Most little girls love to play with and dress up their dolls in different outfits. Imagine, if you were to have bought every Barbie outfit available, it would take quite a bit of Barbie’s closet space! Barbie is quite the clothes horse! However, a smaller, but choicer and original baby doll clothes are one of the most delightful gifts a girl can get. Here’s a story to illustrate the point.
When I was a little child, the baby doll in vogue at the time was the Betsy McCall doll. One Christmas, my Mom, who ordinarily didn’t go out by herself in the evenings, suddenly began making frequent visits to her friend Ilma’s house after dinner. When I asked her why she was going to Ilma’s so often, she told me that she and Ilma had just decided to get together more often and work on a quilt Ilma was making.
Come Christmas, there under the tree was a package that turned out to be the coveted Betsy McCall doll. Upon opening subsequent packages, in each I discovered hand made baby doll clothes. There were half a dozen outfits. I remember gasping with eyes sparkling, as I opened each one. My sister received a doll and her own custom made six outfits. So that’s what my Mom had been up to all those evenings! Both my sister and I still have the dolls and baby doll clothes today. We’d never give them up! Whether it’s because they’re considered antiques, collectibles, or both, you can find these today on eBay and collectible doll websites, fetching a good price. However, I’d bet money you won’t find the hand made clothes at an inexpensive price.
All these (many) years later, that particular Christmas stands out in my memory. Why not start your own tradition? There are plenty of baby doll clothes patterns to be found at the fabric shop, as well as online. In fact, online you can find shops which sell both the dolls and clothes patterns made just for that doll. You don’t need to be an expert seamstress for this gift project. The amount of fabric, trim and notions required are small, so it doesn’t take a lot of time or expertise, just love and a little patience.
Back in the day, when there were no glue guns or Stitch Witchery(R), it took a little longer to make these baby doll clothes. Today, you can hem a garment in two minutes and apply fancy trims in seconds.
One of the coolest parts of making baby doll clothes is that you can choose the fabrics and looks that are your girl’s favorites. Does she love all things pink? Is her favorite Halloween costume a fairy princess? How about a furry coat for chilly days? The possibilities are endless. You can make accessories, too, such as scarves and purses.
Best of all, you can add to the collection as time goes on. For Christmas, Valentine’s or the next birthday, you can add themed baby doll clothes suited to the occasion. Once you start making baby doll clothes, it will be hard to stop. It’s a lot of fun for you and an absolutely fabulous gift for a young girl.