Sew a Mermaid Costume for Girls and 18" Dolls

Sew a Mermaid Costume for Girls and 18" Dolls
Here’s a sewing tutorial on how to create a mermaid tail in time
for Halloween or for dress-up all-year long. The idea came from
my granddaughers. After watching Doll Costume Dress Up on
Sewing With Nancy, my oldest granddaughter Avery promptly
asked, “Gramma, for my birthday could you make a mermaid
costume for my doll and one for me too? Now, don’t make an
opening for my feet, I can swim like a mermaid with a tail!” Then
I asked her sister, Luella what she would like for her birthday.
Answer: “Same as Avery!” So, two mermaid sets–big and
small–were the task. (Much to Avery’s dismay, I made the big-girl
fish tails with openings for feet!)
My Sewing With Nancy guest and friend, Joan Hinds developed
the pattern for an 18″ doll dress-up mermaid costume. You can
see how we created it in sequin fabric on the Doll Costume
Dress Up episode online, and you’ll find the patterns in the
book. The pattern can be scaled (pun intended) to fit child sizes,
giving you matching dress-up clothes for your favorite little ones.
Here’s how I scaled the design and created a mermaid tail for my
granddaughters, ages six and four.
Supplies, Fabric, and Notions
For both doll and child sizes:
Pattern Tracing Paper
Point Turner
Clip and Glide Bodkin Set
Fiberfill
For 18″ doll size:
Tail1/3 yd. sequin knit fabric
1/3 yd. lining fabric
11″ elastic, 1/4″ wide
Top1/4 yd. satin fabric
1/4 yd. matching sheer shimmer iridescent fabric
1 yd. decorative trim
Ready-made Doll T-shirt
For child size 5T:
TailTail Pattern PDF
3/4 yd. sequin knit fabric
3/4 yd. lightweight knit fabric for lining
24″ elastic, 1/4″ wide
Create the Girls’ Mermaid Tail Pattern
Draw a 13″ x 20″ rectangle on Pattern Tracing Paper.
At lower right edge, draw a curve using the 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge.
Place a dot at the top of the curve, 1/4″ in from edge.
Note from Nancy: To alter the pattern,
Lengthen at top edge, and widen at left
edge.
Print the tail pattern and tape at lower left edge.
Cut out the paper pattern.
Construct the Tail
Place fabric wrong sides together, and cut two tails from both the sequin fabric and the lining fabric.
Sew side seams and bottom edge of the tail, right sides together, leaving opening between dots as marked on the
pattern piece.
Turn to the right side and press.
Note from Nancy: Use Point Turner to turn tail points.
Repeat steps above for lining, but don’t turn sewn lining to right side.
With wrong sides together, insert the lining inside the tail. Zigzag or serge the top edges together.
Fold 1/2″ of the waist fabric/lining toward the wrong side and stitch, leaving a 1″ opening for an elastic casing.
Thread the elastic through the casing, using a Clip and Glide Bodkin. Secure the edges of the elastic. Optional:
Sew opening closed.
Turn up a 1/4″ hem to the wrong side, folding the lower edges of the sequin and lining fabric together; topstitch.
Using a Point Turner, “stuff” tail and topstitch to hold stuffing in place.
Create the 18″ Doll Top
Note from Nancy: In the Doll Costume Dress Up book, a pattern is provided for the 18″ doll mermaid top. For
another option, I decided to do a quick makeover on a ready-made 18″ doll T-shirt.
Create a front bodice panel and topstitch to an existing T-shirt. The shirt pictured below is for an 18″ doll.
Cut a bodice shape from Pattern Tracing Paper. Cut one bodice panel from the shimmer overlay and two panels
from the lining.
Sandwich the shimmer fabric between the two lining pieces. Pin.
Sew using a 1/4″ seam allowance; leaving the lower edge unstitched.
Notch seam allowance at curves. Remember to clip to, but not through, the stitching line.
Turn the bodice shape right side out.
Smooth the curves with a point turner tool.
Fold the lower edge towards the bodice panel lining, and press up a 1/4″ hem.
Position the panel on the center-front of the shirt.
Topstitch the folded hem at the lower edge.
Edgestitch the bodice panel to the shirt.
Apply as much trim as you like to finish off the mermaid costume top.
Ta-Dah! Time for a make-believe swim!
Watch Doll Costume Dress Up on Sewing With Nancy online.
To watch Sewing With Nancy on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone, download the app.
In last week’s blog, I asked what type of stitched item you are most likely to add embroidery to. The random
winner of Creative Quilt Outlines…Pumpkins with Style is Marvel Donovan. She said, I am very new to
machine embroidery but so far I am thrilled with the results. I love the fall designs, especially the use of tablecloths
and napkins. I have an idea for a basket and bag using the embroidery designs to make them extra special and
fun for the holidays.
Bye for now,
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