Guest Author - Susan Kramer

Here are instructions for making bodices on dresses to fit 18-inch (45cm) American Girl, other American historical dolls, Corolle dolls, Gotz Precious Day Girl Dolls, and dolls with similar body types.

Skirt sewing instructions are here.

You’ll need one half yard (one half meter) of material for the dress, and one-fourth yard (one-fourth meter) white or contrasting material for skirt front pleat.

For photo of the completed dress click here to go to the homepage and choose the dress you are making.

For the front and back bodice you'll need one-fourth yard contrasting material. Also, to finish, you'll need 10 inches (25cm) of half inch (1.25cm) gathered lace for the neckline, and 1 yard of one-fourth inch (6mm) satin or cross-grain ribbon for the waistline and front tie.

Click here for the page of pattern pieces.

Construction directions

Bodice

With right sides of back and front bodice facing, sew together at shoulders. Press seam open.

Baste right side of lace to right side of neck opening.

Note: If you are making a neckline of dress fabric, cut a strip of fabric 20 inches long and 2 inches wide along the grain of fabric. Fold in half, press, and gather to fit neck edge. Sew to neck edge with right sides together, then go on to next paragraph. Look at photo just below for finished view.

Using the bias strip sew one long edge to right side of neckline. Clip curves. Fold bias strip to inside of neckline, turning in once and blind stitch to wrong side of neckline.

To finish back seam of bodice, turn in twice on each center edge and hand or machine stitch to make a one-fourth inch hem.

Sleeves

Roll in lower edge and hem by hand or machine. (I sew sleeve and skirt hems by hand.)

Gather along dotted line of sleeve, (I use quilting thread for strength) just loose enough to slide over doll’s hand and lower arm; about 5 inches (12.5cm).

Along armpit edge gather sleeve with basting stitch just inside the one-quarter inch line to fit armhole and with right side of sleeve facing right side of front and back bodice (which are just joined at shoulders and now lay out flat) stitch together with one-fourth inch seam. Clip curve. Repeat for other sleeve.

With right sides of sleeves and bodice facing, sew together sides of bodice and underside of sleeves at the same time. Repeat on other side.

Continue on to the skirt making page

Skirt sewing instruction
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Article, Patterns and Photographs Susan Kramer