Full Circle Skirt Free PDF Printable Sewing Pattern for 18-Inch Dolls

Here's another PDF printable sewing pattern for 18-inch dolls---Full circle skirt with elasticated waist band.

The measurements of the doll I used are

Chest 11.5 inches

Waist 11 inches

Hip 11.75 inches

This pattern will fit 18-inch dolls such as the American Girl® Doll and Our Generation® Doll and dolls with similar body measurements.

Seam allowances:

Seam allowances are included in the pattern, which is, for the skirt, 0.25 inch at the top edge and 0.50 inch at the hemline.

How to print?

This is a two-page PDF file. 

Print the page on an A4 paper. Make sure you have set page sizing to "Actual size" before you print the pattern. 

You can measure the 1 inch x 1 inch square in the pattern page to check whether the page has printed correctly.

Pattern Link:

Note: I recently found out that I had uploaded a wrong PDF file. I have removed the file and uploaded the new file. Please click the link below to download the new correct file. I apologize for the inconvenience.

How to Print and Assemble the PDF Pattern Pages:

Click here to learn how to print and assemble the PDF pattern pages. 

Waistband:

For the waistband, cut a 20-inch-long, 2-inch-wide piece of fabric.

How to Cut the Pattern Pieces from the Fabric?

This is how you will cut the skirt and waist band from the fabric. 

Suggested fabrics and fabric measurements:

An 18 x 18-inch (45 x 45-cm) fabric is needed to make this circle skirt. This is how the circle skirt will look like after it's cut out from the fabric---like a donut. :-)

You can use fabrics such as quilting cotton, gingham, linen, seersucker, crepe, silk, etc. to make this skirt. 

How to Sew?

I have given below a short tutorial on how to sew the skirt.

A step-by-step sewing tutorial with pictures is provided here. 

Step 1: Hem the skirt. Fold the hemline down the wrong side by 0.25 inch and then again by 0.25 inch and sew along the folded edge.  

Step 2: With right sides facing, attach the bottom edge of the waistband with the skirt's top edge at the center back using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Start by leaving a trail of 1 or 2 inches of the waistband at one end and sew around the skirt. And once you are back at the starting point, match both the ends and pin them together. Cut the trail of fabric from both  ends of the waistband leaving only 1/4 inch for seam allowance, and now join the ends together.

Step 3: Fold down the top edge of the waist band by 1/4 inch. Next, fold the waistband in half, and sew over the folded edge leaving a small gap to feed the elastic in. Insert a 0.5-inch-wide, 10-inch-long elastic through the casing, overlap the ends of the elastic by 0.5 inch, and sew them together. Sew the gap in the casing closed.

Now your doll has got a beautiful twirly circle skirt to add to her wardrobe.

I have posted lots of free PDF printable sewing patterns on this page on my blog. Browse through this page to find the patterns you are looking for. You can download and use them to make your own clothes.

You can also click the Free Sewing Patterns Page at the top of this blog page (under the blog title) to find more free sewing patterns.

Click the below links to browse through all the pattern drafting and sewing tutorials on my blog.

Pattern drafting tutorials

Sewing tutorials

These links appear at the top of my blog on the navigation bar as well.

Happy sewing!  

---Flora

How to Sew Bermuda Shorts for an 18-Inch Doll? (Sewing Tutorial + Free PDF Printable Sewing Pattern)

Today I would like to guide you through the step-by-step sewing tutorial for the free Bermuda shorts PDF sewing pattern for 18-inch dolls I have posted here.

The measurements of the doll I used are

Chest 11.5 inches

Waist 11 inches

Hip 11.75 inches

This pattern will fit 18-inch dolls such as the American Girl® Doll and Our Generation® Doll and dolls with similar body measurements.

Materials needed:

1. Free PDF sewing pattern

2. Fabric

3. Elastic (width 3/8 inch, length 10 inches)

4. Scissors

5. Sewing machine

6. Matching thread

7. Measuring tape

8. Serger (optional)

How to cut the pattern pieces?

Print out the pattern on an A4 paper and cut out your pattern pieces.

Here's how you cut out the pattern pieces from the fabric.

Place your shorts back pattern on the fabric and cut for the left side.

Flip the paper pattern on the fabric and cut for the right side.

Repeat this step for the front of the shorts as well.

Lay out the shorts front and back pattern pieces cut from the fabric like this:

How to sew the shorts?

Let's start sewing.

Step 1: Join the sides.

Flip the front left and with right sides facing, place it over the back left. Similarly, flip the front right with right sides facing, and place it over the back right, as shown in the picture below. 

Place the front and back fabric pieces (both the left and right) right sides together, and join the sides of the shorts (with a 0.25-inch seam allowance). Finish the seam edges with a serger, or clip the seam edges with pinking shears.

You can also serge the seam edges before joining the pieces.  and after sewing them together, you can open the seams and press them flat... You can do whichever way you prefer.

Step 2: Join the crotch seams.

After joining the side seams, place the fabric pieces like so, with right sides facing each other.

Make sure you align the front pieces together (the seam line shown in blue in the image) and the back pieces together (the seam line shown in red in the image). Now sew over these seam lines (with a 0.25-inch seam allowance). These are called the center seams or crotch seams. Stop at the bottom of the crotch seams and leave the leg seam open.

Step 3: Join the leg seams.

Pin the the leg seams together and sew (with a 0.25-inch seam allowance) as shown in the image below.

Step 4: Hem the bottom edge of each leg of the shorts.

Fold the right leg hemline 0.25 inch inward and press.

Then fold again 0.5 inch inward and press. 

Sew along the folded edge. Repeat the same steps for the left leg.

Step 5: Create a casing at the waistline and insert the elastic.

Fold the waistline down by 0.25 inch and again by 0.50 inch.

Sew along the folded edge leaving a 2-inch gap to insert the elastic.

Take a 3/8-inch-wide, 10-inch-long elastic.

Insert the elastic through the casing using a safety pin, Overlap the edges by 0.25 inch, and secure the ends of the elastic by running zig-zag stitches over it a few times. Then, sew the 2-inch gap closed.

Turn the shorts inside out.

Now you have made a beautiful pair of shorts for your little girl's doll.

I have posted lots of free PDF printable sewing patterns on this page on my blog. Browse through this page to find the patterns you are looking for. You can download and use them to make your own clothes.

You can also click the Free Sewing Patterns Page at the top of this blog page (under the blog title) to find more free sewing patterns.

Click the below links to browse through all the pattern drafting and sewing tutorials on my blog.

Pattern drafting tutorials

Sewing tutorials

These links appear at the top of my blog on the navigation bar as well.

These links appear at the top of my blog as well.

Happy sewing!  

---Flora

How to Sew a Cute A-Line Skirt for an 18-Inch Doll? (Free PDF Printable Sewing Pattern Included)

In today's tutorial, let's learn how to sew a simple A-line skirt for 18-inch dolls. Link for the free PDF sewing pattern is given below.

The measurements of the doll I used are

Chest 11.5 inches

Waist 11 inches

Hip 11.75 inches

This pattern will fit 18-inch dolls such as the American Girl® Doll and Our Generation® Doll and dolls with similar body measurements.

Download and print the free A-line skirt for 18-inch doll PDF sewing pattern provided at this link.

Cut the pattern out.

Cut the pattern pieces:

Cut two pieces for the skirt on a folded fabric as shown in the image below, one for the front and one for the back.

Let's start sewing:

Join the sides:

With right sides facing, join the sides of the skirt.

Serge or zigzag the edges of the side seams, or trim the edges using pinking shears.

Hem the bottom of the skirt:

First, fold the hemline 0.25 inch to the wrong side and press well.

Again make a 0.50-inch fold, press well, and sew.

This is how the skirt looks when you turn it inside out.

Elastic waist:

Fold the waistline of the skirt 0.25 inch to the wrong side and press well.

Again make a 0.50-inch fold, leaving a 2-inch opening to insert the elastic.

Feed the elastic through the opening (length of the elastic = waist measurement minus 1 inch).

Overlap the ends of the elastic by 0.25 inch and sew a zigzag stitch over the overlap to secure it.

Sew the opening closed, turn the skirt inside out, and that's it, you have made a cute A-line skirt for your doll.

For your easy reference, I have organized my blog posts under the following sections. Hope it's useful to you:

Free printable PDF sewing patterns 

Pattern drafting tutorials

Sewing tutorials

These links appear at the top of my blog as well.

Happy sewing!  

---Flora