Let's Fly a Kite! A Vintage Play Dress for Eighteen Inch Dolls
"Let's Fly a Kite!" is a vintage style play dress, perfect for 1930s and 1940s eighteen inch dolls. The dress is made with faux smocking on both the front and back bodice - the look of smocking but done with rick rack! This technique was found in a 1930s girl's dress pattern. It offers the charm of handmade heirloom smocking but it's so easy! Butterfly sleeves add a breezy detail. The full skirt is embellished with adorable kite appliques. Perfect for playtime in the sunshine.
For fashion history lovers, in the pattern introduction a peek is given into the history of rick rack since its invention in the 19th century. It's more than a trim for vintage aprons and baby clothes!
Enjoy mixing fabrics in solids and prints, and "smock" with different colours of rick rack. Make it without the kites, and it becomes a versatile summer dress that you can embellish with your own applique or machine embroidery designs - the sky's the limit for your creativity!
This 35-page pattern was developed for the Confident Beginner level doll sewist, and assumes that you are familiar with common sewing terms and methods.
Techniques included in the pattern: gathering fabric for smocking, applying rick rack with top stitching, making a butterfly sleeve, embellishing with applique.
Every step of the process is illustrated with instructions and photographs.
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, lightweight or quilting cotton, assorted cotton scraps for the kite accent fabrics
Supplies Needed:
• 1/2 yard of 44" wide cotton, lightweight or quilting cotton
• 4" x 8" scraps of assorted cotton for the kite accent fabrics
• Sewing thread that matches your fabrics
• Baby rick rack (1/8” – ¼” wide) in your choice of colours.
• 4-6 buttons (1/4"-3/8") or 6-8" of 1/4" soft hook and loop tape
• Fray Check
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Pins
• Marking method: disappearing pen, chalk, tailor's carbon paper, or light box
• Point tool or blunt needle for turning crisp corners
• Quilters’ fabric basting glue with a precision point applicator, such as Acorn or Roxanne’s (handy but not required)
Skill Level: Confident Beginner
What You Get: One 35 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!
*Creating a customer account will ensure that you have the ability to access your purchased (and free) files at any time.
For detailed information and answers to the most common questions, be sure to read the
Terms of Use and
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®.
