Tag: Crafts

The Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been repainted and re-wigged) stands beside the Advance 2899 vintage doll clothes patterns for a 1960's Ken doll. This pattern was published in 1962.
Ken Patterns, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized, Vintage Ken

How to sew Ken’s collar so it lays down flat #VintageKen #SewingTips

Recently I sewed the collared shirt shown in View 2 of this vintage 1962 Advance 2899 sewing pattern for Ken dolls. While I was working on this, I got a message from one of my followers, asking if there’s a trick to sewing Ken’s collars so they will lay flat. And yes, there are a couple of tricks. Today’s blog post will address them. *Please … Continue reading How to sew Ken’s collar so it lays down flat #VintageKen #SewingTips

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
A purple and blue quilted frame encompasses the edges of a photo of Butterick's 6664 doll clothes sewing pattern which is standing upright next to a Black Barbie who models one of the dresses shown on the pattern's packaging. This dress is a long 1980's style of caftan. It should be noted that a photograph of celebrity Marie Osmond appears on the envelope of the Butterick 6664 doll clothes pattern. The Chelly Wood dot com logo is also shown at the side of the frame.
Marie Osmond dolls, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie

Doll clothes sewing patterns with errors… UGH! #VintageSewing #EpicFail!

When I think of doll clothes sewing patterns that are just flat WRONG, I always think of the shirt pattern from View 3 of Advance 2896. The pink shirt on the left (above) was made using the Advance 2896 shirt pattern exactly as the directions indicate on the pattern instructions. The brown floral version on  the right (above) was made with my own alterations to … Continue reading Doll clothes sewing patterns with errors… UGH! #VintageSewing #EpicFail!

Chelly Wood3 Comments
This is a thumbnail for the "Tape Measure Tuesday" Momoko Doll measurements blog post for Chelly Wood dot com. The hashtag for this feature is #TapeMeasureTuesday, and this blog post will give you specific sewing measurements for the body of a Momoko doll from Sekiguchi (Pet Works).
Momoko Doll Patterns, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized

How do I know what sized doll clothes patterns to buy? #MomokoDoll #TapeMeasureTuesday

Let’s say you’ve just bought a doll that doesn’t have commercial patterns made for it because it’s sort of an unusual, rare, vintage, or foreign-made doll. How do you know what size sewing patterns to buy for your doll? That’s the topic of today’s blog post. Stick with me to the very end, please, and you’ll learn a lot about how to locate the sewing … Continue reading How do I know what sized doll clothes patterns to buy? #MomokoDoll #TapeMeasureTuesday

Chelly Wood2 Comments
A vintage Skipper doll models a red bolero jacket over a black and white gingham dress. She stands beside Simplicity vintage Skipper pattern number 5861 for sewing doll clothes. There's a quilted blue and purple frame surrounding the whole image.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized

What is the best fabric for circle skirts? #SewingTips #DIY

On the back of this Simplicity 5861 vintage sewing pattern for Skipper dolls, the View 2 line drawing of the dress shows the ideal drape of a circle skirt, after the doll’s dress has been made. With dolls, though, the circle skirt doesn’t usually drape like that! Scroll down to the next image, and you’ll see that after I made the View 2 dress for … Continue reading What is the best fabric for circle skirts? #SewingTips #DIY

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Images of a heart pincushion, colorful strips of rickrack, three rolled swatches of fabric, and a photo of a woman sewing at her sewing machine accompany the text which reads: Crafting Moments Inspired by Classical One Hour Music Playlist at Chelly Wood dot com.
Crafts and Hobbies, Music Videos for Crafters

Classical music for crafting… #SpringCrafts #ClassicalMusic

Every now and then I need time to catch up with life. Today is one of those days. So I’ve created a classical music video to inspire your springtime craft projects. It helps my YouTube channel grow if you like, comment, subscribe, or add my music videos to your playlists. I have not monetized this video because it is a “collection of songs by different … Continue reading Classical music for crafting… #SpringCrafts #ClassicalMusic

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
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.
Charity Work, Crafts and Hobbies, Fan Mail, Selling Your Crafts, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

Time for a Q and A: Once I’ve made doll clothes using Creative-Commons-marked patterns, am I allowed to sell what I’ve made? #Copyright #SewingPatterns

Every now and then I get a message in my inbox from some thoughtful person who wants to make sure they are okay to sell products made using my free doll clothes patterns. It’s such a kind gesture! I really appreciate that! So let’s take a look at that question: Once I’ve made doll clothes using your Creative-Commons-marked patterns, am I allowed to sell what … Continue reading Time for a Q and A: Once I’ve made doll clothes using Creative-Commons-marked patterns, am I allowed to sell what I’ve made? #Copyright #SewingPatterns

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Through a small window of a photo, we see a doll's upper body only, where she wears a bolero jacket or coat that's trimmed in green rickrack to match the color of the dress she wears. There are white rickrack trim images bordering the photo, and above all of this, the thumbnail asks, "When do you add rickrack trim?"
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store, Lottie dolls, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

When to Add Rickrack Trim to a Garment #Fashion #SewingTips

Do you see that green zigzag trim along the edges of my Lottie doll’s bolero jacket? That’s rickrack! Webster’s dictionary describes rickrack trim as “a flat braid woven to form zigzags and used especially as trimming on clothing.”* But how does a person decide that a garment needs rickrack trim, and at what point in the garment’s creation does one attach it to the garment? … Continue reading When to Add Rickrack Trim to a Garment #Fashion #SewingTips

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
The image shows the Chelly Wood doll (it's really a Spin Master Liv doll that has had its face repainted and its hair dyed white-ish-grey) holding up a Simplicity doll clothes pattern #4883 for sewing a wardrobe to fit vintage Tammy dolls from Ideal Toy Corp. The article associated with this image asks blog followers to leave comments describing the first doll clothes pattern they learned to sew from as a child. Visit ChellyWood.com to join the discussion!
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tammy Doll Patterns, Tips for Beginners

Vintage fabric trim — making the crop top from vintage Simplicity 4883 for Ideal Tammy #DIY #SummerProjects

The garment trim you see above was part of a box of old lace and garment trims that my mother-in-law gave me. I suspect that this little piece of trim had been removed from a garment that was no longer useable because the trim was partially gathered and had little threads hanging from the area I’ve labeled as “fraying gather edge.” It was also yellowing … Continue reading Vintage fabric trim — making the crop top from vintage Simplicity 4883 for Ideal Tammy #DIY #SummerProjects

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Within a turquoise blue frame, we see a lazy susan turntable with a gingham cotton coverlet, sitting on a kitchen table with a chair in the background. Inside the lazy susan are two spice bottles and a bottle of extra virgin olive oil. The text reads "free sewing pattern" while an arrow points to the gingham coverlet on the lazy susan turntable.
Crafts and Hobbies, Daily Patterns, Tutorials: Crafts

How to make a washable lazy susan cover — easy cleaning! #LazySusan #Condiments

Please scroll down to the bullets for the free printable PDF sewing pattern and links to any additional relevant tutorial videos. I needed a lazy susan for my kitchen because my condiments and spices were being kept in a messy pileup on the counter. So I bought a lovely wicker and wooden lazy susan from Blubird Haven Giftshop on Etsy. I planned to keep olive … Continue reading How to make a washable lazy susan cover — easy cleaning! #LazySusan #Condiments

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
On a purple thumbnail, an African American Chelsea doll models a handmade Easter outfit. Beside her, the words "free sewing pattern!" accompany the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
6-inch doll clothes patterns, Chelsea, Daily Patterns, Holiday Crafts, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Make Chelsea and Barbie matching Easter outfits with today’s free sewing patterns @ ChellyWood.com #Easter #CraftProjects

Scroll down to the second set of bullets to download the free printable PDF sewing pattern. Easter is just a hop, skip, and a jump away, so if you’re going to make some doll clothes for a child, this little felt top and matching Easter-egg-print skirt for a tiny Chelsea doll is just what you need, since it only takes about an hour to make … Continue reading Make Chelsea and Barbie matching Easter outfits with today’s free sewing patterns @ ChellyWood.com #Easter #CraftProjects

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
A vintage Ideal Tammy doll stands next to the envelope for the Simplicity 4883 doll clothes pattern for Tammy. The doll wears the exact same dress pictured on the cover art from the Simplicity 4883 pattern: a ball gown with a red satin bodice and straps, a white cotton circle skirt (floor length) that's covered with tulle and dotted with tiny red satin roses. The text says "View 2 Prom Dress" under "Simplicity 4883." The chellywood.com logo appears in the image as well.
Links, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Selling Your Crafts, Tammy Doll Patterns

Where to buy miniature satin roses, now that JoAnn’s is closed #JoAnn #Miniatures

  Some of you may recall seeing a fun little stop-motion video short that I did, in which my “Chelly doll” is wearing a lovely gown with a red satin bodice, tulle skirting, and miniature satin roses. That short was a video I created for a contest at the school where I work. That doll dress was actually designed to fit Ideal Tammy dolls (not … Continue reading Where to buy miniature satin roses, now that JoAnn’s is closed #JoAnn #Miniatures

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Surrounded by a quilted frame, we see the ChellyWood.com logo and images of dolls modeling doll clothes from the 1970's. This image comes from Simplicity doll clothes pattern 7737, dated with a copyright of 1976.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie

What are the easiest Barbie doll summer clothes patterns for sewing? #Summer #Sewing

As we come to the end of March, it’s time to start sewing our summer projects. So today’s blog post answers the question, “What are the easiest Barbie doll summer clothes patterns for sewing?” Today’s post will be about the vintage patterns that I own, but if you’re looking for more modern summer clothes patterns for your Barbie dolls, I plan to do a couple … Continue reading What are the easiest Barbie doll summer clothes patterns for sewing? #Summer #Sewing

Chelly Wood4 Comments
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

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
The Chelly Wood doll stands next to the Advance 9938 Barbie doll clothes sewing pattern with her cartoonish sewing room behind her.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie

Learning to Sew with Advance 9938 Doll Clothes Sewing Patterns from 1961 #SewVintage #Barbie

Don’t you just love the artwork on these old Barbie patterns? I could stare at this envelope all day, dreaming of the wonderful outfits I could make with it! I’ve written a few articles about the outfits offered in Advance 9938, and if you click on the links I’ve provided below, you can read all about the lessons I’ve learned by sewing these patterns. I … Continue reading Learning to Sew with Advance 9938 Doll Clothes Sewing Patterns from 1961 #SewVintage #Barbie

Chelly WoodLeave a comment