Doll Clothes from Scraps

What do you do with your scraps?  If you sew you probably have a few; or even a few boxes.  Cotton scraps are wonderful for smaller craft projects and quilts, but what do you do with your fashion fabric scraps? 

I have decided smaller fashion fabric scraps that I would not use in quilts, are best used to make doll clothes.  My time saver method is to lay out the doll clothes patterns in the waste areas of the fabric I am working on and cut them out when I cut out the garment. Then I can throw away the smallest scraps and stringy pieces.  I usually just cut out the doll clothes and place them in a box.  On those days that I want to sew something, but don't want to cut something out I can open the box and sew doll clothes.  It is a great "rainy day" project.  

18 inch doll shirt pattern in waste area 

To make this even easier, I use my personal printer/scanner/copier to copy the small doll clothing pieces.  This lets me keep all of the original pieces in the regular pattern envelope and have copies for ones that are ready to sew.  I don't lose the pieces or have to worry about not being able to cut just the right piece out for the scrap size because I can have duplicate patterns ready to cut.

18 inch doll coat on wool waste or scrap area.

The best part about the copy is printing paper is much sturdier than the tissue paper patterns and on very small doll clothing with big darts and tucks I can cut the whole dart out of the pattern, which leaves an opening and makes it easier to mark the dart with chalk so I can start sewing quicker.  This is extra helpful on the smaller doll clothing. 

12 inch doll pattern with darts cut away for easy marking

Doll clothes are a wonderful gift for a younger family member and can be a big seller at craft fairs.

from Online Etymology Dictionary: 

scrap (v.1) 

"to make into scrap," 1891, from scrap (n.1). Related: Scrapped; scrapping.

scrap (n.1) 

"small piece," late 14c., from Old Norse skrap "scraps, trifles," from skrapa "to scrape" (see scrape). Meaning "remains of metal produced after rolling or casting" is from 1790. Scrap iron first recorded 1823.

bonus (n.) 

1773, "Stock Exchange Latin" [Weekley], from Latin bonus "good" (adj.); see bene-. The correct noun form would be bonum. In U.S. history the bonus army was tens of thousands of World War I veterans and followers who marched on Washington, D.C., in 1932 demanding early redemption of their service bonus certificates (which carried a maximum value of $625).

surprise (n.) 

late 14c., "unexpected attack or capture," from Middle French surprise "a taking unawares," from noun use of pp. of Old French surprendre "to overtake," from sur- "over" (seesur-) + prendre "to take," from Latin prendere, contracted from prehendere "to grasp, seize" (see prehensile). Meaning "something unexpected" first recorded 1590s, that of "feeling caused by something unexpected" is c.1600. Meaning "fancy dish" is attested from 1708.