Maple here, Stitches.
Yeah, I said Stitches. Ya know, instead of B_____. ;-)
This is #7 coming at ya.
Chloe Grace Moretz is the Aeropostale "It" girl and there are several pages with her ads in Seventeen this season. Here is one....
This page is basically a layout for what you should be sewing.
Since this is a specific brand we can find these items easier for butta pics.
Also, this post is a bit LONGER than previous Holiday Dailies.
I had coffee today and want to type a lot. A lot. A lot. :-P
____ Plaid button-down shirts. Bunny Bear has a pattern for this.
TIPS: I know it is difficult to find doll-scale plaids. But I wouldn't worry about scale too much -- look at the size of the plaid on this Aero shirt! Try thrift stores and sales -- pick up human plaid shirts and recycle them into doll shirts.
Looking only in the women's sections? Go over to the men's area -- look at their shirts. Sometimes men's shirts have even smaller scale plaid than the women's options. And don't limit yourself to only flannels. Flannels can sometimes be really thick and difficult to sew with. And they can also look really bulky on dolls.
(This is one of those crafts we have wanted to try ourselves -- but then we realize we can't sew. Haha.)
Pooping yourself over those buttons and buttonholes?
Then don't bother with working buttholes. Wait, buttonholes.
Sew some of those wee buttons on one side and leave the other side blank.
Don't both with velcro.
It will just look weird.
Most people will use this shirt open, layering it over a tee or tank.
Then having a strip of velcro sitting there will look dumb.
____ Peruvian Trapper Hats
Lots of patterns out there for this one.
Long Beach Designs: http://www.etsy.com/listing/108117523/crochet-pattern-doll-bobble-earflap-hat
Pamela's Pastime: http://www.etsy.com/listing/114385657/knit-pdf-pattern-serenity-hat
TIPS: Use bold colors or jewel tones -- even neons. Avoid pastels. Try decorative patterns. Try faux fur accents. Always do braid dangles and use sock yarn for all of your doll knitting products. Avoid sock yarns that have spandex in them. It will be more difficult to work with those.
_____ Plaid jackets and vests.
Omo. We see these everywhere on girls and women. It's like an epidemic.
TIPS: Check out the Liberty Jane jackets and coats patterns and try your hand at those in plaid.
Sofia, Moto, Penny Lane, Denim Jacket, Oxford Square, Empire Peacoat, Cropped Jacket, Bubble Hem Trench.
No one is allowed to say there aren't enough jacket patterns. ;-)
See above for our thoughts on plaid. If you found an awesome flannel shirt you want to recycle for the dolls -- try making it into a jacket or coat instead of a shirt. The thicker fabric belongs as a jacket or coat.
______ Frosted Color Skinny Pants/Jeans
These are a light lavender. Before we recommended peach.
And don't panic when you see "Frosted."
Omo! What the heck does frosted mean???
Washed. It just means washed, as in washed out color.
TIPS: There is a trick to making your fabric look "washed/frosted" -- Use thread for your seams that is one shade darker than your fabric. Same color -- just slightly darker. Enough that it is easy to see the difference with your ocular devices (eyeballs).
The easiest way to find these types of trendy jeans and pants fabrics?
Again, look to the sale sections in stores and in thrift stores.
Cut down human clothes and recycle them.
And also, as we have said before (about 3,000 times) -- if you find human jeggings or denim-esque leggings don't pass them over. They are often easier to sew with than thick denim. The thinner the fabric you find to work with, the easier it will be to sew with (as long as it isn't diaphanous or super-stretchy.) Then your seams won't be as bulky, the lines will look sleeker, and your pants will look appropriately "skinny" on your dolls.
Skinny jeans pattern: http://www.libertyjanepatterns.com/2010/01/skinny-jeans-pattern-for-american-girl-dolls.html
If you don't want to try skinny jeans -- go the leggings route. They are very, very popular and many handmade sellers don't offer them in trendy fabrics and colors. Just staple colors. Which is useful, but not really purchase-inducingly exciting.
Realism people. Go for realism.
Leggings/jeggings pattern: http://www.libertyjanepatterns.com/2010/05/american-girl-doll-clothes-pattern-u-k-holiday-leggings.html
_____ Lace Hoodie
It is difficult to see in the picture above what it really looks like, so here ya go.
TIPS: This is possible to do if you can find similar human clothing and cut it down, or happen to find lace that matches your knit. You can do contrasting lace. That works too.
To us, this looks like a really fun variation on the traditional hoodie.
Something new and spicy to offer to your customers and dolls.
Might be a pain in the ___ to make, but we wouldn't know.....
_____ Sequins
Sequins are in. Inny-McInnersons.
Sequined purses, clutches, backpacks, skirts, pants, tops, boots, slippers, shoes.
Sequined decals on tees. Sequined stripe details. Sequined tanks.
If you are brave enough to tackle sequins, bling it up. Aeropostale has many items for inspiration.
Including this mini skirt.
TIPS: And remember -- instead of painstakingly sewing rows of sequins onto cloth -- just buy a sequined piece of human clothing and cut it down. Save your sanity.
A sequin tank at Aero is $9 right now. That skirt is $20. And you can probably make more than one piece of doll clothing per human item bought.
Aero sequin tank comes in 8 colors. Order XXL and cut away my friends.
_____ Extra Extra Large Decals
Again, the ad pic doesn't do this one justice.
The rose fills the whole front of the tee.
And you get to see the awesome blue herringbone pants. ;-)
So if you are thinking that cutting down human graphic tees isn't the right scale -- think again. If a human decal fills up a doll tee front -- you are in-style!
Aero has a whole line of these boxy tees with XXL decals.
TIPS: Key is to give the neckline space.
Don't make your doll shirt hug her vinyl neck for this style.
Go for more glam patterns.
Try these LJ Patterns with your XXL decals:
You can skip the shoulder ruffles if they give you angina. ;-)
These styles make your decal tee stand out from the usual graphic tee offerings.
And we've made it to cable crew!
____Cable Crew
What is that?
The guys who fix your DirecTV?
Cable knit crew neck sweater.
"Make your casual outfit a total standout with our Shine Cable Crew Sweater! Its classic cable-knit construction is accented with tiny sequins for tons of festive shimmer."
(You really can't escape sequins.)
TIPS: No. Don't try to knit this. You are insane if you are going to try.
Just saying.
Again, find a small-scale cable knit human item and cut it down.
Look at knit scarves. Sometimes they are thin and have smaller cables.
Look for sale items listed as "mini cable knit."
Again, don't bypass the men's sections -- they carry cable knit items as well.
And be wary of knits with spandex content -- those may/will be harder to sew with.
Try LJs patterns with your recycled cable knit fabrics:
If you are panicking about a sweater or scarf unraveling as you cut it...
Many seamstresses have a lot of tips to prevent this from happening.
And there are probably a thousand other ways as well.
(But again, we don't sew.... Sew don't ask us. Haha.)
________________________
The most wonderful thing about writing this in 2012:
Now when I think of a doll clothing item that someone should sew, chances are there is a pattern I can recommend to you!!! Four/five years ago -- there just weren't any. You are lucky people!!! ;-)
And even better -- people are making new patterns everyday!!!
Weeeee!
Can you tell I had coffee today??
SBux Peppermint Mocha.
You should try it.
Stay tuned for FIVE more Holiday Dailies!
4 comments:
Was it a Venti?
Love the holiday dailies, especially when you've had too much coffee.
Yes, yes it was a Venti.
How could you tell? Haha.
"stitches"....
I <3 Maple and coffee. =)
more awesome ideas! glad there's more coming!
Yep, coffee becomes you, my dear! Keep tanking it and writing!
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