Pattern Drafting Crash Course – Measuring Your Miniature Dolls

Jul 072010
 

Pattern Drafting Crash Course – Measuring Your Miniature Dolls

Since most dolls are evenly made on both sides, the measurements are taken on the half or in the case of an arc the quarter. The exception is circumference measurements, which are all the way around the body. It is advisable that you mark somehow, either with scotch tape on the body and a pencil mark or however you are comfortable, the center front and back along with where your doll’s bust, waist and hip fall. Deciding this before you start measuring will make a big difference in how your patterns will turn out and how accurate they will be. For scale and 1/2 scale miniatures use metrics, as a millimeter is more accurate than rounding to the nearest fraction. When working with dolls this tiny it is imperative that your measurements be accurate.

Please note that after 9 years  this tutorial has been updated to reflect several minor errors that were made during the original writing.

Measurement Chart

This is a master list of all the measurements needed for all dolls. Copy the entire list and fill in the ones you need for whatever doll you are going to be currently using. Following will be explanations of how to do these measurements for each type of doll.
Permission granted by author to copy this page.

Key: A= All Dolls L= Lady dolls only C = Child dolls B =
Babies M = Man		 KEY
1) Full Height A
2) Bust/Chest A
3) Waist A
4) Hip/Hip With Diaper A, B
5) Center Length Front Back A
6) Full Length Front Back A
7) Across Shoulder Front Back A
8) Side Seam Length A
9) Shoulder Length A
10) Shoulder Slope Front Back A
11) Bust Depth L
12) Side Seam To Floor L, M, C
13) Back Waist To Floor L, M, C
14) Crotch Depth A
15) Hip Depth A
16) Side Hip Depth A
17) Finger Span A
18) Wrist A
19) Around Foot A
20) Upper Arm A
21) Sleeve Length A
22) Armhole Depth A
23)Waist To A) Ankle B)Knee C)Floor L, C
D) Short Train E) Long Train L
24) Inseam A
25) Outseam A
Waist Arc A
Chest Arc A
Hip Arc A
Arms Type A
Legs Type A
Body Type A
Fingers Type A

Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com

NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes

Pattern Drafting Crash Course – Tips & Tricks for Pattern Construction

Jul 072010
 

Here are some suggestions for some common items that can make drafting and sewing for smaller dolls easier!

Dryer sheet– can be used for any spot that requires interfacing of sorts as in collars and cuffs but should not be used for the entire garment. I have tried it several times and cutting it away sometimes ends in holes in the actual garment no matter how careful I am.

Tear away stabilizer– this is useful for china silk that is slightly heavy yet still slippery. The bad thing is that tearing it away sometimes will distort the stitching and fabric.

Water Soluble stabilizer— my latest discovery! This stuff is easy to use simply trace the pieces to the stabilizer and construct the garment. When ready to get rid of the stabilizer simply dunk in cold water and it all dissolves like magic leaving soft silk in it’s place. It is also handy to use in bodice construction as when you turn bodices sometimes pointy or even dull tools can poke through the fabric the stabilizer helps to prevent this thus avoiding the ruin of a lot of work! So far I haven’t found a downside to this yet.

The 2 stabilizers mentioned above are available in the machine embroidery section of any sewing or craft store and are usually very light weight. My current packages of both the Tear Away and the Water Soluable (Solvy) are by Sulky. No I do not sell the items mentioned I just use it and love it!

Machine basting patterns to fabric is a lot of work. I’ve found that hand basting is faster and less of a hassle as you do not have to pin the pieces to the fabric first. Slightly larger stitches are ok for this too as you want to be able to see to take them out later!

Best tools I’ve found so far are crochet hooks. A size 5 crochet hook has a blunt butt end that is smaller than a bodkin which is useful also but the crochet hook also has a rounded end by the hook that is great for getting bodice pieces to turn nicely too. This is especially important for half inch scale bodices!

Got small kids in the house? I do!  Mischief makers both. Now being that I sew and do it A LOT I use needles and pins…. standard pin cushions don’t babyproof enough to suit me. My solution is to take the nice childproof prescription medicine bottles and put pins and needles in those. I have a nice fat one for pins and several skinny ones for various types of needles including sewing machine needles. This makes good storage…. and the kids can’t get into them!

Alternate to ribbon for measuring small dolls accurately is a twist tie.To measure simply place one end at the starting point and the other end you bend then measure the tiny portion before the bend against an accurate ruler.

Dressmaker’s Ham Pattern (pressing aid) – originally on Perfect Patterns but not on the current site it’s on an old page.

Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com

NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes

Pattern Drafting Crash Course – Specification Sheets

Jul 062010
 

Why are they useful? Specification sheets are very useful to keep track of design details. This is including but not limited to what doll, fabrics, item numbers for those of us in a business or that have a huge doll collection. Most important cost of a project not to mention a copy of the actual design, front and back view with notes and swatches. You can also list where you bought a fabric or what else it might have been used for. Care instructions and anything else you think might be important for future reference.

A specification sheet would be kept with the measuring chart for the doll that the design goes with. If it goes with multiple dolls then the measurement chart for each doll and a copy of the specification sheet should be with each. Later you can also add copies of the patterns in Ziplock bags or file folders and any construction information you need too. It is best to have some form of file folder system for this information if you think you may have a large collection of doll patterns as they are very easily lost!

Permission given by author to photocopy this page.

Specification sheet
Doll: Size of Doll:
Name of garment: Style: Number:
Season : Designer:
Yard goods:
Face fabric: Cost: Sketch & Swatches
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Interfacing Cost:
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Lining: Cost:
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Trims: Cost:
Width: Length:
Color: Weight:
Total $:
Notions:
Fastners:
Thread: Spools: Colors: Size (Yds):
Total $:
GRAND TOTAL $:

Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com

NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes

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