Tag: Skipper

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.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls, Uncategorized, Vintage Skipper

What is a hook and eye closure, and how do you sew one? #SewingHacks #SewWithMe

Today I’m going to explain how to sew a hook and eye onto the back of a doll’s garment. Specifically, I’ll be working with the bodice for Dress View 6 in the Simplicity doll clothes wardrobe pattern 5861 for vintage Skipper dolls. Let’s stat with a quick explanation of the notion referred to as a “Hook and eye” or “Hook and loop.” The pink arrow … Continue reading What is a hook and eye closure, and how do you sew one? #SewingHacks #SewWithMe

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Thumbnail, when clicked, will lead to tape measure Tuesday's sewing measurements for a modern Mattel Skipper doll (as of 2025). This thumbnail shows Skipper framed by tape measures and standing in her bra and panties next to a dress form that says "Tape Measure Tuesday with doll clothing designer Chelly Wood."
Doll Measurements, Tape Measure Tuesday

How tall is a Skipper doll? And other sewing measurements for Skipper #dollfashion #TapeMeasureTuesday

Scroll down for clarifications to each measurement. For other dolls’ measurements, please click here. Today I’m giving you the sewing measurements for my modern Mattel Skipper doll. She’s actually the Skipper that came with a surfboard, which means she’s quite articulated, like Made-to-Move Barbie. My Skipper is dated 2010, but I have others dated more recently that easily swap clothes with this articulated doll. So … Continue reading How tall is a Skipper doll? And other sewing measurements for Skipper #dollfashion #TapeMeasureTuesday

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With a purple and turquoise fabric quilt frame, we see see two doll clothes patterns for Mattel Skipper dolls inside the frame with a woman's torso over the top. The woman, who wears a yellow blouse, has her hands up and her shoulders shrugging, with a curious look on her face. There are question marks dancing around her. The ChellyWood.com logo appears to the side of these images.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Skipper Patterns, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Not all Skipper patterns are alike! #BuyerBeware #DollClothesPatterns

As the heading for today’s blog post states, “Not all Skipper patterns are alike!” And that’s the overall theme for today’s post. However, before I begin talking about the subtle differences between the many renditions of the Skipper doll, please note, many of my links in today’s blog post are affiliate links. To learn more about my affiliate marketing program, please go to my Privacy … Continue reading Not all Skipper patterns are alike! #BuyerBeware #DollClothesPatterns

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A vintage skipper from the 1970s is pictured wearing (on the left) a three quarter length sleeve bolero jacket or coat with matching pleated skirt and knee high socks along with plastic shoes; (on the right) a sleeveless cropped top with underpants and knee high socks, all made of yellow stretchy jersey fabric. The text reads "for sale" and sideways, "doll and shoes not included" over the top of the chellywood.com logo.
Crafts and Hobbies, Doll Collecting, For Sale in the Store, Vintage Skipper

Still for sale in my online store: handmade doll clothes for Stacie or vintage Skipper #DollClothes #Handmade

The entire ensemble pictured above has been for sale in my online shop for a while now, but I only recently realized that I’d only advertised it as an outfit that will fit Mattel’s Stacie dolls, when in fact, it was originally designed to fit vintage Skipper. So I thought I’d re-post it with at least a couple of images showing it on my vintage … Continue reading Still for sale in my online store: handmade doll clothes for Stacie or vintage Skipper #DollClothes #Handmade

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Thumbnail shows a woman's hand preparing a swatch of fabric for making knife pleats. The two dolls shown are the modern Stacie in African American rendition of the doll, plus the drawing on the front of the Simplicity 5861 pattern envelope, showing a vintage Skipper doll modeling the handmade skirt.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Stacie Patterns, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Tutorials: Sewing for Dolls, Vintage Skipper

Making Pleats for a Skipper Skirt with Simplicity 5861 #VintageToys #Sewing

Do you see the folds in that little green skirt, in View 3 of my Simplicity 5861 doll clothes sewing pattern for Skipper dolls? Those are called pleats. Sometimes they’re referred to as “knife pleats.” And for a doll that’s tiny, like vintage Skipper and modern Stacie (shown below), it can be especially tricky to get the pleats just right. Yes, as the text says … Continue reading Making Pleats for a Skipper Skirt with Simplicity 5861 #VintageToys #Sewing

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The text reads "for sale in the shop" and below this is an image of several items of handmade doll clothes, including a skirt, jacket, shirt, socks, and underpants. The Chelly Wood dot com logo appears in one corner.
Crafts and Hobbies, For Sale in the Store

New in the store this week: Chelly Wood’s own handmade doll clothes for Stacie #DollClothes #Handmade

I’m not sure everyone caught it, but last week when I posted the tutorial for making a pair of socks for Stacie, I also mentioned that the entire ensemble pictured above was being sold in my online shop. This outfit includes the underpants, socks, and sleeveless top (which are all made of the same yellow jersey fabric) plus the houndstooth cotton pleated skirt and the … Continue reading New in the store this week: Chelly Wood’s own handmade doll clothes for Stacie #DollClothes #Handmade

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A vintage Skipper wears a handmade yellow shirt and green pleated skirt with matching green knee-high socks and little black ballet flats. The skipper doll is dressed exactly like the image in view 3 on the envelope for Simplicity 5861, a wardrobe designed and published in the 1960's for a vintage Skipper doll. There's also a close-up of her hand-stitched green knee-high socks. This thumbnail's text reads "vintage Simplicity 5861" and it's framed by turquoise blue and purple quilted fabrics.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized, Vintage Skipper

Nancy Drew, the mystery girl, makes a magical appearance with my Simplicity Skipper pattern 5861 #NancyDrew #SewVintage

Last summer I got my hands on an uncut version of this wonderful Skipper doll clothes pattern, vintage Simplicity 5861, an original pattern from 1964. Holy hand-stitching, Batman! I have REALLY enjoyed sewing this whole ensemble! My goal, last summer, was to make each item in the wardrobe to match the image on the envelope cover exactly. And guess what… I’ve gotten the whole thing … Continue reading Nancy Drew, the mystery girl, makes a magical appearance with my Simplicity Skipper pattern 5861 #NancyDrew #SewVintage

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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.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Skipper

Learning to sew with Simplicity 5861 vintage Skipper doll clothes patterns #VintageDolls #DollClothesPatterns

To say that I adore the Skipper 5861 Simplicity pattern from 1964 would be an utter and complete understatement. It’s so awesome, I have no words to express the fun I’ve had when making each and every one of the outfits pictured on the front of the envelope! *Please note: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more about how my … Continue reading Learning to sew with Simplicity 5861 vintage Skipper doll clothes patterns #VintageDolls #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly Wood4 Comments
In a thumbnail frame, Elf on the Shelf wears handmade pajamas. The text at the top says, "free patterns" over the top of the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, Daily Patterns, Skipper Patterns, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Sew some winter pajamas for Elf on the Shelf w/free patterns @ ChellyWood.com #ElfOnTheShelf #Christmas

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. Note: as an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Today I’m sharing the pattern and tutorial for making a cute little raglan-sleeved T-shirt (sometimes spelled tee shirt) and casual pajama pants to fit Elf on the Shelf dolls. The shirt was designed to fit Skipper, but the pants … Continue reading Sew some winter pajamas for Elf on the Shelf w/free patterns @ ChellyWood.com #ElfOnTheShelf #Christmas

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In this quilt-framed thumbnail image, a lineup of four Skipper-sized dolls stand next to the Chelly Wood doll (which is a Spin Master Liv doll that has been altered to look like the real doll clothing designer, Chelly Wood), and Chelly is holding up vintage Skipper Simplicity pattern 5861. Over the top of this photo, we see the text that reads, "Who can wear Skipper patterns?"
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, Doll Measurements, Fan Mail, Favorite Books, Holiday Crafts, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Petite Barbie Patterns, Skipper Patterns, Stacie Patterns, Uncategorized, Vintage Skipper

Which dolls can wear Skipper patterns? #Sewing #SewVintage

Note: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Last week one of my followers, Lisa, contacted me with some questions about sewing for Skipper. We had a lively exchange over email about how Skipper has changed over the years, and I answered a few of her questions about who can wear various Skipper doll clothes sewing patterns. Today’s blog post will share with … Continue reading Which dolls can wear Skipper patterns? #Sewing #SewVintage

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The Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll with her face repainted and her hair dyed grey to look more like the real Chelly Wood) stands beside the original pattern for Simplicity 5861, a set of Skipper doll clothes including a blue coat. Beside this photo, we see a picture of the doll coat that Chelly made for Skipper, and it's blue, exactly like the one in the artwork on the front of the pattern, but Chelly's has a pinwheel printed lining. The text reads, "doll coat"
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Uncategorized

Does a doll’s coat need a lining, and if so, how do I choose the lining fabric?

Simplicity 5861 is an amazing ensemble of sewing patterns for Skipper, including two coats: a bolero and a winter coat. When I found this pattern on eBay last summer, I’d been searching for a high-quality version of it for years, so I snatched this up as soon as I saw that it was an uncut pattern — and let me tell you, this adorable pattern … Continue reading Does a doll’s coat need a lining, and if so, how do I choose the lining fabric?

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.
Creative Spark Online Learning, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Vintage Skipper

Is there an easy way to sew sleeves? Yes! And it begins with your choice of patterns…

Over the summer, I purchased Simplicity 5861, a vintage pattern for the earliest version of Skipper dolls. This pattern offers pattern pieces for a coat and three different shirt styles, plus a bolero. These garments’ sleeves were remarkably easy to make! You might wonder why that is. Well take a look at the skipper T-shirt that I designed, displayed on a more modern skipper below: … Continue reading Is there an easy way to sew sleeves? Yes! And it begins with your choice of patterns…

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The image shows a turquoise blue cotton fabric with the words "inspirational jazz for sewing doll clothes" across the top, followed by three circular photos showing a vintage Skipper doll modeling handmade doll clothes. Below these three circular photos is a larger rectangle, highlighting each outfit Skipper wears in the music video: pants with a 3/4 length sleeve shirt; a 50's style dress with bolero, and a pair of plaid shorts with a matching top. Musical notes dance across the lower right corner of the thumbnail.
Crafts and Hobbies, Doll Collecting, Doll Play Videos, Links, Music Videos for Crafters, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Skipper

New music video to inspire your crafts… With Skipper Simplicity patterns 5861!

  Sometimes I make doll clothes using other people’s patterns. I take lots of pictures, but what can I do with those pictures, since it’s not my pattern to offer up for free on this website? Today I decided to make another “Sewing Inspiration” video, using Simplicity’s 5861 doll clothes patterns for vintage Skipper, which I’m really enjoying making! As a fan of jazz, I … Continue reading New music video to inspire your crafts… With Skipper Simplicity patterns 5861!

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On top of a turquoise blue square background, we see a Momoko doll modeling a pair of lightweight denim jeans and a striped short-sleeved T-shirt. The words "free pattern" are at an angle over the top of this image. The Chelly Wood dot com logo appears in the lower left corner.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, Daily Patterns, Momoko Doll Patterns, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Make a T-shirt and jeans for Momoko dolls with today’s free pattern @ ChellyWood.com #MomokoDoll #DollClothes

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. In the past, I’ve posted patterns for this outfit under the Skipper gallery and the gallery for Creatable World dolls from Mattel. Skipper, the Creatable World dolls, and Momoko are very compatible, when it comes to clothing-swapping. Please look back at Tuesday’s blog post, which gave you measurements for … Continue reading Make a T-shirt and jeans for Momoko dolls with today’s free pattern @ ChellyWood.com #MomokoDoll #DollClothes

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This image shows a Mattel Skipper doll from the 1970s wearing the "daisy crazy" pink and yellow mini-skirt dress with matching daisy print stockings. She's on a cell phone, in the middle of a purple "Do a Pick" background with rainbow colors. The text says, "do a pick Brady bunch: What will Jan (Skipper) wear?" Click on this image to view the video and hear your options for dresses Skipper will wear when she plays Jan on the Brady bunch show.
Do a Pick! Game, Doll Play Videos, Vintage Barbie

Let’s Do a Pick — Skipper Plays Jan on the Brady Bunch! #DoApick #vintageDolls

Today’s “Do a Pick” game features the following: Lots of Lace Budding Beauty Daisy Crazy 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 and which outfits … Continue reading Let’s Do a Pick — Skipper Plays Jan on the Brady Bunch! #DoApick #vintageDolls

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