Decorative Stitches by Hand

Your doll clothes can easily be dressed up by adding decorative stitching. The simplest designs can be given new life by using the following neat stitches. Try choosing colors that "pop" for extra pizazz.

The Blanket Stitch

This stitch can be used to hem fleece or thicker fabric in a decorative way, or used on the edges of vests or skirts. It creates an interesting look and helps separate similar colored pieces of clothing on the dolls.  I also like the blanket stitch on, you guessed it, blankets! They make the doll look so much more cozy in her bed! To make the blanket stitch your needle comes up from the bottom of the fabric, and stays loose as it dips in and out of the fabric from the top, like how you fasten a safety pin. The needle coming out of the fabric pins down the loose thread, and as the motion is continued, that loose thread becomes the bottom securing loop that hems the bottom of the fabric. 

The Running Stitch

The running stitch is perfect if you have any special designs or shapes or even names you would like to hand stitch onto any of the doll clothing you make. These stitches create great lines and using contrasting thread colors to the fabric you choose will really neat designs. I like to use this stitch to make interesting hem lines in differing colors, or swirls and curls on a pretty skirt or shirt. To make this stitch, pull the needle up from the underside of the fabric, and feed it back through. Just a small space, and back up in the same line I've created. I bend and twist the lines as I please. 

The Chain Stitch

The chain stitch takes a little to get used to if you haven't done it too often. I love it's looks as purely decorative on my doll clothes. The chain stitch is great for flower details, leaves, petals, there's a variation of the chain stitch called the daisy chain stitch, which when doing it, creates daisy like flower designs. I use this stitch as decorative on all types of doll clothes. The Chain Stitch is made by feeding the needle up, and pulling the needle back down. Before pulling the thread tight, bring the needle up again, and pin the loose thread down. By stitching this way, the thread creates a chain like affect that looks like interlocking chains.

*Tip of the Week -- try using a large yarn needle and stitching with yarn on thicker fabrics for a really neat look. Use fun colored soft yarn on pastel fleece for a nice baby blanket!