How to Make a Doll Sweater From a Sock
A lonely sock without a match might be the ideal inspiration for a sweater for Barbie. Dig through your mismatched socks to find the most colorful ones, gather a pair of scissors and a few sewing supplies, and you'll be ready to expand your doll's wardrobe. Once you see how quickly and easily this off-the-shoulder sweater comes together, you will want to put all of those mismatched socks to good use.
Things You'll Need
- Sock with at least 5 inches of ribbed material above the heel
- Scissors
- Fabric stabilizer
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Ruler
- Fabric pen
- Fray Check
Instructions
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1
Lay the sock on a flat work surface, cut off the top and discard the bottom. Cut the sock off to make a sweater in the length you desire for your doll, adding a half-inch for the seam allowance. You can make a cropped sweater, a basic sweater or even a sweater dress.
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2
Turn the sock inside out and fold the cut edge of the sock up a half-inch. Cut a 2-inch-wide strip of fabric stabilizer and place it inside the fold. Pin the fold with the strip of stabilizer in place. Cut off any excess length from the stabilizer strip so it fits around the sock hem.
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3
Stitch the hem in place with the sewing machine. Cut away the excess stabilizer strip that extends above the hem.
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4
Lay the sock flat on the work surface to make the sleeves. Draw a vertical line a half-inch from the right edge of the sock, starting at the bottom of the sock and ending 1 inch from the top. Draw a quarter-inch horizontal line from the top of the vertical line toward the center of the sock. Draw a second vertical line from the bottom edge of the sock and connect it to the other end of the horizontal line. Make identical lines along the left edge of the sock.
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5
Stitch along the vertical and horizontal lines with the sewing machine.
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6
Make a vertical cut between the two stitched vertical lines on both sides of the sock to form the sweater's sleeves. Stop cutting an eighth-inch before you reach the stitched horizontal line.
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7
Turn the sock sweater right side out and try it on your Barbie doll. If the sleeves are too long, cut them off at an appropriate length. Apply Fray Check, a seam sealant used to keep raw edges from fraying, to the edges of the sleeves.
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Tips & Warnings
It is not necessary to use the fabric stabilizer, but it will help keep the stitches from disappearing within the ribbing of the sock.
If you prefer a sweater with a tighter neckline, take a tuck at each shoulder to reduce the amount of fabric along the neckline.
Do not cut through the stitching on the sleeves when you cut between the stitched lines.
