How to Make a Hand-Knitted Garment Out of Yarn for an American Girl

Knitting clothes for an American Girl doll is fast and inexpensive.

American Girl dolls are a popular toy for young girls, but the accessories are expensive and may be out of your budget. Creating a wardrobe that includes knitted items for your daughter's American Girl doll is an economical way to provide her with clothes and gives you the opportunity to make customized outfits. Knitting a piece of clothing for an American Girl doll gives you plenty of room for creativity in terms of color choices and stitching patterns that you may not find at the store or in the catalog.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn in your choice of colors
• Knitting needles
• American Girl doll clothes
• Tape measure
• Tissue paper

Instructions

1. Decide what type of clothing you will make. This is necessary for creating a pattern and taking measurements.

2. Make a pattern. Lay an article of American Girl clothing on a piece of tissue paper and trace around it. If you don't already have clothing for the doll, measure her and use those numbers to make a pattern. For example, measure her height from waist to neck, from under her armpits to her waist and the length of her arms. This gives you an idea of how large a sweater would need to be to fit the doll.

3. Knit the pieces of the garment. For a sweater, make the front, back and sleeves. For pants, knit the front and back pieces. Use the stitch pattern of choice. Since the clothes aren't going to be very large, stick to a stitch that is smaller for a more authentic look.

4. Assemble the pieces of the garment. For example, stitch together the front, back and sleeves of the sweater by turning the pieces wrong-side out and making seams where needed.

5. Try the garment on the American Girl doll. Make any adjustments that are needed to create a good fit.

Tips & Warnings

• Socks and hats may be possible for an American Girl doll and can be sewn in one piece. The stitches will have to be very small since the finished garment isn't going to be very big.

• Dresses and skirts are other options of items that can be knitted for an American Girl doll.

• Check the jewelry section of a craft store to find tiny embellishments for your knitted American Girl clothes.

• The amount of yarn needed to make an American Girl garment is small. Ask fellow knitters for leftovers, which is another way to keep the cost of the project low.