If you want something done right...

[AMKuska]

My daughter is really into dolls right now. This year for Christmas she got a whole tone of Barbie and Chelsea (Barbie's daughter) clothing. I have no idea who makes this stuff, but it is obvious that who ever is doing it doesn't play with the dolls. Some of the clothing straight up doesn't fit. Others are really tight, or the straps are so flimsy they break. My daughter was in tears because she can't even play with her own toys without a parent there to help undress/dress everyone.

Well a quick look at the clothing revealed this stuff is stupid easy to make, so off to the craft store we went. This is the first piece I've made for my daughter. She loves it, and she can easily undress/dress the doll herself. I'm getting a sewing machine so I can make a full wardrobe for her. It arrives Tuesday!

I'm going to make her a full wardrobe.

 

[seedcorn]

Unfortunately toys aren’t always made for children but what “adults” think are cute or fun. Way too many hidden messages in toys.

 

[flowerbug]

i learned how to sew by watching Mom and making things when i was fairly young. i hope you will include her in the making process so she can eventually learn to make some herself. it's a skill that never goes out of use and can have many other followons (like learning how to do leatherwork or ...).

i still have the Singer Featherweight machine that Mom used from back then (she said she wanted to get rid of it and i said NOoooo! so i have it now and use it once in a while for a quick sewing job).

 

[Branching Out]

My daughter is really into dolls right now. This year for Christmas she got a whole tone of Barbie and Chelsea (Barbie's daughter) clothing. I have no idea who makes this stuff, but it is obvious that who ever is doing it doesn't play with the dolls. Some of the clothing straight up doesn't fit. Others are really tight, or the straps are so flimsy they break. My daughter was in tears because she can't even play with her own toys without a parent there to help undress/dress everyone.

Well a quick look at the clothing revealed this stuff is stupid easy to make, so off to the craft store we went. This is the first piece I've made for my daughter. She loves it, and she can easily undress/dress the doll herself. I'm getting a sewing machine so I can make a full wardrobe for her. It arrives Tuesday!

I'm going to make her a full wardrobe. View attachment 54319

Did you hand stitch this cute little strawberry sun dress??

 

[AMKuska]

Unfortunately toys aren’t always made for children but what “adults” think are cute or fun. Way too many hidden messages in toys.

So true! What this clothes taught my daughter is that she can't do anything for herself, she's weak and helpless, and playing with dolls isn't any fun. When I told her she could put the dress on herself and she did easily, she actually cried she was so happy.

I'm so fired up about this, and thinking about all the poor kids out there in the same boat, I'm going to run off extras and put up an Etsy shop or something so easy to put on clothing is available for all.

It's not even just how hard it is to put on or how ill fitting it is, it's also little things like how the velcro is put on. It's just a sloppy stitch down the center. Over time that's going to break down and be super hard to use.

i learned how to sew by watching Mom and making things when i was fairly young. i hope you will include her in the making process so she can eventually learn to make some herself. it's a skill that never goes out of use and can have many other followons (like learning how to do leatherwork or ...).

i still have the Singer Featherweight machine that Mom used from back then (she said she wanted to get rid of it and i said NOoooo! so i have it now and use it once in a while for a quick sewing job).

My mom tried to teach me as a child but the sewing machine was really scary and stitched my fingers. My neighbor brought one over a few years ago and taught me to use it again. It was less scary, but heavy and impossibly difficult to use.

The new one I just bought is only 14 pounds and all the threading is labeled so I think it will be easy. If not, I'm sure my neighbor will teach me again. She's very patient. I call her my Washington mom.

My daughter has asked if making clothing is easy and if she can try, so once I learn how to use it again I'll pop her up there and let her try it. She's already a little engineer making anything and everything around the house. Clothing will be a snap for her.

Did you hand stitch this cute little strawberry sun dress??

Yes I did! My sewing machine is arriving tomorrow, hopefully I'll be able to learn how to use it.

 

[valley ranch]

So true! What this clothes taught my daughter is that she can't do anything for herself, she's weak and helpless, and playing with dolls isn't any fun. When I told her she could put the dress on herself and she did easily, she actually cried she was so happy.

I'm so fired up about this, and thinking about all the poor kids out there in the same boat, I'm going to run off extras and put up an Etsy shop or something so easy to put on clothing is available for all.

It's not even just how hard it is to put on or how ill fitting it is, it's also little things like how the velcro is put on. It's just a sloppy stitch down the center. Over time that's going to break down and be super hard to use.

My mom tried to teach me as a child but the sewing machine was really scary and stitched my fingers. My neighbor brought one over a few years ago and taught me to use it again. It was less scary, but heavy and impossibly difficult to use.

The new one I just bought is only 14 pounds and all the threading is labeled so I think it will be easy. If not, I'm sure my neighbor will teach me again. She's very patient. I call her my Washington mom.

My daughter has asked if making clothing is easy and if she can try, so once I learn how to use it again I'll pop her up there and let her try it. She's already a little engineer making anything and everything around the house. Clothing will be a snap for her.

Yes I did! My sewing machine is arriving tomorrow, hopefully I'll be able to learn how to use it.

You will learn and slowly become master of that machine, eventually being able to do things that will amaze people who see your work,,,

 

[Branching Out]

So true! What this clothes taught my daughter is that she can't do anything for herself

This reminds me of when our daughter was little, and she was frustrated that the dresses that she liked to wear had zippers up the back requiring help to get dressed in them. We asked my mom, who is a seamstress, to create some simple play dresses that had the zipper at the front instead. At the time I wondered why children were not consulted more regarding the manufacturing of kids clothes, but I figured most of the garments were created to look good on the rack or in advertising photos.

 

[AMKuska]

This reminds me of when our daughter was little, and she was frustrated that the dresses that she liked to wear had zippers up the back requiring help to get dressed in them. We asked my mom, who is a seamstress, to create some simple play dresses that had the zipper at the front instead. At the time I wondered why children were not consulted more regarding the manufacturing of kids clothes, but I figured most of the garments were created to look good on the rack or in advertising photos.

That's exactly the right thing to do! Stick a couple of gemstones on the zipper piece and it can be part of the decoration.

 

[ducks4you]

Doll clothes and costumes will teach you sew like NOTHING ELSE!! All 3 DD's have been cosplaying for over 20 years--maybe the youngest, not as long--but you don't need polish on the seams, you can cheat with fabric glue and you can learn to dye fabric, ALL without despairing bc the outfit you wanted to wear didn't turn out perfectly for that special day.
If you are going through old clothes, you could cut portions from old t shirts and others and get your doll clothes fabric for freebies.
I have given my old spatterwear hot water bath canning pots to them for dying fabric.
We have been a little too busy, but this year we intend to take in the 1960's REALLY HD Singer, ALL METAL, encased in a cabinet, in the local (1 hr away) sewing store to have it cleaned up and oiled. Used to belong to my SIL, Jane, (1955-1998, RIP), and we haven't tried to use it yet.
It only does a straight stitch and a zigzag, but it can handle REALLY heavy fabric and leather.
Add the 5 regular machines, Singer, Brother and others and the 3 Sergers, and you have...
A SWEAT SHOP!!

 

[AMKuska]

Doll clothes and costumes will teach you sew like NOTHING ELSE!! All 3 DD's have been cosplaying for over 20 years--maybe the youngest, not as long--but you don't need polish on the seams, you can cheat with fabric glue and you can learn to dye fabric, ALL without despairing bc the outfit you wanted to wear didn't turn out perfectly for that special day.
If you are going through old clothes, you could cut portions from old t shirts and others and get your doll clothes fabric for freebies.
I have given my old spatterwear hot water bath canning pots to them for dying fabric.
We have been a little too busy, but this year we intend to take in the 1960's REALLY HD Singer, ALL METAL, encased in a cabinet, in the local (1 hr away) sewing store to have it cleaned up and oiled. Used to belong to my SIL, Jane, (1955-1998, RIP), and we haven't tried to use it yet.
It only does a straight stitch and a zigzag, but it can handle REALLY heavy fabric and leather.
Add the 5 regular machines, Singer, Brother and others and the 3 Sergers, and you have...
A SWEAT SHOP!!

I'd love to see some of the outfits. I actually think it would be fun to make cosplay outfits for the dolls too haha.

Also, I actually thought it'd be cool to do an 'eco-friendly' line or something and turn allll those stained shirts and unusable clothes into doll clothes. I literally need a 1x2" piece of fabric for some pieces so it's not like I can't pull those out of something.

Sewing machine still has not arrived and it promised me. Waaaah!