Following my blog the other week about keeping the master copy of your doll clothes patterns in perfect condition by using a Chux cloth (a suggestion sent in by Debbi) or interfacing, Crystal, another of my wonderful customers sent in the following email….
Hi Rosie. This is a great idea. I do something similar. I trace my patterns onto heavy duty template plastic (found in with the quilting supplies) and then trace around the template onto the fabric. I then cut it out. It allows me to have the patterns pieces without all the pin marks and ripping like the paper ones do. 🙂
This is a fantastic idea if you use certain pattern pieces all the time and is actually something similar to what I do when making doll clothes for my Rosie’s Dolls Clothes website. Because I use my patterns so often and make so many of the same outfit at the one time, normal paper patterns or ones using Chux fabric or interfacing, would not last very long. Rather than trace around the pieces and then cut the fabric as Crystal has suggested, I cut directly around the templates with my rotary cutter. Although this makes cutting out the fabric much quicker, the major disadvantage of doing this is that sometimes I do accidently cut into the plastic template and it can be a little tricky around arm and neck holes. Because I do it so often, I tend to move the template a little and free hand the cut.
Then what to do with storage of these plastic templates of your doll clothes pattern pieces? Because the plastic is thicker than paper, the plastic folders that I store my original paper patterns in would end up way too thick. So I punch a hole in each pattern piece and hang all the pieces for each outfit from wire hooks on a clothes rod in the cupboard of my sewing room. I have even gone as far as color coding the different doll size patterns (except for a few where I ran out of the particular color I needed and didn’t have time to get to the shop to buy more).
I haven’t used the plastic that Crystal has suggested but I will check it out next time I am at a place with quilting supplies. The plastic I purchase is from a plastic manufacturer that we are lucky enough to have about ½ hour drive away. It comes in large sheets about 50” x 26” (127cm x 66cm) and comes in a variety of thicknesses, I think mine is about 1/16”.
So if you are making lots of doll clothes to sell online or at markets, you may like to do what Crystal and I do and transfer your most frequently used doll clothes pattern pieces onto plastic templates. Your templates will last much longer, you won’t have pin marks in your fabric and you may even find it much quicker to cut out your fabric.
My How to Sew Doll Clothes Video Course has lots more tips that take the frustration out of sewing doll clothes which means it will be a joy and not a chore to sew for your little girl and her doll. AND it comes with 8 Free Doll Clothes patterns with complete step-by-step video instructions so you can start sewing beautiful doll clothes today.
Thanks Crystal for sharing your tip. If you are searching for something similar, do a Google search for Plastic Template Sheets and I’m sure you’ll find them online or at your closest quilters store.
Happy Sewing
by Rosie Saw
Rosie, I’m so glad you shared this tip i shared with you as it has been a time saver for me. To organize these, I not only write on each piece exactly what the paper pattern says, but I store them in large 10×13 Manila clasp envelopes (ones that would be used to mail out catalogs and such)Along with the instructions. I write on the front what the pattern is and also glue a picture of the finished product for description. For me, this works great. I then store them in my sewing room closet with my other patterns.
A pleasure Crystal, thanks for sharing.
I am doing the final touches on my “craft room”. I started making doll clothes for my grand daughter last year for the 18″ Canadian doll. They require a little more patience than sewing for kids, but “I LOVE IT”. I am hooked.
My sister who is retiring next year came up with an idea for us to make doll clothes to sell. I know the market is flooded with this, but we are going to do it anyway.
I have lots of patterns and am going to try the plastic method of perserving my original patterns. Actually, I am even going to design some of my own. And I am going to purchase my own doll….and dress her up.
I enjoy making matching outfits for Haley and her doll. I also make greeting cards, so can hardly wait until I get my room ready, got my sewing table, my sewing machine and my serger all ready to go!!!
Thanks Rosie, love your videos and tips!!!!
Hi Marian, it is great to see you so excited about making doll clothes and setting up for a new adventure with you sister. You mention that making doll clothes require a little more patience than sewing for kids and you are right if you don’t know all the little secrets that make it easier. Although it sounds like you are an experienced sewer, you may find my How to Make Doll Clothes course has some great little tips that you have not thought of before. I have a number of customers who are experienced sewers who have done my course and picked up lots of really handy hints. I just mention this because if you are going to be sewing lots of doll clothes to sell, anything that makes it quicker or easier is a blessing.
I am sure the matching clothes for little girls and their dolls will be a huge success I’m sure.
Good luck and happy sewing.
Hi Rosie,
Great tips and pictures. I will certainly look out for some suitable plastic. I’m forever running out of printer ink so that will be a big help.
Just on another topic..my little sewers get a bit lost with the instruction sheet, sometimes, so I have added ‘boxes’ so the steps can be ticked off as they are completed..seems to help keep track better. I also keep a master copy of each sheet and laminate it, use a hole punch and put them into a binder.
Have a great week. best wishes
Cherrylm
What a great idea with the tick boxes Cherrylmaree. Laminating the master copies also sounds like a terrific tip too, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Rosie! Great method. Save buying patterns, and keeping your tissue patterns from being destroyed!
Thank you for sharing. Lawana
Awesome tip! Now to search for some suitable plastic. I did find 12×18 clear plastic sheets on eBay but it would be great to find huge sheets of this. Although I’m sure online they would be quite expensive with the shipping. Lucky you, Rosie, having that manufacturer so close to home!
Tari, try the heavy duty plastic that Crystal uses. She finds it with the quilting supplies. The following is a link to Joann’s online
http://www.joann.com/quilter-s-plastic-template-12inx18in/2183317.html
I’m sure your local quilting shop would be able to help you too.
Happy sewing, Rosie
Wow thanks Rosie! I shop Joann Fabrics all the time and since I don’t really have a local quilting shop, this is great and SO much cheaper than the eBay seller wanted for the same exact size! 🙂
I use freezer paper .. I can iron it onto the fabric & reuse it many times. It works wonderful with small pieces. I can get more accurate pieces.
Wow, I have never heard of this before. I imagine that it would be great for very small pieces, I will have to give it a go.
I iron freezer paper to the back of my paper copies of pattern pieces. I tend to build it up with several layers. The more layers of freezer paper the thicker and stiffer the pattern. This way I am only limited in size by the width of the freezer paper.
Hi Rosie,
My Amy and I have watched the first few videos about supplies. Watching them and the tips videos that arrived in my e-mail, has made me want to sneak around and make some clothes for Christmas.
Thanks for helping me feel like Mrs. Santa again.
Laura Lane
My pleasure Laura.
I have a question about the plastic templates. Is there a way to keep the plastic piece from moving when you place it on the fabric and attempt to cut around it? I would be nervous about it moving off the exact spot and trying to hold it in place with one hand while either using scissors or a cutting wheel can be tricky. If there is a sure solution to keeping the piece in place while cutting I would love to know it. I doubt it would be practical to try to pin it through the plastic. It is important to have the edges accurate so as not to throw the whole pattern off.
Hi Peggy, I just hold the plastic template in place with my hand as I use a rotary cutter but if you feel more comfortable using scissors you really need to trace around the plastic template as Crystal mentions above. Once you have traced around it you can place a couple of pins in the fabric (inside the traced lines) to keep the layers of fabric together as you cut the pattern piece out. Hope this helps.
Happy sewing
Rosie
I just read Crystal’s post again and didn’t realize that she meant to trace around the plastic on the fabric. I will definitely have to sharpen my fabric marking pencil to do that. I will give the whole process a try. Thanks for sharing.
Peggy
I found it awkward to put pins in the pattern & cut a straight line with a ruler so I glued my patterns onto cardboard which makes it easier to cut around them.
Great idea, thanks Cheryl 🙂
I try very hard to never cut up my original pattern. What I do is to print it on Cardstock. I then cover both sides with Peel and Stick Clear Laminate ( permanent ). It is also called Contac Paper Clear see thru. I then carefully cut out the patterns with a very sharp pair of scissors about 4 ” in length. Must be very careful about cutting pattern correctly. Because of the small size of doll clothing, even a 1/16 mistake on cutting could cause the finished product not to fit properly. Tracing around the patterns on fabric is a dream and a favorite pattern can be used over and over and over again. Also the permanent clear contac or laminate is not expensive.
What a wonderful tip. Thank you for sharing it Marcy 🙂