Baby Sweater to Doll Coat Tutorial

I found these baby sweaters at a thrift store.  They are so cute, I thought I might make them into doll sweaters.  So here we go!

As you can see the sweater  is much too large even though in the store 

I was CERTAIN it would fit.  : )

OK, first thing is cut off the sleeves.

Then turn the body inside out and pin to your doll.  Remember you want the fit to be loose enough to go over other clothes.

Stitch the sides along your pin line.  I also do a second zigzag stitch to finish the cut edge a little.

Put the body back on and place a pin at the shoulder.  Trim off the excess shoulder fabric.  Remember to cut less rather than more, you can always fit it all better later.

Put the sleeve on the doll and add a pin at the shoulder.  Cut a slight diagonal line up towards this shoulder pin.

Turn the sleeve inside out and pin to the doll just like you did with the body of the sweater.  Stitch along this pin line   Trim off the excess and zigzag raw edge.  

This is the tricky part.  I decided to insert the sleeve into the new arm hole to stitch.  Since the fabric is stretchy this was not too bad.  Line up the side seam and the sleeve seam.  Remember to put right sides together!  (I had to rip out one of my sleeves because I was talking to my Mom on the phone and didn't pay attention!) Stitch carefully around the arm opening.  

And here is the first sleeve reattached.

and here is the finished sweater.  I decided to leave the sweater long to be a sweater/coat or dress.  I think the sleeves are a little too long, but I could always stitch deeper into the shoulder seam and bring it all in tighter, but for now I think it is cute!

And here is the same sweater open with boots.
I folded the cuffs back and it looks more like a coat.

AND...

Here are two other sweaters I cut down from baby clothes.