Child and Doll Skirts Featuring Another 1930s Reproduction Fabric

I’ve had this delightful 1930’s reproduction dog fabric for several years. It never called out to me to use it in a quilt, probably because black and white quilts are just not in my wheelhouse.

But it’s perfect fabric for a birthday present for a dog-loving neice and her American Girl Doll!

The skirt pattern is the Bubbles & Buttons Skirts and Doll Skirts, OAD 86, sizes 1-8 and an 18 inch doll, by olive ann designs. This is full skirt that has elastic in the back waistband. The child’s and doll’s skirts are made exactly the same way. Those are functional buttons on the doll’s skirt! No hook and loop tape in sight!

I added the contrasting color on the inside of the pockets. I really like the light pink accent on the black and white fabric.

I has happy to discover that even though the doll skirt is intended for an 18 inch doll, with the waistband elastic a bit looser, it perfectly fits a 20 inch Bamboletta Forever Friend. I don’t have an 18” doll, so looking around my house for a doll to act as a model, I tried it on my Bamboletta Forever Friend. It fit! So exciting because I usually have to draft patterns for clothes the Bamboletta dolls. And even more fun because I wouldn’t draft this detailed an skirt for doll.

The T shirt is a free pattern from Pixie Faire. It’s a great pattern and went together quickly and easily.

I’m so happy that this dog fabric finally found a perfect home in this twin project!

Finding Commerical Patterns Online

Our favorite discount fabric store often cuts “generous” yards. I purchased this whimsical mushroom and fairies fabric to make doll clothes. But I had way more fabric than I needed, so I decided to make a matching dress for a young friend.

I looked at my books which have patterns for children’s dresses but didn’t see anything I liked for this project. Our local Joann’s closed a couple years ago and the nearest one is a hike. A doable hike, but it’s now an outing, not a quick errand. So, I decided to see if I could find a commercial pattern on line. And no surprise, you can!

I found this dress pattern and two others at www.simplicity.com. And several days later, they were in my mailbox. Pretty awesome!

The flutter sleeves on the girl’s dress make me smile. It’s Simplicity pattern S8897. The rick rack trim is shown on the pattern package and I love rick rack.

I’d already made the two doll dresses (which are patterns I drafted myself) but I went back and added the rick rack to the hem of both doll dresses and sleeves of the larger dress. So now my young friend will have two dolls with dresses that match hers.

The Waldorf type doll models live at my house. You’ve seen the little blonde before. She’s Lucy Birch, and I drew the pattern for her body and all her clothes. The larger doll is Clover. She’s a Sitting Friend, made by Bamboletta.

Here’s a detail of the back of the dress, which is closed with 3 loops. I used flower buttons, to match the colors in the dress.

Back closure of the dress

Oh to be 5 again, so I could put on this dress and take my dolls out for an adventure. Then again, making these dresses made me just as happy!

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