Never sewn before? This guide is for you. Our doll clothes sewing patterns use a few words that every sewist knows, but a beginner may not: the right side of fabric, the zigzag stitch and stretchy fabric. Here we explain all three in plain words, with pictures.
Read it once before you cut your first doll dress. When you are ready for the next step, our ten tips for clean seams at 1:6 scale use these words a lot.
How to find the right side of fabric
Every piece of fabric has two sides. The right side is the pretty, outside face of the material. It usually has a brighter print and a smoother feel. The wrong side is the other face, the one that ends up on the inside.
Always find the right side of fabric before you cut. Then your finished doll clothes will look neat and beautiful.
How do you tell the two sides apart? Look at the fabric and touch it. The chart shows how to find the right side of fabric on three common types of fabric.
The same chart in words:
| Fabric type | Wrong side | Right side |
|---|---|---|
| Printed fabric | Fuzzy and pale pattern | Clear and bright pattern |
| Fabric with a smooth surface | Matte surface | Shiny surface |
| Jersey, a soft, stretchy knit fabric | Fuzzy surface with distinct loop piles | Smooth or lightly brushed texture |
A few words from the chart:
- Matte means not shiny.
- Loop piles are tiny loops of thread on the surface. You can see them and feel them with your fingers.
- Lightly brushed means the surface feels a little soft.
What is a zigzag stitch?
A sewing machine can make different stitches. The photo shows seven of them, numbered 1 to 7. Stitches 1, 2 and 3 are there so you can see other stitches that are used often. In this guide we look at numbers 4 to 7.
A zigzag stitch looks like examples 4 to 7 in the photo. The thread goes from side to side. You can make the zigzag wide or narrow.
The zigzag stitch No. 7 is perfect for very stretchy fabrics. The spaces in this stitch let the seam (the line of stitches that joins two pieces of fabric) stretch as much as possible, so the thread will not break when you pull it.
No. 7: the multiple zigzag stitch
Use this stitch to finish the edges of stretchy (knit) fabrics, that is, to sew along the cut edge so it stays neat. It helps if you sew a regular zigzag and notice that the fabric puckers (gets small wrinkles), stretches out or waves.
The multiple zigzag stops that from happening, because it is made of several tiny stitches. These tiny stitches let the fabric stretch naturally with the thread, and the edge stays completely flat.
What is a stretchy fabric?
How can you tell if a fabric is stretchy? A stretch fabric stretches when you pull it and goes back to its original shape when you let go. It is made to bend and stretch without ripping, as you can see in the photo.
How to test a stretchy fabric
- Pull the fabric in both directions. It will stretch more in one direction. In the photo, it stretches more from side to side (horizontally).
- Let go. The fabric must go back to its original shape.
Ready for your first doll dress?
Now you know the three basics: find the right side of fabric, choose the right stitch, and test your fabric before you cut. Browse our doll clothes sewing patterns. Some of them are made for stretch fabric, for example the doll maternity dress and the doll evening gowns.