The gift I am most excited to give this year!

Do you usually have one or more Christmas gifts each year that you are so excited to give that you are about to bust?  I usually do and this year is no exception.  I have been sewing like crazy to make a whole fun and funky wardrobe for my daughter's beloved American Girl doll.  My daughter, Piper, is seven and recently she has gotten rid of ponies, princesses, and pale pink *gasp!* in favor of glitz, texture, bold colors--and black!  I am not exactly sure how this happened, but she suddenly has her own style and she is having so much fun with it.

So, she asked that I make her some doll clothes... and I let her go to the fabric store and just pick out fabrics she loves.  Wow-- we left with short cuts of sequins, faux fur, satin, metallics, lycra, animal prints, glitter tulle, and faux suede fabrics in her favorite colors.  I am so glad I had her pick out fabrics because I would never have gone in the directions she did! 

Even knowing that this gift will be doll clothes --and what the fabrics look like, she has told me every day that she cannot wait to open this gift.  She is dying to see what I did with the fabrics she picked. 

So...this is the wardrobe I sewed using Piper's fabric picks:

Skinny jeans and shimmery tank

• Liberty Jane Jeans pattern (see links below under My Sources).  I will say that I had to draft a new pattern piece for the front pocket in the jeans but this design was worth figuring out.  I have things I will change for the next pair of jeans I make, but I was really pleased with how these came out.  This was made from the legs of an old pair of jeans that I cut off ten years ago!
• Liberty Jane Trendy Tank pattern (free download) sewn in red metallic knit. 
• I made a necklace by using a Mouseketeer polymer clay bead and Stretch Magic .5mm jewelry cord.  I cut off 10" of cord and beaded until only 1-1/2" of cord remained on each end.  I tied a number of square knots and trimmed the ends, leaving 1/4" tails.

• I used iron-on jewels for the back pockets of the jeans.

Geometric dress with leggings

•  Liberty Jane Leggings pattern was sewn with two-way stretch lycra blend.  The leggings finish about 1" above the doll's ankle when unaltered.  My daughter loves leggings and wears them all the time so I knew any casual dress I made would have to include leggings!  I HIGHLY recommend the leggings pattern.  It is one pattern piece and goes together so fast!  They are designed with negative ease so they look like real leggings.
• Magic Number Dress pattern by Ardently Admire Doll Attire (pattern purchased through Liberty Jane site) sewn in knit.  The next time I sew this dress, I will alter the neckline so that it is tighter.

Green and black stripe outfit

• Liberty Jane Trendy T-shirt (free download) sewn from snake skin lycra.
• Liberty Jane Shiny Happy Dress (free download with purchase) made green and metallic stripe knit.  I wish I had lengthened the dress; more like a tunic at this length.
• Liberty Jane Leggings were sewn from sheer tricot.

Hot Pink and Feathers!  Two piece dress

• McCall's 3474 sewn up in nylon satin with hand-applied feather trim.
• I made a longer necklace with stretch cord, gold-tone beads, and a cupid charm.

Zebra skirt with hot pink T-shirt and Saturn necklace

• Liberty Jane Harajuku Station skirt pattern- this is an awesome pattern and sews together perfectly!  Skirt sewn with zebra two-way knit and glitter tulle.
• T-shirt sewn from Liberty Jane T-shirt Variation pack, creating my own sleeve length and opting for the higher neckline. 
• I added 1" to the Liberty Jane Leggings pattern and made these leggings from sheer tricot.  This was an experiment because the legging fabric was a one-way stretch, and not a 2-way stretch, but it worked just fine by taking advantage of the cross stretch. 
• I made the planet necklace with stretch cord, glass beads, and a metal charm.
• I used an old t-shirt for the doll's t-shirt, using the stitched hem for this little t-shirt's hem.

Turquoise and black ensemble

• Liberty Jane Harajuku skirt pattern sewn in houndstooth and glitter tulle.
• Liberty Jane Leggings pattern with 1" added to length.
• McCall's 3474 sewn with sequin for the tam.
• Liberty Jane T-shirt Variation Pack long-sleeve t-shirt in panne velvet
• McCall's 6480 low-pile faux fur vest with lapels that turn back to show faux leather.  The vest was made with a fabric I love but it is too thick to turn so I used leather sewing techniques and lapped the seams, leaving the edges raw and the vest unlined.  Not lining worked just fine; the vest looks like leather inside.

Christmas Baking Outfit

• McCall's 6451 for apron made with eyelet from my stash. 
• Liberty Jane Leggings pattern with 1" added to the length and sewn in a shiny lycra.
• Simplicity 2458 sewn with a cotton Christmas print from my stash for the top. 

Cheetah ensemble

• Liberty Jane Mini Skirt sewn in an animal print-stamped patent leather.
• Liberty Jane T-shirt Variety Pack pattern for the long-sleeve metallic knit t-shirt.
• McCall's 3474 pattern for matching cheetah print lined boxy vest and tam.

Lined Faux Fur Coat and Loom Knitted Scarf
As I was sewing, Piper would call from another room (as she was banned from my sewing area) to give a suggestion of what to make.  At one point, she told me she wanted a winter coat. 

• DollclothesPatterns.net Hoodie pattern.  I altered the pattern to line the coat in turquoise satin and I added a closure to the front-- I love how it went together so easily!  This pattern was just under $10 but also included a top, pants, and directions for making fringed lace-up boots.  I will definitely be trying those boots, but not before Christmas!
• I made the scarf on the shortest Knifty Knitter long loom.  I used 8 pegs and did a simple double knit stockinette with leftover homespun yarn until it was 27" long.  I finished the ends without fringe.

Metallic top and suede mini 
I made a simple outfit to go under the coat. 

• Liberty Jane Mini Skirt sewn in faux suede.  One point to mention:  sew the center fronts and backs at 1/8" at the fold, not 1/4" to make it easier to put on the doll!   
• Liberty Jane T-shirt Variation Pack used for the long-sleeve t-shirt with 3/4 sleeves.  This black and gold metallic knit was one of Piper's top picks and it sewed together like a dream!

Gold Swirl Tank Dress

• Liberty Jane Happy Shiny Dress that was lengthened by an additional 1-1/2".  I also altered the neck to lower it so more of the t-shirt would show.  This crazy printed lycra was another of Piper's absolute top picks--- is her alter ego a professional wrestler???!!!
• Liberty Jane Trendy T-shirt pattern for undershirt.

Party Dress
Tell me you are impressed that I figured out how to get her doll to hold the baby Jesus without visible mechanisms! 

• Heritage Doll Fashions (purchased on the Liberty Jane website) Party Skirt pattern. This pattern allowed me to use my rolled hem foot!  (Yay me!)
• Liberty Jane Trendy Tank pattern sewn from knit with added trim and a few beads. 
• The bracelet was made, just like the necklaces, from Stretch Cord.

Glittery Mary Poppins custom t-shirt and leggings
I wanted to make a custom t-shirt for her doll with my Yudu Cardshop!  Piper's ballet school just announced that they would be performing Mary Poppins this spring.  All of the students will have a part, including the girls from Piper's class, and talking about Mary Poppins will be THE topic of conversation among the girls.  I thought it would be fun to use this theme for the t-shirt! 

• Liberty Jane Trendy T-shirt.  I altered the shirt front to raise the neck at the center 1/4".
• Liberty Jane Leggings shortened by 1".

I searched "Mary Poppins silhouette" on Google Images and found the graphic.  I just received my new custom-made Yudu Cardshop screens from Ryonet (click here for info on a past post on this blog for ordering info.  It took about 6 weeks to get but soooo worth it).  I burned the image on an 86 mesh screen on my big Yudu so that I could pull adhesive!  For info and tips on using the Yudu Cardshop, click here.


I used a new, unloved, unworn, unwashed, adult t-shirt and cut off a section to screen.

I used Plaid Simply Screen Foil and Glitter Adhesive and Yudu brand Glitter.

Instead of placing on the fold, I traced the full front pattern piece onto tissue paper so I could center the screened and glittered shape onto the front easily.

Hanging:
I wanted to help my daughter keep these outfits together, so I found a great deal on hangers and sewed loops to any garment that couldn't hang on (like the pants and hats).

Are you sick of this post yet?  I had one more thing for this gift: 

New bedding for her new doll (that we expect Santa to bring) to go on one of the doll beds. 

• I loom knitted the blanket using Bernat Baby Blanket super chunky #6 yarn, using nearly a whole skein.  I used the blue Knifty Knitter long loom, casting on 30 pegs.  I made a flat panel with a slip stitch edge.  The knitting finished at 18" long by 14" wide.  I turned down the top (cast on) edge and hand-sewed on a piece of cotton lace from my stash. 
• I created a pillow that finished at 11" x 4-1/2" using leftover eyelet fabric and trimming with more cotton lace.

Thank you for letting me share my sewing project!  I am so excited for Piper to open this gift!  I have a few BIG surprises for her planned too, but this gift was such a labor of love!  I also think all of her little girl friends at school will be getting doll clothes for their American Girl Dolls for their birthdays this year!  This has been so much fun!

My sources (just in case you were wondering):

• If you have a girl in your life who would love some fun, creative doll clothes, check out Liberty Jane Patterns.   I love, love, love these!!  They have several free patterns that will give you an idea of how they go together -definitely download the FREE Trendy T-shirt and FREE Trendy Tank!  Finding the Liberty Jane designs allowed me to be able to make modern, fun styles easily!  Aside from the free ones, all of the patterns are $3.99, but that is actually more expensive than the patterns you can find at the fabric store because you are buying a pattern for only one item of apparel.  Even so, I liked that I can get the pattern instantly as a PDF and that I can print them as needed on my computer.  I use 10x13 catalog envelopes and simply tape the first page of the pattern on as a label and put the guidebooks and my tissue pattern tracings inside.  Another plus to Liberty Jane designs:  very few pattern pieces.  This makes alterations for variety super easy!  The designs are just so straightforward and simple!
• Also check out DollClothesPatterns.net - not too many patterns, but I loved the hoodie coat. 
• Check out Britlyn Madison for great shoes--- and clothes if you are not a seamstress!  Wow- stuff so much cuter than in the actual American Girl Doll catalog.  I am hoping the shoes and boots I ordered will arrive before Christmas, but I am not sure that they will based on the tracking info.  (The footwear might be a New Years gift!) 
• I bought lots of hangers from a vendor on Amazon. 
• Aside from a couple of older fabrics from my stash, the fabrics I used were purchased from our local Hancock Fabrics.  The yarns were purchased at Walmart.

As always, thank you for your interest in my projects.  To see all of my paper crafts, check My Project Gallery.  For info on how to Yudu, check my Yudu page. 

Happy crafting and Merry Christmas!