Category: Sewing Chat

On a white table, we see all kinds of tools one would find in a sewing room: thread, scissors, a tape measure, and doll clothes patterns. Beside these and in the lower left corner is a blue alarm clock. The implication is that there's not enough time in the day for all the sewing projects!
Crafts and Hobbies, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

How to make more time for sewing projects — three quick tips! #SewingTips #SewingProjects

As many of my regular followers know, I’m a full-time school librarian in my “day job,” and that’s a busy job to have! So every now and then, people ask me, “How do you find time for your sewing projects?” Today’s blog post will show you three quick tips for getting lots of little crafty sewing projects done while maintaining a full-time job (and whatever … Continue reading How to make more time for sewing projects — three quick tips! #SewingTips #SewingProjects

Chelly Wood2 Comments
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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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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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 !

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, 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
This image shows Chelly Wood's sewing goals printable digital sewing planner sheet, filled out with Chelly's goals for 2023. Beside the image of the goal sheet is a hot pink text that says hashtag goals!
Chelly's Books, Crafts and Hobbies, Holiday Crafts, Sewing Chat

Did you achieve your sewing goals this year? Please comment! #SewingChat #BusinessGoals

The graphic at the top of the page is actually my sewing planner, which is currently for sale in my Etsy store. You can go check it out with this link, if you’d like a tool to help you plan your sewing goals for 2025. But today I want to look back at 2024, to see what I did and didn’t accomplish, and why. I’d … Continue reading Did you achieve your sewing goals this year? Please comment! #SewingChat #BusinessGoals

Chelly Wood6 Comments
Seated in her sewing room, we see the Chelly Wood doll holding up a sign that shows a page from Facebook, but over the top of the Facebook page, someone has a giant red X through the text and the word "NO!" has been written beside the big X.
Chelly's Books, Crafts and Hobbies, Doll Collecting, Fan Mail, For Sale in the Store, Links, Selling Your Crafts, Sewing Chat

Here’s why I haven’t been on Facebook lately… #Disgruntled #Censorship

Do you recognize the header at the top of today’s blog post? If so, you’ve probably navigated over to my Facebook page at some point in the past. The last time I posted something on my Facebook page was February 25th. In fact, I haven’t even opened my Facebook account since then. Not even once. Until today, that is, when I went in to take … Continue reading Here’s why I haven’t been on Facebook lately… #Disgruntled #Censorship

Chelly Wood18 Comments
The text atop this photo collage says, "Writing a Memoir." Then we see a string of Polaroid photos held up with clothespins. Left to right, the photos show a personal notebook with a rainbow on the cover; a series of outline notes that include an image of a Tammy doll clothes sewing pattern; two vintage Barbie doll clothes patterns.
2 Enchanting 2B True -- Doll Pics, Crafts and Hobbies, Disney Princess Dolls, Doll Makeovers, Holiday Crafts, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing Chat

What are you working on for the holidays? Please leave a comment! #ChristmasProjects #ChristmasGifts

As many of my regular followers know, in my “day job” I work as a school librarian. This year in December I will be giving my “Secret Santa” gifts to our PE teacher, who happens to have a little girl who’s three years old. So of course I’m making doll clothes for her, to give as my Secret Santa gifts! REQUIRED AFFILIATE MARKETING STATEMENT:  As … Continue reading What are you working on for the holidays? Please leave a comment! #ChristmasProjects #ChristmasGifts

Chelly Wood2 Comments
The text in the dialog bubble reads "Back in style?" and the Chelly Wood doll stands in an old-fashioned 1950's style kitchen, wearing a cartoonish ruffled apron over the top of her red check shirt and black pants. She holds a cartoon-like platter with a cartoon-like pink and white layer cake on top. This thumbnail image accompanies a video about how fashion repeats itself in history.
Crafts and Hobbies, History and Research, Interviews With Crafters, Sewing and Fashion History, Sewing Chat

Do you see old fashions coming back into style? #Fashion #FashionHistory #Style

On YouTube, I enjoy watching Nicole Rudolph’s videos about fashion in history, but this one about fashions that repeat themselves was particularly interesting to me. If you’ve followed my doll history articles, which I posted on Tuesdays over the past 10 weeks or so, you’ll remember that a doll’s clothing isn’t always indicative of the era in which it was made. This video gives us … Continue reading Do you see old fashions coming back into style? #Fashion #FashionHistory #Style

Chelly Wood2 Comments
On a turquoise blue linen background, a pair of cartoon-like pinking shears lie open, with their teeth exposed. The text reads "pinking shears" and the Chelly Wood dot com logo appears at the bottom of the image.
Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Are pinking shears a useful tool for beginners who are just learning how to sew doll clothes? #SewingTips #DollClothes

I recently received an interesting “fan mail” question about pinking shears from a follower named Debora. She wanted to know my thoughts on pinking shears. Debora asked, “Chelly, how do you use pinking shears, anyway? All over the Internet, you can find crafters who seem to get really excited about them and use them for everything. Especially among people who sew for dolls, because honestly, … Continue reading Are pinking shears a useful tool for beginners who are just learning how to sew doll clothes? #SewingTips #DollClothes

Chelly Wood2 Comments
In this purple background thumbnail, the text reads "Ken versus GI Joe: Who is the best dance partner?" There's an image of a blond Barbie dancing with African American Ken from Texas A&M articulated EMT dolls, and standing out as the third leg is a somewhat shorter crew cut GI Joe (also African American) with kung fu grip hands.
Doll Collecting, Doll Measurements, Doll Play Videos, GI Joe, History and Research, Sewing Chat

GI Joe vs. Ken: Who makes a better boyfriend for Barbie? — Please leave a comment! #gijoe #retro70s

  This is not my advertisement, but I certainly remember the ad from when I was a kid, and my brother had this exact same GI Joe! Of course I own a GI Joe today, and I’ve designed some attractive clothing for him, which you can find on this page, on ChellyWood.com. Before I dive into this ad and what it means to me, I … Continue reading GI Joe vs. Ken: Who makes a better boyfriend for Barbie? — Please leave a comment! #gijoe #retro70s

Chelly Wood16 Comments
The image shows a sewing machine with a tiny pink swatch of fabric between the presser foot and the feed dogs. Thread, bobbins, and other sewing tools are scattered around a white table top near the sewing machine's base. This image represents Chelly's sewing room while she recovers from West Nile Virus.
Crafts and Hobbies, Fan Mail, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

How do you finish off your seams? — Please comment! #SewingTips #SewingChat

For today’s “Doll Clothes Sewing Chat,” let’s talk about finishing off a seam. Personally, I use a backstitch, so I’m going to define what that means to me before we get the chat underway… DEFINITION: A backstitch is when you stitch in one direction, you stitch backwards from there, and then you stitch in the forward direction again. This can be done by hand or … Continue reading How do you finish off your seams? — Please comment! #SewingTips #SewingChat

Chelly Wood9 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, Doll Measurements, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Do you ever alter seam allowances? And has that worked out okay for you? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

For today’s “Doll Clothes Sewing Chat,” let’s talk about seam allowances. Just in case you’re new to sewing, it’s not a bad idea to start with a quick overview of seam allowances… DEFINITION: A seam allowance is a bit of extra room that’s given along the edge of a pattern, to allow for the sewist to include seams in a garment and still have it … Continue reading Do you ever alter seam allowances? And has that worked out okay for you? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

Chelly Wood6 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, Interviews With Crafters, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

What do you do to prevent fray in your sewing projects? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

DEFINITION: Fray is when the threads or weave of a fabric or ribbon, or the braiding or twisting of string or yarn begins to unravel. This is my own definition, but you can find the Merriam-Webster definition here as well. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please learn more about my affiliate marketing program on the Privacy Policy page. DISCUSSION QUESTION: What … Continue reading What do you do to prevent fray in your sewing projects? #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

Chelly Wood2 Comments