How to Make a Doll Space Cadet Shirt Video Tutorial

I made a video and uploaded to my Facebook Page GiGi's Designs - Stitches2Paint
 On how I made a doll shirt with Space Cadet design using heat transfer vinyl and showed sewing it. Doll shirt is for boy or girl doll.

How to Make a Doll Space Cadet Shirt - Click Here to watch Video

Sewing Video Tutorial click above

  This is my custom American Boy Doll that I purchased several years ago. 

To Purchase the Doll Space Cadet shirt click here

As Always,  Thanks for stopping by and browsing my blog. God Bless

GiGi

Sewing Video Doll Clothes for Wellie Wishers - Mini Fox Print Doll Shirt and Leggings

Today I decided to do a live Facebook video on my business page GiGi's Designs  - Stitches 2 Paint and show how to sew a doll shirt and a pair of leggings for Wellie Wisher Dolls. I am new at doing Live FB videos and as with anything we get better the more times we do something. So its not perfect.

Here is Willa a Willie Wisher doll from American Girl doll wearing the outfit.

Here is the link to by Facebook page to view the live facebook video click ---> GiGis Designs Live FB video sewing Doll Clothes

As always hope you enjoyed the video ( note to self - will put phone on airplane mode or mute notifications - there were a couple of "dings" in the beginning)

GiGi

Love Cheer Doll Clothes with Doll Size Cheer Pom Pom Tutorial

I purchased a lot of Cheer designs to make some Cheer Doll clothes with.  Today I made a short set and used blue and white vinyl to create this Love Cheer set.

McKenna Brooks, an American Girl of the Year 2012 (GOTY 2012) is modeling this outfit.

The Letters LVE are chevron and the letter O has pom pom instead of letter O.  Blue shorts with white polka dots coordinates this outfit. 

Doll Size Cheer Pom Pom Tutorial 

 Here is a quick tutorial of how I made these cheer pom poms after watching a YoutTube video on making adult size and I just made my doll size and I used plastic table clothes that I purchased at Dollar tree.  I used my rotary cutter and cut them into small strips - I would fold the plastic table cloths several times until it was about 6 inches wide. Trim off a small amount on each side to make single layers.  I would cut the strips about 1/4 inches wide,  alternate them and placed them all together and I used a zip tie with a pony tail holder and looped around a bunch of them keeping them secure. Trim off excess zip tie.   I took a blow dryer very careful not to get to close waving it back and forth to get the crinkle affect. While the plastic strips were still warm I  crunched them up in my hand. 

Photo Tutorial  

Now cut the white strips just like you did the blue strips

Gather up your stips - alternate your colors until you feel you have enough to make a thick pom pom. 

After you have the amount you want then use your zip tie and pony tail holder to keep them secure.

You can use different size sip ties and pony tail holders - just keep in mind smaller is better.  Larger pony tail hold as shown with the white one in photo you will need to wrap around dolls hand several times to keep the pom pom in her hand.  With the smaller one as shown using the blue pony tail holder will only wrap around once.  When choosing zip tie want to get the color that coordinates with the color of plastic using.  My first one I made I only had black and it work fine in the blue and white pom pom.

Cut excess zip tie 

Use blow drier after you have strips secured.  Scrunch in hand while waving hot air from blowing drier over strips.  Be careful not to melt the strips. Continue until you have the desired effects.

Here I used a larger pony tail hold and a black zip tie when I made this in 2015. Still works great for play and photo shoots. 

The pony tail holder is what you wrap around the dolls hand to have them stay put in the dolls hands. 

 McKenna's blue eyes looks great with this outfit

 GiGi's Doll Creations on Etsy to purchase this outfit or request one in different colors.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial, if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask me.  

Using Brother ScanNCut to Cut Fabric for Doll Clothes - American Girl Doll

I am really excited about writing today's blog tutorial. I was compensated by Brother to create doll clothes using this machine to scan the patterns and cut the fabric and to post this tutorial with the Brother ScanNCut .

As I mentioned earlier, I am really excited about this machine.  When it first came out I thought it was only for those quilting.  I never researched this machine. Earlier this year I was at my local Brother Dealer and seen a store display of how this machine cut's vinyl. This machine is so unique with all the endless possibilities that it can do. 

I'm going to share how I used the ScanNCut to create  this Halter Top by cutting the fabric on

Here is the ScanNCut machine - taken out of the box.  As you can see on the front of the machine is says "See it", Scant it" and "Cut it".  That is just exactly what this machine does.

Below are the accessories that come with the machine.  You can draw and get 6 different pens to use.  Blade holder and pen holder. Two pens for seam allowance. screen touch pen, spatula for living fabric or whatever you have cut. Mat's (12 x 24) - low tack adhesive mat and standard mat - this is the one used for fabric.  There are additional mats to purchase 12 x 24 for doll clothing larger than the standard mat 12 x 12. Optional purchase of photo scanning mat. 

Below here is the ScanNCut front cover opened and this is where you load the mat and either use pen hold for seam allowance/draw or use the cutting blade to cut with.

First I prepared the fabric prior to cutting by ironing and using starch on the fabric. When I first read this tip about using starch, I was under the impression that this would make the fabric stiff as a board. I thought to myself how "is this going to work".  As you can tell I don't use starch when I iron clothing. My past experience of growing up seeing items starched was firm and crisp.  I used Fautless Premium professional starch.  The fabric was not stiff like a board. It was perfect. 

I made several shirts using several prints from Hello Kitty so you will notice there are different prints in this tutorial.

 For my first project of cutting fabric I wanted to do a simple pattern and I chose the 1970's Reversible Halter Top from Eden Ava Couture Patterns I scanned the top pattern into the machine using the scan mat

I removed the mat and then made a duplicate of the the same pattern - instructions call for two fabrics.  This is my first time cutting on the machine so I went ahead and cut two tops using the same fabric (but did not sew them together).

 I placed the fabric right side facing down on the mat. Next I went ahead and did a background scan of the fabric, this shows you how the pattern will be placed on the fabric. Fabric is placed right side down on the mat (when you are looking at the mat you are looking at the back of the fabric)

Adding Seam Allowance:  The Brother ScanNCut will allow you to choose several measurements - 1/4 inch is the normal for doll clothes.  Below is the blue pen for seam allowance. The blue pen can be erased with water whereas the purple pen will disappear 2-14 days after applying it to fabric. 

 Below in this photo you can see my 1/4 inch seam allowance inside the pattern.  I did not need this for this pattern but wanted to show this feature. 

Below in the photo is the fabric cut and showing the 1/4 inch seam allowance. I did not need the seam allowance for this pattern but wanted to show the feature.  Remember if you are adding seam allowance you must place your fabric with wrong side facing you. To use the seam allowance feature you just click on the "draw" on screen to draw your seam allowance. After that, you are ready to cut.  You will then click on the "cut " button on the screen. 

I used the standard mat (turquoise and purple mat) Here is the machine cutting white polka dot fabric that I will be using on the reversible side of the top. Note fabric is right side up facing me.  My blade is cut speed 1 and  pressure cut of 5.

 Below I am using the spatula and removing the excess fabric and removing the fabric that I will sewing to make the reversible halter top for the American Girl doll. 

 Shown here are two fabrics cut with the ScanNCut machine perfect and precise cut.

Cutting fabric with this machine was EASY.  Yes, it took a little bit to understand and read the manual/controls/features, but after doing a test on a circle and then I went straight into cutting the fabric for doll clothing. 

Here is the reversible side fabric. 

 Modeling reversible halter top is McKenna - American Girl of the Year 2012

Want to purchase this machine?  I would recommend you visit your local Brother dealer for a one on one consultant to see which model best fits your needs.  You can also  check out this website for the model I used for this tutorial ScanNCut model CM550DX

You can also review and compare other ScanNCut models  click here 

Will I be using this machine again - you bet!  I cannot wait to try it on  making doll shoes, bristol board, foam and other doll clothing patterns.  You maybe saying - I wasted some fabric - yes I think I did a little.  But this was my first time cutting out fabric and you can move your patterns around and fit them as close as you want and decrease your fabric waste.  I think at first it maybe a little time consuming to load your patterns in (you can store patterns on machine or on a USB flash drive) however, I personally believe in the long run it will save time,  by providing you the ability to cut precise  the exact pattern, and you have the option of adding seam allowance to fabric to make doll clothes.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and my personal opinion of the Brother ScanNCut machine. I look forward to using it again and again.  Be sure and click "Joint this Site" to upcoming tutorials, tips, and doll clothing for American Girl or other 18 inch dolls using the ScanNCut I will be providing more tutorials in the upcoming weeks.  

As always - thank you for stopping by and reading my blog and I hope I have been an inspiration to you in sewing doll clothes.

GiGi

Full Disclosure: I was provided with a free machine and have been compensated for the projects and tutorials that I have personally created.  My opinions and my thoughts are my own and cannot be purchased. 

18 inch doll Sewing Machine, Iron, Ironing board Tutorial

When Isabelle Palmer American Girl of the Year 2014 made her debut January 2014, I fell in love with her beauty and her sewing attributes.  I purchased the doll on January 1, 2014.  The sewing machine and her accessories is more that I can afford.  I was talking with my husband and he said he would build be a sewing machine, iron and ironing board. I have put together a photo tutorial on how he made these items for me.

 

He had some scrap wood and glued three pieces of wood to make the machine.   He cut the tip off of a wooden dowel (5/8) for the dial for machine stitch selection. He drilled out a hole for it to attach and glued it.

He used 8D finishing nail to made the pressure foot and used a small picture hanger and cut a slit in the center to made a pressure foot.  He hammered it into wood. He used a small cap - red one in photo from an oil container he had in the garage. He drilled a hole in the center and used a 8D finishing nail to attach to the side of machine. He cut tiny slits into and used a black sharpie to make black lines.

 

He painted it white covering up pressure foot. He used another nail on top of sewing machine to hold spool of thread.  Measurements for sewing machine. Base is 2 1/2 inches wide and 5 1/2 inches in length.  Sewing machine is about 4 1/2 inches tall. The dial on side measures 1 inch. Dial on front is 1/2 inch inch.

 

 

 

 

 I had some miniature spools of thread and they worked perfect.

I purchased the sewing kit from Michaels (cost one dollar), and I purchased the round box from the Dollar Tree. I made the dress form, he had already made the chair, table/desk, and night stand that I used as a side table, folded some scraps of fabric and placed on bottom shelf. These items worked perfect to create Isabelle's sewing room. I had some buttons and I used a straight pin to attaché them to the wall for a decoration above sewing machine.  I used my three trifold poster that  glued scrapbook paper onto to make a wall.

 

Below is the sewing kit - perfect size scissors and tweezers for the 18 inch doll hands.

 

He made the ironing board - still need to make a cover for it.  It actually folds like a real one.

 

He cut out the wood to make the iron and glued the handle to the wood. The ironing board is 14 inches long, 5 1/4 inches wide.  The legs measures 11 inches and the wood that sits on the floor is 3 inches long.

Iron is two inches (could be made a little bigger). Painted iron pink and silver.

 

Here are some snapshots of Isabelle's sewing room. We used a silver paint pin to create a faux bobbin holder under the pressure foot.

 Her is Isabelle using her iron and ironing board

 

I hope this tutorial is an inspiration to you. My husband did not have plans.  He designed his own.  Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions. As always, thanks for reading my blog.

GiGi