Category: Crafts and Hobbies

Chelly’s favorite hobby is sewing for dolls, but sometimes she makes other stuff too. Keep watching for more tutorials and patterns for her other crafty projects.

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, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

A couple of tips for getting the elastic to go through a casing #SewingTips #Elastic

You may remember that I extended an invitation to submit questions a couple of weeks back. Well today’s blog post answers one of those questions regarding the pulling of elastic through a casing. Before we dive into this topic, 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 … Continue reading A couple of tips for getting the elastic to go through a casing #SewingTips #Elastic

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A vintage Francie doll models a St. Patrick's Day green strappy dress with a pencil skirt. The text reads, "free sewing pattern!" The Chelly Wood dot com logo appears beneath the text.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Vintage Francie, Whole Costumes for Dolls

St. Patrick’s Day dress sewing adventure for Barbie or her retro buddy Francie! 🍀✨ #SaintPatricksDay #GirlsNightOut

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. I’ve had this dress available on my website for a long time now, but I’ve only posted it as a Valentine’s Day dress and a springtime/Easter dress. Disclaimer Statement: ChellyWood.com earns money by linking to Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and other online affiliate programs. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn … Continue reading St. Patrick’s Day dress sewing adventure for Barbie or her retro buddy Francie! 🍀✨ #SaintPatricksDay #GirlsNightOut

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A woman's fingers place tiny shoes on a cylindrical platform or plinth. The shoes include a pair of rose colored pumps, a pair of hot pink Mary Janes, and a pair of purple oxford shoes. This image accompanies an article on Chelly Wood dot com, which discusses the tiny shoes for dolls both in present day and in history.
Doll Collecting, Doll Shoes, Vintage Barbie

Doll shoes for small dolls… Do you make ’em or buy ’em? Any favorites? #DollCollector #VintageBarbie

As a gift for her young neighbor, my mother-in-law recently knitted the cute little doll shoes/slippers that you see in the image at the top of today’s blog post, and it got me all nostalgic about doll shoes. Do you remember getting “Little Extras” doll shoes or “Foot Notes” shoes or “Shoes N Boots” packages, back when you were a kid? I mean, the  minute … Continue reading Doll shoes for small dolls… Do you make ’em or buy ’em? Any favorites? #DollCollector #VintageBarbie

Chelly Wood4 Comments
The thumbnail of this "sewing video trends" topic shows a woman worrying as she watches a video of someone sewing. Around the video are images of a dollar sign, a megaphone, a purple colored recycle symbol, and an arrow pointing at YouTube as it states "LOOK!"
Crafts and Hobbies, Sewing Chat

“Sewing Trends I’m NOT a Fan Of” — guest video from Julija Gobere (Sewing Julia) #Trending #Sewing

  Today’s blog post is sort of a “guest post” from sewing YouTuber, Julija Gobere, AKA SewingJulia (see link for her channel). Her video is used with permission. After watching this video, I thought… “Uh-oh! Did I give a sob story about how much it costs me to run this website, so people would help me out financially?” Ugh. I don’t wanna be that sewist! … Continue reading “Sewing Trends I’m NOT a Fan Of” — guest video from Julija Gobere (Sewing Julia) #Trending #Sewing

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In a bright sky blue frame, a woman's hand holds a small cardboard which houses sew on snaps or poppers.
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Crafts, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls

Let’s talk about snaps/poppers! (How to Sew Snap Fasteners Tutorial Video) #Crafting #Sewing

  Today’s tutorial video is simple enough. It shows you how to sew snap fasteners (AKA poppers) onto a doll’s shirt or coat. And yes, I’ve made tutorials on this topic before, but in the past, you had to choose: am I sewing snaps/poppers that have a hole in the middle? Or am I sewing snaps/poppers that DON’T have a hole in the middle? Today’s … Continue reading Let’s talk about snaps/poppers! (How to Sew Snap Fasteners Tutorial Video) #Crafting #Sewing

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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, Interviews With Crafters, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Do you have any questions you would like Chelly Wood to answer in a future blog post? Please join the #SewingChat !

Today I’m going to address the fifth and final question from Kim, one of my followers who is learning to sew. In my email dialog with Kim, she asked a number of questions about learning to sew, and specifically learning to design her own doll clothes. Her questions delved into whether the paid courses I offer are going to help her in her quest to … Continue reading Do you have any questions you would like Chelly Wood to answer in a future blog post? Please join the #SewingChat !

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A vintage Pedigree Sindy doll models a pair of handmade knickers and a handmade vest or tank top. The text reads, "free pattern" and in fact, when you visit Chelly Wood dot com, you'll find free doll clothes patterns for these lingerie items and other free sewing patterns for vintage Pedigree Sindy and similar sized dolls.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Sindy, Tammy Doll Patterns, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Sew a vest (tank top) for Pedigree Sindy dolls with today’s free A4 and American PDF sewing patterns #ValentinesDay #Lingerie

For your free patterns and tutorial videos for making this vest/summer top, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. If you’re not familiar with Pedigree Sindy, please go back and read the blog posts from Monday the 3rd and Monday the 10th of June, 2024. She’s a fun doll to learn about! In a nutshell, back in “the day,” Sindy was far more … Continue reading Sew a vest (tank top) for Pedigree Sindy dolls with today’s free A4 and American PDF sewing patterns #ValentinesDay #Lingerie

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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, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Favorite Books, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Can I teach myself to sew online, or do I need an in-person instructor? #Sewing #Tutorials

I’m back with another question from Kim, a follower who reached out to me a few weeks ago with a series of questions that beginners sometimes have when they’re learning to sew. In essence, Kim wanted to know if she could teach herself to sew, or whether or not an in-person instructor would be needed. I will address my answer to Kim’s question below the … Continue reading Can I teach myself to sew online, or do I need an in-person instructor? #Sewing #Tutorials

Chelly Wood2 Comments
A black Barbie models an orange raglan-sleeved cotton shirt and an orange gingham check cotton pencil skirt. The text reads "free pattern!"
11-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls

Easy Barbie clothes to sew with FREE A4 sewing patterns! #UKsewing #UKcrafter

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. I posted this pattern set in November of 2024, but since then, I’ve converted the pattern to A4 printer paper (for people living in the UK and many other countries, where A4 is the standard printer paper). I first converted this pattern to A4, to use it with my … Continue reading Easy Barbie clothes to sew with FREE A4 sewing patterns! #UKsewing #UKcrafter

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A quilted frame surrounds text and a photo of a Monster High doll wearing a Valentine's Day skirt with a sleeveless top, and the envelope for the Advance 9939 doll clothes sewing patterns for vintage Barbie dolls. The text reads "Advance 9939 fits Monster High?" The Chelly Wood doll clothes pattern website logo sits in the lower right corner of the framed image.
Holiday Crafts, Monster High Doll Clothes Patterns, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie

Pleats in this Valentine’s Day skirt made the whole thing too skinny for Barbie! Ugh! #EpicFail #SewingFail

Once again, I’ve been trying to tackle vintage Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern Advance 9939, and today I’m writing about the struggles I’ve had with the View 1 A-line skirt. It’s the pattern in the image above that does NOT have an arrow pointing toward it. First, let me say that the instructions for making this skirt are sweet and adorable, but not particularly helpful. … Continue reading Pleats in this Valentine’s Day skirt made the whole thing too skinny for Barbie! Ugh! #EpicFail #SewingFail

Chelly Wood5 Comments
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, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

Do you HAVE to know how to read a sewing pattern? #SewingForBeginners #QandA

Two weeks ago I posted the first of a series of questions from one of my followers, Kim. Today’s blog post addresses the third of Kim’s questions, and today I’ll be addressing her question and my answer here, on ChellyWood.com, as the third blog post in a four-part blog post series. Before I do that, though, I need to make my official “Affiliate Marketing Disclaimer” … Continue reading Do you HAVE to know how to read a sewing pattern? #SewingForBeginners #QandA

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Advance 9939 vintage Barbie doll clothes patterns (the envelope that the patterns come in) is shown with the Chelly Wood doll, framed in a quilted border. The text reads "Advance 9939 vintage Barbie patterns."
Holiday Crafts, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

I made a SUPER CUTE Valentine’s Day jacket for Barbie with vintage Advance Barbie Patterns 9939! #ValentinesDay #SewVintage

When I first got this Advance 9939 vintage pattern set for Barbie, and I took all the patterns out of the envelope, I took one look at this jacket and thought, “Oh boy. That’s not good.” The green arrow in the image above shows how weird that sleeve looks. Why on earth would someone design a sleeve like a letter M? That’s just strange. If … Continue reading I made a SUPER CUTE Valentine’s Day jacket for Barbie with vintage Advance Barbie Patterns 9939! #ValentinesDay #SewVintage

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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, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters, Tips for Beginners

Did you learn to sew for people first? Or did you sew for dolls first? #SewOver50 #QandA

Last Wednesday I posted the first of a series of questions from one of my followers, Kim. Today’s blog post addresses the second of Kim’s questions, and today I’ll be addressing her question and my answer here, on ChellyWood.com, as the second blog post in a four-part blog post series. But I want to hear the opinions of my followers as well, so please read … Continue reading Did you learn to sew for people first? Or did you sew for dolls first? #SewOver50 #QandA

Chelly Wood3 Comments
The thumbnail shows a woman at her desk with a laptop. Above her is a chart of some type. The text reads "tax time! How much did ChellyWood LLC earn this year?" This is followed by the logo for Chelly Wood dot com at the bottom of the image, along with a "down" arrow.
Charity Work, Crafts and Hobbies, Doll Shoes, For Sale in the Store, Interviews With Crafters, Selling Your Crafts, Uncategorized

How much money did ChellyWood.com earn in 2024? #TaxTime #FullDisclosure

Yup! It’s time once again to pay Uncle Sam! For those of you living outside the US, the character of Uncle Sam — shown as a cartoon image on the right hand side of the poster I’m holding in the image above — is a personification of our government, here in the United States. Perhaps you knew that, but I thought I’d explain, just in … Continue reading How much money did ChellyWood.com earn in 2024? #TaxTime #FullDisclosure

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Advance 9939 vintage Barbie doll clothes patterns (the envelope that the patterns come in) is shown with the Chelly Wood doll, framed in a quilted border. The text reads "Advance 9939 vintage Barbie patterns."
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Vintage Barbie

Learning to Sew with Advance 9939 Vintage Barbie Doll Clothes Patterns #VintageSewing #SewOver50

I purchased my vintage Advance 9939 sewing pattern for Barbie dolls last summer, and ever since then, I’ve been exploring these patterns with joy in my heart! Once I complete an outfit, I try it on various dolls to see which modern and collectible dolls can fit in these outfits, and I hope to share what I’ve learned in the blog posts I’ll be linking … Continue reading Learning to Sew with Advance 9939 Vintage Barbie Doll Clothes Patterns #VintageSewing #SewOver50

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