Preparing the Pattern
Cloth doll patterns come in many forms:
purchased from the designer or store; doll and craft magazines, printed from the Internet; and self creations. In most all cases the pattern will come to you printed on paper and will need to be transferred to the cloth accurately.
SIZING
Often patterns that are published in popular magazines and some books are not printed to the proper scale and will have to be enlarged. This can be done with graph paper and a keen eye to copy the lines from the original to the larger graph. This can be quite tedious and may even be a deterrent from using this type of pattern. Doll books use this form of pattern presentation to save space in the publication. If this is the type of pattern you are using, you will need to purchase or make graph paper that will accommodate the final size of the pattern pieces. The design of the pattern is then copied square by square until the complete shape is drawn. You can enlarge or diminish any pattern. To enlarge a pattern, copy it on to 1/4" gridded paper. If a pattern piece measures 6" across, and 3 1/2" high, make a grid with the same amount of squares 1 inch x 1 inch. It may be difficult to sketch the entire pattern at one time; look for key points. Continue to transfer shapes to the larger grids, using your pencil lightly in case you need to correct the line. Note where lines intersect. As you see, this could be quite time consuming and complicated.
Fortunately, now, most patterns come printed to scale; however any pattern can be made smaller or larger by the above method or by using a copier to resize each pattern piece.
If you are using a pattern that is printed to the size you want your completed doll, there are other things to do before the fabric can be cut. First, read the entire pattern instructions and notes on the pattern pieces specifically to see if the designer has made them with a seam allowance. Many times the body parts are not drawn with a seam allowance. The reason for this will be discussed a little later. Most clothing pieces DO have the seam allowance printed and noted on the pattern. Commercial pattern companies, such as McCalls, Butterick, Simplicity will add a 5/8 inch seam allowance all around. Individual designers will vary from 1/4-1/2 inch depending on the size to the finished doll.
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