Halloween skirt and top with embroidery for a 18-inch doll

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Halloween Candy Corn Skirt and Top for 18-inch Dolls

Let your doll celebrate Halloween in style with this Candy Corn inspired outfit!

These skirt and top are designed to fit 18-inch dolls with a soft body, such as American Girl, Our Generation, My Life As and similar dolls.

We used embroidery designs from the Halloween Candy Corn Border Set.

A doll in finished skirt and top with embroidery on bodice and skirt hem.

For the skirt and top you will need :

embroidery thread, either polyester or rayon , (yellow, orange, white);
about 1/2 yard of solid-colored light-weight fabric, such as light-weight; cotton, cotton-polyester blend, etc., (we chose purple 100% cotton);
small amount of fabric for the lining of the top, (we chose orange 100% cotton);
light-weight cut-away embroidery stabilizer,
either sew-on snaps or ultra thin Velcro tape,
chalk pencil,
small rotary cutter or scissors,
sewing pins,
iron,
#12 universal needle,
printer and paper

Patterns:

Download the template for the top. To open and print the template, which is a PDF file, you will need Adobe Reader or a similar program. Adobe Reader is free to download and install.

Template Download (PDF file)

Print out the templates and cut them out.

Note: Seam allowance of 1/4" is included in the templates.

The Top:

Embroidery:

For the top we used the candy corn kernel designs from the Halloween Candy Corn Set.

There are 3 kernel designs. You can use any of them. Stabilize a piece of fabric with light-weight cut-away srabilizer. Hoop tightly and embroider the design of your choice.

A stitch-out of a candy corn kernel on purple fabric

Cutting:

Position the paper template of the front over the stitch-out. Trace with the chalk pencil.

Cut it out. Press. Cut away the excess stabilizer.

The front part of the top with embroidery.

Use the paper templates to cut out all parts of the top.

Assembly:

With face sides together, pin and sew the shoulder seams. Repeat for the lining.

the top and its lining stitched at shoulders.

Press the seams open.

With face sides together, pin the top lining to the top along the neck, back opening and armholes.

Stitch along the edges.
Cut the corners and clip the curves, being careful not to cut through the stitching.

Stitch along the neckline, back and armholes.

Turn the working piece right side out. Take your time to straighten all corners and lines. Press.

With right sides together, fold the top and lining to align the sides. Pin. Stitch. Repeat on other side. Press the seams open.

Fold the hem of the top and lining 1/4" to the back side and press.

Topstitch 1/8" from the edge.

The hem of the top is stitched in place.

Put the top on your doll to mark the placement of the closure. Sew on either snaps or ultra thin Velcro tape.

The Velcro ultra thin tape is attached to the top back.

Skirt

Feel free to make your skirt longer or shorter, fuller or more straight. Here are the general directions on how to sew it.

First of all make the embroidery using the light-weight cut-away stabilizer. There are different designs in the Halloween Candy Corn Set that you can use to create a pattern.

When the embroidery is done, cut out the skirt panels. We used 2 panels, each 12 1/2" long and about 6" wide. We left a 1" margin under the embroidery and 4" margin over the embroidery.

Using zig-zag stitch or serger finish the short sides of the skirt parts.

With right sides together, align the panels and sew one short side together, seam allowance 1/4". Press the seam open.

Using zig-zag stitch or serger finish the hem edge of the skirts.

Press the hem 1/2" to the back.

The hem folded and presses to the wrong side.

Sew 2 rows of gathering stitches along the waist edge starting and finishing 1/2" from the short sides.

2 rows of gatering stitches along the waist edge of the skirt.

Fold the skirt face side inwards and align the free short edges. Stitch from the hem up, stopping about 2 1/2" before the waist line.

Sew the short sides together from hem up leaving 2 1/2" space unstitched.

Measure the waist of your doll. My doll's waist is 11 1/2". I cut the belt 12" long and 2" wide. Press one long side of the belt 1/4" to the back side.

Press one long edge of the belt 1/4" to the wrong side.

With face sides together, match the center of the unpressed edge of the belt with one side of the skirt. Pull gathering stitches on the skirt to fit the belt, leaving 1/4" of the belt at each end. Pin in place.

Stitch. Remove all gathering threads.