Ideas for Embellishing Doll Clothes

Embellishing is one of our favorite parts of the sewing process. Those little extras that "make the outfit" are important - whether you're sewing lace shapes on a christening gown or stitching a ribbon motif on a casual outfit for playgroup. This week we would like to share with you two ideas for embellishing doll clothes from designer Joan Hinds' book All Dolled Up. First, learn how to make a pretty rickrack flower and then discover how to embellish a garment using fusible appliqué:

Rickrack Flower

Rickrack Flower
What You Need:
• 3 pieces of rickrack, 1/4-inch wide and approximately 5 inches long
• 3 beads, 5mm
• Sewing thread and needle

How to Create:
1. Insert the needle about 1/2 inch from the end into a peak on a 5-inch piece of 1/4-inch wide rickrack. Insert the needle through each peak until you come to within 1/2 inch of the other end (figure 1). There should be 8 folds in the rickrack for the petals. Pull the needle through the peaks and pull tightly. Connect the ends of the rickrack together and tie off securely at the back. Repeat with the two remaining 5-inch pieces of rickrack.

Figure 1

2. Stitch the beads to the center of each flower with the needle and thread. Arrange the flowers in a cluster and tack to the upper right side of the T-shirt.

Fusible Appliqué 
Instead of a rickrack flower, choose a flower from fabric to use as embellishment on the shirt. Adhere the cut-out flower onto fusible web, then fuse it onto the T-shirt.

Joan Hinds Sewing for Dolls Collection

Check out our new Joan Hinds Sewing for Dolls Collection for more doll clothes inspiration. This bundle includes three books and two DVDs by Joan!

Sew On, Sew Well, Sew Beautiful,
Cyndi and Amelia