Guest Author - Susan Kramer

Here is a fun and creative technique to create one of a kind trims on doll clothes. Your dolls will really stand out from the crowd!

An example of this method is shown in the photo. What I've done is made a wide front panel in the center front of this doll dress.

For this example I've use 2 kinds of ribbon arranged in a pattern of 3 strips that I've hand sewed parallel to each other.

Looking at the photo, the 2 outer strips are one quarter inch wide checked ribbon. The center plaid ribbon is one half inch wide and has little red flowers embroidered on.

I hand sew on my trims to hide the stitches. I used white thread in this example and only took stitches on the white areas, which is easy because of the regular patterns.

For more interest the ends of the sleeve cuffs also have the narrow checked ribbon, tying the design together.

Vertical trims add a visual impression of length to the doll, and a graceful flowing look, making them especially suitable trims for long skirts on a doll's bride dress - perhaps white on white trims.

If you have any questions about your doll making projects bring them to the Doll Making Forum at the foot of this page and let's talk about them!

Have fun with your projects!

Index of Doll Costumes
Index of Special Doll Making Techniques
Create Horizontal Trims

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.

Article and photo by Susan Kramer