Dollar Store Purchases - Doll Party Dress from a Sequin Headband

Party time around here today.  The dollar store purchase transformation for today is how to make a doll party dress from from a sequin headband.  (If you're just joining me, we're having fun last week and this week turning cheap finds from dollar items into cute doll clothes (you can find links to my other tutorials at the bottom of this post).

I found this headband at JoAnn's Fabric and Craft Store. They had a lot of colors to choose from but I chose silver because I knew that I had some pretty shimmery purple fabric and I thought it would make a fancy looking skirt once added to this headband.  I was hoping this project would be easy (which it was) and quick (if I hadn't of hand sewed the skirt to the sequined headband, it would have been quicker).

1.  Put the headband around your doll's upper chest area.  From the back, pin the headband so that it'll stay on your doll.

2.  I hand sewed the back of this headband together while working around the sequins.  Once sewn, cut off the excess headband.

3.  You'll need 30 inches of ribbon to use for the straps on this dress cut into four 10 1/2 inch pieces.   Pin the ribbon onto the headband where you'd like the dress straps to be.  

4.  Hand sew the ribbon onto both sides of the headband.  I sewed the ribbon onto the back side of the elastic and then onto the front side, thus giving it more strength for child style playing.  On the side of the ribbon that you are not sewing onto the headband, it's advisable to add "no fray" onto the edge of the ribbon. 

5.  Cut fabric into a rectangle 12 1/2" x 30" (I wish I had of made mine not as long...I'll suggest a better length as 12 1/2" x 20".)  You might as well learn from my experience making this!  Right?  

6.  Iron fabric before you sew it together.

7.  Sew fabric length together using 3/8" seam.  I sewed two layers together because my fabric was really sheer and I didn't want my doll to be immodest! 

8.  Fold the fabric in half width wise with the seams in the middle.

9.   At the top of the fabric (the side not folded) add a gathering stitch. 

10. Gather the skirt so it fits to the sequin headband which is the bodice of this dress.

11. Pin like crazy to keep these two pieces together.

12. Stretch the headband slightly as you sew the skirt to the bodice from the wrong side.  I found that it was best to hand sew this step.  That way my sewing machine's needle didn't keep hitting those sequins.

13. Turn the skirt right side out and put it onto your doll.  The skirt is now a bubble skirt.  The best part about this skirt is you do not need to hem it.

Don't miss these other dollar store purchases into things for your doll posts: 

  

Day 1 go HERE (Little Miss Santa Outfit).  

Day 2 go HERE (Sweater Dress)

Day 3 go HERE (Leggings) 

Day 4 go HERE (Elf Outfit)

Day 5 go HERE (Doll sleeping bag from a chair cushion & tea towel

Day 6 go HERE (Shorts from shirt sleeves)

Day 7 go HERE (Skirt & scarf from a scarf)

Day 8 go HERE (Party dress using a sequin headband)

Day 9 go HERE (Night Gown from a baby fleece blanket)

Day 10 go HERE (Jacket from a fleece scarf)

xoxo Grandma  -  Linked to: Nap-time Creations

Dollar Store Purchase - Winter Doll Skirt from a Scarf

The dollar store purchase transformation for today is how to make a doll skirt and scarf from an adult scarf.  (If you're just joining me, we are having some fun over the next few weeks turning cheap finds from dollar stores into cute doll clothes (you can find links to my other tutorials at the bottom of this post).

I folded the scarf in half and then measured 18" length from the scarf.  Cut off this piece. Save the leftover piece for the doll scarf.

Fold the scarf in half width wise and then gather the fabric along the edge of the length. Next, pin the scarf onto one of those elastic headbands that can be purchased at the dollar store or by the yard.  You'll only need a piece as wide as your doll's waist.

Because my sewing machine still isn't working, I hand stitched the fabric to the elastic, stretching a little as I sewed so my stitches wouldn't pop apart when it was tried onto the doll. If your machine is in good working order, then this part should be a breeze! 

Stitch the waistband at the top of the waist and the bottom of the waistband.

Fold the skirt in half and pin.

If possible, serge the pinned area together.  Your skirt is finished.

How to make a doll scarf:

Now, let me show you how easy it is to turn the leftover fabric into a doll sized scarf:

Step 1:  Using sharp scissors, trim off the finished edge from the edge that's 8 1/2".

STEP 2:  Take a needle and pull out 1/2 - 3/4" of the threads.  This is called fraying the edge.  Repeat this step on the other end of the fabric.  That's it, you are finished!

This is a fluffy, fun skirt and scarf for your doll, right? 

Don't miss these other dollar store purchases into things for your doll posts:

• Little Miss Santa Outfit from 2 Christmas hats go HERE
• Sweater Dress from thermal socks go HERE 
• Leggings from knee high socks go HERE 
• Elf Outfit from a Christmas stocking go HERE
• Doll sleeping bag from a chair cushion & tea towel go HERE 
• Shorts from shirt sleeves go HERE 
• Skirt & scarf from a scarf go HERE 
• Party dress using a sequin headband go HERE
• Night Gown from a baby fleece blanket go HERE 
• Jacket from a fleece scarf go HERE 

xoxo Grandma  

Linked to:  Nap-time Creations

Dollar Store Purchase - Doll Shorts from Shirt Sleeves

Today's dollar store purchase transformation is to use up the sleeves from this tee shirt and make them into doll shorts.  You know, a doll needs to exercise this time of year, right?  (If you're just joining me, we are having some fun over the next few weeks turning cheap finds from dollar stores into cute doll clothes (you can find links to my other tutorials at the bottom of this post).

Take the sleeves and right at the edge of the seam cut open and throw away that old seam. Now fold the sleeves in half.  Pin onto the sleeves, a leggings or shorts pattern.  Pin the pattern top as high as possible onto the sleeves taking advantage of the finished sleeve's hem.  The pattern also needs to be placed onto the fold as shown.  

If you don't have a favorite pattern to use (I used a Simplicity pattern) I found a free shorts pattern HERE that you can download.  Make sure you lay the shorts pattern onto the fold of the sleeve and the bottom of the short taking advantage of the sleeve's hem as shown below:

• Sew the back and front seam of the shorts.  

• Open the shorts at the new seams and pin the crotch together. 

• Sew the crotch together using an overlocking stitch.

The next step is to make a casing:  

• Fold down 5/8" from the waistband.  
• Iron the seam.  
• If you want the casing to look better, at this point, you can sew around the casing with an overlocking stitch. 
• Sew close to the raw edge leaving at least 3/4" opening for elastic to be threaded through.  

• Measure the doll's waist.  Cut your elastic 1" longer than the doll's waist.  Thread that elastic through the casing.  Stitch the elastic together.  

• Sew closed the casing.  Turn the shorts right side out and put them onto your doll.

You've now got a pair of shorts for your doll that took less than a half hour to complete. The best part of this project is how easy shorts are to make from t-shirt sleeves. Better yet, it cost around 25 cents because this is now the fourth time you've used that tee shirt you spent a dollar on.  Pretty amazing final cost for doll shorts, right?   Use the elf top from this post and you've got a fun play or workout outfit for your doll.  

Don't miss these other dollar store purchases into things for your doll posts: 

Little Miss Santa outfit go HERE 

Sweater Dress from thermal socks go HERE 

Leggings from knee high socks go HERE 

Elf Outfit from a Christmas Stocking go HERE 

Doll sleeping bag from a chair cushion & tea towel go HERE 

Shorts from shirt sleeves go HERE

Skirt & scarf from a scarf go HERE 

Party dress using a sequin headband go HERE 

Night Gown from a baby fleece blanket go HERE 

Jacket from a fleece scarf go HERE 

xoxo Grandma  

Dollar Store Purchases - Doll Sleeping Bag from a Chair Pad

Today's dollar store project started with a chair pad which I turned into a doll sleeping bag. If you're just joining me, we are having some fun over the next few weeks turning cheap finds from dollar stores into cute doll clothes (you can find links to my other tutorials at the bottom of this post).  

Here's what you'll need for this project:

• One cheep chair pad or cushion. 
• One coordinating kitchen towel.
• The remainder of the red tee shirt from these projects: Elf Outfit, Little Miss Santa Outfit - cut from this a rectangular piece 9 3/4" x 12" - for the pillow.  KEEP THE REMAINDER OF THIS FABRIC FOR ANOTHER PROJECT!
• Fiber fill to lightly stuff the pillow.
• Thread

Total cost for your sleeping bag = $2.50.

First you'll need to unpick the seam binding from the cushion.  Save this seam binding because you'll use it to make your sleeping bag.

Straighten out the edges on your chair pad by cutting along the black dashed lines.

Stitch closed the edge of the cushion to keep original fabrics in place.

Re-sew some of the seam tape along the left length and the top of the pad.  Cut seam tape and save for later.

Fold the kitchen towel in half width wise and cut the bottom so the length is 16".

Lay the towel on top of the pad.

Pin the red seam tape to the the right length of the pad and the bottom of the pad.  See the black arrows and dashed lines for stitching guidelines.

Sew the seam tape along these two sides.

The image below show what the pad will look like with the towel folded back.

Fold the red knit pillow in half, width wise and stitch around using 1/4" seam.  Leave an opening of at least 2 1/2" to stuff the pillow.  

Turn fabric right side out.

Iron the pillow.

Pin the length of the pillow to the top of the chair pad.

Stitch the bottom of the pillow to the chair pad.

Lightly stuff the pillow using the fiber fill.

Hand sew the pillow opening closed.

With remaining seam tape, fold in half and stitch close to the edge.

On the middle, back side of the pad, stitch two pieces of seam tape.  This seam tape is used to tie the sleeping bag together.

Pull the seam tape toward the edge of the pad and stitch closed to the edge.  When your child is not playing with her sleeping bag, roll it up and tie the binding around the pad.

Tuck your doll inside her sleeping bag.  Sleep tight little doll and sweet dreams!

Don't miss these other dollar store purchases into things for your doll posts: 

  

• Little Miss Santa Outfit from 2 Christmas hats go HERE
• Sweater Dress from thermal socks go HERE 
• Leggings from knee high socks go HERE 
• Elf Outfit from a Christmas stocking go HERE
• Doll sleeping bag from a chair cushion & tea towel go HERE 
• Shorts from shirt sleeves go HERE 
• Skirt & scarf from a scarf go HERE 
• Party dress using a sequin headband go HERE
• Night Gown from a baby fleece blanket go HERE 
• Jacket from a fleece scarf go HERE 

xoxo Grandma 
Linked to: Nap-time Creations, 2 Crochet Hooks