A Minnie Mouse Inspired ~ Free American Girl Dress Pattern

Today I am sharing a American Girl Doll pattern that I created.  The bodice is lined and sleeveless.  The gathered skirt is made of two sections of fabrics connected with bias tape.

I added a wide sash ~ think Minnie would like that!

The hot pink variation of the pattern can be found at the bottom of the post.

Materials needed:

Dress bodice template

squares for main bodice and contrasting lining (red)

Two 3 1/2" x 22" contrasting fabric (red) for sash

One 6 1/2" x 28" rectangle for skirt top

One 4" x 28" rectangle for skirt bottom

28" length of bias tape maxi piping (red)

4" pieces of thin Velcro ~ I love this one

Optional applique:

Small free clip art of Minnie Mouse

Small square of Heat N Bond adhesive

Notes:

All seams are 1/4" unless indicated

Seams can be finished by serging, with a zig zag stitch, or pinking shears

Reinforce seams by backstitching 

Directions:  

Cut out the bodice pieces

Optional applique

Following the directions on the Heat n Bond package, trace your "Minnie."  Iron onto your fabrics.  Note: I show red for the bow, but I changed it to white with black dots to match the skirt.  Cut out your appliqué pieces, and iron onto the bodice,  sew (I use a zig zag stitch).

Bodice Construction:  With right sides together, pin and sew the shoulders.

Repeat for the lining.

Fold each sash piece in half right side together, and sew along the long edges and one of the short edges.

Turn the ashes right side out ~ I use a chop stick!

With right sides together, pin the lining to the bodice.  Stitch along the back and neckline, then around the arm holes.  Clip the seams.

Turn right side out by pulling the lining through the shoulder on one side.  Repeat on the other side.  Press flat.

Pull the lining out of the way.  Pinch the unseen edge of sash slightly to form a small fold.  Pin the sashes to the right side of the bodice, 1" from the bottom.  Baste in place.

Open up both the fronts and backs of the bodice.  With right sides together, pin the fronts together and the linings together.  Sew ~ catching your sash in the seam.

Turn right side out, and press

Skirt construction:

Pin your bias tape face down along the lower edge of the 6 1/2" x 28" piece.  Using your zipper foot, baste in place.

Place your skirt bottom piece face down covering the bias tape.  With your zipper foot, stitch as close as possible to the cording.

Your finished piece:

Press a 1/2" fold on either side of the skirt.

Hem the skirt bottom by pressing a 1/4" fold.  Then fold 1/4" again.  Press and top stitch.

Your dress pieces at this point:

Gather the top edge of the skirt by sewing long basting stitches ~ Remember to leave tails on your thread to pull.

Distribute the gather evenly.  With right sides together, sew the skirt to the bodice using a 1/2" seam.

Sew Velcro to the back of the dress.

Sew the back of the dress (below the Velcro) 7" from the bottom

Your Minnie inspired dress is complete!

Hot pink dress variation

Omit the appliqué
Reverse the skirt pieces by sewing the bias tape to the bottom of the 4" x 28" piece

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An Almost No-Sew Santa Suit Pillow

Thanksgiving was wonderful ~ lots of great food, lots of laughs, lots of family!!
Now Christmas is right around the corner!  I thought that it would be fun to create a pillow of just Santa's suit.  Actually I called it "almost no-sew" because the second time I made it, I used "Fabri-Tac," a permanent adhesive, which made the project so easy!

Supplies needed:
Two pieces 17" x 13" white twill cotton
Two pieces red felt 10" x 6"
One piece red felt 10" x 17"
Two pieces black felt 2" x 17"
3" x 3" square yellow felt
Two pieces white trim 9"
Sewing thread
Fabric-Tac (to avoid some of the sewing)

Directions:
Pin the two 10" x 6" pieces of red felt to the top and side of one of the white twill fabrics.  You will have approximately 5 inches of white in the center.  Sew or glue the pieces in place.

 

 

Glue or hand stitch the white trim along the inside edges of the red felt.  Add one of the black felt pieces (Santa's belt) 2" from the bottom edge of the red felt.

Add the yellow buckle by either gluing or stitching.

Now for the back of the pillow.  Glue or stitch the 10" x 17" red felt to the second piece of twill.  Double check that the placement matches the front of the pillow ~ it should look like Santa complete suit!

Add the belt to the back; sew or glue.  Again, be sure that is the exact same spacing as the front.

 

 

With right sides together. pin the front and back of the pillow.  This is where you will have to sew!!
Using a 1/2" seam, sew the two pieces together leaving an approximate 8" opening along the bottom edge.

Clip the corners.

Turn right side out, squaring the corners.

Add a 12" x 16" pillow insert, and slip stitch the opening shut.

Enjoy!!



For this one, I embroidered Merry Christmas at the bottom.

 

 

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Chalkcloth Placemat Tutorial

When I  go out to dinner with my grandchildren, I know how important a sanitary enviroment is to their parents.  The perfect solution is a personal place setting that can also help to entertain the little one! Chalkcloth, a vinyl fabric, is readily available.  Children can draw, wipe clean, and draw again!

My placemat tutorial has a small pocket that can hold chalk, and it also has ties so that it can be rolled up and stashed into the diaper bag.

Materials :
12" x 17 1/2" piece of chalkcloth (available on Etsy or at Joann's)
15" x 20 1/2" fabric for backing
7" x 12" fabric for pocket
2 1/2" x 24" fabric for tie
Clear plastic or cardboard template ~ diagram is available at the end of the tutorial


Directions:
Back fabric:  press a 1/4" hem on all sides.

At each corner, fold the fabric right sides together on the diagonal, lining up the edges carefully.  Using the template, draw a line with an erasable pen.

Sew on the line that you have drawn. Use the same procedure on all four corners. Trim the corners.

Turn right side out, and press a 1" hem all the way around.


Pocket:  Fold the rectangle in half right sides together.  Stitch a 1/4" seam along each long edge; leaving the shorter edge (parallel to the fold) open.
Turn right side out.  Iron a 1/2" hem across the unstitched edge.  Fold 1/2" again, and topstitch.

Make small pleat on both sides of the pocket and iron.

Carefully pin (all pin marks will show) the pocket 2" from the bottom of the blackboard fabric and 2" from the right edge.  Sew across the bottom first.

Sew down the two remaining edges.


Completion:  Fit your blackboard fabric into the frame that you made with the backing.  Topstitch around the edge of the hem.

Tie:  Fold your fabric in half right sides together, and sew one short side and the long side; leave one of the short sides open for turning using a 1/4" seam.  Turn right side out (I use a chopstick for this.)  Complete the unfinished edge by turning in the fabric, and stitch.

Sew the tie to the backing fabric following the seam you have already created.

Template 

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