I love making 18 inch doll clothes, especially historical outfit. So, I decided to write posts about some of the clothes I’ve made to give y’all ideas from the patterns I use, and the fabrics, because everyone needs ideas. I’ll put links through out the post to the patterns and fabrics. I call this outfit a princess doll dress.
Dress Patterns
This dress I made to fit a 18 inch doll makes me think of a princess dress with the sleeves, the way the bodice is made and the color of the fabric. I actually used two patterns for this dress. One for the bodice and skirt, and another for the sleeves. Both of the patterns I used are Pemberley Threads patterns. The bodice and skirt is a Jane Eyre 1880s pattern and the link is Here.
The sleeves are another Jane Eyre pattern, the 1840s fan front dress and the link for this is Here. Both the patterns are part of the Jane Eyre Collection. Pemberley Threads also another Jane Eyre Collection pattern and that pattern is a bonnet pattern. I have purchased the bonnet pattern, but I have not had a chance to make it yet. But, I know the bonnet will turn out great, because I have made multiple outfits with her patterns, and they always work up beautifully.
Fabric
The fabric I used for the dress is a Riley Blake Designs in the Confetti Cotton Collection in the color lilac. To me the cotton fabric is the best for the clothes and it also easier to sew with. My favorite color is actually pink, but this light purple comes in a close second. I actually have some pink cotton fabric in my stash that I’m trying to figure out what I want to make with it. I got the fabric on Etsy from the Cutting Quarters shop, they have a pretty good selection of the different colors in the Confetti Cottons. The link for the lilac fabric is Here.
Closures
The closures I used for the back of the dress, and to fasten the cuffs of the sleeves are just small sew on snaps size 6mm. I prefer to use sew on snap button on my doll clothes, with the sleeves on this dress you really need to use snap buttons, but for the back you could use hook and eye closures if you prefer or even Velcro if you have that. The pattern did call for small snaps. What I like about the small sew on snaps is that they are hidden where you can’t see them, because you sew one side of the snaps on the bodice lining and the other on outside fabric so when you snap them together they are hid from view.
Below are some more pics of the dress
