shortcake dolls came out in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. So I didn’t fall in love with Strawberry Shortcake until my own kids were old … Continue reading Free Patterns to Sew a Summer Top and Skirt for 6¾-Inch Strawberry Shortcake Dolls #StrawberryShortcake #CraftyMom

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The photo of Chelly Wood shows a woman with blond hair turning white. She wears glasses and a denim jacket. She poses with her hand resting against her cheek, while her arm, bent at the elbow, rests against the back of a wooden bench (outside the frame of the photo). The frame includes lines of stitching, a button, and a tan linen background, indicating that the woman pictured is best known for her sewing accomplishments.
Charity Work, Creative Spark Online Learning, Favorite Books

A little-known fact about Chelly Wood, the doll clothing designer, YouTuber, and writer…

Okay. Brace yourselves. I’m about to reveal something very unusual about myself. Are you ready for this? Ahem. I am a near-death experiencer. Yes, you read that right. I have had not one but three – count ‘em THREE – near-death experiences. As a social media personality, writer, and YouTuber, I have an agent. Her name is Liz. She called me a couple of years … Continue reading A little-known fact about Chelly Wood, the doll clothing designer, YouTuber, and writer…

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A Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been OOAK re-dressed, re-painted, and had its hair dyed to look like the real doll clothing designer Chelly Wood stands beside a photo of a McCall's 9061 vintage sewing pattern for baby and toddler dolls. The Chelly Wood doll wears a red check shirt and black trousers with a pair of flats. Her hair is tied in a red check handkerchief and she wears dark cat eye glasses.
Baby Doll Patterns, Fabric, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners

Learning to sew with McCall’s 9061 Vintage Baby and Toddler Dolls’ Wardrobe Patterns #Sewing #DollCollector

If you’re looking for details, tips, and tricks for sewing with the vintage McCall’s 9061 pattern for baby and toddler dolls, you’ve come to the right place! In today’s blog post, I’m going to give you links to the other blog posts I’ve written about this pattern, plus, I’ll let you know what information can be found on the envelope itself, including which dolls this … Continue reading Learning to sew with McCall’s 9061 Vintage Baby and Toddler Dolls’ Wardrobe Patterns #Sewing #DollCollector

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Thumbnail image featuring a prominent purple silhouette of a sewing machine outlined in white against a turquoise background. The geometric design includes a square displaying a vintage wooden spool of thread, and a rectangle showcasing the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
Crafts and Hobbies, Sewing and Fashion History, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

What is the best brand of sewing machine for home use? And what type of machine did you learn to sew on? #Sewing #LearningToSew

Last week we shared our favorite brands of irons. Today I want to hear about what brand of sewing machine you use, and is it a good one or not? I’ll also share the brands I’ve used over the years, along with my own opinion about each of them. However, before I start describing sewing machines, I need to make my required disclaimer statement: As … Continue reading What is the best brand of sewing machine for home use? And what type of machine did you learn to sew on? #Sewing #LearningToSew

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Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store

Where can I find free sewing patterns for 18 inch dolls? Please help spread the news! #Free #SewingPatterns #EasyDIY

  My regular followers are probably wondering why I’ve posted so many “How to find” videos on my YouTube channel. Well, believe it or not, I still get questions — in fact I got one on my YouTube channel on Saturday — asking me how to find the patterns on this website. I’ve been on YouTube for more than 10 years, but there are still … Continue reading Where can I find free sewing patterns for 18 inch dolls? Please help spread the news! #Free #SewingPatterns #EasyDIY

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