Doll Clothes Pattern Deal this week-end!!!

30 % off Beach Baby Doll's  doll clothes patterns this week-end Nov 28 - Dec 2, 2013

Doll clothes sewing tutorial: shirring and uses for elastic thread, free pattern too!

Would you like to make this dress for any doll?  Join our newsletter to see the free tutorial on shirring and uses of Elastic Thread in sewing doll clothes. Very easy! Sign up for the Beach Baby Doll News, see the tutorial and get a free pattern of your choice from BeachBabyDoll.etsy.com.  Click on HERE to access to the tutorial which has a subscribe button for the newsletter. When you sign-up, you will see how to choose the pattern you want for free.

Be Happy 25% off Doll Clothes Pattern Sale

beachbabydoll.etsy.com

A great time to sew! Too hot? Be cool! Make some doll clothes! Need a little incentive? Get 25% off  total purchase of $5 or more on all the patterns in BeachBabyDoll's Etsy shop. Offer is valid only in my Etsy shop at http://www.beachbabydoll.etsy.com

Hearts for Hearts Girls, Les Cheries, Groovy Girls dolls Sewing Pattern

Now available: This doll clothes pattern fitting Hearts for Hearts Girls, Les Cheries dolls, Groovy Girls, Ty Girls and other 13-14 inch girl dolls. It's easy, fast and fun! Versatile for a great doll wardrobe!

Make a Doll Swim Suit from Socks; Easy tutorial

BeachBabyDoll's Sock Swim Suit Edition

 Need a quick swim suit for your dolls? Grab some children's socks and make your own! Requires only imagination and a few stitches:

BFC Ink 18 in dolls

Vintage Tiffany Taylor 18 in doll

A Quick tutorial:

1. Choose your socks carefully.  For these slim body 18 inch dolls, I found cute socks at my dollar store. I chose children's size 6 - 8.You may need a larger or smaller size sock depending on the size of your doll. Take the doll to the store with you to help size it out.  I used the sport sock type. They were 3 pairs for $1, really easy on my wallet. The packs contained co-ordinating designs so easy to mix and match. See Tiffany above. Tools needed are only: scissors, needle and thread.

sports style socks

2.  Next I looked at my doll and decided where here bulges were and where the bulges in the socks were (the heels!). Take a look at Tiffany. She has large breasts and hips so I could use a heel portion over the breast area and the hips. However, I chose to use the heel portion over the hips of all three dolls so that I could use the band as a waist band. For the girls I cut a cute area for the tube top  There are several ways you can cut the socks to make a cute suit.  For Tiffany I could have made a one piece tube tank style suit because she is slightly smaller. For the boy doll I was careful to choose some masculine looking stripes to make him a sort of Speedo suit. Below is how I cut a bottom and top out of two socks.

You just sort of "eye ball" the sock, holding it up next to your doll to see how long to cut the piece. Consider the design on the sock when you cut. Make the piece too long at first. You can always cut more off. 

3.  Try on your doll. I tried the pants portion on inside out so I could see where to sew up the crotch. The second picture below looks a little gross, sorry dolly, but I just show you that I pinched the suit together at the crotch. I actually sewed the crotch while the suit was still on my dolls. Pinching the right sides of the bottom of the suit together, I used sort of an overcast or whip stitch to secure the crotch.  I chose not to finish the edges of the pants legs because they are knit and weren't unraveling. If you desire to make it finished, you can just make a small hem with a running stitch. See my free hand sewing handout:   For the pink suit's top, I turned under the edges and stitched with a running stitch.

4. Optional: To help hold the top in place: you can tack a piece of  skinny ribbon at the center front of the tube top. Tie behind her neck. You could also make little straps out of ribbon and attach to the back. I was on vacation and had no ribbon so for my BFC Ink doll I just used some thread.

This is a great little project to do on vacation with your children and grandchildren. If you try it out, I would love to see what you made. If you would like to send me a photo, you can find my contact info on my main web site at BeachBabyDoll.com

 I hope you and your dolls are ready for a great summer. Just a word of caution: My dolls love to pose in the sun but never swim as they could get mold inside. They do not like to stay outside too long either 'cause their hair could turn pinkish!

New Sewing Pattern for Hearts for Hearts Girls, Les Cheries, Groovy Girls

My Les Cheries doll Capuchine got to be the cover girl for my new pattern: the V-Neck Jumper Pattern Bundle. (I was supposed to finish it by Valentine's Day, but, alas...) However, Red is my favorite color! The pattern will fit not only, Les  Cheries, but Hearts for Hearts Girls, and Groovy Girls too. There's really three patterns in one:  The Jumper, The versatile Jewel Neck T which looks nice under a variety of clothes, and the ever-so-cute leg warmers that look like socks when paired with lace up shoes. As usual, the pattern comes with full color graphic instructions. It would be easy to make the jumper into a little summer dress with some lace around the neck and ruffles on the armcyes. Maybe some lace on the leg warmers too? This pattern bundle is available at BeachBabyDoll.com 
and now at BeachBabyDoll.etsy.com   Instant downloading is available now through the Etsy Shop.

Easy Prairie Girl Dress Pattern for American Girl Dolls

Today I am so happy to feature this lovely Prairie Girl costume made by one of my customers, Stephanie. Stephanie used BeachBabyDoll's Everything Doll Costume pattern to make this gorgeous, yet simple dress and apron. Stephanie demonstrates in her work that it doesn't have to be difficult to be delightful!

You can see in the following close-ups what nice skills Stephanie used in making very neat gathers in the apron and in placing the buttons and bow precisely. I love the trim she used for the apron waistband and the contrasting thread in the hem.

Stephanie's lovely prairie dress will be displayed on BeachBabyDoll's "Your Creations" page where you all can inspire us. Thanks so much, Stephanie!

New Easy Pattern for Ellowyne: Jumpin Jammin Pants Ensemble

Ellowyne's New Year Resolutions: Exercise!

See things from a different view point

Stand Tall and don't sulk

Rest when I'm tired but don't give into melancholy

As you can see my Ellowyne's made a ffe resolutions for 2013. My resolution was to get her some clothes since she came to me from e-bay without a stitch on! In doing so, I was able to publish BeachBabyDoll's first pattern to fit Ellowyne Wilde dolls and other similar 16 inch dolls. I am so excited. The leopard pants are made of medium -light weight cotton from a fat quarter. There was plenty left over. The tubes for the top and faux sleeves I made from a tee shirt. The pants pattern is unique because it's easy waistband is made with fold over elastic. Just perfect for a small neat, waistband and eliminates the need for a back closure. Sew fun to sew! I used my terrific tubes formula to make the tube top and faux sleeves. It's easily used for most any doll and it's a part of the new sewing guide and pattern for Ellowyne's Jumpin' Jammin' Pants Ensemble  I took great care in making the pants so the back doesn't slide off her bottom when she sits or does the Bridge. I didn't want her to be embarrased.
Beginners and advanced seamstresses will enjoy this quick and easy, well fitted pattern. For more information click:   http://www.beachbabydoll.com/Patterns_4_Ellowynne.html

To all Moms: Happy Mother's Day!!

Moms, everywhere, my little Aleisha doll (new gift to me from hub for Mother's Day) is bringing us all a basket of posies. She's so cute. I've used her to launch a new value pattern for BFC Ink large dolls: a simple pants pattern. It's good for scrub pants, athletic pants, jammie pants, scouting pants, costume pants, karate pants, and you-name-it pants. Make a bunch. Easy sew.The great photo guide takes you every step of the way. Can even do it by hand. One pattern piece, no side seams to keep straight!  The pattern's only $1.79 
Click here for pattern.

.

Best Friends Club Ink Nurse Scrubs for Nurses Week! Happy Week, Nurses!

Happy Nurse's week starting May 6 to any of my followers who are nurses or will be or have been! I made a scrubs uniform to fit the Best Friends Club Ink Large doll. It's for sale and I hope to get the pattern out soon.  You can find the sale at http://www.beachbabydoll.com/BFC_INK_Clothes.html.  I wrote a little e-book to go along with the theme of thinking about being a nurse and discussing it with God. You can read it for free on my web site at http://www.beachbabydoll.com/E-book.html. The stethescope is made of pink pipe cleaners and a big button with a shank on one side. I curled it around the doll's built-in earrings and it stayed on her ears fairly well. Hee!

Ginny Dresses, A prayerful Barbie, Girl Scouts-100 yrs old

I know people will be so happy that I have moved away from my Merry Christmas blog.  I was a little busy sewing for a dear customer who bought 17 dresses for Ginny dolls.  Her granddaughters are so fortunate to have such a loving and generous granny! I really appreciate such a big order and for after Christmas!

The above are the seventeen dresses. 4 in the top picture and 13 in the bottom. Sorry, some of my Ginnies don't have their little shoes on.

A lot of good things happened to me recently, but one of the best was that my DH put up some pretty shelves in my "studio" for my dolls and hooks to hang their clothes on.  This is helping me get stuff up off the floor. I am a real doll stuff pack rat. One of my New Years resolutions--- as usual, I might ad---was to get organized. So I'm working on it slowly. Prayer helps which leads me to my next topic:

I found out that another friend of mine in my Bible Study loves dolls too. It's so fun to talk with "mature girls" like my self and find we have this common interest.  She shared a great picture with me of her Barbie praying. She emphasized that all her Barbies are good girls. Above is her sweet picture. I love the teensy Bible.  Her Barbie is on the right tract!

I'm late on wishing all the Girl Scouts, a very happy 100 years! 12 of those years I was blessed to be a part of  a wonderful group of girl scouts who, for many of us, continue to be in touch after a very long time since we ever wore our uniforms.  So go out and BUY THOSE COOKIES! Dolls can celebrate too.  My friend Kathy made a wonderful Girl Scout Uniform for an American Girl Doll for her granddaughter's birthday. I helped a little making the polo shirt (with the LibertyJane pattern) and helping with some embroidery on the sash. Kathy designed the skirt, sash and also hat and a little purse for those "dues". She had a great idea of making the little badges out of tiny badge pictures covered with something like clear contact paper. 

Kathy's granddaughter had a lovely American Girl Doll Birthday party which I have been meaning to blog about for months now but it will have to wait a little longer!  Got to get back to organizing.

New dresses for little Ginny and free doll coloring book

I just finished making a big batch of colorful dresses for wee little Ginny dolls for a great and encouraging customer. (The little dolls make great dolls for American Girl type 18 in dolls!)

It was so much fun to work with the variety of colors.
You can order Made-to-order Ginny Clothes as well as two tunic dresses by shopping at http://www.beachbabydoll.com/Small_doll_clothes.html
Thanks, Faye! And thanks to all my customers. You helped some great kids go to camp this summer. Teens go tomorrow. I believe 6 are going from our church to a North Carolina camp near Asheville. They love it.  The younger ones will go in a few more days to a camp in Florida!

If you need some activities for yourself or your children this summer, you can download BeachBabyDoll's free coloring book. Its a coloring book of some of my dolls and Christian encouragement. New experiment. Check it out. Click here for link and scroll down page till you see it.