Simplicity 1708 for Bitty Baby

 

I have a lot of doll clothes patterns.  A LOT.  It's kind of an obsession...every time JoAnn's has their patterns on sale, I just have to see what's new.  Especially when their Simplicity patterns are $1 each!  I mean, who can resist that kind of a sale?  I've had the above pattern in my stash for quite awhile.  It is a reprint of one of Simplicity's vintage ones.  I also happened to have a naked Bitty Baby that I want to sell on Ebay.  So I decided to make her a sweet, little outfit using this pattern.

 

Here is what I came up with:

Her outfit consists of a dress, bloomer panties, and bonnet.  The fabric is a super cute Easter print that I found at JoAnn's.  I don't normally buy my fabric at JoAnn's because I don't think the quality of their fabric is as nice as the quilter's cottons I buy elsewhere, but I just couldn't pass up this print!  And with their 60% off sale on Easter prints last week, it ended up only being $4/yard.

 

I made some changes to the garment (as usual).  I widened the neckline a bit because otherwise it was choking poor Bitty, omitted the collars, gathered the sleeves with elastic instead of a band, shortened the dress by a couple of inches and added a contrasting hem band, added some extra width to the skirt pieces because I like full, gathered skirts, and lined the bodice instead of whatever other way they finished the garment.  I love lined bodices, so that is how I always make my garments.  Next time I make this dress, I will also add more width into the sleeves.  I like to have full, puffy sleeves!

 

Bitty's bonnet has double faced satin ribbon for ties.  In pink, of course.

 

Isn't it just the cutest?  I lined the entire bonnet as well, although the instructions only called for lining the brim.  I made the brim from the contrast fabric and edged it with piping.

 

Here you can hopefully see the darling print of chicks and bunnies with an Easter basket.  So cute.

 

Matching bloomers.  I made these exactly like the pattern instructed. I think that's a first for me!

 

Back view.  The dress closes with a narrow piece of Velcro.

 

Here she is without her bonnet.  This Bitty is an earlier version, as she is marked "Pleasant Company" on the back of her neck.  Oh, I forgot to mention that I also added pink piping between the bodice and the skirt.

 

Wouldn't this little sweetie be just perfect in a little girl's Easter basket??? If my daughter didn't already have a Bitty, this is exactly what I would be doing with this doll.  But since that isn't the case, this cutie pie is now for sale on Ebay.  Here is the link:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/201835023195?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

I'd really love to make all the clothing in this pattern, especially the little coat.  Wouldn't it be so cute made up in a light, pink, baby wale corduroy or a linen?  And the hooded bunting (snow suit?) is completely adorable as well.  Ahhh!  So much sewing, so little time!  I wish there were more hours in the day.  I've got several more dolls that I want to try drafting patterns for, one of them the 16" Disney Animator Dolls. So stay tuned!