Guest Author - Susan Kramer

To begin, sew back seam of skirt leaving 2 inches at top open as an extension of the center back bodice opening for ease in dressing doll.

Roll in the raw edges above top of back skirt seam and blind stitch. When dress is completed sew a velcro dot just above waistline and at neckline to overlap bodice back one fourth inch.

Gather one eighth inch from top edge of skirt so it matches measurement of lower edge of bodice.

Gather a 2nd line of temporary basting stitching one quarter inch below waist line. This holds gathers in place nicely till bodice is sewn onto skirt.

Sew bodice to skirt

Fold under one fourth inch along lower edge of bodice and lay over top of skirt. Join together with topstitching as in close up photo. This technique forms a nice flat seam.

After sewing bodice to skirt with topstitching pull out the temporary line of gathers below the waist seam.

To make hem at lower edge of skirt turn up hem one half inch twice and blind stitch.

Have fun learning the technique to join a skirt to a bodice!

Special Doll Making Techniques
How to Make a Lined Bodice
Contrasting Top Stitching
How to Make Rolled Hems

Charity Note:
I'd like to suggest that if you spend time making doll clothes, anyway, that you collect a few dolls from friends and neighbors and sew a wardrobe or a complete outfit for each doll. Then donate the doll in the completed outfit to a charity that distributes used dolls and toys to kids that otherwise would not have any. When I was a little girl, nothing brightened up my face more than my mother making me a new outfit for my doll.

Article and photo credit - Susan Kramer