Welcome, friends, to our annual Christmas craft!
Hey, you know I can’t be pinned down by dates. Besides, it’s not December 25th yet. There’s still plenty of time for a little yuletide fun!
And this year we’re doing something totally unique. We are making holiday shirts for our dolls using our own custom-designed fabric!
Introducing Printable Fabric:
A few months ago, I came across these Sew-In Colorfast Printable Fabric Sheets by June Tailor:
Fabric that rolls right through your printer? This I had to check out!
What is printable fabric?
Printable fabric sheets are pieces of 8.5″ by 11″ paper-backed cotton that fit into your home printer just like regular computer paper. Crafters use them to turn photos and illustrations into textile masterpieces.
I’m using mine to make Christmas t-shirts for Jackie, Petra, and a doll you haven’t met yet, Joy.
Making Printable Holiday Shirts For Our Barbie Dolls:
You can make your own printable fabric at home using wax paper. I’m just very protective of my printer and not ready to risk damaging it (yet).
So, even though they’re more expensive, I’m going with these ready-made fabric sheets.
Supplies Needed:
Just so you know, the pattern we’re using is a genuine Pixie Dust Dolls creation.
I designed it using this Barbie Snoopy shirt as a template.
When finished, the shirt will fit original, curvy, and tall Barbies.
Step 1: Head over to our Printables and Freebies page, and click the link that says Doll Clothes Patterns.
An album will open showing all of our current sewing patterns.
There are three shirts for you to choose from: Joy To The World, colorful Christmas trees, and Jingle Bells.
Pick out your favorite, download it to your computer, and print it onto your fabric sheet. Make sure your printer is set to print at actual size or full page.
Please note that this is a hand-drawn pattern and not 100% perfect. Keep your doll nearby so you can check the fit and make alterations as you sew.
Step 2: After printing, prep your fabric according to the instructions on the back of the package.
For me, that involved removing the paper backing, rinsing the fabric in cold water (to set the Colorfast treatment), then pressing with a dry iron.
Step 3: Cut out the t-shirt. Make sure to cut on the inside of the outline. We don’t want to leave any black marks behind.
Step 4: Fold over and hem the sleeves.
Step 5: Cut small snips into the collar curve so it will lay flat when hemmed. My collar has an 1/8″ hem, but you can go as wide as 1/4″.
Don’t cut deeper than 1/4″ as this is the maximum hem depth.
Step 6: Fold over and hem the collar.
Step 7: Now it’s time to sew the side seams. If you’re making this for a curvy Barbie, use a slim 1/8″ seam allowance. For original and tall dolls, you can increase the seam allowance to 1/4″.
Step 8: After sewing the sides, clip the underarms to release tension. Be careful not to cut through your thread!
Step 9: Fold the bottom up about 1/8″ and hem.
Step 10: Turn the shirt right side out and put it on your doll to check the fit and see where you need to set the Velcro. This will vary depending on your doll.
Step 11: Fold over the left back panel and hem it. This will be the side that overlaps (i.e., the “top”).
For the right side, just treat it with a few dabs of Fray-Check. There’s no need to hem it as the Velcro covers the edge.
Step 12: Sew on the Velcro.
And you’re done!
Here are the finished products:
I gave Jackie the Joy To The World tee (she looks good in pink and green), Petra is wearing the Christmas trees, and Joy gets the Jingle Bells top.
Tink, do you really think I’d leave you out. Of course, I designed a dress for you—you’re wearing it!
Not to toot my own horn, but I think our holiday-themed outfits are adorable. They’re so festive!
And the printable fabric is surprisingly sturdy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not ballgown material, but it’s great for making graphic t-shirts for our mini-mes.
Also, since the images are ingrained into the fabric, they won’t chip away like iron-on transfers sometimes do.
So, don’t be surprised if you see Tink and her friends sporting more one-of-a-kind dolly wear in the future because I’m kind of hooked.
I hope you all enjoyed today’s tutorial. Now, I’d better skedaddle because a massive cold front has moved in and I’ve got pregnant goats that need checking on.
Have a Merry Christmas, everyone, and we’ll see you in the New Year!
So happy to see a post! These shirts are so fun. Stay safe in that cold weather!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Yes, Texas really isn’t prepared for temperatures this low so we’re taking lots of precautions. The hardest part was warming up the barn, but it looks like we succeeded😁.