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.
The Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been repainted and re-wigged) stands beside the Advance 2899 vintage doll clothes patterns for a 1960's Ken doll. This pattern was published in 1962.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Ken

What is a facing in sewing? #SewingProjects #BarbieAndKen

It might surprise you to learn that of all the handmade Ken clothing items shown in the image above, the last thing I finished sewing was Ken’s shirt. Why? There was a mishap with the facing! So today’s blog post is about facings, and in particular, how sewing a facing on doll clothes is a little different from sewing facings on people’s clothes. *Please note: … Continue reading What is a facing in sewing? #SewingProjects #BarbieAndKen

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Free Oh Gee doll clothes sewing patterns! An Our Generation doll models handmade shorts and a halter top in pastel colors in this little purple thumbnail.
18-inch doll clothes patterns, American Girl Doll Patterns, BFC Ink Dolls, Crissy Family of Dolls, Madame Alexander Doll Clothes Patterns, Our Generation dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Make Stylish Summer Shorts and a Halter Top (A4 & US PDF Formats) for an #18inchDoll #FreePatterns

Scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. This week turned into an accidental runway show featuring Our Generation dolls as the stars! My little model rocked my handmade shorts and a charming Paris-themed halter top, complete with dainty neck ties. Fashion week, eat your heart out! If you’re here for the free patterns, don’t worry. That’s coming right … Continue reading Make Stylish Summer Shorts and a Halter Top (A4 & US PDF Formats) for an #18inchDoll #FreePatterns

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The text in this thumbnail says, "Free halter top pattern" and it shows an image of a little girl doll (Our Generation doll) modeling a handmade halter top with big contrasting pockets.
18-inch doll clothes patterns, American Girl Doll Patterns, Madame Alexander Doll Clothes Patterns, Our Generation dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Let’s make a halter top for 18″ dolls with free patterns (including A4 patterns!) #18inchDolls #DIY

  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 … Continue reading Let’s make a halter top for 18″ dolls with free patterns (including A4 patterns!) #18inchDolls #DIY

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The image shows a close-up of a Barbie doll's tummy with a tie-style belt wrapped around her waist. She's wearing a pink bathrobe under the belt. The text says, "DIY Belt" and the whole image plus text is overlaid on top of a purple cotton background with tiny white polka dots. The Chelly Wood dot com logo appears in one corner.
Crafts and Hobbies, Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: BELTS — What’s the best way to make a belt? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

DEFINITION:  Typically used to close or hold up a garment, a belt is usually wrapped around one’s middle section (like the waist or hips) and often clasped or fastened at the front, side, or back of the waist. This is my own definition. Of course you can google this term to find other definitions as well. And as you can see in the images that … Continue reading Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: BELTS — What’s the best way to make a belt? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

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Thumbnail, when clicked, will lead to tape measure Tuesday's sewing measurements for an Our Generation doll. This thumbnail shows a red-headed Our Generation doll framed by tape measures and standing in her halter top and panties next to a dress form that says "Tape Measure Tuesday with doll clothing designer Chelly Wood."
18-inch doll clothes patterns, Doll Measurements, Our Generation dolls, Tape Measure Tuesday

Our Generation doll measurements #18inchdoll #SewingProjects

Scroll down for clarifications to each measurement. 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 … Continue reading Our Generation doll measurements #18inchdoll #SewingProjects

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The Chelly Wood doll (AKA Spin Master Liv doll) stands next to the vintage Barbie sewing pattern Advance 2896. This thumbnail image is surrounded by a purple and turquoise blue quilted frame.
Fabric, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized, Vintage Barbie

How to use 2 small squares of fabric to make a #Barbie shirt! #SewingFun

What can you do with small squares of leftover fabric? You can make a Barbie shirt, of course! And in today’s blog post, I’m going to show you exactly how I took two squares of leftover fabric and turned them into a simple Barbie shirt with a pocket. *Please note: when you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, … Continue reading How to use 2 small squares of fabric to make a #Barbie shirt! #SewingFun

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Frog and Toadstool cube shaped or pillow shaped pincushion for sale, for four dollars and ninety nine cents plus shipping at Chelly Wood dot com. The little yellow frog sits on top of a toadstool. His back is dotted with tiny yellow straight pins with ball heads. The toadstool and frog are batiked onto a purple background. The toadstool is streaked with a rainbow of colors, but it’s largely covered by the two-toned yellow and brown frog. The frog’s shape is outlined with black embroidery.
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store, Pincushions

I have another frog pincushion for sale! (My last one sold instantly!) #Handmade #Frog

Yes, the first frog pincushion that I posted for sale in my online store was sold within minutes of posting it… Wow! Thank you to my regular follower (and friend) who kindly purchased it! But I have been busily making more of these, in the hope that I can find them each a new home. Here’s the story behind my froggy pincushions… I ran across … Continue reading I have another frog pincushion for sale! (My last one sold instantly!) #Handmade #Frog

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The thumbnail text screams, “free sewing patterns!” slanted next to a stylish black Barbie rocking handmade powder pink bell bottoms and a sunny yellow cropped summer top.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Made to Move Barbie, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Are bell bottoms back in style? Yes, they are! @ ChellyWood.com #RetroFashion #Sewing

  For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. I’ve had today’s pattern for making three styles of trousers or jeans to fit 11.5 inch (29 cm) dolls like Barbie on my website before, but recently I’ve done a little bit of modernizing and expanding. For example, here in the US, we use 8.5 x 11 inch … Continue reading Are bell bottoms back in style? Yes, they are! @ ChellyWood.com #RetroFashion #Sewing

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Various sewing and crafting notions like thread, a tape measure, scissors, and a writing utensil swirl around the words "Sewing Vocab" in a thumbnail frame. This is the default thumbnail for the sewing picture dictionary (or sewing glossary with pictures) on ChellyWood.com, a website that offers free printable PDF sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What are bell bottoms? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

DEFINITION:  A pair of pants or jeans that flare from the knee to the hem, like a bell shape. This is my own definition. Of course you can google this term to find other definitions as well. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please learn more about my affiliate marketing program on the Privacy Policy page. The term “bell bottoms” refers to … Continue reading Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What are bell bottoms? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

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Which doll do you want sewing measurements for, as part of the Tape Measure Tuesday blog post theme on Chelly Wood dot com? Please cast your vote! Images include a dress form with the words "TapeMeasureTuesday" superimposed upon the mannequin. Also there's a very large question mark next to the image of a bright pink "vote" button with a mouse icon (hand with pointing finger) pressing the "vote" button. The whole thing is framed with a blank tape measure.
Contests, Doll Collecting, Doll Measurements, Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters, Sewing Chat, Tape Measure Tuesday

Join #TapeMeasureTuesday: Share Your Doll Measurements and Boost Your Social Media Presence! #Sewing #DollClothes

On Tuesday, June 24th, I published a #TapeMeasureTuesday blog post giving you Skipper’s doll body measurements for sewing purposes. And then on Tuesday, July 1st, I dropped the ball. No Tape Measure Tuesday was posted. Over the ten-plus-years I’ve been blogging, many times I’ve tried to get my Tape Measure Tuesday blog posts to be a regular feature on this website, but time and time … Continue reading Join #TapeMeasureTuesday: Share Your Doll Measurements and Boost Your Social Media Presence! #Sewing #DollClothes

Chelly Wood3 Comments
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.
Marie Osmond dolls, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tammy Doll Patterns

Can vintage Ideal Tammy dolls wear Marie Osmond Barbie doll clothes (Butterick 6664)? #MarieOsmond #Sewing

All of my regular blog followers know that I love Ideal Tammy dolls, but did you know that I’m also a fan of Marie Osmond? Yup! I had the Donny and Marie Osmond dolls as a kid, and for many years, my Marie Osmond Barbie-sized doll was my go-to plaything. Marie Osmond was beautiful! She was talented! And she had her own variety TV show! … Continue reading Can vintage Ideal Tammy dolls wear Marie Osmond Barbie doll clothes (Butterick 6664)? #MarieOsmond #Sewing

Chelly Wood4 Comments
The image shows a fourth of July drawstring bag that kids can use for collecting candy at parades or for Halloween. The text reads "free drawstring bag pattern with pocket." An image is shown of a simple drawstring bag, and inside the see-through pocket, it has the name "Jacob" showing through the mesh pocket.
Crafts and Hobbies, Holiday Crafts, Tutorials: Crafts

How to make a drawstring candy bag for 4th of July candy… #July4th #Parade

Please scroll down past the image of a fireworks stand to find the dimensions for your drawstring bag… Today is a national holiday in the United States. It’s the day we celebrate Independence Day (our independence from British rule). There will be parades, picnics, and fireworks all across the USA. And at our 4th of July parades, typically candy is thrown from the parade participants … Continue reading How to make a drawstring candy bag for 4th of July candy… #July4th #Parade

Chelly Wood4 Comments
The turquoise blue frame surrounds two different photos: one of a 12 inch baby doll wearing a halter dress with bloomers and the other showing a 12 inch baby doll wearing a halter top with shorts. The watermark reminds us to visit Chelly Wood dot com for free printable PDF sewing patterns for making these doll clothes for baby dolls.
4-inch doll clothes patterns, 5-inch doll clothes patterns, Baby Doll Patterns, Crafts and Hobbies, Heart Family dolls

Where to find free printable PDF sewing patterns for making BABY doll clothes! #FreeStuff #SewingPatterns

Yes, my website also offers free patterns for making baby doll clothes! Even though ChellyWood.com has existed for more than ten years, there are still lots of people in the sewing world who’ve never heard of my website. When they do come to explore my site, a lot of times they leave a comment or message me saying that they don’t understand how to find … Continue reading Where to find free printable PDF sewing patterns for making BABY doll clothes! #FreeStuff #SewingPatterns

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A Barbie stands sideways, modeling a reversible tank top and 3-tiered skirt, framed by a turquoise blue cotton frame and beside the photo of the Barbie doll, it says, "free pattern" above the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Made to Move Barbie, Vintage Francie, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Sew summer clothes for Barbie! Free A4 and American PDF sewing patterns @ ChellyWood.com #SummerSewing #SewingProject

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. Today’s patterns will fit Barbie dolls and similar-sized fashion dolls. If this looks like a re-post to my regular followers, you’re not wrong. People who live in the UK, South Africa, Australia, and many other parts of the world use a different type of printer paper than we do … Continue reading Sew summer clothes for Barbie! Free A4 and American PDF sewing patterns @ ChellyWood.com #SummerSewing #SewingProject

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Framed by a blue and purple quilt, the ChellyWood.com logo accompanies a close-up image of Simplicity 4883 Ideal Tammy doll clothes patterns and a pattern for making a shoe box closet that would work for most 11 inch or 12 inch fashion dolls like Ideal Tammy, Mattel's Barbie dolls, Rainbow High dolls, and dozens of other fashion dolls in this size range.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized

Changing the fabric can make a BIG difference! #Sewing #Fabrics

I often have people contact me to request pajamas for the doll of their choice. Even if I’ve never made a specifically labeled “pajama” pattern for a doll, it’s likely that I’ve made patterns you can use for pajamas. What do I mean by this? The fabric makes all the difference! *Please note: when you click on links to various merchants on this site and … Continue reading Changing the fabric can make a BIG difference! #Sewing #Fabrics

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