30. Doll Clothes Pattern Club edition

7.4 2024 Views 2 and 3 of the 14" doll dress pattern

Hi, I’m Val Spiers and I live my life with passion and joy. If you are looking for some ideas on how to do this too I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter.

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In This week’s newsletter:

I explore the ups and downs of doing something I love for an income and I include the rest of the cute 14” doll pattern for paid subscribers.

I really want to design doll clothes

Over the last few years I have been trying to design more doll clothes. Every time I get started I become bogged down in negative thoughts. This is so hard. Do I really want to do this? I have to do this if I want the revenue. It takes so long to finish a pattern. I never seem to get anywhere with all the time I spend working. I can probably think of some others but you get the idea. I had a bad mind block.

I want to design doll clothes but I just want to do it for my own fun. I don’t want to feel tied to it. What can I do? I need to go back to when I started doll dress designing. Why did I start? I started because I couldn’t find well priced easy to make doll clothes. That is still true but I am thinking less about the price and more about the easy to make quality doll clothes and well written instructions.

The majority of doll clothes dressmakers just want something that is easy to make and fits their doll. I am good at making that type of pattern. Something that stops me is that I think my designs will be too simple and not worth $6. I keep forgetting that I have spent the last 10 years designing doll clothes and writing instructions. I have a skill that lots of people don’t have. Even while writing this I feel a bit uncomfortable saying that I am a skilled doll clothes designer. It just feels normal to me rather than skilful.

I started writing about this mind block back in May. I have been mulling over my negative thoughts and how I can make sewing for a purpose more enjoyable. Over the last few months I have tried a few things.

I need an easy way to get me started on the design and pattern process

I am always looking out for new ideas to make it easier and more certain that I will achieve my goals.

Starting a routine and creating a habit works like magic on your motivation and productivity in just a few days. To make the habit stick you need to keep going with the routine for several weeks. It is surprising how quickly you start to do the routine steps without needing to think much about it.

The magic continues even if you give up for a while. When you decide to come back to the routine you abandoned months ago it is so much easier to make the habit stick.

Is there some effort involved?

My sewing and writing habits are pretty much set now. But it has taken me most of this year to work out a routine that fits with me being retired and following my passions as well as earning an income. I had to sit down and analyse my goals. I check in with my goals a fair bit. It is the only way to get to a good place. I used the goals check worksheet to help me see things clearer.

Paid subscribers can find the grid to download here:

22. Checking in with my goals

My first try didn’t work so well

I stuck to a set time table for about 3 weeks. It got me sewing but it was no fun. Because my time is pretty flexible I am taking my momentum from this trial and putting it into sewing each day for an hour or so at any time I feel like it. I then shade in a space I have on my weekly planner page. But what I am doing now really only works because I tried the 5pm to 6pm routine first. An important piece of the habit puzzle is the fact that the first attempt doesn’t always work the way you want it to but it gets you started so it is easier when you try again.

If we are not looking for it we won’t find it

Something that came along at the right time was a 3 month trial of Audible. I had just started listening to music while I sewed and I found this really helpful because I could easily sew while I sang or hummed along to the music. I like the idea of audible books but I always fall asleep when I listen to them. Since I have been listening to a favourite author and sewing the doll clothes and quilting blocks I find that the sewing goes really fast and easy and I can concentrate on the book without falling asleep.

I would never have thought of putting an audible book with my sewing if the audible offer had not come together with me trying to find a way to make my sewing more fun. So analysing my goals all the time is a key factor in getting things to work out in a way that works for me.

Everyone’s goals are personal and everyone sees the world differently. Our solutions may be different but I think everyone needs to keep looking for new and exciting ways to achieve their goals. The positive feeling I get now when I sit down to sew or write is difficult to describe. What I do know is that it is different now from when I first started my newsletter endeavour at the beginning of the year.

Dolls clothes club pattern

I am excited to bring you view 2 and view 3 of the 14” doll pieced A-Line dress pattern for paid subscribers. I have learnt a few things while sewing this design.

Firstly I was reminded that sewing for small dolls is a real challenge. Secondly, I discovered that just sewing the armholes and neck edge with a seam slightly less than 1/4” makes it much easier to turn the backs through the shoulder tunnels. I did this on the blue and white dress. Thirdly, I have realised that I can listen to an audible book and enjoy the story even though I am sewing something that requires some thought and skill. I wouldn’t recommend it for beginner doll dressmakers but if you are looking for a way to make the sewing go fast and easy then give it a go.

Cheers,

Val