Guest Author - Susan Kramer

Here are instructions for making long sleeve dresses to fit 14-inch to 16-inch Bitty Baby in the American Girl Dolls series, Baby Born, Gotz Maxi Muffin, or similar baby dolls. For clothes to fit 18-inch American Girl and other historical dolls click here.

For baby doll dress pattern pieces click here.

You’ll need one half yard (one half meter) of material for the dress.

To finish the neckline, you'll need 10 inches (25cm) of half inch (1.25cm) gathered lace, and the same amount of a bias strip for finishing neck edge as in photo. You'll also need 1 yard of one-fourth inch (6mm) satin or cross-grain ribbon for the dress front trim.

Sewing directions

Dress

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

Baste right side of lace to right side of neck opening, with top of lace pointing down as in photo detail.

Using the bias strip sew one long edge over the sewing line of lace, turn to inside of dress leaving one fourth inch of bias strip showing as in photo detail. On inside turn in bias strip and sew to dress.

To finish back seam of dress, sew together along seam line of center back leaving about 4 inches open at top as marked on pattern piece. For these two open edges turn in one fourth inch twice and blind stitch seam. Overlap edges and sew on a velcro dot for closure. I do not use button closures on doll clothes that are used by children, to avoid swallowing and choking.

Sleeves

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

To make ruffle near lower edge of sleeve, gather with a strong thread, (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 dress (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 dress facing, sew together sides of dress and underside of sleeves at the same time. Repeat on other side.

Hem at lower edge of dress

When cutting out your material add or subtract hem length according to length of your doll. For the dress in this photo which fits Bitty Baby, I added 2 inches to the pattern length.

Turn in lower edge one fourth inch twice and blind stitch.

Now decorate the dress as you wish

Top stitch cross grain or satin ribbon in pattern as in photos or anyway you wish. (A hint to sew ribbon in a straight line is to iron a crease in the dress material to act as a guideline!)

Have fun making baby doll clothes!

14 to 16 inch Medium Baby Dolls
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Baby Doll Dress Sewing Instructions
Baby Doll Dress Pattern Pieces
Baby Doll Pinafore Pattern Pieces
Baby Doll Pinafore Sewing Instructions

American Girl and Similar Dolls
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12 to 13 inch Small Baby Dolls
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Doll Making Tutorials

Article and photos by Susan Kramer