Making Clothing for Dollhouse Dolls
Making clothes for your dollhouse dolls will make your dolls seem more realistic and add a lot more authenticity and fun to your dollhouse. Some of the easiest types of clothes to make for dolls are girl’s dresses. So, this handy how-to guide will show you how to make your own dress for a dollhouse doll.
Step 1 - Pick a Pattern
Visit a local craft or hobby store and purchase a pattern for miniature dolls. Alternatively, you can use the Internet to search for many free miniature doll dress patterns.
Step 2 – Measuring
Use a cloth measuring tape to measure the dolls you will be dressing and to determine what size of clothes to make. If you're creating clothing for a specific type of commercially available miniature doll, you can skip this step, and simply cut your fabric or material according to the directions for the clothing pattern.
Step 3 - Choose Your Fabrics
Choose a fabric or material for your doll’s new dress. Use your imagination and choose clothing colors that stand out or match furniture in your dollhouse.
Step 4 - Draw or Trace the Pattern
Follow the design and size specifications for your doll dress pattern and draw or trace the pattern for the doll dress onto your fabric.
Step 5 - Cutting the Fabric
Carefully cut out the pattern you chose on the fabric.
Step 6- Sewing the Pieces Together
Follow the instructions for your miniature doll clothing pattern, and sew the pieces together in the correct order. These pieces of fabric will be very small, and you will need to pay close attention to your stitches when sewing the doll’s clothing. While you can use a sewing machine, you may find a small needle and thread to be more accurate when sewing the tiny seams.
Step 7 - Turn the Clothes Inside Out
Next, turn the clothing pieces inside out and lay them as flat as possible on an ironing board or dry towel.
Step 8 - Press the Clothing Pieces
Preheat an iron and allow it to reach a temperature that is appropriate for the type of fabric or material that you have selected for your miniature doll dress. After the iron heats up to the appropriate level, press the clothing pieces firmly and thoroughly.
Step 9 – Dress the Doll
Once you have thoroughly ironed the clothing pieces, allow them to cool and then turn them right side out again. Next, carefully dress your doll with the new clothing pieces you made. If the clothing pieces are a little too big, you may need to create small stitches to hold the clothing in place.
Step 10 - Add Decorations
Use ribbon to create a colorful belt for your miniature doll dress or find other small pieces of wire or other materials to create accessory bracelets or necklaces to match the clothing pieces you created.