Create home-couture one-of-a-kind outfits for fashion dolls with these easy-to-sew patterns that will add pizzazz to any dainty doll’s wardrobe.

We all know the embarrassment that can arise when two people arrive at a gathering wearing the exact same outfit. Well, there’s no danger of duplication in the dolly world when your child is creating bespoke hand-made outfits, with well chosen fabrics and trims, for the special doll in her life.

Imagine the satisfaction of seeing your favourite dolly decked out in a gorgeous outfit designed by you.
Even better is knowing that every
piece is hand made with love!

Starting with the sewing for beginners basics of the kit you’ll need, this book has simple step-by-step instructions to make a tunic top, a knee-length coat, an A-line skirt, a faux-fur jacket, a skater skirt, a day dress, a party dress, an evening bag and a fringed bag.

Each design features an actual size pattern (which you can easily trace onto paper), as well as detailed instructions for every stage. There’s also a handy glossary of sewing stitches with easy-to-follow diagrams to make sewing as straightforward as possible.

As young seamstresses become more proficient, you can use these basic patterns to experiment with your own designs, adding more embellishments and mix and matching with different fabrics to create a whole new catwalk of looks.

All the outfits are designed to fit a regular 30cm (12 inch) fashion doll. The authors are careful not to mention any names (ahem, Barbie, cough cough), stating “all the dolls are unbranded” but if you happen to have a certain blonde in your stash of dolls, then these clothes should fit like a glove. Or a dress.

This is a beautifully designed book thanks to the combination of children’s wear designer Louise Scott-Smith’s aethetic sensibilities and talent for putting together stylish outfits – all perfectly scaled down to dolly proportions – and Georgia Vaux’s strong graphic style.

The perfect book for any young girl who fancies herself as a mini fashion designer. And I’ve got a feeling there’ll be a few mummies keen to offer a helping hand.

I know my Sindy doll would have loved these outfits!

Fun fact Gingham was originally a striped fabric – its original Malay name ‘genggang’ means striped – but after it was imported to England the lightweight cotton became the characteristic checked pattern. For her second wedding in 1959, French actress Brigitte Bardot wore a dress made of pink gingham, which sparked a trend in France that led to a shortage for many months.

Did you know? ‘Chiffon’ is French for ‘rag’ or ‘cloth. It can be made from a variety of fibres: silk, cotton or synthetics, and is often used as an overlay in dressy garments. It is notoriously difficult to work with because it the shiny fabric is slippery and frays easily but it is very popular in formal evening wear.

Author notes Louise Scott-Smith is a children’s wear designer. She was formerly Head of Children’s Wear Design at Liberty of London and at Caramel Baby & Child. Georgia Vaux is a graphic designer, book designer, and art director.