Tutorial: Santa's Hat pattern - Printer Free Version!

Dedicated to our santa's little helpers ;)
This pattern is made to fit blythes, feel free to adapt it for other dolls!
You will need to use fabrics with a slight stretch for this particular project. You can also make a sleeping cap from this pattern. Use your imagination! :D

1) Measure the circumference of the doll of your choice. Please note if you intend to make this for a mohair girl the measurement may vary.
I rounded off the measurement to 28cm.



2) With the information, we are ready to start drawing the pattern :)
With a ruler and pencil, draw a line near to the bottom edge of an A4 (or letter size) paper.



3) Mark the line as follows 7cm is derived from 1/4 of the circumference measurement (28cm) I took.



4) Draw a line perpendicular to the first line, from the middle marking, and make another marking about 20cm from the bottom line. Note, if you want a hat with a longer tip, make this marking more than 20cm.



5) Join the markings as shown in the diagram below.



6) Make a marking for 20cm (Or the desired measurement you had decided upon) on each of the lines from the center.



7) Draw a curve line to join the marking as shown below, either by freehand, or have a curved ruler or you can also try to use a plate to help you.



8) Template completed! Make a marking or note to determine a side to place on fold of the fabric you use. As mentioned on the diagram, this pattern does not have a seam allowance specified. If you wish to have a seam allowance to guide you, draw a marking around 05.cm around the edge, omitting the "fold line".



9) Position the pattern on fold of the red fabric.



10) I leave a slight seam allowance as I cut the fabric. Remember not to cut the fold line of the fabric!



11) Open up the red fabric, and cut out a long strip of white fabric -- I used a furry stretchy white fabric, the width of the fabric is about 4cm wide, the length is longer than the circumference of the blythe hat.


close up of the fabrics


To sew with stretchy fabrics, use ball point needles for your machine to ensure best results!


12) Fold the white fabric in half, with the right (furry) part facing outside and place the raw edges on the "wrong" side and curved end of the red fabric. Sew zig-zag to the end of the curve of the red fabric.




Note: This is the "wrong" side of the red fabric.



13) Fold the white fabric towards the "right" side of the red fabric, and sew a top stitch on the "wrong" side of the red fabric. This will join the seam allowance to the "right" side of the red fabric.





14) Fold the white strip such that it sits on the "right" side of the red fabric, and press with an iron.



15) Sew a top stitch by hand or machine to keep the furry end on the right side of the red fabric. Also hiding the seam allowance from step 12.


With a furry fabric, the top stitching is not too obvious



16) Fold the red fabric such that the "wrong" side is facing outwards. The white strip is inside the folded fabric.



17) Join the hat together with zig zag stitch from the "mouth" of the hat -- where the white furry end is, to the peak of the hat.

Tip: to make sure the ends line up, you may wish to hand sew the end first before machine sewing.


Almost complete!


Optional stitch



18) Almost done! Here's the hat, turned inside out such that the "right" side faces outside.
For the finishing touch, add a pompom, or a bell or who knows, a pull-ring to the tip of the peak. Or leave it as is :)




Wishing you all a very merry christmas from the puppy52 dolly household! :D
Hope you enjoyed the simple tutorials for this year!

Tutorial: Xmas Stockings - Printer Free Version!

Time sure flies! We know Christmas is coming very soon by all the decorations around, and Christmas themed music playing at the malls and such!

Make some Xmas Stockings for your dolls!

1) First borrow a leg from your blythe doll, and sketch a loose "stocking" shape around it.


2) Use a pen to draw the final shape of the paper pattern.


3) Cut out the pattern, the top part is optional, you can use a lace bit for that part as well.


4) Cut out an assortment of the materials you wish to use. I am using some felt and lace trim for this tutorial. This is also the time to add stuff like embroidery or decorative beads.


5) Start a blanket stitch, poke the needle through from the underside of the top piece, sewing until up to the slight bend.












6) Position the lace trim on the edge of the "hole" of the socking, sewing the edge of the lace under the underside of the stocking.


7) Sew the top of the lace around the "hole" of the stocking with small stitches, and the other edge of the lace behind the underside of the stocking. End the stitch at the underside (as shown in picture below)


8) Continue sewing around the stocking from where we left off at the "bend" until you reach the other end leaving the "hole" of the stocking open. Add a ribbon loop by hand stitching to the inside of the stocking. I used bits of 3mm satin ribbon approximately 8 cm long.


Completed!


Use your imagination to make a great assortment of Xmas stockings, feel free to do it in any size you like! Make some for your dolls or your friend's dolls!



Have a Very Merry Xmas!!!

Tutorial: Halloween Paper Wings - Printer Free Version!

Happy Halloween!
I realized that not everyone has a working printer at home, so I came up with a step by step tutorial to make a customized "printer-free" template if you wish to make some wings in a similar fashion from the previous tutorial. You can use your imagination to create some unique wings for your dolls, even after halloween! :)

1) To make the template, draw a line using a ruler and pencil near the side of a piece of paper.


2) Make 2 markings of about 2 cm apart on first line, leave some space to draw the wing around later on.


3) Draw a line approximately 1.5 cm perpendicular to the first line, originating from the lower marking.


4) Draw a line approximately 1.3 cm perpendicular to the top marking of the first line.


5) Join the ends of the 2 shorter lines, you can draw dashes to represent a fold line later on.


6) Draw a line about 1 cm long with 2 shorter strokes at the end to represent the "slits" to be made.


7) Draw shape of the wing you would like to create for your doll(s) It can be any other shapes you can think of :) Let your imagination run wild!


8) Now you have your very own paper template! It will be even more special, if you have created it using your own ideas ;)


9) Cut out the wing template and continue from step 3 of the previous tutorial!

Make some for your own dolls, or as a present for your friends' dolls! :D
Have a great Halloween!

Tutorial: Halloween Paper Wings

Halloween is approaching fast! When I saw what puchicollective had came up with for the festivities, I was very inspired! With permission, I present to you this little freebie from puppy52doll as well :)

Hopefully this pictorial tutorial will allow you to make a little something for you and your dolls' enjoyment!

This template will fit blythes, Lati yellow and dolls with similar shoulder size and height.

1) Save this template onto your computer, and print it out using a picture editing program.

2) Pick one design and cut it out, or cut all of them out ;D

3) Have a selection of card stock or vanguard sheet ready, regular paper may be a little too soft for this purpose. I am using a plain card stock for easier demonstration.
I am also using a selection of 3mm satin ribbon, but you can use any type of decorative ribbons as well.

4) Fold the card of choice and position the template on the fold of paper where it is marked.

5) If you're impatient like me or have a steady hand, you can carefully cut around the template while holding it in position, or if you do not feel so confident, trace with a pencil the shape of the "wing" then cut it. Erase the pencil marks later on.

6) Using a pen knife or exacto knife, carefully cut the through the template and card along the numerical order and direction of the numbered red arrows as seen on the picture below; to make slits for the ribbon. Remember to use a cutting mat or something thick to protect your work table!

7) After the slits are made, thread the ribbon (around 35-40cm long, trim the excess later if neccessary) through the holes. The 2nd picture shows the ribbon positioning better.

After adjusting the ribbon, it will look like this.

When worn on a Lati yellow, it will look like this at the back.

another view

A different pair of wings on a blythe doll.

At completion, you can the decorate the wings with stickers beads or even drawings -- use your imagination. Have fun and be safe on Halloween!

Tutorial: Sewing a Simple Camisole

This is a pattern for Blythes. It is one of the first patterns I made when I got my first blythe! The end product will fit Licca dolls or similar size dolls as well.

1) Save this pattern onto your computer, and print it out using a picture editing program.


2) To make sure your print out is the right size, measure with a ruler to check if the line near the fold line is 5.5 cm.


3) Cut pattern out.

4) Place fold line of pattern on fold of fabric.

5) Holding the pattern on the fabric, cut around fabric carefully with a sharp scissors around the pattern.
Important: do not cut the fold!

6) Variation: If you place the bottom of the pattern along the edge of the fabric which doesn't fray, you do not need to sew that part later on.
The edge of the fabric I used has a furry white trim for this instance, this variation can be applied on a fabric with a lace edge as well.

7) Sew zig zag stitch around the seam allowance, this helps prevents fraying.

If needed, trim off any excess "fly away" threads.

8) Tip: Before sewing the top stitching, press the seam allowances in place, this makes it easier to sew the top stitching.

When sewing a topstitch, use an unpicker to help tuck corners down where our fingers cannot.
Our fingers are too big to hold those tricky bits in place while it moves along under the pressure foot of the sewing machine.

Tip: Practice sewing very slowly on scraps of cotton before doing it on the actual piece.
Have your hand ready to stop the handwheel of the sewing machine especially when nearing the corner.

the other corner

This is how the front of the bodice should look like when top stitching completed.

9) Position the strap by aligning it closely to the paper pattern (for this case, we use a skinny satin ribbon for the strap) and secure it temporarily with a pin.

10) Hand stitch the strap in place.
Hand stitching is helpful for details which require precision.

11) Leave enough length as Halter ties, for a simple halter top and sew on fasteners - dolly velcro, or snaps.

Snaps are more commonly found in craft stores.

12) To attach the straps with precision, position each strap on the doll with pins. I would recommend sewing the fastenings at the back last.

Tops completed! :D Feel free to add lace or buttons, or even pockets as desired!

Final product on a blythe doll. Please note, this is just a "how to" and only one way to make a simple top, there is definitely many different way to make and present it. I hope it helps if you wish to try your hand at something simple for your blythe or licca dolls! :D