Eco-Friendly Christmas: Handmade Denim Ornaments Created by a Beloved Family Member

Today I just want to focus on someone special in my life… my mother-in-law, Anita. She’s a gifted quilter, knitter, painter, glassmaker, gardener — the list could go on and on — and this year she took the festive spirit to a new level by crafting unique, handmade Christmas ornaments and decorations for her house. Using found objects and recycling denim from old pairs of … Continue reading Eco-Friendly Christmas: Handmade Denim Ornaments Created by a Beloved Family Member

Within a blue linen frame, we see the words "free pattern" overlaid on top of a photo of a fashion doll, whose "Sunday best" dressy glove (really a mitten) is resting elegantly against her full skirt. The Chelly Wood dot com logo appears in the lower left corner.

Free pattern and tutorial video for making fashion doll gloves or mittens @ ChellyWood.com #DollClothesPatterns #VintageFashion

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. Today’s blog post shares with you a free, printable PDF sewing pattern for making a nostalgic looking pair of 1950’s style fashion doll gloves, so all your vintage dolls can wear gloves with their “Sunday best” dresses! This is part of a winter-themed or holiday-themed series of re-posts that … Continue reading Free pattern and tutorial video for making fashion doll gloves or mittens @ ChellyWood.com #DollClothesPatterns #VintageFashion

Baby Alive doll clothes free sewing patterns for making a felt sleeveless shirt and an elastic waist simple schoolgirl's skirt. Visit Chelly Wood dot com for the free patterns. From the blog post, this image leads to the instructions page, where you can download the free printable PDF sewing patterns for making these doll clothes for Baby Alive and similar sized dolls.

Make a super easy peasy outfit for Baby Alive with today’s free patterns! #SewEasy #CraftersCorner

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Yesterday I posted pictures of three “little girl” dolls wearing this same sleeveless felt shirt and easy-to-sew elastic-waist skirt. After I’d finished that blog post, I thought to myself, “I wonder if this also fits Baby Alive…?” So I tried it on her. Lo and behold, it did! Before I go … Continue reading Make a super easy peasy outfit for Baby Alive with today’s free patterns! #SewEasy #CraftersCorner

Make a No-Sew “Quilted” Christmas Tree Ornament with my free Pattern #Quilted #ChristmasTree

Every year during the holidays, today’s tutorial video gets a bunch of views on my YouTube channel. Every video view adds a few pennies to my pocketbook, which is great! So this is a re-post, but it’s a popular and fun craft project for the holidays. Hopefully my regular followers don’t mind seeing it again. Here’s the free PDF pattern to accompany the video: Quilted … Continue reading Make a No-Sew “Quilted” Christmas Tree Ornament with my free Pattern #Quilted #ChristmasTree

A Dora and Friends 8 inch doll holds up a sign that says "Happy Thanksgiving!" The doll wears a handmade orange tank top over a pair of handmade black and white gingham shorts.

Happy Thanksgiving and THANK YOU to all my followers and friends! #Thanksgiving #SewingGoals and #PortlandFrogs

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate it. I’m truly thankful today, for all of you who share your love of sewing and doll crafts with me. I hope you have a pleasant day! In the video, I mention a “Portland Frogs” video. That link should take you to the absolute silliness that inspired my artwork. I love the idea of a peaceful — … Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving and THANK YOU to all my followers and friends! #Thanksgiving #SewingGoals and #PortlandFrogs

Thumbnail features an Elf on the Shelf wearing a long white ball gown and white felt angel wings. "Free patterns" found at Chelly Wood dot com.

‘Tis the Season for Elf on the Shelf! Let’s make him an angel outfit… #ChristmasAngel #ElfOnTheShelf

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Some families enjoy a game of hiding their Elf on the Shelf, and one of the best places to hide him is in plain sight. Why not make him a tree-topper? In December of 2023, I published my Barbie Angel patterns, which includes a long dress, angel wings, and a robe. … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season for Elf on the Shelf! Let’s make him an angel outfit… #ChristmasAngel #ElfOnTheShelf

The image shows a red miniature stocking and a green miniature stocking hung over a doll-sized fireplace. The text says, "free mini stocking pattern."

Make miniature Christmas stockings with today’s free sewing pattern #HolidayCrafts #ChristmasCrafts

Please scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free printable PDF sewing pattern and links to any additional relevant tutorial videos. Today’s tutorial video shows you how to make a Christmas stocking for your 1:6 scale dollhouse or diorama. Yes, I’ve posted this tutorial and this stocking pattern before, but two years ago I remastered the tutorial video to include a voice-over … Continue reading Make miniature Christmas stockings with today’s free sewing pattern #HolidayCrafts #ChristmasCrafts

The DoApick thumbnail (do a pick thumbnail) is purple with a rainbow and cloud graphic behind a cell phone, featuring a photo from a vintage Mattel doll clothes catalog. Today’s photo features a vintage Barbie doll modeling a yellow pajama called “Sweet Dreams” from 1961. Click on this thumbnail, and the link will take you to the “Do a Pick” game, which you can play by viewing (and listening to) the story scenario dealing with realistic activities children enjoyed with dolls, back in the early 1960’s. Leave a comment to play along.

Let’s Do a Pick — Barbie Pajamas for Christmas #DoApick #vintageToys

Today’s “Do a Pick” game features the following: “Sweet Dreams” #973 “Nighty-Negligee” #965 Two Piece Pajamas Fashion Pak 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 — Barbie Pajamas for Christmas #DoApick #vintageToys

Free patterns are offered for making a Barbie sized long skirt with a short-sleeved cotton shirt that also fits Barbie. Click on this thumbnail to access the free doll clothes patterns and tutorial videos for making this Halloween-themed ensemble for Barbie.

DIY Halloween Skirts for Barbie: Spooky Sewing Series Part 4 #Halloween2025 #HalloweenParty

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Today’s “Spooky Halloween Skirt” and cotton shirt project is actually one I’ve designed for Barbie and the Queens of Africa in previous blog posts, but today’s post shows this particular shirt and skirt together for the first time. When I sewed my shirt, I actually took a shirt with a more … Continue reading DIY Halloween Skirts for Barbie: Spooky Sewing Series Part 4 #Halloween2025 #HalloweenParty

In this visually engaging thumbnail titled "Five Spooky Halloween Skirts for Barbie," viewers are treated to a captivating display of fashion and creativity. The video is prominently featured on a flat screen TV, showcasing the legs and feet of five Barbie dolls. Each doll struts in style, wearing a unique combination of black boots, orange heels, and black and white striped leggings paired with vibrant, Halloween-themed skirts that capture the festive spirit of the season.

Barbie and friends are headed to a Halloween dance… Watch the stop-motion video! #StopMotion #HalloweenKids

My regular followers have been enjoying my “Spooky Sewing” series, where you learn how to make the outfits featured in today’s stop motion video, using my free doll clothes sewing patterns and tutorial videos. This series will continue next week as well. Today’s video includes both a super fun dance scene in stop-motion and a pitch for the sale of these adorable Halloween outfits for … Continue reading Barbie and friends are headed to a Halloween dance… Watch the stop-motion video! #StopMotion #HalloweenKids

A thumbnail features a Mattel Petite Barbie doll with red hair modeling a Halloween outfit including a shirt, miniskirt, tights, and boots. The text reads, "Free patterns!" Click on the thumbnail to access free printable PDF sewing patterns for making this "Spooky Sewing" outfit for your Petite Barbie doll.

DIY Halloween Skirts for Barbie: Spooky Sewing Series Part 3 #HalloweenDIY #DIYHalloween

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Today’s “Spooky Halloween Skirt” and cotton shirt project is actually one I’ve designed for Barbie, Ideal Tammy, and other dolls, but today I’m posting the outfit for Petite Barbie dolls for the first time. To adjust a pattern that was designed to fit Barbie so it now fits a smaller doll … Continue reading DIY Halloween Skirts for Barbie: Spooky Sewing Series Part 3 #HalloweenDIY #DIYHalloween

Inside a purple square thumbnail, the text reads, "free pattern!" beside the photo of a Barbie doll with long blond hair modeling a strappy summer shirt and a full Halloween-themed skirt dotted with tiny pumpkins. Visit ChellyWood.com for the free patterns to make this outfit for your Barbie dolls.

DIY Halloween Skirts for Barbie: Spooky Sewing Series Part 2 #HalloweenBarbie #BarbieHalloween

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Today’s “Spooky Halloween Skirt” and top project is actually one I’ve designed in pink and white in the past, and you can find this project under Barbie, Sindy, and a few other dolls, when you link out from the home page. Unlike the “Spooky Sewing Series” Part 1 skirt, this project … Continue reading DIY Halloween Skirts for Barbie: Spooky Sewing Series Part 2 #HalloweenBarbie #BarbieHalloween

Advance 2896 with quilted frame and Tall Barbie in Halloween dress standing nearby. the doll is shown in profile. Her long hair is accentuated by this side view, and you can see that the dress has a belt that ties in the back. On the pattern envelope this dress is most like the one pictured in View 5.

When your pattern doesn’t fit on the fabric, what do you do? #SewingTips #couture

We’ve all had it happen. You’re thinking, “A fat quarter should be enough to make this little doll dress. Right?” You get home, start pinning the pattern pieces onto the fabric, and then… “Oh crap.” That fat quarter isn’t quite long enough for the skirt’s ruffle (or whatever piece still needs pinning). What can you do? Before I go on, I need to make my … Continue reading When your pattern doesn’t fit on the fabric, what do you do? #SewingTips #couture

Moana wears a Halloween orange tank top (vest in the UK) with a pair of black and white gingham shorts. The text says, "Free pattern!"

Free sewing patterns for 9.5 inch Moana doll’s shorts and cropped summer top @ ChellyWood.com #DisneyFan #indiepatterns

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Yes, if you’re a regular follower, you’ve probably seen today’s outfit on a different doll. I like to re-post similar outfits on different dolls, so I can add links from (in this case) the Moana gallery of free patterns to this page. That way, people who are specifically seeking a shorts-and-tank-top … Continue reading Free sewing patterns for 9.5 inch Moana doll’s shorts and cropped summer top @ ChellyWood.com #DisneyFan #indiepatterns

Here’s a crafting idea that is a little… ahem… embarrassing… #HalloweenParty #HalloweenPartyIdeas

I bought these plastic skulls thinking I would make them into dolls. Yes, you read that right. I know what you’re thinking… “What on earth? That’s crazy!” Yeah. I know. 😳 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 … Continue reading Here’s a crafting idea that is a little… ahem… embarrassing… #HalloweenParty #HalloweenPartyIdeas