Doll Swimsuit Sewing Pattern

Way back in the 1970s, a poster of a beautiful woman in a red swimsuit sold 12 million copies and graced the walls of nearly every teenaged boy in America. The woman was Farrah Fawcett, model and soon-to-be star of the TV series "Charlie’s Angels", and the memory of her famous red swimsuit inspired this super-cute bathing suit sewing project.

Supplies
- Approximately 41⁄2-inch by 8-inch piece of cotton jersey or piece cut from an old T-shirt
- Newsprint, tracing paper, or wrapping paper for the pattern
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Needle and thread

Step 1

Make the swimsuit pattern and cut the fabric

Make one paper pattern 4 1⁄4-inches by 3 1⁄2-inches for the bathing suit and one paper pattern 1⁄4-inch by 8-inches for the strap. Cut out paper patterns.

Step 2

Tug on the fabric to see which way the fabric stretches the most. Pin the pattern to the fabric, with the most stretch going along the longer side. Cut carefully around the pattern edges, and remove pins and pattern.

Step 3

Pin the strap pattern to the fabric with the most stretch going along the long side. Cut around the pattern edges, remove pins and pattern.

Step 4

Zoom Image

Make the swimsuit

With right sides together, fold bathing suit fabric in half so the shorter sides meet and sew 1⁄8 inch in from the edge, for the back seam. You will have a tube.

Step 5

With right sides still together, turn the tube so the seam is in the center back. Sew a 1⁄2-inch line of stitching at the center of one open side to create the crotch, and leave holes for the legs. Turn bathing suit right side out.

Step 6

Zoom Image

Finish the swimsuit

Try on doll and 1⁄8 inch down from the top edge, make a 1⁄2-inch-long vertical stitch at the center front; this becomes the bodice. Pull the stitch tight to gather fabric at the bustline. Stitch again over the first stitch to reinforce.

Step 7

Fold the strap in half so it measures 1⁄4-inch by 4-inches. Pin the fold to the center of the bodice on the inside of the top edge. Sew the strap to the bathing suit near the bodice tuck. Put suit on doll and tie the ends of the strap in a bow around her neck.