Tag: Sewing Tips

This image is part of a series of blog posts about how to sew doll clothes collars. This image is part of a series of blog posts about how to sew doll clothes collars. A purple and blue frame surrounds a vintage doll clothes pattern, with the words above stating "Doll Clothes Collars Part 3". In the photo, we see an 18 inch doll like the American Girl doll sporting a pink "sunday best" style jacket with a collar. The ChellyWood.com logo appears at the bottom of the image.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

5 Ways to Make Doll Clothes Collars that WORK (Tip #3) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

Look closely at the collar that my Ken doll is wearing in the image above. Do you notice anything strange about the collar? Zoom in. Do you see that little white circle under his collar? That’s actually the head of a straight pin. Uh-huh. His collar wouldn’t stay down for the photo shoot, so what did I do? I pinned it down! What works better … Continue reading 5 Ways to Make Doll Clothes Collars that WORK (Tip #3) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
This image is part of a series of blog posts about how to sew doll clothes collars. A purple and blue frame surrounds a vintage doll clothes pattern, with the words above stating "Doll Clothes Collars Part 2". In the photo beneath these words, we see Ken and Barbie dolls wearing variations on the typical Hawaiian shirt. The ChellyWood.com logo appears at the bottom of the image.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

5 Ways to Make Doll Clothes Collars that WORK (Tip #2) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

Today’s blog post is “Part 2” of my series on how to create collars for your doll clothes that actually WORK. So you’re sewing a collar for your doll, and what you want to avoid is that awful won’t-lay-flat thing we’ve all had to deal with: Last week we learned that adding lace is one way to avoid the Halloween-witch collar, and as you can … Continue reading 5 Ways to Make Doll Clothes Collars that WORK (Tip #2) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
This image is part of a series of blog posts about how to sew doll clothes collars. A purple and blue frame surrounds a vintage doll clothes pattern, with the words above stating "Doll Clothes Collars Part 1". In the photo beneath these words, there are two Crissy dolls (one is African American / Black and the other is Caucasian with very long blond hair done up in a pony tail) and they are both wearing a lace collar with their 1970's attire. The ChellyWood.com logo appears at the bottom of the image.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

5 Ways to Make Doll Clothes Collars that WORK (Tip #1) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

Today’s blog post is the first in a series of five blog posts that will teach you how to create collars for your doll clothes that actually WORK. In the coming weeks, watch for each of these tips and tricks on sewing doll clothes collars for dolls of every shape and size. Let’s face it, making a teeny tiny shirt’s collar look right is crazy-hard! … Continue reading 5 Ways to Make Doll Clothes Collars that WORK (Tip #1) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
On a purple background, we see a woman's fingers holding a recently sewn strap under the title "straps and belts" on a purple square background.
Interviews With Crafters, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls

Tips for Sewing Tiny Straps and Belts with Chelly Wood #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

The arrows in the image at the top of this page point to the feed dogs on a sewing machine. These are the “teeth” that grab the fabric and move it along when you press your foot against the pedal that makes your sewing machine move. Those of us who have been sewing doll clothes for a while have run across the problem of not … Continue reading Tips for Sewing Tiny Straps and Belts with Chelly Wood #SewingTips #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly Wood2 Comments
On a purple cotton background with tiny white polka dots, we see the words "why snaps?" and beneath this heading, a photo of a woman's hand holding a package of 12 Dritz snaps. In the corner of this image is the ChellyWood.com logo.
Crafts and Hobbies, Interviews With Crafters, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Why I love Dritz sew-on snaps (and how to read a Dritz snaps card)! #SewingOnline #DollClothesPatterns

Yesterday I did a blog post asking you which one you liked better: Velcro, or snaps, for the back closure of your doll clothes garments. Although I use both kinds of closures, I prefer snaps, and as I have said many times before on this website, I prefer Dritz snaps to other brands. That’s because Dritz snaps come on a cardstock sheet, so you can … Continue reading Why I love Dritz sew-on snaps (and how to read a Dritz snaps card)! #SewingOnline #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
With a close-up photo of Made to Move Barbie's Bermuda shorts from the back, we can see the double-stitching detail around the pocket, the fact that the tank top is lined with a burgundy-on-white print cotton fabric, and the tank top closes at the back with red Velcro. The words that slant across this image sideways say, "make room for a pocket." The ChellyWood.com logo appears in the lower right hand side of the image.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, Barbie Patterns, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

A sewing tip: something to think about when you add a pocket! #SewingTips for #DollClothesPatterns

Yesterday I did a blog post showing you how I made a pair of Bermuda shorts from my Simplicity 7928 doll clothes pattern, along with my own reversible tank top pattern, which is, of course, free on this website. As I said yesterday, I’ve found that I can learn a lot by sewing other people’s patterns, and I especially love to take other people’s patterns … Continue reading A sewing tip: something to think about when you add a pocket! #SewingTips for #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
A purple cotton fabric with tiny white polka dots frames a photo of a miniature table-top Christmas Tree that has tiny wrapped gifts under it and miniature Christmas tree ornaments on it. The words "Holiday-themed blog posts" float above the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
Interviews With Crafters, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Helpful Tips and FAQ’s for People Who Love to Sew for Dolls #DollClothes #SewingTips

It has been about 4 years since I published my “Frequently Asked Questions” page (i.e. FAQ’s), and since I’m doing a series of re-posts while I take time off to make my Creative Spark class, I thought you might enjoy seeing this page. It’s filled with helpful information for those of us who love to sew for dolls! If you click on the question, it … Continue reading Helpful Tips and FAQ’s for People Who Love to Sew for Dolls #DollClothes #SewingTips

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
The image shows the Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been re-designed) sitting at her sewing table. The sewing machine is nearby. she is holding a skirt that is partly gathered. the text says, "How to gather Fabric" and the ChellyWood.com logo is also on the image.
Tutorials: Sewing Basics

How to Gather Fabric for a Doll’s Skirt #SewingTips #DollClothes

I’ve been using a really old video to show people how to gather a doll’s skirt (or how to gather sleeves or how to gather the fabric of a hat — or whatever). So I’ve decided it’s time to update to a newer version of that video. So for all of you still learning how to sew doll clothes, here’s my new and (hopefully) improved … Continue reading How to Gather Fabric for a Doll’s Skirt #SewingTips #DollClothes

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
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, Daily Patterns, Tutorials: Crafts, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Sewing doll clothes with lace @ ChellyWood.com #Handmade #DollClothes

This week’s video is just an overview of lace. It demonstrates what different types of lace look like, how they are used, and offers advice on shopping for lace. Yesterday I gave you the free pattern for a pioneer dress trimmed in lace, and you’ll see that dress in today’s video. If you’re looking for a place to buy lace trim in miniature for your … Continue reading Sewing doll clothes with lace @ ChellyWood.com #Handmade #DollClothes

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Today's tutorial video explains how selvage is useful to people who sew doll clothes. This image is just a header indicating that this is a sewing tutorial for beginners.
Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Selvage is your friend! (A tip for fabric buying, when sewing doll clothes) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingLove #SewingTutorial

  This week I’m giving you two tutorial videos instead of the usual solo tutorial. The video at the top of this blog post will explain how I sometimes use selvage (that’s “selvedge” if you live in the UK) for my doll clothes projects, and how selvage can truly be “your friend” when buying fabric. If you want a more extensive video about how to … Continue reading Selvage is your friend! (A tip for fabric buying, when sewing doll clothes) @ ChellyWood.com #SewingLove #SewingTutorial

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
This image shows the Chelly Wood doll holding a tape measure next to the 6 inch Mini American Girl doll. Beside these two is a blond haired, tan-bodied made-to-move Barbie doll. All three dolls wear handmade doll clothes. They appear to be standing in a tiny sewing room, complete with a desk, a sewing machine, and other sewing-related furnishings. It looks like the dolls are about to use the tiny tape measure to take measurements of the little American Girl 6 inch doll, for a sewing project. This image accompanies a blog post for hashtag tape measure Tuesday in which we learn the specific measurements for the 6 inch American girl doll mini. The blog post for measuring a 6 inch doll is found at ChellyWood.com, and this watermark appears on the photograph of these dolls.
Tips for Beginners

Tips and Tricks for Teaching Kids to Sew w/Doll Clothing Designer Chelly Wood @ ChellyWood.com #AfterChristmas #familyfun

It’s that time of year again. You got your child/grandchild a new doll for Christmas, and now the doll needs a wardrobe. What better incentive to start some sewing lessons? So here are a few tips and tricks to teaching a child how to sew: Have young children begin sewing with felt. It’s much more forgiving than cotton and inexpensive when they make mistakes. Begin … Continue reading Tips and Tricks for Teaching Kids to Sew w/Doll Clothing Designer Chelly Wood @ ChellyWood.com #AfterChristmas #familyfun

Chelly Wood2 Comments
Image shows a YouTube tutorial header with the title, "How to Sew Bias Tape." It features a photo of Mattel's Tall Barbie from the Barbie Fashionistas line. She wears a tie dye shirt with bias tape trim. Overlay offers the URL for this tutorial: ChellyWood.com.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, 12-inch doll clothes patterns, Barbie Patterns, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls

How to Sew Bias Tape for #Crafters and #Sewists

  This week I’ve given you a new pattern for a small-bodied doll’s bias-tape-edged tunic or shirt dress. For anyone who is unfamiliar with bias tape, I thought I’d re-post my bias tape tutorial this week as well. The bias tape project in today’s video uses felt for a doll’s garment, and I often recommend learning to sew with felt. But the drawback to making … Continue reading How to Sew Bias Tape for #Crafters and #Sewists

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
The image shows a doll that looks like Chelly Wood (doll clothes designer at chellyWood.com) sitting at her desk, staring at her computer screen which offers the URL for her website.
Crafts and Hobbies, Interviews With Crafters

Where to find helpful #sewing tutorials and #crafty #hacks on ChellyWood.com

How to sew snaps… How to use bias tape… How to buy fabric… For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been sharing these topics, but where did all of these tutorial videos come from? Perhaps you’ve never noticed before that there’s a category on the menu at ChellyWood.com called, “Helpful Tips.” This “Helpful Tips” page is designed to help you find videos that will improve … Continue reading Where to find helpful #sewing tutorials and #crafty #hacks on ChellyWood.com

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
Image shows a YouTube tutorial header with the title, "How to Sew Bias Tape." It features a photo of Mattel's Tall Barbie from the Barbie Fashionistas line. She wears a tie dye shirt with bias tape trim. Overlay offers the URL for this tutorial: ChellyWood.com.
Barbie Patterns, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls

How to #Sew Bias Tape

  Last week I showed you how to design your own bodice. Did you notice, in that tutorial, that Moana’s bodice was decorated with a strip of blue? What was that blue stuff? It was bias tape! I often recommend learning to sew with felt, if you’re an absolute beginner. But the drawback to making dolls’ clothes out of felt is the fray factor. Felt is … Continue reading How to #Sew Bias Tape

Chelly WoodLeave a comment