Let's Tidy Up! A 1930s Hooverette Dress for Eighteen Inch Dolls
"Let's Tidy Up!" is an adorable pattern for your eighteen inch doll, inspired by the inexpensive house dresses of the 1930s called Hooverettes. These were typically made from cheerful cotton prints or feed sack, and were worn in the mornings for housework. But for many women during the Great Depression, the humble Hooverette was their everyday dress.
The Hooverette was often made in wrap style with ties that fastened in the back. It was designed so that when one front was soiled, it could be re-tied with the clean front showing. Hooverettes were hard-wearing, and could take regular laundering well. Short sleeve versions were practical when the wearer would literally be up to her elbows in dishwater or bread-making.
For fashion history lovers, in the pattern introduction, the Hooverette design is placed in the social context of the 1930s and the Great Depression.
The pattern has two options for collars and two options for sleeves. Option A collar is a simple shawl collar style. Option B collar is a narrower shawl style and is trimmed with gathered lace. Option A sleeve is a straight sleeve. Option B sleeve is a puffed sleeve with cuff.
This 32-page pattern was developed for the Confident Beginner level doll sewist. Every step of the process is illustrated with instructions and photographs.
Techniques included in the pattern: sewing a princess seam, sewing a dart, easing a simple sleeve, gathering a more complex sleeve and cuff, making and attaching a collar.
This PDF sewing pattern, by Eighteen Cotton Lane, is designed to fit 18" dolls. This pattern will fit a variety of eighteen-inch dolls, including American Girl®,
Maplelea®, Our Generation®, My Life As®, and Götz Precious Day®.
Suggested Fabrics: cotton, quilting cotton
Supplies Needed:
• 1/2 yard of 44" wide cotton, quilting cotton for dress
• 1/4 yard of 44" wide cotton, quilting cotton for collar and ties
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Pins
• Sewing machine thread that matches your fabrics
• Lace, 1” wide flat lace, 20” long, for Version B of the dress
• Rick rack, piping or other trims if desired.
• Marking method: disappearing pen, chalk, tailor's carbon paper, or light box
• Point tool or blunt needle for turning crisp corners
Skill Level: Confident Beginner
What You Get: One 32 page sewing pattern that you digitally download as a PDF file so you can start your project immediately! The PDF sewing pattern provides full color step-by-step instructions and full size pattern pieces. A PDF reader is required to view and print the files (example: Adobe Reader or Preview for MAC). The download link is received immediately after the transaction is complete. Print copies are NOT available.
Download, Print, Sew!
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FAQ's related to the doll clothes patterns sold at Pixie Faire.
Pixie Faire and the designers featured are not affiliated with American Girl®,
Maplelea®, Our Generation®, My Life As®, or Götz Precious Day®.
