This is a free Retro Dress Pattern I designed to fit 'Krista'. Please e-mail me for a PDF copy, if you have bought my 'Krista' pattern - or would like to!

  The dress has a basque waist with panels inset in the skirt to make it plain or coloured.  The dress can be any length and would look good with beading, buttons a shawl, or fine scarf. 

 It also comes with a half petticoat pattern.

A Little Bit!

By Sharon Mitchell 2011

Little Bit is easy to put together in the usual way. The whole body is calico, but I used a strip of two-way stretch fabric to make the tail and it worked really well for turning.  Trace the pattern on to freezer paper, press piece s on fabric and stitch around the paper shape leaving the marked openings.  Cut out leaving a small seam allowance.  Clip curves and peel off freezer paper, which can be used several times. Only the hands and feet have Chenille stems in them to stand and pose.

 Colour the inner ears, toes and paws with light strokes of crimson red Prismacolour pencil, before you hand sew them on with a fine needle & matching thread.

Fold the openings of the ears in and run a gathering stitch over the edge before sewing them on, to make them curve inwards.

Mark the eyes with Prismacolour pencil crimson red before sculpting in two 3mm black beads  from one side of the face to the other side, to indent them in.  Not too loose that will make them stick out.

‘Pink’ up the nose with Prismacolour pencil red and outline with tan pigma pen, or copper gel pen (if using the gel pen, spray first to seal, with hairspray).

Sculpt in a little mouth from the eyes, to pull up the cheeks a little and give a cheerful face! 

 Make a little scarf from a small scrap of gauze, soaked in blue & red cochineal and dry with hair dryer so it’s nice & wrinkly.  (Wear gloves so you will not stain your hands!)

Find a sheaf of lavender or other fine stalk flowers and cut to size – hold with string and pose arms around them for effect!

And there you have your own... Little Bit!

 

Clicking on the pattern should open it to print off

Double click on the picture to enlarge.  Right click to print.

...........  This is the Trunk I made from a tissue box and here are the construction notes that you can copy and paste to your computer and make them big enough to read, if you want to make one for yourself.  It's all illusion ......the trunk does not open, purely decorative!  Copy some images online of hunges and a clasp, and soem travel labels.  BAck the hinges and clasp with leather or thick card to make it stand out and look like a real one.  Paint the whole things with Mod Podge for a good effect.  I guess if you want it to look really old you could use some of that crackle paint! 

Most of all - have fun!

This is Biscuit!  He is a free pattern for you to use, but please give me the credit for designing him.

Requirements for making "Biscuit"!

Knitted short nap fur fabric - a must for this look!

Prismacolour pencil - black

Three black beads 5mm for eyes and 6mm for nose

Scrap of fabric or ribbed ribbon for collar & leash.  Small buckle for collar.

This is the pattern.  Double click to enlarge.  Right click to print.  In Properties, set to landscape. I made it so it was seven inches tall standing.

Because I am a novice at soft toy making fabrics, this dog was a happy accident!  If I’d tried to make it like this, it wouldn’t have turned out so well.  This is how I made it!

Construction notes.

v Place the pattern pieces on the fabric.  Because it’s knitted, and depending what size stitch you use, the nap is liable to move.  Pin it as much as possible, but little stretches in the fabric will give the fabric a twist, causing the pieces to be an un-uniform fit.  This is what gives the curl in the tail, or the turn of the dogs head and the limbs to look like they are moving.

v Stuff the pieces and put together in whatever pose you wish – or can!

v Using Prismacolour pencil black, mark in the eyes, creating shadows.  Also the nose and mouth.  If  the marks need darkening, wet the pencil and rub into the fabric.  Do the same on the back and the tips of the ears and possibly tail.

v Using the smaller beads, stitch back and forth to create the indent for the eyes and bridge of the nose.

v The larger bead in the nose – or you can be more creative than I about that!

v I stitched the ears on, and then bent them forward, anchoring them with thread. 

v Make a collar.

v All done – make a pair!  There are two different forelegs for this one!
Save this to your computer and enlarge to your requirements.

Boots or shoes or slippers? Make a Last!

I went the extra mile and made a Shoe Last for this task. This is useful, because I can make shoes to fit most 18 – 20 – 22 inch dolls using this last. I made the Last in the shape of a foot with a slightly raised heel, to take away the flatness and to allow a heel to go on the sole. I made the foot generic so it could be ‘left’ or ‘right’.

Boots, shoes, slippers, scuffs etc, can be made on this. I made the Last from polymer clay, as it seemed less likely to crumble because it is handled a lot – and sometimes dropped!

After setting it, I wrapped the Last in masking tape for (my) security! Remember if you make a Last, to have a base to stand it on, which helps when working on footwear. I just used a round piece with a dowel-sized hole and a shortened piece of dowel that the Last sits on, but footwear can be constructed on a Last without a stand. It would just be more fiddly.
• The base is approximately 10cms round, but any wood can be used to put the dowel in.
• The foot length of the last is roughly 8cms.
• From the base of the heel to the shin is 7cms.
• From the widest part of the ankle around the top of the foot is 9cms
• Around the widest part of the foot is 7.5cms.
• If making clay heels, measure the distance between the heel and the sole. On my Last the measurement is 1cm.

Making a Last for shoes or boots is not difficult and makes shoemaking so much more satisfying!

Here is a pattern for Bottoms, which includes jeans, straight leg pants, shorts, miniskirt, straight skirt and flared skirt. If you double click on the drawings, they should print out at the correct size.

Here is an alternative leg option for Krista.  If you want to paint flat shoes on her,k or make shoes for her, or have bare feet, this is the option to use.  Remember you can just sew the leg position if you don;t want to move them.  She will at least stand properly!  You can also use wire armature if you wish, for a stronger leg.

Design your own clothes for Krista!

This is a pattern for a variety of tops that can be used as tops vest or dress tops. I have drawn out a variety of necklines to trace out. The sides can be straight or fitted. You can make a bra. Or an evening dress strapless or with straps. Round, vee, square or heart shaped neckline. Three different waist lengths. I advise making an initial top from calico first to try for fit. The pattern may need adjusting to fit your doll.• To make a dress, follow the line down with a ruler to the length you wish. Make it longer so you can adjust for hems.


• You can make the dress all in one piece, in which case, follow that dart right down to a point. Or you can make a two piece.

• You can use this pattern to make contemporary clothing or historical clothing and underwear.

• The sleeves show two different shapes. The top one will make the sleeves puffier.

• To make them even puffier, extend the line under the arm out by a few cms and add another line above the one I have drawn. Adjust the side line accordingly.

• The lower line will make the sleeve more fitted.

• Look at fashion sites for ideas, and sewing sites for sewing techniques.

• If you can think of anything else I should add to this, email me please with your suggestion and I’ll put it in.
Double-click on the pattern and enlarge it to print out the correct size.  Please let me know if this works?