18" Doll Swimsuit Cover-up Free Tutorial

Today's tutorial is a super cute swimsuit cover-up! It features fun racer-back styling, a single tie at the front, and two tiny pockets. And the best part? All you need is an old t-shirt and the (free!) Liberty Jane Trendy T-Shirt pattern.

    

Cut a 2 1/2" wide strip off the bottom of your t-shirt, including the original hem, then cut out the fronts and backs as the pattern directs (you don't need the sleeves). The finished cover-up will open in the front, so for our purposes, we'll pretend the back is the front, and the front is the back. Got it? Let's go!

Next, we'll do some fancy trimming. Open up the shirt, and then refold it along the original front's foldline. Lay the two 'backs' (what will become our fronts) on top of each other, being careful to line everything up. You'll make three sets of cuts; refer to the picture below to see how big and where to make them.

Then, re-open the top, and hem both armholes and the neckline. Once that's done, sew the side seams!

 

Next, take the 2 1/2" strip you cut off the bottom of the shirt. If you used the shirt's hemline, you can save yourself a step, like I did here; otherwise, take a minute and run a narrow hem along one long edge. Cut the strip so that it's 25" long -- or as close to that as you can get with your tee.

Finally, hem the front edges and add the ties and pockets.

Then, put it on your doll and let her have a blast!

                                          

Happy summer!

Melinda, for Pixie Faire

PS: Does your doll need a new swimsuit to go with her cover-up? Liberty Jane has a free swimsuit pattern too!

 

ENTER TO WIN A $50 Pixie Faire Gift Card!

 

 

To enter this week's contest, simply click the link below and then enter through the giveaway widget at the bottom of the blog post, there are many things you can do to earn multiple entry points!

Contest Details: You enter through the entry form that is embedded on this page and appears just below this paragraph, if you don't see it, be sure to visit the page from your desktop or an alternate browser such as Google Chrome. It may not appear on all mobile devices. The complete rules and entry details appear on the entry form. This is not a comment contest - in other words, leaving a comment on the bottom of this page is not an official entry method. The only required entry method is to leave a comment under this post and then confirm that you did it in the contest widget. One person will receive the Pixie Faire Gift Card. You can enter once, or gain multiple entries by completing the other entry methods and increase your chances of winning. Please review all Terms and Conditions on the giveaway page before entering. While we wish we could run this contest everywhere, for legal reasons it is only open to eligible residents of the U.S. and Canada, not including Rhode Island. This contest is exclusively endorsed by Liberty Jane Clothing and Pixie Faire. 

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We’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment and tell us,  What is you favorite thing about summer?

 

 


43 Comments

Alison
Alison

June 21, 2022

I love swimming and I’ll enjoy dressing my dolls up to swim, also! Thanks for the pattern hack!!

Grandma Freckles
Grandma Freckles

June 21, 2022

My favorite part of summer is not having to wear a jacket or coat & being able to go barefoot. I like to be able to wear pretty clothes that people can see (that aren’t covered up with jackets & coats.

Maureen W.
Maureen W.

June 21, 2022

The best things?!! I love about Summer > swimming at the cottage! Camp fires and spooky stories, S’mores… the best are the Sunsets ✨and how the grass smells after a rain> and being Thankful I am healthy and alive! to enjoy it all with my families….YUP!

T
T

June 21, 2022

Favorite thing about summer, beautiful flower colors!

Lynn F
Lynn F

June 21, 2022

I love warm weather and the trees in full color. Green is my favorite color. I also love opportunities to be outside, which I tend to do more in the summer than in winter.

T
T

June 21, 2022

Favorite thing about summer, beautiful flower colors!

LizT
LizT

June 21, 2022

Swimming at the beach with ocean waves!

Linda
Linda

June 21, 2022

this is darling!

Sue
Sue

June 21, 2022

I love going to the beach or playing with my dogs in the backyard

Lisa
Lisa

June 21, 2022

My favorite part of summer is getting to spend time with my family, especially our grandkids! We look forward to making new memories each summer.

DellaSue
DellaSue

June 21, 2022

I like getting to go swimming!

Johanna
Johanna

June 21, 2022

The breeze moving through the house, the birds singing outside, all the different flowers blooming at different times, and all the vegetables!!

Tamara G
Tamara G

June 21, 2022

I love EVERYTHING about summer! Warm weather, no jackets, flowers and birds, blue skies, play clothes, taking some vacation time. I’d be happy if summer were year round!

Carol Genck
Carol Genck

June 21, 2022

I love everything about summer (except for when it’s too hot outside!) This tutorial is so cute!

Tiffany
Tiffany

June 21, 2022

I love making crafts to enter into the county fair!

Cheri
Cheri

June 21, 2022

I can’t wait to try this…the ruffle hem is super cute and such a time saver

Diane Goff
Diane Goff

June 21, 2022

I love summer days with hikes, picnics and splashing in the lake, before settling down to roast marshmallows and share stories by a campfire.

Sharon J
Sharon J

June 21, 2022

I love being in the outdoors.

darlene wummel
darlene wummel

June 21, 2022

it is very cute the pattern and seems to be simple with the instructions My granddaughter will love this for her doll

Ehnita
Ehnita

June 21, 2022

Favorite things about summer are sunshine, warmth and long days, being able to enjoy being outside everyday.

Christine M. Guzorek
Christine M. Guzorek

June 21, 2022

I love my garden

Diane Goff
Diane Goff

June 21, 2022

Love the ruffled hem detail. Thanks for sharing. Guess I need to pull the swimsuit pattern back out for a complete new summer look.

Kathy
Kathy

June 21, 2022

Pattern looks pretty straight forward

Deb
Deb

June 21, 2022

Watched the plants grow and seeing more of the grandchildren.

Lisa
Lisa

June 21, 2022

I love being able to go outside & enjoy the nice weather. The coverup looks great. Thanks for the contest.

grietje
grietje

June 21, 2022

Summer is the time we spend in the garden mostly, admiring colours and warmth is the best.

grace
grace

June 21, 2022

The patterns i have made are true to size and have not needed to adjust anything. Thank you!

Kristen
Kristen

June 21, 2022

I’m a teacher and I love summer vacation, getting to travel, and having more time to sew!

Cathy R
Cathy R

June 21, 2022

I love the longer days and warmer temperatures of summer. Where I live summer is short lived so we have to enjoy it while we can! Cute tutorial ❤️

Linda
Linda

June 21, 2022

My favorite thing about summer is more sunshine!

Sharon
Sharon

June 21, 2022

I like warm summer evenings with a cool breeze as I sit under the trees as the sun sets.

Sue D
Sue D

June 21, 2022

I love gardening in the summer.

Lisa A.
Lisa A.

June 21, 2022

Best thing about summer is long days of sunshine!

Debra
Debra

June 21, 2022

I love this coverup! I also like the bathing suit patterns in the store. Thanks so much for offering the free instructions at times. It really helps the budget.

Amy
Amy

June 21, 2022

Thanks for the giveaway !!!

Tricia C
Tricia C

July 11, 2014

What a fun tutorial! I love repurposing things. The directions were very clear and helpful. I love the little cover up I made today. Thank you for this.

Delia
Delia

July 08, 2014

The bathing suit is easy to make and fits perfectly. I used a bathing suite form my daughter that didn’t fit any more. It Came out so cute That all her friends started bringing me their los suites!! I will try this next! Think you for your patterns.

Marge R. (mer)
Marge R. (mer)

September 01, 2013

I have swimsuit fabric I purchased just to make your free swimsuit and NOW I can make a matching adorable cover-up — thank you SOOO much, Cinnamon!!! LOVE it!!!

Madison
Madison

August 26, 2013

I love it!! So cute!!

Elna
Elna

August 12, 2013

This is put on the to do list. Great!

Sue Tanksley
Sue Tanksley

July 23, 2013

Thank you for sharing another cute garment. I love you website and have almost all of your patterns. A BIG fan. Sue

Darlene Crawford
Darlene Crawford

July 22, 2013

Very cute and thank you for giving this. I just made four bathing suits from liberty jane patterns and the timing was great as now I will make cover ups to match. I have several dolls

Pauline Turner
Pauline Turner

July 21, 2013

I love all of your patterns, I think they are very cute and I have fun making them for my grand daughters and great grand daughters as well. alot of them are different than other patterns. Which is different. Thanks keep it up. I think I have all of your patterns so far.

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