This section includes two videos and two PDF downloads. You'll find the downloads in the SWC Bonuses section (or included in the PDF after the course wraps up).

First, let's take a closer look at the Koala Hoodie Pattern Hack from Crafty Lil Turkey:

This cuddly little creature is American Girl's newest sweetheart, and fits right in with their new Girl of the Year® doll Kira Bailey™ who is living in Australia, home of the Koala!

Follow along in this tutorial and make a hoodie for your 14.5" or 18" doll! To begin you'll need to get a copy of the Woodland Friends pattern. 

Now let's take a look at the DIY Aussie Themed Photo Booth props!

Are you ready for an easy DIY craft, something a bit different, but just too cute to pass up!

This crafty project is super easy and has very few necessary supplies. It's a great project to do with your kids, or a great accessory to include with any Aussie themed outfits you plan to give away!

Supplies needed:

• Heavyweight Card Stock (preferably white)
• Small dowels, popsicle sticks, or pipe-cleaners
• Hot Glue Gun (or other preferred adhesive, tape can work too!)
• Scissors and possibly a rotary cutter (for the large frame)
• Computer & Printer

Step 1: Download and print out the Photo Booth PDF sheets.

Step 2: Cut out the desired shapes and graphics.

Step 3: Glue or tape the dowels to the back of each cut-out. Pay special attention to the way the doll will hold the handle so it is positioned properly. The masks and hats will need the handles out to the side; the small graphics can have the handles straight out from the bottom.

Step 4: Tape a backdrop to the wall and pose your dolls with their props!

Step 5: Share your pictures with us too! Upload them to the larougetdelisle Inspiration Gallery, or simply use #pixiefaire when posting them online (IG or FB)

Which prop is your favorite? Tell us in the comments below :)  I'm having a hard time deciding between the Kangaroo Ears, Koala Mask, and the tiny Vegemite!

Hi Everyone! This week we wrap up our sew-along for the Alice Springs dress and explore the Aussie style in more detail. We'll kick things off with the final video in the sew-along series, sewing the tiered ruffles and finishing the back of the dress. Then we'll explore the Aussie theme as we take a look at the current Kira Bailey wardrobe and do a little compare and contrast with the patterns available on larougetdelisle. There are so many possibilities to create wardrobe items that are similar to what's available or to create new and unique looking styles that fit into the Aussie theme perfectly!

Alice Springs Dress Sew-Along Part 4: The Tiered Skirt and Finishing the Dress

Ok, we've made it to the final steps and are just about finished sewing the dress! The video shows the skirt tiers from View A. These have a gentle inverted curve in the design, creating a slimmer silhouette. The process for sewing the View B tiers would be the same except for of the side seams at each tier. Follow along in the video below to finish your dress with us!

Congratulations! Your dress is finished! We'd love to see what you've created. You can share pictures for everyone to see in the SWC FB group or directly in the Inspiration Gallery. 

Aussie Style - The larougetdelisle Collection Can Make It Happen!

Join me in this video as I walk you through the different outfits that make up the Kira Bailey collection from American Girl. In Part 1, we took a look at the color palette; in this section, we go a bit further and look at the different pieces and the overall outfits that make up the collection.  

My intention here is not to have you copy everything they've created, but more to get an understanding of how they've used the color palette and theme to create a collection. We can see similarities with existing patterns on larougetdelisle and can create similar looking pieces, but I also encourage you to use the information to add your own unique twist to the Aussie theme that's gaining in popularity since the release of the 2021 Girl of the year collection has become available.

Here's a breakdown of the outfits and patterns shown in the video. All the images of Kira are used for illustration and educational purposes; these images are ©American Girl:

The Meet Outfit and Accessories:

I love this outfit! The style is rugged and yet a bit feminine too. Look for patterns that have topstitching detail and cargo pockets. Mix in a girly touch with the colors like fuchsia and blue to balance the tan and olive in the overall look.

Patterns recommended to "get the look":

• JenAshley Go Everywhere Anorak Jacket
• QTπ Utility Jacket
• JenAshley Safari Skort
• 123 Mulberry Malibu Cargo Pants/Shorts
• Doll Joy Joy Tee
• QTπ Forget Me Knot Top

The Comfy Camping Outfit:

This is a great look! The casual fit of the outfit really shines with the bold color palette and embroidered details. You can create something similar to this with a variety of overall or romper designs. Choose something that will work with a lightweight fabric and a design that has simple lines. Or create a more rugged look with classic overalls but remember to bring in the girly charm with embellishments or vibrant color choices.

Patterns used to "get the look":

• LJC Culotte Jumpsuit
• Jelly Bean Soup City Casual
• LJC T-Shirt
• Miche Fleur Sandals
• Headband with a Twist Tutorial

Find a few video tutorials showing how to do decorative stitched by hand or by machine here too:

• Machine Stitches
• Hand Embroidered Stitches

The Wildlife Care outfit & and Wallaby Set:

Pink scrubs, yes please! This outfit is full of energy and fits with the theme nicely by adding in an occupation that could actually be happening anywhere, but here it's paired with the Wallaby accessory set to really solidify the Aussie theme!

Patterns used to "get the look":

• LUB Scrubs
• LJC T-shirt Variations
• Sew Urban Reversible Hobo Bag
• Summer Tote Pattern Hack

 There are also a lot of accessories by brand like Our Generation (Target) and My Life As (Wal-Mart) that have a medical or vet theme. Finding a tiny koala or Kangaroo may be more of a challenge though, but be on the lookout and let us know if you find one!

The Casual Outfit:

Soft and feminine, perfect for spring and summer, this outfit would be darling for pretty much any theme! 

Patterns used to "get the look":

• LJC Denim Jacket
• LJ T-shirt
• LUB Wrap Skirt (hacked to be longer and add a ruffle along the hemline)
• 123 Mulberry Trendy Maxi Skirt
• F18 High-Low Circle Skirt

Check out our tie-dye posts here too:

• How to Tie-dye clothes for dolls
• SWC Posts that show a variety of dying technique and examples

The Koala Pjs:

An Aussie theme wouldn't be complete without a Koala! These pj's are so adorable and the slipper, oh my! Too cute! The garments are made from basics, like a tee and leggings, but the colors, print, and embellishment really steal the show here!

Patterns used to "get the look":

• LJC Leggings
• LJC Piccadilly PJ pants (or the pants int he Yoga Pants pattern) add ribbing detail to create this look.
• QTπ Fast Track Suit
• Miche Animal Slippers
• Crafty Lil Turkey Koala Hoodie Hack
• Create a cute set of Koala Themed Pjs and Koala Embellishments with the new Prog Princess Fashions Koala themed pattern too!

Looking for Koala printed fabrics? There are quite a few on Etsy, but judging the scale is a bit of a challenge.

I did see this Koala Fabric on JoAnn Fabrics, it's customizable so you can get it printed at any scale you'd like - pretty cool! It also comes in a variety of colors that you can pick and choose from to create custom fabric.

Here's an example of a cute applique, cut from a piece of fabric to create a coordinating PJ set (for a baby). I saw this on Etsy and thought it would provide a bit of inspiration for creating something for your dolls.

Here's an example of an iron-on design that can be purchased, ready to apply to your project. This one is from JoAnn Fabrics, but you could look at stores like Hobby Lobby, Micheal's, and Wal-Mart too. I'd also recommend checking out what's available on Amazon

Aussie Style Accessories:

We have a lot of accessory patterns to fill out any outfit you might be putting together.

• When making a backpack, add some leather trim to highlight the rugged style.
• If you're making a hat, choose a design with a wide brim, and fabrics like burlap, microsuede or even felted wool. Add a brightly colored ribbon or trim to give your hat some personality! 
• Add the Koala flair with the Koala Hoodie pattern hack! Use this same concept to add a koala look to your slippers or even a tee!
• Make some accessories for your pets too! Find the pet bed, pet carrier, and a wagon to pull it all around with!

Hi Everyone! I hope you've taken some time to explore the Aussie color palette and get a sense of the fashion styling to capture the overall essence of this theme. In Part Two, we continue the sew-along for the Alice Springs Dress. In the third video of the sew-along, we will be working on sewing the collar to the dress bodice. This is the trickiest bit of the pattern assembly, mostly because of the scale, but with a bit of practice and attention to detail, it all goes together nicely! 

If you haven't started your project yet, please refer back to part one to get familiar with the pattern, choose your fabric, and sew up the bodice front and front placket.

Are you ready to continue? Let's go!

In this video, we will sew the collar to the dress bodice. The collar has been cut with 4 pieces of fabric. In our demonstration we have the printed fashion fabric (cut 2) and the solid lining fabric (cut 2). The solid colored fabric will be referred to as the collar facing.

To begin I recommend stay stitching the bodice neckline just inside the 1/4" seam allowance stitching line. Then clip into the seam allowance to be able to spread it open to match the curve of the collar.

The most important thing with the collar is to place it properly along the neckline. The shoulder notch is key! Place this first lining up with the shoulder seam of the bodice. The two pieces curve in opposite directions, which may seem incorrect; but with a bit of stay stitching and clipping into the seam allowance, the pieces fit together as intended.

Continue to line up the seam line towards center back. Here you will see a 1/4" extended overlap. Then line up the seamline towards center front, carefully spreading the bodice seam allowance open to curve along the collar piece. When you reach center front there will be excess extending past CF. Because the collar at center front angles in slightly, the over lap is close to 1/2" at the raw edge of the seam allowance. This is fine! You'll notice that when you fold the collar up away from the bodice that you will lose quite a bit of that overlap as you get to the interior neckline edge. You need to be able to sew a 1/4" seam allowance up CF and along the top edge of the collar, so just double check that there is space to do that at center front before stitching the collar in place.

Too much excess at center front is better than not enough here!

Next, we trim that seam allowance to reduce bulk in this tiny collar interior. Then the collar facing (with bottom edge pressed under along the larger curve) is placed right on top of it and stitched from center back across the interior neckline edge and down to center front. Be sure to stitch at a 1/4" seam allowance and be sure that the seam allowances are pointing up towards the collar at CF and CB so that they turn to the inside when the collar is turned right side out. This collar is designed to be pretty small to fit with the overall scale of the design. 

Tip: You can draw a line on the wrong side of the fabric to be sure you stitch this properly, especially at CF. The two CF edges should be the same as each other, it will be pretty obvious if they are not because they sit almost side-by-side. Alternately, you can count your stitches as you pivot at CF and then stitch the same on the opposite side.

I'd recommend turning the collar right side out at CF before trimming the seam allowances just to be sure the two CF's match. If they don't you can try to even it out while you still have the full piece. 

Once everything looks good, trim those seam allowances and turn the collar right side out. 

Okay! You did it! How does it look? 

Now continue with the pattern instructions to finish the stitching on the neckline, sew the elastic casing on the sleeves, set the sleeves, and sew the dress bodice side seams. 

Next week in part three we will continue with the tiered ruffle section and finish up the dress! We'll also explore the full Kira Bailey™ collection and share with you thoughts and ideas to sew up a variety of pieces using larougetdelisle patterns to capture that Aussie Theme!

Hi Everyone! Are you ready to explore another Sewing A Themed Wardrobe topic? This one is Aussie Style! This is going to be a look back at some of the early Outback Libby collection outfits as well as a look at the theme for the newest American Girl® doll Kira Bailey™. Her story takes place in Australia, so it's a perfect mix of things we've already created mixed with what's current and modern in the doll community.

Over this 4-part topic we are going to do a sew-along for our newest design, Outback Libby Alice Springs.This features classic design elements, working with fabrics that everyone should feel comfortable with fabrics like cotton lawn, lightweight quilting cotton, crinkle rayon, and more. 

We'll break apart the sew along over the 4-part topic to really be sure we take our time and no one feels rushed! We'll be mixing in some other things into each post as we explore the Kira Bailey collection too! We'll look at her wardrobe through a fun "compare & contrast" video, as we look at the larougetdelisle pattern collection to create pieces that are similar to what's offered and to create things that would also complement her existing collection!

If you're newer to our ecosystem, you may not be familiar with the themed collections we introduced back in 2010 - Euro Libby, Malibu Libby, Tokyo Libby, and Outback Libby. Each theme was originally released seasonally through special limited edition auctioned outfits; then over time, produced as doll clothes sewing patterns. Our collection has grown over the years and we continue to add to it, most recently with the Alice Springs Dress pattern, which will be our featured sew-along this month! 

The Outback Libby Collection is so fun for me to look back on and share with you! The earliest design, Faraway Downs, is how we kicked this off. It is such a classic styling with the tan, brown, and white color palette. The dress is the perfect mix of rugged and feminine mixed together. We went from there adding in more structured details with some pretty great jackets, in outfits like Woomera, Roebuck Bay, and Boomerit Falls. Our color palette expanded a bit when we introduced Killara, adding in the rich purple, deep orange, and intricate beadwork.

First, let's take a look at the color palette for Kira Bailey (photos © American Girl) and the color palette from our own collection, you'll notice it's very similar! As the saying goes, "Great minds think alike!" or we were possibly inspired by the same thing as we looked at the Australian landscape and fashion scene!

This type of color palette is called Tetradic. It's made up of two primary sets of complementary colors on the opposite side of the color wheel, which creates a vibrant way to create a color palette that isn't just subdued and muted, but filled with energy and youthful flair!

I encourage you to use this palette as inspiration for your project! Look through your stash and see what fabric you might have that fits this theme, or take this picture with you and browse the fabric store to find something perfect!

As I mentioned, we are going to walk you through a full sew-along for the Alice Springs Dress pattern. We've broken apart the videos into short sections for each part of the sewing process to make it very easy to pop in and get help on just the part you're looking for!

Are you ready? Let's get started!

Step 1: Get the Alice Springs Dress pattern! You can use this month's coupon code to redeem the pattern for free.

May Discount Code: AUSSIE2105

Step 2: Read over the pattern, make note of the supplies needed, and take some time to read through the instructions to familiarize yourself with the overall design.

Step 3: Gather up your fabric and supplies. maybe you have the perfect fabric on hand, or maybe you need to go shopping to find the perfect thing!

Curious as to where we got our fabrics?

The lavender dress is a Liberty Fabrics Cotton Lawn in Wisteria. I love this fabric, it has such a nice feel to it, very lightweight, but not sheer. I have it in several colors! This fabric was purchased through Fabric.com.

The floral dress is made from a crinkle rayon I came across at Joann Fabrics. It is perfect for this design! It is lightweight, but has some weight to it so it hangs and drapes nicely. In the example, it is made as View B with the fuller ruffles, this works well with this fabric because it has a soft sway to it as it hangs, it doesn't pop out like a big poof!

Step 4: Decide which version of the dress you will be sewing. The bodice and sleeves are the same for both View A and View B. The View A dress is designed with inverted curved tiers. This provides the look of gathers with a more controlled fullness as each tier progresses. The look we were going for was something easy and casual, something with some swing and sway, but not overly puffy. If you choose a fabric with more body, or something with a stripe, like a pinwale corduroy or perhaps gingham, then you'd want to choose View B with the rectangular cut ruffles.

Once you have everything you need to get started, and have decided which version of the pattern you will be making, print and cut out all the pattern pieces. 

Step 5: Cut out all the pieces with your chosen fabric. If desired, you can use a contrasting accent fabric for the Back Yoke facing and Collar Facings for added interest.

Step 6: Jump into the sew-along! This week we will work on the Dress Bodice.

In the first video, we will sew the Front Placket to the Front Bodice. I encourage you to take your time with this. Maybe even practice it with a scrap fabric first to be sure you are confident with your topstitching lines and placement. 

In this second video, we will sew the Back Yoke and Back Bodice. The video shows two methods for sewing these two curved pieces together. I encourage you to read through the pattern step by steps, and watch the video once through, then sew your pieces. The video outlines two different ways to attach the seams. In the final version of the pattern we've sewn the fashion fabric (the main dress fabric) using method #2 and then placed the back Yoke Facing using method #1. You can experiment with both techniques and decide for yourself which method works best for you. 

Phew! Now it's time to take a break! Next week we will jump right back in with sewing the Collar. The placket and the collar are the trickiest bits in this design, once you get past these two design elements, it's smooth sailing for the rest of the dress!