Doll Dressmaking Series: Pants Two Ways

A while back, I did a tutorial for capris. Making pants is the same as making capris, with one exception, the American Girl doll pants have a side seam. If you are sewing for an AG doll and need help sewing the side seam or determining order of sewing the seams, this tutorial includes side seams. The capris tutorial is here, and can be used with the pants patterns just sent out with this newsletter for pants or capris.

Pattern pieces for these pants and other tutorials can be obtained by subscribing to my newsletter. Subscription box is on the right of this blog post.

To make these pants with the trim at the bottom, you will need to cut out the capris-length pants.

First, apologies, I chose a fabric that is the same on the wrong side as the right side. To try to lessen the confusion, I have tried to mark in the tutorial which is the wrong side and which is the right. This is what the American Girl Pattern Pieces look like:

Wellie Wishers, Sasha, both sizes of Phoebe pattern look like this and do not need a side seam and look like this:

For the American Girl Pattern, first sew the side seams with right sides together. All other pattern sizes, after the side seams, your directions are the same

Next, you will sew the front center seam with right sides together.

Sew Center Front seam.

If you are adding the trim flourish, fold each piece of trim in half, wrong sides together.Next, we will sew on the trim at the bottom of each leg.

Sew the trim pieces to the bottom of each pant leg, right sides together. Keep the trim pieces folded when you sew/attach them.

Sewing trim piece to bottom of pants leg.

Open and iron. If you want to add rick rack or another trim (completely optional), sew that on.

Next, you will sew the casing for the waist elastic and tunnel in the elastic. To determine the elastic length, measure the waist of your doll and cut the elastic. The waist elastic needs to be slightly shorter than her waist, and once you sew it in, it will be. I used 3/8 inch elastic. Directions for tunneling your elastic are here.

To make the casing, first hem your fabric 1/4 inch. Then fold it over about 1/2 inch and sew.

Hem ¼ inch to start elatic casing.

Next, fold over enough to encase the elastic.

Tunnel elastic through the casing. Directions are in this capris tutorial. The photo below also shows you how. Be sure to stitch the first end of the elastic so you don’t accidentally pull it out.

Sew the back center seam.

Sew the center leg seams and flip right side out.

You are done! The pants are ready to wear! I added a matching top made out of the bodice pattern in the basic patterns. I will have a tutorial for that next time.

The Uthando Project: Sewing Dolls for South Africa

Dolls bring many people great joy. Dolls can also bring the opportunity to spread joy. Aussie doll maker Julie Dodd became involved with the Uthando Project in 2018. The Uthando Project is a Perth-based charity that started 20 years ago.  Uthando is a Zulu word meaning love. The dolls are made by sewers in Australia and donated to children in need in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.

The charity was founded by Julie Stone a child psychologist and early developmental specialist in Kia Zulu Natal.  Julie was working out of a clinic. In the waiting room was one plastic Caucasian doll and every child who visited wanted to take that doll home. When Julie came back to Australia she asked all her friends who could sew, to help her make comforter dolls to gift to her young clients who were suffering from abuse, neglect and malnutrition.

The charity has grown over the years and there are now groups all over Australia. Approximately 5,000 dolls are donated each year, but there are over 11 million children living in poverty in South Africa, so there’s lots of doll making still to be done.

Julie Dodd, a retired fashion technology teacher, became involved in 2018 when she met the chairperson of the Perth branch of the charity. Julie began to enlist sewers from her community in Sydney. Some of the many sewers she has enlisted are featured on her Instagram (link at the end). 

Each doll is donated with a spare change of clothes, some undies, a blanket, a handbag, and a backpack to put all the goodies in. Julie pattern makes the dolls clothes and works with a digitizer to machine embroider the dolls. Some of the garments are made in the hoop of an embroidery machine. 

Dodd says she receives so many inspiring stories and photos from the five organizations who distribute the dolls in South Africa. 

More about the dolls and the organization can be found at the Uthando Project Website. Also for heartwarming inspiration, follow Julie Dodd’s Instagram.

Donating Doll Sets to Dana Farber/Jimmy Fund Children

In 2022, I found myself in an amazing trial at Dana Farber Cancer Institute for an aggressive parotid gland cancer. I was there every day for seven weeks, and then every three weeks for the following year. So I was there a lot. Each time I spotted a child there for treatment, I froze. I froze for two reasons, one the heartache of knowing what that child and family were going through, and two, I had the urge to give them a doll as a companion for their journey.

I began making doll sets with the hope that I could be connected with the children. Each set had: A doll (boys and girls) A hospital gown, pajamas, two outfits, a bucket hat, a backpack with a stuffed animal inside, a quilt and a tote bag to carry it all.

I was so grateful when my oncology team set me up with the social worker at The Jimmy Fund (where children are treated). I was all set to bring sets.

Flash forward three years, I still bring sets as often as I can, and always when I have scans. I have heard the sets are treasured and dolls are often toted along to appointments. However, I still have a hard time when I see a child going through treatment.

And as a side note, the trial was a success for me, I am in remission and running, cycling, hiking, traveling and most importantly, sewing.

A girl set.

On the front page of the monthly DFCI Newsletter.

Bucket hats

Explaining Phoebe Doll Sizes

Currently there are four sizes of Phoebe&Egg dolls. I admit their names: Regular Phoebe, Medium Phoebe, ExtraSmall Phoebe and Baby Egg don't shed enough light on their sizes. 

When I started Phoebe&Egg, I only made the 23 inch Phoebe and a 15 inch baby egg. Four years later, I have added and eliminated sizes as I've grown to understand what people want.

All of the current sizes

The largest doll is 23 inch (regular) Phoebe. Although 23 inches sounds big, she is mostly lank leg and feels about the same size or smaller than an American Girl doll. She has a pattern set that comes with her. 

Medium Phoebe is 16.5 inches tall. She is more portable than large Phoebe and easier to sew for than ExtraSmall Phoebe. She also has a pattern set that comes with her.

ExtraSmall Phoebe is 14 inches, very light, very portable, but trickier to sew for. sewing small is tricky. She also comes with a set of patterns.

baby Egg is 11 inches big. She seems like the perfect baby size for Medium Phoebe. She does not yet have a set of patterns. I'm hoping she soon will.

I'm hoping the photos below can help you compare.

View fullsize

These are the fours sizes. Click to enlarge.

ExtraSmall and Medium Phoebe are closer in size than any others. here they are together.

Medium and ExtraSmall Phoebe.

And here are their clothing sizes. Hope this was helpful.

Their clothing sizes

Kiki, the delivery doll

As many of you know, I divide my time between doll-making and helping run and fundraise for my brother's group home. I love the 12 residents in that group home and feel very lucky to be a part of their lives.

So when I was contacted by the mother of a 23-year-old Autistic boy to make a custom doll, I felt like my two worlds had suddenly merged.

Brenda wrote to me asking if I could make a doll of Michael's favorite character, Kiki, the delivery girl. She had several specific customizations for Michael. The hair needed to be yarn for sensory reasons. That was easy since all of my dolls have yarn hair. Two, she had to be more realistic, more like Kiki, than Phoebe is. This meant shortening her limbs and including the whites of her eyes. She said Michael is very literal and would notice these types of details.

And Kiki needed to be tough. Kiki might be slept with, rolled over or tossed around.

I love a doll challenge and I especially loved this one. Although I had never met Michael, I had some understanding of Michael's world. I had a mission and went to work.

Kiki the Delivery Doll

A few details about Kiki:

1. She has shorter limbs to be realistic
2. She has whites in her eyes
3. Her bow is stitched down.
4. Her red shoes are stitched on.
5. She has two dresses because in the cartoon sometimes her dress appears deep Navy and sometimes it appears a purply blue. I wasn't sure which Michael would think was realistic.
6. She has a simple sturdy messenger bag.
7. She wants to go live with Michael.

Kiki flew off to Canada, where she met Michael. Michael's Mom waited for the right time to introduce the two. And Michael's Mom, her devotion reminds me of my Mom's devotion to my brother, which makes me a little weepy.

Michael and Kiki the Delivery Doll, both looking pretty sharp.

A Few Words About Ruby Bridges

The Norman Rockwell painting, The Problem We all Live With, depicting Ruby Bridges 

Many of us know about Ruby Bridges by the 1964 Norman Rockwell painting titled "The Problem We All Live With". Four years before the painting appeared in Look magazine, Ruby Bridges, a six-year-old first grader, was the first and only black student to enter The William Frantz Elementary School. In early 1960, she had been one of six black children in New Orleans to pass the test that allowed her to go the all-white school. But in the end, the other five children did not go. Ruby was the only child who attended. She was escorted by her mother and four Federal Marshalls. Every day.

At school, she faced a mob of angry white parents, teachers who refused to teach her and the hatred extended into her home life. Her father and her grandparents lost their jobs. The Bridges' grocery store would no longer let her family shop there.

Ruby is one of, if not the bravest, six-year-old in history. I have wanted to make a Ruby doll for some time. I thought her story would inspire many little girls, and boys. 

However, I did not expect my Ruby doll to have her own school story.

Ruby Bridges, the doll.

Ruby and her school bag

After posting a photo of Ruby, the doll, on Instagram and Facebook, a teacher contacted me to ask if Ruby was still available because her first-grade class had been studying Ruby. As we messaged back and forth, it turned out that she taught at the elementary school on my street (at the school all three of my children had loved).  This was where Ruby belonged— in a first-grade classroom.

So last week, Ruby went to first grade again. She was greeted by wonderful posters about her. A display of books about her. And most of all a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable group of first graders. I heard that Ruby was kind, smart, proud, quiet, but most of all brave.

Thank you, Mrs. Greene, for the invitation and such a great idea. Ruby loves her new classroom.

Mrs. Greene reads one of the many books about Ruby.

One of the many posters about Ruby.

Historical Heroines: Pure Inspiration for Young Girls

The author and her daughter

Through each of her books, children’s book author Elizabeth Lorayne seeks to inspire. Her first two books inspired children to think about the flora and fauna of the more remote places on earth. Through her haiku and the adventures of Piratess Tilly, the Galapagos and Easter Island came to life.

Her latest book, the first in her Historical Heroines series, is also educational, and interactive, but in the old-fashioned sense of interactive. The way children interacted with a book before iPads and Kindles. It’s coloring book of the pioneering women scientists of the 18th and nineteenth century. There were many. Elizabeth covers 30 in the book and then gives a mention to over twenty more in the additional resources.

The book is brilliantly organized. The choice of scientists covers a broad range of science: mathematics, chemistry, botany, astronomy, physics, genetics, naturalism, botanical and scientific illustration, paleontology, geology, entomology, and zoology. Each scientist has a spread, with a coloring page and a brief bio. Key scientific terms in the bio are highlighted and those words are explained in the glossary. 

In addition to a spread, Elizabeth authors additional resources on each heroine for those who want to further explore the discoveries and life of their favorite heroine. 

As Elizabeth learned of these women’s lives, she was keenly aware of the discrimination they fought at every step, beginning with their education and continuing throughout their careers. 

“What’s most remarkable is how hard these women worked to pursue their passion, their dreams, and their talents despite this discrimination. These women scientists were incredible role models, showing us that no matter the obstacles when you persevere, you can achieve anything.” 

Elizabeth worked with illustrator Kendra Shedenhelm and science historian Michael D. Barton to create the coloring book. The book is available in bookstores and on Amazon.

And… there are dolls to go along with the book!

“I had worked with Kendra on creating the Piratess Tilly and Yuki dolls so I knew it was possible to take some of her artwork and turn it into a doll.

“For this first doll of Ada Lovelace, I had Kendra extend her dress and make changes to the pattern on her dress a bit. 

“I imagine the scientist pillow-dolls being a fun addition to a tween or even a teens bedroom – something a bit different inspiring, and edgy. How often do you see a brilliant historical woman in science as a pillow, let alone a doll? I included a pocket on the back that has a small card with a bit of information about who Ada Lovelace was.”

The other side of Ada

Doll Dressmaking Series: Puffy Sleeves

Finally, a new tutorial. And I cut into my cherished Liberty fabric to make it. A double bonus... I hope.

A few months back I showed you how to make a doll dress with a basic sleeve. And a dress with a ruffled sleeve. Puffed sleeves takes those two skills one easy step further. 

Form for the puffed sleeve is at the end of this post.

I'm attaching the puff sleeve pattern to the basic dress with a Peter Pan collar pattern. The dress is lined as described in the original tutorial, which can be found here.

So follow the instructions for the basic dress until it is time to make and attach the sleeves.

For puffed sleeves, you have a wider sleeve so the top will be gathered before you attach it to the armhole and the bottom will be puffed by making an elastic casing.

Hemming and making a casing for the elastic.

1. Press the bottom of each sleeve up 1/4 inch.

2. Machine stitch down.

3. Fold up again, about 3/8" and press. Stitch this down. This will form your elastic casing. Later, after you've attached the sleeves you will thread the elastic through this.

Basting the armhole edges

Baste both of the armhole edges. I do this to make sure the dress fabric and lining stay lined up.

1. Set your stitch length to the longest stitch length and sew two rows of stitches. Do not secure the ends of either of these rows. You will need to pull threads to gather, so leave a long thread at the end of each of these two rows of stitches. For more on gathering, look here. Scroll halfway down the tutorial for the gathering info.

2. After making the gathering rows for both sleeves, remember to clear your stitch length. You want to resume sewing with a regular stitch length, not super long stitches.

3. Pull your long threads to gather the top of the sleeve. It should be gathered until it is the length of the armhole.

Fitting the gathered sleeve to armhole

1. I think this is the trickiest part of sewing a puffed sleeve—gathering until the sleeve cap fits the armhole edge.

2. It's often hard to tall if you hold it this way.

3. I find, putting right sides together and bending it along the curve like this works best.

Attaching the puffed sleeves.

1. Secure threads and gathering (so it doesn't loosen while you are sewing) by winding around a pin, like this.

2. Pin sleeve (or wonderclip).

3. Sew making sure you sew on or below the second row of gathering so it does not show. You can also sew between the two rows and pull out the row that shows.

Threading the elastic

1. Cut two pieces of elastic. For Phoebe they should be at least 5 inches. For AG and Waldorf dolls at least 6 inches. I use 1/4 inch elastic.. The elastic has to be thin enough to slide through the casing you made.

2. You can thread the elastic through the casing with a number of things. Pictured here— a bodkin, a safety pin or an elastic threader. 

3 and 4. Thread the elastic through. You will need to secure the elastic on each end as shown below.

For Phoebe the bottom of the sleeve should end up approximately 4 inches. For AG dolls and Waldorf, probably a little under 5 inches.

Once the elastic is secured, you can sew up your side seams and finish your dress. 

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Doll Dressmaking: Fancy Sleeves Tutorial

"Fancy" sleeves can give a doll dress 70s retro look, or even a medieval look. You can make the bottom of the sleeves wider for a more extreme look. I lined my sleeves, but the bottom can be unlined or edged in trim. Have fun

Cut out pieces for the dress, sleeve, lining, and dress lining.

Cut out dress pieces, should be 7 excluding lining

And lining pieces, should be 3

Sew together shoulder seams of dress and lining as shown below.

Place lining and dress together with right sides together, pin or wonder clip. Sew one long seam beginning at the bottom of the center back`around neck and back down the other side of the center back.

Turn right sides out and press.

Stitch along each armhole making sure you are stitching through both the dress fabric and the lining fabric. This is to baste the two fabrics together so they stay together when sewing the sleeves in.

Place the sleeve bottom and the corresponding lining pieces together (right sides together) and stitch. Then turm right sides out and press.

Stitch sleeve bottom to sleeve top as shown below and press. If you are using trim stitch it on at this stage just above the seam.

Pin sleeves to armholes. You could do a slight gather with one row of stitching. This is called an ease. Or you can just make a tiny tuck at the top as you are sewing (see my tuck above the arrow). Sew side seams, hem, add snaps or velcro and you are done.

Below is an example of "fancy Sleeves" used for a medieval look. The pattern pieces for this sleeve will be available in my newsletter which may even be done tonight.

Phoebe is now a new size: 16.5 inches

Phoebe doll for The Nutcracker, whose name will be Phoebe in the Show!

About two months ago, I was asked to design a doll to be used in The House Theater of Chicago's Nutcracker performance. ExtraSmall Phoebe was too small and Regular sized Phoebe was too big. So I offered to try and make a doll that was in the middle, a few inches taller than ExtraSmall Phoebe.

Although I sometimes resist trying new things, I am inevitably glad I did. I was smitten with the new size. She had the substance of the larger Phoebe, but she was portable. As many of us know, sewing small is tricky. So the small increase in size made her easier to sew for than ExtraSmall Phoebe.

And while we are on the topic of sewing... she comes with a pattern set. This pattern set includes a few more sleeve options than the other sets. 

She is a great size to sew for!

At the moment, there is one in the shop ready to ship. I am not certain I will have another ready before the holidays. This one has a great wardrobe and best of all—glasses!

You can find her here: