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Wednesday 6 February 2013

A 12" doll babygro: pattern and (very simple) tutorial

Remember the Merchant and Mills mantra?

'Sew cloth together patiently and with care for your industry will be rewarded beyond all measure.'

Well, it's true. My recent forays into sewing with wool and silk have convinced me of that.

And yet... sometimes the exceptions prove the rule, and here's another exception: 
dolls' clothes.


There are moments when dolls need new outfits in a hurry... and this babygro can be made from an old T-shirt during a toddler naptime. There are lots of very lovely, and more sophisticated doll clothes patterns out there, but not many for teeny-tiny dolls like this one, so I've included a template which will fit a 12" doll. I've made it using various knits, mostly harvested from the children's old clothes, and it seems quite forgiving in most fabrics.  




Here's what to do...


 Cut one babygro front (on the fold) and two babygro backs using this template. The back pieces have sticking-out-bits at the centre where they will overlap, and which I will call 'placket extensions' until I can come up with a more elegant or accurate description.




Stitch together the two back pieces - with right sides together and 1/4 inch seam allowances - starting the the base of the placket extensions, and pivoting to stitch down the centre back.




Press the seam to one side. This will naturally lead to the placket extension on one side folding back on itself, and the other side extending over it - perhaps the picture below will help to explain this a bit better.
It might be worth pinning them together at this stage to keep it all lying nicely.




Place the front and back pieces with right sides together, and mark the centre of the top (the blue pin in the photo below). Mark one inch either side (the two red pins). Stitch front and back together along the top seams, with 1/4" seam allowances, leaving an opening for the neck between your markers.




 Press the seam open, then fold and stitch a narrow hem at the ends of each sleeve (it's easier to do this before the next step, which will be stitching the side seams).




Now match front to back, right sides together, and stitch the side seams and inner leg seams, with the same 1/4" seam allowances as before.




 Add a press-on snap at the back of the neck. The snap will catch the folded upper edge and folded-over placket, and hold them in place.




You could even add another snap or two.  Or buttons.


(This is a felted wool version with more carefully finished edges.)


And it's done.  Here it is in real life, as it were...




Happy sewing!

45 comments:

  1. Thank you thank you!
    Amanda shall no longer be naked!

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  2. Thanks for sharing the pattern! I am addding it to my to-do list. P.s. you have awesome handwriting!

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  3. Thank you - I can see many of these being made very soon here!

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  4. We have quite a few naked babies that need new clothes...thanks for the tute and pattern!

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  5. Great Tutorial, thank you...

    LG Klaudia (Germany)

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  6. Hi! I've loved reading your blog and wanted to let you know that I have nominated you for a Liebster Award. If you have a moment to pop over to my blog you can find out more about the award. Natalie x

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  7. Thanks for this! Our 12" babies are in desperate need of exactly this. :)

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  8. Thank you two granddaughters will be happy this Christmas because dolly will be clothed

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  9. Glad it's useful for you - do let me know how they turn out!

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  10. Bless your little heart..... I have been looking for patterns for my Grand-daughter's "stella" doll.....all the other patterns I find for the AG dolls say they will fit her.. but the AG dolls are 18inch and I measured Stella at 12 inch... so she swam in everything....this is explained so clearly that even I (a novice) can figure it out.... thank you thank you thank you

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    1. So nice of you to leave a comment! Hope 'stella' enjoys her new clothes - do let me know ho they turn out.

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  11. Thank you so very much for sharing this pattern!!! I am making several for gifts. Thank you again!!

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  12. Thank You so very much for sharing this pattern!! I am making several for gifts.

    Thank you again!

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    1. And thanks for leaving a comment, Linda! I'm glad you've found the pattern useful.

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  13. Thank you for sharing,i have made these for my great grand daughter,then a pair of p.j. bottoms to match,so they can be a like.

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  14. Thank for the patern my little girl want a babygros for his doll.

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  15. Thank you very much! I appreciate your generosity!

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    Replies
    1. It's a pleasure, Lizzy - they are very quick to sew. Have fun!

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  16. Hello,
    I can't get the link to the template to work - it says 'file does not exist'? Am I doing something wrong?

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    1. Thanks for letting me know, Rosy, it seems to have disappeared. I'll look for the original and rescan it.

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  17. Thank you so much for this pattern, it is exactly what I have been looking for to no avail! My granddaughter's doll, Comet, is looking pretty raggedy and a nice new onesie had been requested. I'll make at least one tomorrow and earn extra hugs, I'm sure!

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    Replies
    1. What a wonderful name for a doll! Hope Comet is smart and cosy in her new onesie.

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  18. Just what I’ve been looking for too but how would I make adjustments for a 15” doll please? I keep trying to post this but nothing seems to go through, hope you don’t get it multiple times. Thanks

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  19. Hello Rosemary - I think that if you print it with the size set to 125% it should work for your 15 inch doll - maybe worth a muslin first, though!

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  20. So pleased to find your tutorial for the babygro but how and where do I download the pattern pleas?

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  21. Hi, this looks like just the pattern I need to make a onesie for my daughters doll but the template is no longer available - please can you share it again? Thanks so much D

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  22. Hi, this pattern looks perfect for me to make a onsie for my daughter's doll. However the template has lost its link - please can you share it again? Thanks D

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  23. Hello, love the outfit but the pattern doesn't load. Says file removed
    Cheers :-)

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  24. Hi, thanks for a great looking pattern. Alas the link to the pattern itself doesn't work - please can you re-post?

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  25. Do you still have this 12" doll pattern? I'm having a difficult time finding patterns for smaller dolls. Thanks!

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  26. I can't get the link to the template to work - it says 'file does not exist'? Am I doing something wrong?

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  27. I would love to try and make this babygro but as I am a complete novice at sewing I need a pattern to print to size to enable me to do this but I can't find the pattern for this only the instructions on how to sew it! If there is a pattern where do I find this? Many thanks

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  28. HI that pattern for the doll onesie is just what Ive been looking for but i cannot access the pattern. Would you be kind to put it up again. Many thanks

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  29. HI that pattern for the doll onesie is just what Ive been looking for but i cannot access the pattern. Would you be kind to put it up again. Many thanks

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  30. HI that pattern for the doll onesie is just what Ive been looking for but i cannot access the pattern. Would you be kind to put it up again. Many thanks

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  31. Where, oh where, do I find the pattern for the jammies for the baby doll? I've searched and searched but it is no where to be found -- at least not by my computer.

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  32. Can you please repost the pattern for this onesie?

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  33. I would love to have this pattern but, File in owners trash is what came up when i tried to download.

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  34. Dear all -

    Thanks for your patience - I think the glitch is fixed now. Please let me know if you have any more issues with it. Happy sewing.

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  35. Hi! I am very interested in making this adorable pattern for my Granddaughter's 12" doll but I don't see the pattern listed anywhere. Could you please help me find the pattern if it is still available.
    Thanks, Joan

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  36. Thank you for the easy tutorial and
    Pattern.
    I love making theses and have made several for our doll friend.

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  37. Unfortunately it still isn't loading for me either, and I really want to make some of these for my grandsons'baby doll. Love it thanks in advance x

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    Replies
    1. I think the link is fixed now - thanks for letting me know there was a problem. Hope you enjoy making the onesie.

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    2. I’ve tried again to fix the link - hope it works now :)

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