Author Topic: American Girl patterns (Read 8223 times)

lyra · « **Reply #35 on:** February 03, 2009, 12:50:02 PM »

Well, you inspired me to pull out a "new" old 18" doll pattern and work on Ana's valentine's day present. She's getting some new doll clothes, since Kate likes to hoard all the ones they currently have. This is a dress from Butterick 5110.

I'm WFH due to snow today, so that was a nice lunchtime project to slip in

Karendee · « **Reply #36 on:** February 03, 2009, 02:31:38 PM »

Cute, cute outfit.

Karen

Doris W. in TN · « **Reply #37 on:** February 17, 2009, 02:49:53 PM »

I went to the American Girl doll clothes class today at my sewing machine dealer, and actually finished a dress in 4 hours! It was so easy and fun; I think I'm hooked.

Now I need someone who owns an AGdoll or wait until I have grandchildren. After years of laboring over clothes for myself, it was such a treat to not have to alter a pattern and actually get something finished in the same day.

cmarie12 · « **Reply #38 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:06:27 PM »

Ah Doris watch out - its easy to get hooked on sewing these! I know!

ejvc · « **Reply #39 on:** November 03, 2009, 03:49:33 AM »

OK, a quick update to show all the dolly clothes I've made after the apron and apron-dress for Kristina. Dolly clothes are fun! I actually have Addy's school suit nearly complete, and I'll be making a nightie for my niece's Julie (with matching for her) for Christmas.

Here is a link to the whole set on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/70432257@N00/sets/72157613273865377/ - shows more details than below

Set now includes the apron and apron-dress I showed before; the school dress and shawl; the chemise, pantalettes, and petticoat; the sunbonnet; and the nightgown. I think the only thing I haven't made from the pattern is the spoon bag.

Apron-dress and apron:

School dress and shawl:

Underthings:

Nightgown:

lyra · « **Reply #40 on:** November 03, 2009, 04:02:46 AM »

beautiful! those are so detailed- did you do all the embroidery yourself?

ejvc · « **Reply #41 on:** November 03, 2009, 04:07:24 AM »

Hi Lyra -- I did the yoke and cuffs on the nightgown by hand, all the other embroidery (including all the eyelet trim on the pantalettes!) was done on my machine, using the deco stitches. I did the hemstitching/eyelets using a wing needle. It was also my first experience machine embroidering scalloped edges. Fun!

Martha Domke · « **Reply #42 on:** November 04, 2009, 12:34:40 AM »

I really like your doll clothes. You have done a wonderful job making them, and I am impressed with the decorative stitches you used. Aren't our sewing machines terrific??

Lau(ren) · « **Reply #43 on:** November 10, 2009, 09:20:42 PM »

Like so many others have already said, all this talk about AG dolls makes me want my mom to bring it up to me the next time she visits. I'm sure my BF would *LOVE* for me to become obsessed with clothing little people...

stashpanache · « **Reply #44 on:** November 10, 2009, 11:06:06 PM »

I love those. What beautiful work. Are those dolls AG? Their faces look different but then, it is getting late and I am tired. hehe

I just bought a new book by Joan Hinds. It's called Sew Todays Fashions and it has knitting patterns for sweaters in addition to the sewing patterns. KK LOVES it! Her BD is in April. She will be 5. I am planning on sewing her a bunch of clothes. But, we don't spend $110 for an AG doll at this point. Her dolls are Madame Alexander and cost $29.95. She already knows about AG and no doubt will want one but I think she is too young. She brushes her MA doll hair and it is a mess. AG has a craft center with a sewing machine that I would love to get for KK because they are going to discontinue after Christmas. But, it is so spendy.

ejvc · « **Reply #45 on:** November 11, 2009, 01:27:22 AM »

Hi Stash, thanks for the compliments! I do have one AG doll but the one in the pictures is a Götz. They are absolutely lovely dolls and stand up well to play. Also AG holds its resale value pretty well! I think myself they are worth paying for what you'd pay for a videogame or something that will be obsolete you'll have a lovely doll that will be able to be handed down. I should add though that you can get used dolls on eBay and on CraigsList. For a doll in pretty good condition they seem to be going for $60-$90. My AG doll I bought from a forum member for $80. I think my Götz doll (from the Precious Day collection) is equal in quality to the AG doll, and was cheaper (and available in the UK, which was the clincher for me). She came in modern clothes that I gave away...

With dolly hair, you can try combing with water, particularly warm/hot water - the hair is vinyl so the heat help it relax and you can curl it; some also recommend dipping the head in a sink full of fabric softener ("Downy dunk").

People on the forum I frequent have not loved the sewing machine because the presser foot goes up and down instead of a needle, which is weird, otherwise it looks nice.

I myself am willing to pay for the dolls and books, but not for the clothes because I can make them, and I like mine better than AG's! I have that Joan Hinds book and another one. Also the historical patterns are available for free (www.agplaythings.com). There are a range of nice sellers on etsy and eBay who do handmade clothes -- I like terristouch on etsy but she does mostly historical. Liberty Jane, who do fabulous modern stuff, also have a few patterns out that get good reviews, as does Bunny Bear (historical era). I think you can just google their names.

Elizabeth

ejvc · « **Reply #46 on:** November 11, 2009, 02:58:49 AM »

A new set of clothes now up on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/70432257@N00/sets/72157622656568405/ - an 1860s outfit; Addy's School Suit from the Pleasant Company patterns.

Here's one photo:

vtmartha · « **Reply #47 on:** November 11, 2009, 05:12:00 AM »

What lovely dolly attire, Elizabeth! My DDs had AG dolls when they were first available. One of them had to go back to AG for a hair appointment at least once. I wish I'd known your hair tips then. I think my DDs did most of their own dolly sewing. It kept them entertained and left me a bit of my own time.

I bought a MA doll for my stepdaughter a few years earlier and I always thought the MA dolls were pricier than the AGs. I don't recall a doll from my childhood. I was my daddy's oldest 'son' and was plied with mechanical toys.

stashpanache · « **Reply #48 on:** November 11, 2009, 08:24:16 AM »

Another beautiful dress.

Thank you for the information. I like the faces on your Gotz and our MA dolls better than AG dolls. They are prettier to me. I guess I will have to look into forums for 18" doll sewing after Christmas.

Stash

Claudine · « **Reply #49 on:** March 05, 2010, 11:52:22 AM »

My older daughter wants an American Girl doll for her birthday, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to sew outfits for it. Does anyone here have favorite patterns for these dolls? If there is already a discussion thread for this kind of thing, please point me toward it. Thanks!

ejvc · « **Reply #50 on:** March 05, 2010, 12:14:20 PM »

Oh, Claudine, get ready for a treat! I love sewing for these dolls. First of all, you can get the original Pleasant Company designs which enthusiasts have scanned and posted. These give you a series of historical outfits, and are of course great value for money. Their construction instructions are not very good, just so you know.

http://www.agplaythings.com

I also have a range of favourite seamstresses whose work I follow - including

Melody Valerie Couture
Liberty Jane
A lady I only know as Tomi Jane who makes the most gorgeous clothes
Dollies' Dressmaker
Dollhouse Designs
Terri's Touch on eBay sells versions of clothes mostly made from the Pleasant Co patterns I think

I don't sew much modern stuff so I don't have an opinion about that too much, but Liberty Jane is the hot hot hot designer :-) as far as I've been able to gather. I use the Pleasant Co patterns, I've looked at some of the OOP vogue patterns, which I like; I know the museum at Colonial Williamsburg sells some more authentic colonial patterns; and a lady named Med Welch sells some nice older ones.

Ack, I know more and I haven't finished the links but I've got to run now!

Lisa · « **Reply #51 on:** March 05, 2010, 12:34:08 PM »

Hi Claudine!

The thread you want is titled "American Girl patterns." I'm merging this thread with that one!

Enjoy sewing for your daughter's doll!

I look forward to seeing the results.

Lisa

Lorraine · « **Reply #52 on:** March 05, 2010, 06:28:36 PM »

I bought Kirsten (an American Girl doll), so I could sew for her. Her face looks better than the pictures in the catalogs, as she is my sweet little doll, however I wish I had gotten a Gotz "Sarah's World" doll, instead, as the pictures of that one reveal that doll's absolutely, lovely face vs the bug-eyed, somewhat toothy AG doll. At least my doll is a blue-eyed blonde, so her eyes don't stand out so garishly, as would dark pupils. Sarah is about the same height (she's 19.5") as an AG doll, and the price isn't so far off. Look her up on the internet, and you might fall in love with that one! I'm not really knocking the AG dolls, too much, but my jaw dropped with my regret, when I saw the beautiful Gotz doll on the internet! You have to look at the face on the six ones called Sarah...Tennis, Spa, Ballet, Going to a Party, Loves Horseback Riding, And her Dog, as there is a second Sarah's World doll by Gotz that portrays winter subjects. Her face is not the one to which I am referring. BTW, does anyone have any tips on handling those tiny seams, on those small pieces of fabric? I guess I'm just a novice with them. Maybe I need to cut parts of the patterns with bigger seam allowances, so I have something to hold onto as I sew. I've tried only one shirt pattern, so far, and thought hand sewing might be more satisfying for it. And then there's my even smaller doll, my vintage reproduction Barbie, to try to sew for?!?!?!! The heck with it...just glue them together!!! Just joking 'cause then I'd have to join a Gluers Guild, instead of Stitchers Guild!!! LOL

famorose · « **Reply #53 on:** March 06, 2010, 06:40:28 AM »

Lorraine,

My favorite subject!
There are 7 AG dolls in our house but none are really new. Mostly hand-me-downs so I'm constantly making clothes for all of them.

Here's a few tips I've learned over the years:

For thin cotton or slippery fabric cut the pattern pieces with just a bare tad of extra seam allowance. Lay each piece on a larger piece of lining & hand baste or machine stitch the two together & then cut away the excess lining. Treat the two layers as one. This gives a more solid piece to work with.

To finish the seams I either set my serger to the narrowest width possible, or trim the edges carefully & do a close ZZ. Narrow curves are not easy to serge.

I also use a water-soluable staybilizer under more dense stitch patterns, or tear-away, if it can be removed easily.

Don't forget FrayCheck for those tiny places that still might need reinforcing.

On the subject of different types of dolls, I've found that not all AG dolls are the same size. I downloaded the PDF file that's currently on line but the patterns were too small for several of our dolls so it pays to take a few measurements before cutting.

Making doll clothes has been more fun for me than a life time of making adult clothes! At least the dolls don't argue back.
Have fun,
FranA.

Claudine · « **Reply #54 on:** March 08, 2010, 07:45:36 PM »

Thanks, Lisa, for pointing me to this thread. Elizabeth, I love the photos of your doll. My dd's friends all seem to have AG dolls, so she wants one, too. I told her that she can sew for it, since she got a sewing machine for Christmas. I've noticed that all the pattern companies have 18" doll clothes, so I'll get her some patterns and see how she does.

ejvc · « **Reply #55 on:** December 31, 2010, 03:28:58 PM »

A new gown for my niece's doll that I sewed with her. She arranged the lace on the stomacher and helped me a tiny bit in other ways.

It has an alternate stomacher that gives a different look

More on the blog.

etc: first image url

Doris W. in TN · « **Reply #56 on:** December 31, 2010, 04:43:54 PM »

Quote

A new gown for my niece's doll that I sewed with her.

What a gorgeous garment and your workmanship is beautiful. I've taken a couple AG classes at my sewing machine dealer, and now have an appreciation for these. It is so nice to finish something in a day or two..

shams · « **Reply #57 on:** December 31, 2010, 04:52:02 PM »

So cute, Elizabeth! Both my girls had more than one AG doll, but they never really "took" to them, so I never sewed any clothes.

ejvc · « **Reply #58 on:** December 31, 2010, 08:07:26 PM »

Thanks Doris, and Shams. Shams, those dolls hold their value if your girls want to sell them and still have them. I really enjoyed this project. Thanks mods (lisa?) for fixing my photos.

Doris W. in TN · « **Reply #59 on:** December 31, 2010, 08:42:15 PM »

Have you seen the Clotilde catalog? They have all sorts of cute shoes for 18" dolls, including "crocs", "uggs" and bunny slippers.
http://www.clotilde.com/list.html?cat_id=274

jodiwell · « **Reply #60 on:** January 01, 2011, 12:09:07 PM »

Elizabeth, that gown is wonderful! DD has Felicity and I always wanted to make the AG style clothes for her. Nice nice job and I love the fabric!

I sewed quite a bit for the AG's, but mostly smocking and heirloom sewing. The scale is so much smaller I could try out techniques without breaking the bank.

jodi

RobbieK · « **Reply #61 on:** January 11, 2011, 10:16:11 AM »

The Nancy's Notions catalog also has accessories for the 18" dolls.

ejvc · « **Reply #62 on:** March 08, 2011, 03:13:09 AM »

A new dress from Addy's patterns (the tartan plaid Christmas dress), made in a silk taffeta, with a BIG, FOOFY BOW! And a Turkey red underskirt. French seams and lined bodice to combat the most frayingest fabric ever (see how I made up my own word there?). The trim on the yoke is a ladder stitch with two strands of grey embroidery floss inserted through.

I know, I know, iron, clip threads, etc., but isn't it cute? It's been in my projects box for about a year, so I'm quite pleased to have finished it.

melissamade · « **Reply #63 on:** March 08, 2011, 08:28:36 AM »

Quote from: ejvc on March 08, 2011, 03:13:09 AM

A new dress from Addy's patterns (the tartan plaid Christmas dress), made in a silk taffeta, with a BIG, FOOFY BOW! And a Turkey red underskirt. French seams and lined bodice to combat the most frayingest fabric ever (see how I made up my own word there?). The trim on the yoke is a ladder stitch with two strands of grey embroidery floss inserted through.

I know, I know, iron, clip threads, etc., but isn't it cute? It's been in my projects box for about a year, so I'm quite pleased to have finished it.

that dress is gorgeous!! I cant find the link to this pattern, Can you link me up please?

ejvc · « **Reply #64 on:** March 15, 2011, 03:34:33 AM »

And another dolly outfit, this is from Josefina's patterns (Melissamadethat -- same URL will take you to Addy's patterns).

It's ruffle-icious!

melissamade · « **Reply #65 on:** March 15, 2011, 11:16:02 AM »

Quote from: ejvc on March 15, 2011, 03:34:33 AM

And another dolly outfit, this is from Josefina's patterns (Melissamadethat -- same URL will take you to Addy's patterns).

It's ruffle-icious!

ADORABLE!!

LOL i have that one! thanks for link. No seiwng for me for a week, machine is in shop getting pampered.

ejvc · « **Reply #66 on:** March 24, 2011, 08:43:32 AM »

Still more dolly sewing! This is a LIberty Jane pattern, the Faraway Downs dress:

And here it is closer up:

The model is Nellie.

Bunny · « **Reply #67 on:** May 07, 2011, 06:21:22 PM »

Would you look at those princess seams on the bias? Too cute! All the doll clothes shown are adorable.

I am currently awaiting the arrival of some Joan Hinds patterns and look forward to using them. The ones I ordered are for smocked outfits for the AG doll. I can't wait to do these and have everything waiting and ready to go.

I highly suggest that anyone whose little girl/granddaughter will be getting one of these some time in the future, start sewing now. You can never have too many of these outfits and they are timeless.

DGD is a very bright 5 1/2 year old. She got her AG doll this past Christmas. She told me that her other Nana was buying her the doll for Christmas. Then she said, "My nana told me you would make all the clothes and she didn't have to get any." Out of the mouths of babes.

Liz Schneider · « **Reply #68 on:** May 23, 2011, 08:24:30 AM »

Hi, all, I am reading threads now 2 years old but want to let you know your sewing is so beautiful. fzxdoc, thank you for redirecting my question. Stashpanache, thank you for posting the pics of AG and MMe A dolls side by side. I did receive the "Journey Girl (Kelsey)" I ordered, about $30, and she is pretty. Her waist is 10.5 inches, height 18, so I am hoping the same patterns will fit her. Her face seems a little more grownup, a little less childish a face than I like but that's a personal preference. Eyes don't close, hair very nice quality and rooted pretty closely although I don't have another doll with which to compare. I wish the Gotz modles mentioned by ejvc were available but I think no longer. Will let you know what I make!

shams · « **Reply #69 on:** May 30, 2011, 07:31:36 AM »

A free pattern for a sundress for the AG doll (or similar). Grosgrain's blog.

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Author Topic: American Girl patterns (Read 8223 times)