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.

A GI Joe Action Figure from Hasbro is seen in his "whitey Tighty" undershorts, standing next to a dress form mannequin that says "tape measure Tuesday" on the body of the mannequin. Above this, the text reads, "GI Joe Action Figures" and below the dress form mannequin, it says "with doll clothing designer Chelly Wood" (using the Chelly Wood dot com logo). Click on this thumbnail to go to the Infographic that offers free sewing measurements for GI Joe action figures.
Doll Measurements, GI Joe, History and Research, Tape Measure Tuesday

Tape Measure Tuesday: What are GI Joe Action Figures’ Sewing Measurements? #TapeMeasureTuesday #GIjoe

Scroll down for clarifications to each measurement and to read my research article for Black History Month. 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 … Continue reading Tape Measure Tuesday: What are GI Joe Action Figures’ Sewing Measurements? #TapeMeasureTuesday #GIjoe

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
The Chelly Wood doll stands beside the Simplicity 4510 vintage Barbie pattern envelope. The Chelly Wood doll looks like she's holding up the envelope. The Chelly Wood doll wears a red and white gingham shirt with matching hair scarf, and a pair of black pants with black flats. The image has a quilted frame.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Making a Skirt Like Mary McLeod Bethune’s with Simplicity 4510 #MeMadeMonday #BlackHistory

Last Monday we learned that Mary McLeod Bethune was “a pioneering American educator and civil rights leader” (Library of Congress) associated with African American leadership in education, women’s suffrage, and the founding of the United Negro College Fund. An impressive resume, if ever there was one. If you’d like to learn more about Mary McLeod Bethune, please go back to read last Monday’s blog post … Continue reading Making a Skirt Like Mary McLeod Bethune’s with Simplicity 4510 #MeMadeMonday #BlackHistory

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
We are making history! A book entitled "Black History Month" rests beside a circle of hands bumping fists. Each fist is a different flesh tone, from pale to dark brown. This thumbnail is for an article about how we, in real time, are making history happen all around us. The article can be found at Chelly Wood dot com, as part of her Black History Month celebration in February of 2026.
Holiday Crafts, Uncategorized

We are the history makers… #BlackHistoryMonth #History

We are the history makers… As you know, February is Black History Month, and in celebration, I’m writing articles that research various famous Black Americans or persons of African ancestry, while also posting my usual doll-clothes-sewing related blog posts. However on Fridays this month, I want to feature everyday people of African heritage. Why? Because we are the makers of history — you and I … Continue reading We are the history makers… #BlackHistoryMonth #History

Chelly Wood6 Comments
A modern African American Skipper doll models a handmade pair of flannel short-shorts decorated with tiny pink and black hearts under a handmade white sleeveless shirt that has pink lace and a ribbon running down the front of the top. Under the doll, it says, "Free printable PDF sewing patterns at Chelly Wood dot com." This is part of the Valentine's Day and Black History Month celebrations in February at chellywood.com, a website that offers free printable PDF sewing patterns for dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 8-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Petite Barbie Patterns, Sewing and Fashion History, Skipper Patterns, Stacie Patterns, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls, Vintage Skipper, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Valentine’s Day Pajama Shorts for Skipper and the Story of Charlotta Bass #ValentinesDay #BlackHistory

  Scroll down to the fourth set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. As you know, February is Black History Month, so in addition to today’s free sewing pattern for a pair of Valentine’s Day shorts to fit Barbie’s little sisters, Skipper and Stacie (and a number of other 8 inch to 10 inch dolls), I’m going to celebrate the life of Charlotta … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Pajama Shorts for Skipper and the Story of Charlotta Bass #ValentinesDay #BlackHistory

Chelly Wood2 Comments
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, History and Research, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What is a bow, in sewing terms? #BlackHistory #SewingVocabulary

DEFINITION: Made of ribbon or fabric folded back and forth upon itself and sometimes tied to create loops with extensions hanging below a knot, a bow is a decorative element added to garments & accessories for its aesthetic value. 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 … Continue reading Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What is a bow, in sewing terms? #BlackHistory #SewingVocabulary

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Thumbnail shows a blond haired African American Barbie modeling a handmade pair of pink bell bottom pants or trousers with an elastic waist and a pink and grey and white tee shirt with short sleeves and vertical stripes. The text says, "Free Patterns" and offers the website Chelly Wood dot com as the location to find those free doll clothes patterns for your Curvy Barbie dolls.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Curvy Barbie, Daily Patterns, History and Research, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Sew Bell Bottom Pants for Curvy Barbie and Discover the Fascinating World of Black People with Blond Hair #BlackHistoryMonth #Crafts

Scroll down to the third set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. During the month of February, which is Black History Month here in the United States (where I live), I’m featuring black or African American looking dolls in all of my doll clothes pattern pages. Also, I’m going to offer little bits of history related to famous African Americans, famous people of … Continue reading Sew Bell Bottom Pants for Curvy Barbie and Discover the Fascinating World of Black People with Blond Hair #BlackHistoryMonth #Crafts

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
A quilted frame surrounds an image of Vogue Craft 9985 (featuring the Victorian bridal dress for a Barbie and a tuxedo for Ken) beside the Chelly Wood doll who points to the pattern. This pattern is for a wedding dress and tux for Barbie and Ken, in a Victorian era style. It's Vogue Craft 9985 from the late 1800's to early 1900s in history, although the pattern is copyrighted 1998.
History and Research, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie, World of Love Doll Patterns

A Victorian Barbie pattern for Mary McLeod Bethune #BlackHistoryMonth #SewVintage

I stumbled across this photo of Mary McLeod Bethune online and was utterly mesmerized by it! I mean, just look at the variety of clothing ensembles these young ladies (and Ms. McLeod Bethune) are wearing! Not only does this photo record the early years of an American icon, Mary McLeod Bethune, but it’s a plethora of fashion history, all in one photo! Before I go … Continue reading A Victorian Barbie pattern for Mary McLeod Bethune #BlackHistoryMonth #SewVintage

Chelly Wood2 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, For Sale in the Store

Here’s a quick preview for February’s upcoming sewing projects #SewingProjects #BlackHistoryMonth

I’m going to keep today’s blog post brief, but I do want you to let me know if there are events or people related to Black History Month that you’d like my blog posts to feature. Please feel free to leave those requests in the comments! I’ll spend this weekend doing my research, and as the video says, I’ll be posting facts about famous African … Continue reading Here’s a quick preview for February’s upcoming sewing projects #SewingProjects #BlackHistoryMonth

Chelly Wood2 Comments
McCall's 6260 vintage Barbie patterns: view A shows a ponytail Barbie wearing a pink gingham dress with lace skirt overlaid and a matching pair of pink gingham panties (shown below the doll on a silver graphic line); View B shows a silver evening gown (strapless) with matching stole and a pink ribbon tied at the waist; View C shows a pink swing coat with very large pockets and lots of buttons; View D shows an orange Kimono style bath robe with white trim and a white belt tied at the waist; View E shows a pair of high-waisted black pants with a little bolero style pink top over the top of them; View F shows a blue bikini with tiny pink polka dots.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Did you store a swatch of lace with your Barbie clothes when you were a kid? #VintageBarbie #Memories

Isn’t this an adorable pattern? See the View A dress? Notice the layer of eyelet lace that serves as a top skirt? That’s going to be my focus. Do you think the designer was trying to create an apron with that eyelet? Or do you think it’s just there to make the dress look lacy and feminine? Before I go on, I need to make … Continue reading Did you store a swatch of lace with your Barbie clothes when you were a kid? #VintageBarbie #Memories

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Four vintage Barbie doll clothes patterns appear next to the Chelly Wood doll, under the heading "panties," and with each of the pattern envelopes, a neon pink arrow points at the location of the underpants pattern as it appears on the envelope. The patterns shown here are McCall's 6260, McCall's 6420, Simplicity 9054, and McCall's 3429 (which is shown from the back of the pattern envelope -- pointing to the location of the underpants pattern there).
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

What’s the best fabric for making doll panties? #MeMadeMonday #SewVintage

If you’ve been following my series on doll undergarments, here on ChellyWood.com, you’ll recognize number four above. It’s a pair of panties I sewed using a vintage doll clothes patterns. But what about the other ones? What’s their story? Well, please take note of the types of fabrics each pair of panties is made from because that will be the focus of today’s blog post! … Continue reading What’s the best fabric for making doll panties? #MeMadeMonday #SewVintage

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Simplicity 9054, showing the envelope front, which displays swimwear, hippie clothes, and 1960s and early 1970s fashions for both Ken and Barbie
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

What’s the best underpants pattern for dolls? #PatternReview #SewWithMe

Today I’ll be exploring how elastic changes the fit of a pair of fashion doll underpants, when sewing the View 4 bikini bottoms from Simplicity 9054. As you can see in the image above, the View 4 patterns offer a bikini swimsuit option, which of course, can become a bra and underpants, if you’re creative with your fabric choices and the execution of that fabric … Continue reading What’s the best underpants pattern for dolls? #PatternReview #SewWithMe

Chelly Wood2 Comments
The image shows a needle and thread hovering over a swatch of heart-shaped lace. The overlay says, "Sewing with lace" and this header leads to a tutorial video that explains the many types of lace and what they are used for when sewing doll clothes.
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store

How to add a lace embellishment to one of my free shirt patterns @ ChellyWood.com #SewWithMe #SewingHacks

Today I want to talk about how easy it is to add a swatch of lace to the front of a garment, to give it an extra kick! Lace is considered a notion or embellishment, and it isn’t a necessary addition to a garment. But it can really jazz up an ordinary shirt or blouse. Before I go on, I need to make my required … Continue reading How to add a lace embellishment to one of my free shirt patterns @ ChellyWood.com #SewWithMe #SewingHacks

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Simplicity 9054, showing the envelope front, which displays swimwear, hippie clothes, and 1960s and early 1970s fashions for both Ken and Barbie
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Alterations make my Disney Princess fashion doll’s bra fit perfectly! #MeMadeMonday #DisneyPrincesses

Last week I shared the first version of the bra I made for my Disney Princess fashion doll. As you can see in the image above, it didn’t turn out right. So I re-made it this past week, with these two goals in mind: I wanted to alter the pattern so it’s narrower (vertically) I wanted to give the garment a lining (to prevent the … Continue reading Alterations make my Disney Princess fashion doll’s bra fit perfectly! #MeMadeMonday #DisneyPrincesses

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
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, Fabric

What are your favorite and least favorite fabrics to work with? #SewingChat #Fabrics

While writing yesterday’s blog post, I realized I had already given away both of the shirts I’d made for my little Disney Animators doll, without ever trying them on other dolls. So I didn’t have a clue which dolls could fit into yesterday’s pattern. And of course, I needed this information, in order to create the bulleted list of dolls that can fit the pattern. … Continue reading What are your favorite and least favorite fabrics to work with? #SewingChat #Fabrics

Chelly Wood8 Comments
Chelly Wood dot com. Thank you for your support in 2025. Images show a tomato pin cushion and a dollar sign surrounded by a circle with arrows, indicating your money comes back to you.
Charity Work, Chelly's Books, Donate, Selling Your Crafts, Uncategorized

Did your donations and purchases make a difference on ChellyWood.com in 2025? Full disclosure… #NewYearsResolution #2025Review

Today’s the last day of 2025, so I think it’s time to let you know how my small business (officially called ChellyWood LLC) is doing, financially. The image above shows a screenshot of my bookkeeping spreadsheet for Quarter 1 (January through March) of 2025. Sorry about the hashmarks where dates should appear. This spreadsheet is my husband’s creation, so it’s got a few glitches. First, … Continue reading Did your donations and purchases make a difference on ChellyWood.com in 2025? Full disclosure… #NewYearsResolution #2025Review

Chelly Wood6 Comments