Creating a Bedroom for Your AG Doll

Every little girl wants a beautiful bedroom for her American Girl, Springfield, Our Generation or Madame Alexander doll. Unfortunately, not every parent can afford to buy the legitimate materials from the companies. Below are a list of links that can help you pull the entire bedroom together.

Bed

The main piece of furniture is the bed. Ana White is almost Internet famous for her free and fabulous furniture plans.  I know that this one will take a while, but you can do it! My sister used this pattern to make one for her granddaughter's doll. You can see hers here. If you love this bed, the pattern you are going to want to use in on Ana's site. If a lot of dolls are sharing a room, you really have to check out the adorable trundle bed, too!

No bed is complete without a mattress, sheets and pillow. Here are free directions for all three! If you saw how cute the bed my sister made looks, then you know you are going to want an adorable quilt to put on top. This primrose garden quilt pattern is my favorite price-free.

Vanity

With just a little bit of lumber, you can add a very cute vanity to your doll's room. Head to 100 things 2 do, and check out these simple, simple plans by Shelly.

Closet

My niece, creative like her mother, shared an adorable closet plan with me. If you do not want a free-standing vanity, you can add one to your closet like the one you are about to see. Or, you can build the closet without the vanity. This is so simple, seeing it may be all you need to do to build this closet.

If I were to make this, I think I would put hinges on the boxes so it could be opened and closed. 

Molly's Stove

Molly joined the family when my granddaughter stayed with me for a few months. She received the American Girl doll from her great-aunt for Christmas. My granddaughter loved her doll and wanted to play with her. Of course, she loved looking through the most current American Girl doll magazine, but, not only was there no AG store nearby, the items were out of our budget.  We put on our creative thinking caps and came up with a lot of ideas. Together, we made a lot of things for her new family member. 

One of the first things we made was a kitchen for Molly.  We went to Michael's and bought three photo boxes; two pure black boxes and one with a design on it for the table. One was for her refrigerator, and the third box was for Molly's stove.  

Making the stove

To make the stove, we turned the box on its side and centered the lid onto the side, gluing it into place.  Once it dried and was sturdy, we took red felt and cut four pieces in a circular, snake-like design. 
We placed each one on the top of the stove with glue, creating four burners that were the perfect size for the cooking pan you can buy at the Dollar Tree. 

Molly loved her new kitchen, according to my granddaughter. It was easy to make and, because the boxes are pretty sturdy, it will last a long time.

Easy 18-inch Doll Gift You Can Make

Life has been a lot slower for the last six months, as I have taken time for myself. All the projects I wanted to do have started happening. For example, during December, I rounded up enough different patterns to make aprons for my granddaughter, her American Doll and her mother. I have never tackled that big of a project, but they loved them.

A new year requires some new activities. and, as January rolled around, I knew I needed a new project. With birthdays and such, useful ideas for easy gifts is my cup of tea. A great idea was born from a conversation with my sister, a fabulous, creative individual. She was sharing with me how she makes doll clothes for American Girl boy dolls. She often uses little boy tee-shirts and she incorporates the hem that is already there whenever she can. During that conversation, I remembered something.

While thrift-store shopping, I found a little quilted item that I thought would work for a doll blanket, but the back had markings on it and they would not come out. I used a simple oven mitt pattern that would fit an American Girl doll. I laid it out along the edge of the material and cut out the pattern. The sides sewed together easily and before I knew it, I created not one, but several hot mitts from one twenty-five cent purchase. 

Here is Kit, wearing hers. It was made from the quilted item. I wish I knew what it was called!

 

Feeling more comfortable, I cut out more from fat squares and even used left over material to make one to make the American Girl dolls apron. I made hot mitts for my best-friend-forever (since fourth-grade) for her to give to her granddaughter, for the daughter of my niece, for my sister's new doll, Blaire Wilson. (According to her bio, Blaire loves cooking, so this is the perfect gift.)

Making the mitts was easy. It goes from this...

To this...

in a few short steps. I used a thin foam with interfacing that was ironed on to the foam. The inside edges, by the little fingers, were sewn together and a band was sewn on across the bottom edge.  A tab for hanging was added and the rest of the mitt was sewn together. It fits the hands of the dolls perfectly.

Ari and Kit are getting ready to do some serious cooking:

If you need a quick gift for the 18" doll lover in your life, or you just want a little side hustle for the holidays, consider making a few of these adorable hot mitts. They are quick, easy and bound to be loved by anyone who receives one...or two...or... Adding an apron is easy, too! The one above is not quite finished, but came out really cute. Let me know if you would like either of the aprons.

I am amending this to share the cooking outfit I made for a gift.  

Now I am off to try and make a picnic blanket from a pattern my sister told me about. Two fat squares, binding and a mason jar. What could be more fun?