5g. How to Sew on Sticky Tape Closures

The invention of Velcro® brand sticky tape closures has been a boon in making doll clothes. No longer do you have to worry about buttons or metal hooks and eyes or snaps being pulled off and swallowed by your youngest doll clothes recipients.

What you lose in esthetics is more than made up by safety considerations.

In the photo you can see how I use the sticky tape for closures at the back of doll dresses. In this example I took a 3 inch long strip and cut it lengthwise. In this way the narrow closure is more in proportion to the dress back.

After cutting my strip I try the dress on the doll, overlap middle back edges, left over right. This gives me the spot to lay the strips. I lay the harder plastic grips on the bottom side and lay the softer side over.

This strip of fastener in the photo has a sticky backing so I can place it on the material without having to pin it in place. That is a very handy improvement over the smooth backed kinds - especially for doll clothes.

Then I use a heavy duty hand sewing needle threaded with buttonhole or quilting thread, and using a small running stitch sew from bottom to top and back down to attach each of the 2 part strips. If your sewing needle becomes sticky clean it with nail polish remover.

Alternately to sewing the narrow strips on the back middle seam you could use the sticky velcro dots available in craft and hobby stores. Sew them on with a few small stitches around the outside edge.

When the dress is on the doll it is not even noticeable that you've used this modern method of closure!

Article and photo credit Susan Kramer

5g. Press Then Sew Doll Clothes

The easiest method I have found to sew doll clothes together as neatly and swiftly as possible is to press the cut out pieces, then also iron all edges that will be turned in. Then pin together and sew together.

In the photo you can just see the turned up hem on the bright yellow calico lower sleeve. It is turned up one quarter inch to the finished side and a row of pre-gathered lace is sewn over it - also on the finished side.

To the right in the photo is a doll bodice. The shoulder seams are first sewn together then pressed to the back.

The lower edge of the bodice is turned up one quarter inch and pressed. This seam will be place over the top edge of a pleated or gathered skirt and topstitched in place.

I turn in the back center bodice seams one eighth inch twice and press - then pin and sew.

I also turn up the lower hem of the skirt twice, press and pin in place before hemming. It makes a nice crisp hem finish.

Overall with doll clothes, because you are working mostly with very small pieces, do press every seam that will need turning in before sewing the pieces together.

Then when the dress is complete you won't have to worry about trying to iron out unwanted creases!

Article and photo credit Susan Kramer