American Girl Sewing Circle
Practice critical sewing skills while making a new closet of outfits for your American Girl doll!
Astrid Turner
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(878)
Star Educator
What's included
4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentClass Experience
Intermediate Level
Do you love dressing and designing outfits for your American Girl? In this course we will be sewing several items of clothing for your American Girl doll (any brand, including Our Generation dolls, will work as long as they have a soft body and are 18")! A "sewing circle" is a club, or group of friends that get together regularly to sew. With a shared theme and a scheduled time to create, sewists can practice and help one another with projects, get to know one another and really encourage and support one another in the art of sewing! This course is a video-based course that you can take at your own pace. There are no live meetings; instead, students watch the videos and finish their weekly projects on their own schedule. During this course we will be sewing the following items for your doll: - Basic circle skirt with elastic waist, various lengths - Pajamas (t-shirt & matching pants set) - Swimwear (both one-piece and two-piece outfits) - Dress (with back closure) At the start of the class, I will review sewing basics and machine operations. For those with a sewing machine, it will be helpful to make sure your machine is in proper working order before class starts, and that it is ready for use. Students who prefer to hand-sew might find it helpful to know that it will take longer to complete their outfit. Some of the sewing skills we will be learning and improving are: - How to choose fabric and supplies - How to trace, cut out and arrange pattern pieces - How to make the most of your machine and adjust settings and tension when needed - Pinning and sewing seams (by machine or by hand) - Finishing inner seams and hemming - Encasing elastic, sewing buttons and sewing closures (Velcro) A complete list of supplies will be available upon enrollment, but all classes will require the basic supplies listed below. A complete list of supplies is provided upon enrollment. If you are new to sewing, you may want to sign up for my 6-week KidSew self-paced course, which will cover all basics of beginner sewing skills.
Syllabus
4 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
Sew a Circle Skirt
Let's get started with a circle skirt for our American Girl doll. A pattern is required for this project, so get your printer and sewing machine ready! Lesson 2:
Sew a Pajama Set
Next, let's make a matching pajama top & pants set for our dolls. This easy project has a few extra steps but I'm sure you will love how it turns out! Lesson 3:
Sew a Bathing Suit
For our next project we will be sewing a bathing suit for our dolls. This one can be a bit tricky, but you've got this! Lesson 4:
Sew a Dress
For our final project we will design and sew a dress for our doll, which will consist of a bodice and skirt. There are lots of different ways you can choose to modify this project, so pay close attention to the instructions in the video and get creative! Other Details
Parental Guidance
Motivated sewing students will improve basic sewing skills. Students should be familiar with their machine and already know at least the following tasks:
- how to run their sewing machines, including upper thread, bobbin, basic troubleshooting
- how to adjust stitches on their machine and/or tension
- how to read a ruler (U.S. measurements used in class but can be easily converted)
- comfortable using scissors independently
Young learners at the age minimum (9) may require additional parental assistance, especially with scissors, rotary cutters, pins and needles, etc.
Pre-Requisites
Student should be familiar with their machines and be able to sew independently at a beginner level (see below for more details).
Supply List
-Patterns: these are provided and available for download upon enrollment. Please make sure the printer settings do not adjust the size of the pattern. Uncheck the "Fit to Page" box and test the 1" square with a ruler after printing). -Fabric: for our first class we will be using basic cotton fabric (non-stretchy). For the pajama set, you can choose another cotton print, flannel, or any fabric that is not stretchy or thin (we will discuss fabric choices during our first class). For the dress, we will be discussing different choices, and each student will come up with their own ideas. The basic design will be a bodice and gathered skirt, velcro closure in the back. Fabric choices for this can include cotton, satin, tulle, organza, chiffon, etc. For swimwear, stretchy fabrics will be discussed and student will be encouraged to choose any type of knit, polyester jersey, spandex, nylon or swim fabric. -Elastic: small package of 1/4" elastic (Dritz brand sells a box of 8 yards for $3-4USD, or you can purchase one yard separately) -Fold-over elastic (small package of any color, or at least 18" of elastic) -Normal sewing supplies: straight pins, pincushion, different colored threads, fabric scissors (it is helpful to have a separate pair of sharp scissors to be used for fabric only), needles (for hand sewing), chalk, ruler, safety pin. -Cutting surface: a cutting mat and rotary blade is nice to have, but not required. Clear a table with space large enough to set the fabric and pattern pieces on. -Sewing machine (optional): machine should be in good working condition, with needle installed. -Velcro: sew-on tape, 0.75" wide. You will need only a small amount of Velcro for your doll, but a package of Velcro normally costs about $3-4 USD. -Trims and accessories (optional): some students may want to add accessories to their doll's outfit, including lace or ruffled trim, ribbons, buttons, etc. Feel free to get creative and bring them to class!
1 file available upon enrollment
Joined October, 2017
4.9
878reviews
Star Educator
Teacher expertise and credentials
I began making my own costumes, room accessories and clothing items as a young girl. As an adult, I started my own successful sewing business, selling my own creations as a professional seamstress both online and locally. I also often make custom dance costumes for my dance students, digitize and sew machine embroidery, and I teach basic sewing classes for kids both locally and online through a private virtual homeschooling academy. I also love making clothes for my daughter's AG doll, Isabelle, especially special occasion and matching outfits!Reviews
Self-Paced Class
$13
weekly or $50 for all content4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 95 learners
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Ages: 9-14
