Hello! I am Sharon from blog. I am very excited to be here today sharing with you how to make a doll sized Emory and also how to add a button placket hack for the girl size. Thank you so much Jessica for having me here and also to Ink & Arrow for the gorgeous fabrics from the Willow line from Junebee! I cannot tell you how lovey these are in person, the camera cannot capture just how vibrant they are!
The Emory was a love at first sight pattern for me. I was so thrilled when I finally printed my Emory pattern to sew and received an even bigger surprise! Did you know Jessica put in a doll size Emory right in the pattern??!! If you are like a friend or two of mine they did a double take when I said this, but alas it is there, the taping guide sheet! Yes, when I printed out the pattern my eyes saw doll size pattern pieces on the taping guide sheet so I had to try them out before I had even sewn the full size together. (Just to let you know that I see doll patterns everywhere I go, LOL! I adore sewing for our American Girl dolls!)
The pockets honesty have to be my favorite part of the doll size Emory. They are so tiny and darling!! They really make this dress. Don’t worry about sewing and turning them as they are really not hard to make at all.
The bodice is also big enough as well to add embellishments just like the full size pattern. I added the very same trims as as I did on my daughter’s dress. She was so thrilled with this!
To make the doll size version of the Emory you will need to print out page 23, the taping guide page.
1. You will be cutting out the size 4 (the first green line) on both bodice pieces, but before you do that, add 1/2″ to the center back of back bodice piece. This will give you the space to add the hook and loop tape for the bodice closure. For the pocket cut out the size 5,6,7 for the bottom side but for the ties cut out all the way to the largest size, on the red line. Now your pattern pieces are ready to go! Cut all these pieces as labeled. (See, I said it was already there and ready for you!)
2. Next we will cut out all of our dress pieces, Cut the following as listed;
*Skirt cut (2) 5 3/4″ x 21 1/2″
*Straps cut (2) 5″ x 4 1/4″
*Facing cut (1) 2 1/2″ x 3″
*Hem cut (2) 3 1/2″ x 21 1/2″
3. Sew your pattern just as is for the full size Emory EXCEPT for the seam allowance. This one is the important one to remember. The doll size one sews with a 1/4″ seam for the whole dress. The Pockets sew up with a 1/8″ seam. The trick with sewing the pockets is make sure all the edges are lined up very well and press the two right sides together before pinning. This will help keep them in place while sewing. The next tip is when turning the ties out use a crochet hook. I find it the easiest way of turning the pockets. DO NOT trim the pockets seam, only clip the two corners.
4. To make the skirt facing take your pattern piece and add fusible interfacing to the wrong side. (I like to round my bottom corners of this pieces on both the full size and doll on both but you don’t need to). Finish your edges then mark your sewing lines. Measure from the center top down 2 1/4″ and mark. Then follow the pattern to make the outside sewing lines and flow that to sew it onto the skirt. Continue with pattern instructions until straps.
5. When you make you dress straps you will press each side in a 1/4″ just like that of the dress. You will also add the dots from the bodice doll pieces onto the bodice fabric for the straps placement. Follow pattern for sewing together the bodice sides and adding the straps.
6. Pin together the lining bodice piece to the main bodice as called for the the pattern. Mark the back center bottom bodice a 1/4″ up from the bottom and over a 1/4″ from the side seam. I have a purple L where this mark should go. This is where you will start sewing and pivot at the point and continue sewing up the back bodice and around as called for in the pattern. Mark and sew each bottom back bodice pieces in this manner. This will make for a nice corner on our back bodice for attaching our hook and loop tape to. Turn bodice as called for in the pattern and press.
7a. For our pocket placement, measure up from the bottom hem line a 1/2″. Pin the pocket bottom in place making sure that the pocket is center to the side seam.
b. Pull in the ties to angle the pockets sides until the pocket top measure 2 1/4″ wide, and pin the sides of the pocket in place.
c. Edge stitch the pocket just as called for in the pattern. Repeat with second pocket.
8. Stitch the skirt onto the skirt onto bodice as called for in the pattern but starting at the 1/4″ part sewn on the back bodice. (see picture above). The skirt back center will but right up against the edge on the back corner we created. Finish sewing the skirt as called for in the pattern.
9. To add the hook and loop tape, take your tape and cut it the length of your bodice. Next cut the tape in half length wise so you have a skinny piece. Sew the soft side of the tape to the doll’s left back side facing towards the doll. Sew the rough side on the doll’s right side with the tape facing up away from the doll. This is so that the rough side doesn’t catch on the doll’s soft bodice.
Now you have a cute matching doll dress to match your little girl’s!!!
As you can see my daughter was so excited to have matching dresses and has plans for mama to make many, many more!! Izzy & Ivy pattern are like our potato chip patterns, we can never sew up just one. two, three…or four…LOL!! Jessica should really put a warning on her patterns that they are very habit forming!
For this one I added a buttonholes to my daughter’s dress as the ties will come undone at school. It’s a super easy hack. I also made the shoulder straps not as wide (so layering will be a breeze this fall and winter) and also added a bias strip the outer side for a bit of fun color. The straps really need both fabrics on this one as both looked just as great with the bodice.
Here is a closer look at the bodice and shoulder straps. I just adore this fabrics line. Swoon!!
The back side withe buttons I love this dress from all angles!
Here is how to add the button holes onto your back dress bodice;
1. Add 1″ to the center back of the back bodice pieces while cutting them out.
2. After sewing the side seams together cut 1 1/2″ wide x the length of your back bodice and fuse it onto the center back of your main bodice 1/2″ away from the raw edge. Repeat with opposite side.
3. Before sewing your main bodice to your lining bodice mark the back center bottom of your bodice for the stitching lines. Using a quilting ruler for this step really helps. Measure 1/2″ up from the bottom edge and in 1″ from the center back. Make a 1/2″ mark starting at the 1/2″ side seam spot along the bottom edge and going in 1/2″. Next, draw a line going up the center back 1/2″. This will look like an L shape as pictured below. It will serve as your starting stitching line and also as your pivoting point. (My finger in pointing to the bottom side of the back bodice center.) Mark the opposite side the same way.
4. Start stitching right at the line you made, then pivoting at the corner of your L and sew up the back side of your bodice, continue sewing around your bodice as called for in the pattern then back down the opposite side as you started finishing at the bottom of the L shape you drew.
5. Turn your bodice right side out and press your two bottom corners that you created.
Here is a look at what the inside seam will look like.
I also then press up the seam on the main bodice at this time. The bottom corner will make starting this seam a breeze. (I sew my skirt to the lining bodice then fold my main bodice over it, as it is already pressed and ready to go, pin in place, then top stitch. This way I do not worry about having to catch the lining bodice as I top stitch the front side.)
6. Place the skirt back edge right against the corner you sewn on the bottom of the back bodice on each side and pin. Next pin your skirt side seams in place as called for in the pattern and gather. Stitch the skirt around as in pattern.
7. Turn your bodice right side out and press your skirt seams, back corners. The corners you just made with eh skirt lining will overlap to create a nice back bodice with not being a skirt gap or overlap. Now pin your top bodice in place and stitch.
8. Add your buttonholes at this time, for the smaller sizes you may only need 2. I place my top one down 1/2″ and the bottom up 1/2″ from the bodice edge. The middle one half way between both the top and bottom one. After you cut the buttonholes open, overlap the back bodices to mark where your button will go and sew on the buttons.
Now these two best friends are so happy that they match!! They had to go over to grandma’s and grandpa’s to show them how great they both looked. It sure made this mam’s heart smile!.
Thank you so much, Jessica for having me on your blog today, and also Ink & Arrow fabrics for the gorgeous fabrics to sew both Emorys!!!
You can find the Emory pattern in the Izzy & Ivy shop at the link below.
You can find the fabrics I used at Ink & Arrow at the link below. I highly recommend these are the colors are so vibrate in person! The photos do not do them justice!
Willow by Junebee for Ink & Arrow Fabrics
Happy Sewing ladies!!
Sharon
