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Dress Up Dolls and Bears for the Holidays

The holidays are right around the corner which means that it is time to start looking and thinking about what you want to purchase or make for your loved ones this Christmas.

If you have a special child in your life, perhaps a daughter, granddaughter or niece, and you want to get them something truly unique, then consider giving them a custom outfit for their favorite doll or teddy bear.

You may not have thought of creating custom gifts like these before, but if you want to really surprise them this year and you have some basic sewing experience, you can easily create a fun sweater, hat or cloak that your special someone will truly love. You could even think of it as creating fancy clothes for them to wear to their holiday tea parties. How fun!

The Sky Is the Limit to What You Can Create

You can create all kinds of fun Christmas-themed garments for the dolls, bears and stuffed animals. Start with a simple T-shirt, try a fun set of PJs, or even a warm winter hat. To make them extra Christmassy, gather up some fun greens, reds and a little gold from our store and let your creativity go to work.

You can even go the extra mile and create an entire outfit for them with matching pants, a shirt, dress or even a Christmas robe, like these fun ones found on Pinterest.

Creating a Simple Outfit is a Piece of Cake

There are many tutorials online, including this one from WikiHow, which provide easy instructions on how to create your doll or teddy clothes. The process is pretty simple. In a nutshell, the key is to keep the measurements of the bear or doll in mind and then use a tape measure to make a pattern template.

The next step involves creating the design by drawing the T-shirt (or whatever you are creating) onto a piece of paper, pinning the paper to your fabric of choice and sewing your creation together.

These steps are similar for whatever fashion item you want to create. Making a cloak is as easy as fitting it over the teddy’s head using your fabric and a pair of scissors to fashion a circle. You can even make a set of pajamas by using an old sock and modifying it to create a tiny hat and shirt.

Get All Your Fabrics from Fabrictopia

At Fabrictopia, we have all the fabric and materials you need to create the perfect doll- or bear-sized garb for your child’s favorite companion. With our large variety or different patterns, colors and styles of fabric, you are sure to walk out satisfied. To take a look at our in-stock colors or to discuss your ideas with our in-house seamstress, stop in and see us on Harwin Road in Houston today or call us at 713-977-0747.

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Holiday Outfit Coordination for the Whole Family

As a busy parent, it is hard to find a moment to get everyone together for a nice family photo. That’s why many families schedule a time with a photographer right before the holidays to capture a beautiful moment that can be cherished for years to come – and used for their Christmas card.

But the real question is: What do you wear?

If you are an avid sewer and crafter, this is the perfect occasion to use your skills to create coordinated outfits for the entire family. The most popular sewing project is to create matching dresses for mothers and daughters.

The first step is to decide what type of dress you will be most comfortable in for your photographs. Many women prefer a dress with an empire waist, a maxi dress or an upscale A-line dress that could also be used for a fancy occasion. If you are feeling uncomfortable wearing a dress, you could also combine a skirt and top or choose to wear a simple pant.

After you choose your style, it’s time to make decisions for the rest of the family! For your daughter or daughters, you could create a similar style or a miniature version of your outfit. You will also want to pull together coordinating pieces for your husband and son. The easiest way to do this is to choose a color, color scheme or shades of the same color for each family member to wear and design each outfit around them. For the holidays, many like to wear solid white or black, a red-and-green color scheme or shades of blue.

Another fun and easy way to coordinate outfits is to use the same fabric throughout the various pieces. For example, you could create an A-line satin dress for you to wear, a satin shift dress for your daughter and satin bow ties for your husband and son. You could even use the same fabric to create a ribbon around your waist and another to tie in your daughter’s hair.

If you are skeptical about matching identically, your family could wear the same color scheme and you could incorporate the pattern of your daughter’s outfit into a small portion of your own outfit – from a scarf to a belt! Wearing small amounts of denim is also a simple way to match, but will make your photographs look cohesive.

Are you ready to get started on your coordinating outfits? Let Fabrictopia help you turn your idea into a reality! When you visit our Houston store, you will find a variety of high-quality fabrics to choose from and friendly staff to help you shop. Come down and see us today on Harwin Drive or give us a call at 713-977-0747.

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