How to make an MSD sock jacket, top, and skirt with six socks
Here are the step by step instructions for the outfit I designed for the DoA 5th Anniversary Sock-Couture contest.
It is true, fabulous outfits can be constructed using socks (just look at some of the glamorous creations in the contest thread); however, I designed this as a simple outfit that a beginner could make with just some basic hand sewing skills.
1. Get socks
This a pack of extra large boys socks from Target, around $5.00 for three pair. These are the short sport socks with ribbing at the ankle. (The other is a black mesh trouser sock from the women's section.) The jacket will use four socks, the top will use one sock, and the skirt will use one sock.
2. Cut the jacket
The jacket body takes two socks. I use the socks woven pattern as a guide to cut straight lines (around the heel for the arm holes, about 1/4 inch into the woven toe to create a colored stripe along the bottom.
The sleeve takes two socks and looks almost like body of the jacket but is thinner and doesn't take up the whole sock. Be sure to include about 1/4 inch seam allowance.
*note: if you have not done a lot of sewing, you may want to practice first on some old socks before you cut your cute new socks.
This is what the actual sock looks like with my girl Mizu to show how the sleeve will look. The red lines are where you will cut the sock, the pale pink overlay with the blue stitch lines show how it will lay on the body in relation to the body pieces.
3. Sew the sleeves to the body and sew in the zipper
This is how you will sew the jacket sleeves onto body. In this picture, one of the body pieces has been cut down the center so a zipper can be installed. I used a separating zipper so that the jacket can be fully open.
4. Sew down the side seams
Fold the jacket in half at the center of the sleeves and sew the side seams from the end of the sleeves to the hem of the jacket.
You are done. You can hem the sleeves and bottom if you want, and add decorative touches... or not!
Next post: Tank top and skirt!
5. Cut out the tank top
Cut the heel of the sock out starting about 1/4 inch below the ribbing.
6. Sew it!
You do not need to bind the edge using a sewing machine, hand binding is fine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM-Fd0cuMH0
this is a blind stitch, but YouTube is a font of information when it comes to the crafty arts! Just remember that this part is going to have some stretch, so a regular running stitch will break when you try to put it on your doll.
7. Skirt
It is a tube. Cut off the toe, cut it straight across below the heel, put some elastic in the waist if you want.
I am going to skip the hat because it is a little complex, but the pattern pieces in the color coded diagram are in lavender. The leggings are on there too... cut the trouser sock to length, split it down the middle for the legs and seam it (I also took some darts in at the waist because of the way my trouser sock was shaped).
Tadaaaa!! You have now made an entire outfit for your MSD for under $10.00 (less if you already have socks). Now you have enough money for some $45.00 Dollheart boots.
--Strange Angels