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.

McCall's 2970 doll clothes sewing patterns. Click the thumbnail for the article which talks about which dolls (including Topper Dawn and Pippa) will fit in this tiny six inch doll's wardrobe. Article available to read at chellywood.com
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Topper Dawn Dolls, Vintage Barbie

What are the smallest underpants you’ve ever made? #MeMadeMonday #TinyThings

This little fashion doll sewing pattern which was produced by McCall in 1971 offers six different outfits for little tiny six inch dolls, like the Topper Dawn dolls. In fact, it seems to fit a number of very small fashion dolls. I’ve listed them in the purple textbox for you. But there’s more to this pattern than meets the eye… Before I go on, I … Continue reading What are the smallest underpants you’ve ever made? #MeMadeMonday #TinyThings

Chelly Wood5 Comments
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."
Crafts and Hobbies, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Props and Dioramas, Tutorials: Crafts

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

Chelly Wood2 Comments
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.
Do a Pick! Game, Doll Play Videos, Holiday Crafts, Vintage Barbie

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

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
On a purple background, the text reads "VOTE!" and it shows a person's hand dropping a ballot into a voting box.
Crafts and Hobbies, Fabric

If you want to show your support… please #Vote!

Okay everybody, I’m going to make today’s blog post short and to-the-point. I’ve designed another fabric! What do you think? I painted apple blossoms, peach blossoms, and chrysanthemums in gouache, using a realistic approach. And then for the smaller flowers, I’ve tried to make them look more child-like because this fabric is called “Grandma’s Flower Garden 1975,” as if my grandma and I painted it … Continue reading If you want to show your support… please #Vote!

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
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."
Fabric, Jem and the Holograms, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Tips and Tricks for Making Doll Underwear for Jem and the Holograms! #Jem #80sToys

If you’re already familiar with Advance 9939, you may say to yourself, “Wait, that’s a Barbie pattern, not a Jem and the Holograms pattern.” Well the underpants pattern from Advance 9939 doesn’t fit Jem, but the bloomers pattern does! Go back to read about the sewing vocabulary definition for bloomers, which I posted on October 22nd, and you will begin to understand that one person’s … Continue reading Tips and Tricks for Making Doll Underwear for Jem and the Holograms! #Jem #80sToys

Chelly Wood7 Comments
Handmade doll quilt with tiny pillow. Images show in clockwise order, starting in the upper right corner: vintage charm; twenty-one inches by seventeen inches; applique hearts; vintage fabrics; tiny pillow included; made with love. Each of these subtexts accompanies a close-up image of the cotton fabrics used to make the heart applique quilt for dolls.
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store

Doll quilts for sale! #Christmas2025 #GiftIdeas

If you’ve been making 18 inch doll clothes or baby doll clothes for your child or grandchild for Christmas, today’s blog post is a reminder that I have not one, but two handmade quilts for sale in my Etsy store, which would be great as part of your doll clothes Christmas gift bundle! My mother-in-law, Anita, makes these doll quilts, and as you can see, … Continue reading Doll quilts for sale! #Christmas2025 #GiftIdeas

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, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What does boatneck mean? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

DEFINITION:  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. You can learn more about my affiliate marketing program on the Privacy Policy page. An elasticized boatneck is also sometimes called a “elastic boatneck” or a “relaxed boatneck.” Often this type of neckline can be worn below … Continue reading Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: What does boatneck mean? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Simplicity 1242 doll clothes patterns for Barbie doll is featured beside the logo for Chelly Wood dot com. Incidentally, this pattern is a modern remake of an older pattern numbered Simplicity 6208 in its original form.
Fabric, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Learning to Sew With Simplicity 1242 (AKA Simplicity 6208) Vintage Barbie Doll Clothes Sewing Patterns #CollectivelyCreate #HomeSewing

As my regular followers know, there’s now a whole library of vintage and modern doll clothes sewing patterns on my website, and with each of these patterns, I offer my take on what I’ve learned from the patterns, what alterations may work best for these patterns, and my overall review of the pattern, as I sew with it. If you haven’t found my gallery of … Continue reading Learning to Sew With Simplicity 1242 (AKA Simplicity 6208) Vintage Barbie Doll Clothes Sewing Patterns #CollectivelyCreate #HomeSewing

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters

I’m making a new class, and I’d like your input!

Today’s blog post will be brief for me, but I’d really like everyone who reads this to PLEASE add to the comments section. So this is more about what you have to say than what I do, okay? I’m designing a new course for C&T Publishing, and I need to know these things as I build my class: What doll or dolls do you sew … Continue reading I’m making a new class, and I’d like your input!

Chelly Wood8 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, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: Bloomers… What are they? #Couture #HistoricalSewing

DEFINITIONS:  A woman’s undergarment worn during the Victorian era, designed like trousers but having gathers below the knee, often worn to allow freedom of movement when riding a bicycle Discretionary short pants worn under a cheerleader’s skirt Underpants (esp. those with ruffles, often for young girls) This is my own definition. Of course you can google this term to find other definitions as well. As … Continue reading Glossary of Sewing Terms with Pictures: Bloomers… What are they? #Couture #HistoricalSewing

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Simplicity 1242 doll clothes patterns for Barbie doll is featured beside the logo for Chelly Wood dot com. Incidentally, this pattern is a modern remake of an older pattern numbered Simplicity 6208 in its original form.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Why do the same sewing patterns sometimes have different numbers? #VintageSewing #RetroToys

I recently added Simplicity 1242 to my vintage doll clothes pattern collection. When I looked it up on eBay, I discovered this exact same pattern used to be called Simplicity 6208. What’s up with that? I mean yeah, it’s a super cute pattern, whisking me back to bygone days with its charm, but why did Simplicity mix things up? Why bother changing it from Simplicity … Continue reading Why do the same sewing patterns sometimes have different numbers? #VintageSewing #RetroToys

Chelly Wood2 Comments
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.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Whole Costumes for Dolls

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

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
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.
Crafts and Hobbies, Doll Play Videos, For Sale in the Store, Holiday Crafts, Selling Your Crafts, Whole Costumes for Dolls

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

Chelly Wood2 Comments
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.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, A4 Printer PDF Patterns, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Petite Barbie Patterns, Whole Costumes for Dolls

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

Chelly Wood2 Comments
An Ida B Wells doll from Mattel's Inspiring Women collection wears a jacket from Simplicity 1242 while standing beside an image of the Simplicity 1242 doll clothes sewing pattern for Barbie dolls.
Curvy Barbie, Fabric, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Duplicating Donna’s Jacket with Simplicity 1242 and an Inspiring Woman, Ida B. Wells #Sewing #WomensHistory

As I’ve said in my earlier blog posts, I was so moved by the people I met in Chicago at the IANDS conference, that I created doll clothes to represent each of the people I met while I was there. This doll is meant to represent a woman named Donna. I worked with her in the IANDS bookstore about three times, as a volunteer, and … Continue reading Duplicating Donna’s Jacket with Simplicity 1242 and an Inspiring Woman, Ida B. Wells #Sewing #WomensHistory

Chelly WoodLeave a comment