Fins for American Girl Doll

See my other beach item tutorials 

 

What you need

• flexible cutting board (got mine at Walmart, came in a set with 3 different colors)
• duck tape, color of your choice

How to make the fins

1. Download free pattern here
    Remember to set page scaling to none.
    For Home use only, this is copyrighted by me, Read Creations !!!!

2. Cut out the right and left fine from flexible cutting board.

3. Optional, cut one of the soles from cutting board, this will make cutting the soles from duct
    tape a lot easier
    (you can flip it over to use for the other foot)

4. Fold flaps flaps up, following the side line of the fins. I used a ruler to get a straight fold

5. Take a piece of duck tape, align along the fold and tape on the inside of the flaps and cut
    around.
    Repeat for other side.

6. Take template from step 3 and tape with one piece of duck tape and cut out template.
    This should give you a nice cut.

7. Peal duck tape sole off template and tape on the inside of fin
    (make sure you have the correct foot)

8. Fold up flaps and overlay slightly and tape on the inside with a scrap duck tape piece

9. Take a big duck tape piece and cover the whole top. Make sure your seam on top is flat.

 

10. Cut duck tape level with sole and cut the top to be about 1/4" longer than flap. 

      Cut slits up to the flap and fold towards flap

11.  Repeat steps 4 - 10 for other fin.

12. Cut a 3 3/4" piece of duck tape and cut in half lengthwise

13. On one of the strips fold up one third, then fold down the top to form a strap.
      Repeat for other strap.

14.  Take a little scrap piece of duck tape and tape both ends of strap to fin.
       Repeat for other fin.

 

14. Now you could add more decoration if you want

 You are done !!!

Return to see other beach items. 

Travel items overview for American Girl Doll

• Passport
• Plane boarding passes 
• Neck pouch for passport
• Backpack
• Neck pillow
• Puzzles and games 

For a Trip to Paris

Trip to Paris - overview

• Maps and Tickets (includes boarding pass to Paris)
• Paris Travel Guide
• Money (Euros)
• Crêpe (crepe), coming soon

Small Backpack for American Girl Doll

  See my other free travel item tutorials

What you need

• Fabric for outside of backpack (fabric color A)
• Fabric remnant of different color for pocket and flap (fabric color B)
• Fabric for lining backpack (fabric color C)
• String (about 15" long)
• 3/8" ribbon for backpack straps 10" long each (optional, you can also use fabric e.g. color B)
• Small snap or velcro
• Small safety pin

How to make the backpack

1.  Download free pattern here
     Remember to set scaling to none.
     For home use only, this is copyrighted by me, Read Creations !!!!

2. Leave Part E folded and top stitch 1/8" from fold

3. Lay on right side of one of the Part A, align bottom and sides

4. Add both backpack sides (Part B) and then other Part A

5. Top stitch 1/8"  all 3 seams

6. Sew last seam together to form a loop and top stitch as well (this is a little tricky but possible)

7. Cut straps 10" long  from ribbon or use bias tape made from your choice of fabric.

8. Pin straps to bottom back (Part A without pocket) about 1/4" in from side seams on right side

9. Pin and sew bottom to the sides. Make sure you really have the bottom (where the pocket is).
    Right sides together, sandwiching the straps

10. Turn right side out

11.  Take one Part D and add snap button or velcro

12. Sew flap together (Parts D) right sides together (button/velcro is inside) and clip the rounded corners

13. Turn right side out and top stitch 1/8". Picture shows back side of flap. Button is on the other side.

14. Take Part G and sew into a tube along short sides. Take lining Part C and sew to Part G to form
       lining of inside backpack

15. Take Part F and fold both short ends in about 1/2" wrong sides together then fold in half the long side,
      wrong sides together and pin to top of the lining finished in step 14.
      Pin to the right side of Part G leaving a space of about 1 1/4" centered on the front side

16. Zigzag or sew with less than 1/4" seam in place

17. Take outside Backpack finished in step 10 turn back wrong side out and align straps with open
      top about 1/4" from sides (make sure straps are not twisted).
      Then add flap, centered on top (on right side of backpack, buckle/velcro on flap facing away from
      straps)

18. Pin lining to Backpack, right sides together and sew leaving a 1" gap in the front

19. Turn right side out through opening

 20. Then stuff lining inside of Backpack.
       Take a small safety pin and thread string (about 15" long) through top.
       Add button/velcro to backpack

21. Hand sew gap closed with hidden seam.

 

You are done !!! 

Return to collection of Travel items

Neck pouch for passport for American Girl Doll

 

  See my other free travel item tutorials

 

What you need

• Fabric (6" x 2 1/4")
• String 13 1/2" long (I used natural cotton twine)
• Thread
• little piece of velcro

How to make pouch

1. Cut a strip 6" x 2 1/4"

2. Fold in half (matching short sides together), right sides together

3. Sew 1/4" seam along both long sides, trim corners

4. Turn right out

5. Fold closed side up about 2" and pin in place

6. Fold inwards open seam 1/4" and pin in place

7. Top stitch 1/8" starting at bottom on one side, then across open seam and down the other side

 

8. Hand sew string to back

 

9. Hand sew velcro to flap and pouch to keep flap closed

You are done !!!

Return to collection of Travel items 

Neck pillow for American Girl Doll

 

 

  See my other free travel item tutorials

 

What you need

• fabric 5"x 12" (fleece, flannel, ...)
• thread
• stuffing

How to make the neck pillow

1. Download free pattern here

    For home use only, this is copyrighted by me, Read Creations !!!
    Make sure you have page scaling set to none !

2. Cut 2x then sew all around leaving a 1" gap on back

3. Cut slits all around (make sure not to cut the thread)

4. Turn right side out

 

5. Stuff and hand sew gap shut with a hidden seam

You are done !!!


Return to collection of Travel items 

Passport for American Girl Doll

 

  See my other free travel item tutorials

 

What you need

• card stock for passport cover (optional)
• printer
• paper (letter size)
• Elmer's glue 
• Clear adhesive laminate for passport cover (optional)
• image editing program (only for custom passport), every computer comes with one pre-installed,
  e.g. Paint in Windows

How to make passport

Download Saige's passport here
Download McKenna's passport here
Download empty passport here

1. Passport is saved as a letter sized image. Download and save image to computer, then print image

     For empty passport, open saved image file in an image editor and write custom info
     (name, birth date, ...) onto image. I used font settings:

• Font: Arial
• Font size: 16
• Type: Bold

2. Cut out all 7 passport images

3. Glue passport cover image to card stock and cut out. Let glue dry.
    Use optional clear adhesive laminate on passport cover

4. Fold all other passport images along center seam and glue back sides together to form a book.

5. Glue book into cover.

6. Cut 2 rounded corners on open side


You are done !!!
 

Return to collection of Travel items