Category: Tips for Beginners

This image is a quilt-like square with the Chelly Wood logo turned on its side. Beside the logo, we see a photo of Simplicity doll clothes pattern 8466 from the late 1960's or early 1970's. The dolls on the cover of this pattern are dressed in various fashions including one long dress pattern that uses an empire waist.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

How to alter a turtleneck so it’s a regular style of shirt #MeMadeMonday #SewingHack

The numbers for the View 5 and View 6 outfits are covered up by the price tag in the image above, but today’s blog post will explain how I removed the turtleneck collar from these two vintage Barbie shirt patterns, to create a more basic shirt neckline for this easy-to-make shirt. You may want to look back at last week’s post, so you can see … Continue reading How to alter a turtleneck so it’s a regular style of shirt #MeMadeMonday #SewingHack

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The Simplicity 9097 pattern envelope appears on the right. On the left, there’s a close-up of the doll clothes outfits for the View 3 skirt, top, cape and scarf. The blue “ra-ra” skirt is 1960’s style super-short with two pleats in the front. The white top is sleeveless with side darts. The scarf appears to be a white ribbon with red polka dots, tied around the doll’s neck. The blue cape is waist length and has two white buttons at the top of an asymmetrical closure.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Sewing Ribbon to Fabric: Which ribbon would you pick and why? #SewingLessons #SewVintage

Last week’s Monday blog post was about finding someone else’s unfinished doll clothes project in an envelope for a doll clothes sewing pattern that I bought at a second-hand store. I decided to embrace the unfinished project, which was just a skirt piece for the View 3 dress from the Simplicity 9097 doll clothes pattern that you see pictured above. But there was a problem… … Continue reading Sewing Ribbon to Fabric: Which ribbon would you pick and why? #SewingLessons #SewVintage

Chelly Wood4 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: Buttonhole (and how to sew one) #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

DEFINITION: A narrow zigzag stitch is used to form two side by side columns of stitches with a series of overlapping stitches top and bottom (or on each side); the frame formed by this is cut down the center to make a hole for a button. 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: Buttonhole (and how to sew one) #SewingChat #SewingVocabulary

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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

Unfinished Sewing Projects #MeMadeMonday #SewVintage

Have you ever discovered someone else’s unfinished craft project or sewing project in an unexpected place? And if so, were you tempted to finish the project they started? Today’s blog post is about one such unfinished sewing project! I bought the envelope you see in the image above, and when I got home and opened it up… there was a UFO inside! (An unfinished object.) … Continue reading Unfinished Sewing Projects #MeMadeMonday #SewVintage

Chelly Wood5 Comments
The image shows a woman who is bent over a cutting mat with large doll clothes patterns laid out on the cutting mat. Above her it says, "how to cut doll clothes sewing patterns". There's also a small pink stamp overlaid on top of the image, which says, "pin and cut" and the texts on either side of the woman say, "special thanks to the mom who reached out to me for help" (left of the image) and "I hope you get to read today's blog post" (to the right of the image).
Crafts and Hobbies, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Uncategorized

How to cut out a Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern Part 5 (How do you cut it?) #SewersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake

Lately we’ve been learning how to cut out a Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern. I’m continuing that train of thought in today’s blog post, which reviews the cutting steps and adds a few details. When you’re getting ready to cut out your doll clothes patterns, it can be very helpful to see which garment pieces will need two identical pieces cut. For these, you can … Continue reading How to cut out a Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern Part 5 (How do you cut it?) #SewersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake

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ON a swatch of wool fabric, we see patterns for a jacket front, a jacket back, a hat top, and a hat crown. All of these are Barbie doll sewing patterns from Simplicity 7601 hat and coat set. Because the swatch of fabric is quite small, we see that the coat front has been aligned with the nap arrow facing East and west, while the coat back has its arrow facing north and south. The hat top arrow faces east-west while the hat crown's nap arrow faces north and south. The fabric is a burgundy color with black chevron-shaped print.
Crafts and Hobbies, Interviews With Crafters, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Crafts, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

How to cut out a Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern Part 3 (What do the arrows mean?) #Sewcialists #Sewing

Since Monday, I’ve been revisiting some older blog posts that teach some basics for cutting out a commercial sewing pattern. Today’s blog post is part of that series. I do have good news, though… My computer is back up and running after being in the fixit shop for most of the month of March. What does this mean? It means I have a LOT of … Continue reading How to cut out a Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern Part 3 (What do the arrows mean?) #Sewcialists #Sewing

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In this thumbnail image, the Chelly Wood doll (really a Spin Master Liv doll that has been repainted and had its wig hair color altered to look like the real doll clothing designer, Chelly Wood) stands beside and points at the Simplicity 7601 doll clothes (Barbie sized doll clothes) pattern envelope. The words over the envelope say "simplicity 7601" and the Chelly Wood dot com logo appears to the left of the photo. The entire image is framed by a purple and turquoise blue quilt.
Crafts and Hobbies, Fan Mail, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Paper Crafts, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Uncategorized, Vintage Barbie

How to cut out a Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern PART 1 (How do you read a pattern envelope?) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns #ChristmasCrafts

First, I need to say that today’s post is from 2022. My computer has gone back to the repair shop, for I think the FIFTH time! I’m still without a computer, which makes it hard to blog and make videos. So I’m very sorry for all the repeats. I created this blog post when a non-sewing mom reached out to me, asking me how to … Continue reading How to cut out a Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern PART 1 (How do you read a pattern envelope?) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns #ChristmasCrafts

Chelly Wood4 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

Learning to sew with vintage McCall’s 6260 Barbie patterns #MeMadeMonday #SewRetro

Today’s blog post is a collection of lessons I’ve learned while sewing McCall’s 6260 doll clothes patterns. As with other blog posts on my Vintage Pattern page, I’ll be adding to this list of lessons as I create different outfits using this pattern. Before I go on, I need to make my required disclaimer statement: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To … Continue reading Learning to sew with vintage McCall’s 6260 Barbie patterns #MeMadeMonday #SewRetro

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With a tiny quilt framing it, we see an image of the McCall's 5462 doll clothes pattern on the right and an image of a Barbie doll modeling the shirt from view B in the McCall's Barbie clothes pattern on the left. An arrow points from the pattern to the doll's shirt.
Interviews With Crafters, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Uncategorized

How to sew a boatneck top, using McCall’s Barbie pattern 5462 #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

If you’ve only recently started to sew doll clothes, you may feel a little challenged by projects that use a boatneck. According to Webster’s online dictionary, a boatneck top has “a wide neckline that extends toward the tips of the shoulders.” And as my computer is still in the fixit shop, today’s blog post is a repeat. That’s why it may look familiar to you. … Continue reading How to sew a boatneck top, using McCall’s Barbie pattern 5462 #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

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Thumbnail image featuring a prominent purple silhouette of a sewing machine outlined in white against a turquoise background. The geometric design includes a square displaying a vintage wooden spool of thread, and a rectangle showcasing the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
Crafts and Hobbies, Interviews With Crafters, Tips for Beginners

Sewing machine advice for making tiny doll clothes @ ChellyWood.com #SewingMachines #SewingAdvice

Today’s blog post is a re-post from 2021. I’m “out of the office” for a while, waiting for my computer to be repaired. Back in 2021, I got a great question from a follower named Jacqueline: “Hello! I’m excited to get started learning to sew Barbie & Ken clothes. What advise do you have for me to keep my sewing machine from tangling thread & … Continue reading Sewing machine advice for making tiny doll clothes @ ChellyWood.com #SewingMachines #SewingAdvice

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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.
Ken Patterns, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie

Vogue Craft 9985 doll clothes sewing pattern for Barbie and Ken #MeMadeMonday #Sewing

Sometimes people who visit my website for the first time think I’m offering these copyrighted patterns for free. That’s not the case, of course. My website does offer free sewing patterns for Barbie, Ken, and similar-sized dolls, and if you need help finding those patterns, this link should help. However today’s blog post is all about the lessons I’ve personally learned from my Vogue Craft … Continue reading Vogue Craft 9985 doll clothes sewing pattern for Barbie and Ken #MeMadeMonday #Sewing

Chelly Wood5 Comments
The thumbnail, framed by a turquoise blue and purple quilt, shows the front of the envelope for Simplicity 5861, a vintage doll clothes pattern for Skipper, from 1964. The text in this thumbnail reads, "Vintage Skipper Simplicity 5861" and under this, we see the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
History and Research, Holiday Crafts, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Skipper Patterns, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie, Vintage Skipper

Sewing a blouse for modern Skipper using a vintage Skipper doll’s patterns! #MeMadeMonday #BlackHistory

If you’ve been following my Monday blog posts, then you’ll know that my modern Skipper doll, shown above, is supposed to look like one of Mary McLeod Bethune‘s students in a vintage black-and-white photo from the early 1900’s. To learn more about Mary McLeod Bethune‘s profoundly important work in the fields of education and civil rights, please click here. Before I go on, I need … Continue reading Sewing a blouse for modern Skipper using a vintage Skipper doll’s patterns! #MeMadeMonday #BlackHistory

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The thumbnail, framed by a turquoise blue and purple quilt, shows the front of the envelope for Simplicity 5861, a vintage doll clothes pattern for Skipper, from 1964. The text in this thumbnail reads, "Vintage Skipper Simplicity 5861" and under this, we see the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
History and Research, Holiday Crafts, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Stacie Patterns, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Skipper

Altering a shirt from Simplicity 5861 to make Mary McLeod Bethune’s students’ blouses #BlackHistoryMonth #SewWithMe

This month, as part of my celebration of Black History Month, I’ve been delving into the clothing worn by Mary McLeod Bethune and her students, in the photo at the top of today’s blog post. You can learn more about Mary McLeod Bethune by clicking on the links I’ve provided whenever her name appears in this post. Today’s blog post will discuss how I made … Continue reading Altering a shirt from Simplicity 5861 to make Mary McLeod Bethune’s students’ blouses #BlackHistoryMonth #SewWithMe

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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

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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

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