There’s an undeniable thrill in giving outdated clothing a second chance, especially with creative sewing projects. Isn’t it wonderful to breathe new life into a garment that’s been shelved? Today, I’m thrilled to unveil my newest creation – a doll sleeping bag fashioned from an old men’s fleece zipper jacket! ✂️ The best part about repurposing is that I can let my creativity run wild without the constant worry about costs. And with my little one’s ever-changing toy preferences, creating toys on my own seems like the smart move.
Choosing Your Materials:
For this project, an old fleece jacket belonging to my husband served as the prime material. It had the perfect texture – warm and snug for dolls but not so thick that my sewing machine struggled. If you’re scouting for a jacket, ensure it’s of an adequate length for the doll you have in mind. And if you’re keen on having a zipper feature, scout for jackets that boast robust zippers.
Other Essential Sewing Supplies:
- Sewing machine (Kudos to my Brother CS6000i for managing the jacket’s thickness!)
- Basic sewing necessities like Elmer’s glue, scissors, and pins or Wonder Clips (my absolute favorites! )
- A doll or its dimensions for reference (In our case, Mickey and Minnie Mouse were the showstoppers )
- Iron-on hem tape
Creating the Doll Sleeping Bag:
To ease your journey, I’ve included a plethora of photos to accompany my steps. Since each jacket and doll will be unique, I’ve opted to skip precise measurements.
- Zip the jacket and turn it inside-out.
- Stitch straight up both sides of the jacket’s body. Reserve enough fabric in the center to house the doll. The stitching halts at the jacket’s armpit.
- Trim any redundant fabric for potential future projects.
- Turn the jacket to its rightful side. I then trimmed the jacket to add a built-in pillow at the top, ensuring Mickey wasn’t lost in a sea of fabric.
- After reducing the zipper’s length and fashioning one side of the sleeping bag’s top, I dabbed a bit of Elmer’s glue atop the zipper to keep it in place.
- Several stitches later, the cut fabric was refined, with Clover Wonder clips assisting throughout.
- The final step involved crafting the pillow using iron-on hem tape to avoid thick, visible seams.
The End Result:
Mickey Mouse seemed rather pleased with his new sleeping quarters! And it’s become quite the travel companion during our car journeys.
Seeking More Repurposing Ideas?
Here are a couple more of my projects for you to explore:
- DIY Envelope Pillow Cover from a Button-Down Shirt
- Refashioning a Men’s Dress Shirt into a Drawstring Backpack
Key Details at a Glance:
| Project | Material | Additional Supplies |
|---|---|---|
| Doll Sleeping Bag | Old Men’s Fleece Zipper Jacket | Sewing Machine, Elmer’s Glue, Scissors, Pins or Wonder Clips, Iron-on Hem Tape |
| Envelope Pillow Cover | Button-Down Shirt | – |
| Drawstring Backpack | Men’s Dress Shirt | – |