Printed doll’s clothes

As a child, I often sewed clothes for my dolls. I always sewed by hand, as I only learned to use a sewing machine as a teenager.  

My dolls had a fairly large, self-sewn wardrobe. How I did it is still a mystery to me: I couldn't design anything like a sewing pattern. I just started and experimented until the clothes fit. It is so much easier now with the Brother PrintModa Studio fabric printer. You can just print the design, and it is ready to cut and sew! 

In this article I'm showing you how to make an outfit for a doll - a shirt, pants, and a hoodie. I designed the patterns for a baby doll my daughter received from her great-grandmother when she was born. The doll is 48cm tall.

Materials needed

• PrintModa Studio Fabric roll
• PrintModa Studio Laminate Sheet
• Elastic (approx. 7mm wide): 35cm
• Bias binding: 35cm
• Woven ribbon (approx. 1cm wide): 35cm (optional)
• Snap fasteners or Velcro squares or dots: three each for jacket and shirt 

Equipment needed 

• Brother PrintModa Studio fabric printer
• Artspira app on your phone/tablet*
• Sewing machine 
• Suitable pliers to insert snap fasteners
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Fabric scissors
• Fabric clips and pins
• Safety pin or bodkin
• Awl
  
  

Notes

• Washing: if you want to wash the clothes, follow the instructions that come with the printer for washing printed fabrics.
• Seam allowance is 5mm unless stated differently. Sew seams with straight stitch and finish the edges with zig zag stitches sewn over the edge.
• Seam and hem allowances are included on printed pieces.
• The patterns are suitable for dolls approximately 48cm tall.
• Important: if the child who owns the doll is under three years old, you should not use snap fasteners to close the shirt or jacket. Rather opt to use hook-and-loop fasteners sewn along the edges.  

How to 

Step 1

Download the print files here and save them on your phone. 

Download designs

Step 2

Step 3

Pants

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Fold the waist edge over to the wrong side to form a channel of 1.5cm wide. Pin it in place, then sew zig zag stitches all around, catching the raw edge. Leave a gap of approximately 3-5cm. 

Step 5

Use a safety pin or bodkin to thread the elastic through the channel. Remove the pin or bodkin, overlap the ends by 3cm and sew over the overlapped part. Now pull the elastic completely inside the waistband channel and close the opening in the channel with zigzag stitches. 

The pants are now done!

Shirt

Step 1

Place the back pieces on the front piece, right sides facing and shoulder seams aligned (a and b). Pin, sew and finish.  

Step 2

Mark the centre of one sleeve cap, place the mark on the shoulder seam, right sides facing. Pin or clip. Fit the sleeve into the armhole and pin securely (edges c and d). Sew and finish with zigzag. Repeat with the other sleeve and armhole. 

Step 3

Fold 1cm-wide hems at the ends of the sleeves (e and g) and sew them with a zigzag stitch.  

Step 4

Place the sleeve sides and the side seams of the back and one front piece together and sew along this edge (f and h). Finish the edge with zig zag. Repeat on the other side.  

Step 5

Fold the edges of the back opening (i and j) over by approximately 2.5cm to the wrong side and sew with zigzag stitches.   

Step 6

Step 7

Finish the neck edge with bias binding.  

Step 8

Add fasteners along the opening. See notes for age-appropriate options. 

If using snap fasteners, use an awl to make holes in three positions along the back edges and secure the snap fasteners with snap fastener pliers or the tool included with the fasteners. 

The shirt is complete! 

Hoodie

Step 1

Place the front pieces on the back piece, right sides facing. Pin the shoulder seams (edges a and b). Sew and finish. 

Step 2

Mark the centre of one sleeve cap, place the mark on the shoulder seam, right sides facing. Pin or clip. Fit the sleeve into the armhole and pin securely (edges c and d). Sew and finish with zigzag. Repeat with the other sleeve and armhole. 

Step 3

Fold a 1cm hem on the ends of the sleeves (e and g) and sew them with zigzag stitches.  

Step 4

Place the sleeve seams and the side seams of the back and one front piece together and sew along this edge (f and h). Finish the edge with zigzag. Repeat on the other side.  

Step 5

At the centre front, fold the raw edges on each side (i and j) 1.5cm to the wrong sides and sew with zigzag stitches.  

Step 6

Place hood pieces with right sides facing and edges aligned. Sew along the rounded edge (k) to join the two pieces of the hood. Finish the seam with zigzag stitches.  

Step 7 

Fold the straight edge 1cm over to the wrong side and sew it down with zigzag stitches.  

Step 8

Fit the raw edge of the hood (l), with right sides facing, on the neck opening of the hoodie (l) and sew in place. Finish with zigzag stitches or by sewing a ribbon over the wrong side of the seam to cover it.  

Step 9

Fold the hem edge (m) up by 1.5cm and sew it with a zigzag stitch.  

Step 10

Add fasteners along the opening. See notes for age-appropriate options.  

If using press fasteners, use an awl to make holes in three positions along the front edges and secure the snap fasteners with snap fastener pliers or the tool included with the fasteners. 

The hoodie is ready to be worn! 

Enjoy making your doll’s outfit!

 I can’t wait to see what you make! Remember to tag in Brother on Instagram and Facebook, and myself too!