18″ Doll Shoe Pattern: Perfect for American Girl Dolls and Our Generation
American Girl Josefina’s “Meet Outfit” shoes often fall apart. I decided to make this American Girl Doll Josefina moccasin pattern when my first edition doll’s shoes fell apart. Making them myself, I was able to design much higher quality shoes that are more historically accurate in their construction. Plus, the shoes fit on either foot, so no dressing confusion!
“Historical Moccasins” is a beginner pattern with no sewing machine required, but can be used. The pieces come together logically, the hand sewing is simple, and there are no circular shoe folds that so often come out looking lumpy.
GET THE PATTERN HERE
GET THE PATTERN HERE
You Will Need:
❖ 1/2 a “layer cake” (5″ x 10″ or 10″ x 5″) of leather or faux leather
❖ If hand sewing: Awl or a 1.5mm (or less) hole punch (or be willing to push a needle through leather many times)
❖ 3/16″ grommet/eyelet hole punch (or be willing to use a normal hole punch or otherwise improvise)
❖ If hand sewing: 40″ of matching thread
❖ Hand sewing needle or leather sewing machine needle
❖ (Optional) 4 eyelets sized 3/16″
❖ Wonder Clips and pins
❖ (Optional) Grommet tool
I recommend pairing these instructions with my free video tutorial here:
Cutting Layout: 5″ x 10″ or 10″ x 5″. Each pieces cut separately (not on folded fabric).
Pattern Pieces:
❖ Sole (Cut 2)
❖ Vamp (Cut 2)
❖ Heel (Cut 2):
➢ 4 9/16” wide
➢ 1 1/2” long
❖ Tie (Cut 2):
➢ 9” long
➢ 1/8” wide
Printing Instructions:
This pattern is designed to fit on 8.5” x 11” paper. To print, be sure that your printer scaling is set to “none,” “actual size,” or “100%” to ensure proper sizing. Because all printers are different, check the 1” measurement and/or the 1 cm measurement on the pattern piece pages to be certain the pattern is sized properly.
Doll Measurements:
This pattern was designed to fit an American Girl DollⓇ with an 2 1/2″ long and 1 1/2″ wide foot. If you have a doll with similar measurements, this pattern should fit. Be sure to measure your doll and adjust if needed.
Special Thanks:
To my amazing pattern testers, Eden Durand, Jennifer Isabelle Hepler, MJ Sewbig, Rachel Schumacher, and Sarah Tafelsky. Originally this pattern was for hand sewing only, so big thanks to them for pushing for a sewing machine version!
GET THE PATTERN HERE
Hand Sewing Instructions for American Girl Doll Josefina Moccasin Pattern:
Punching the Holes:
1. Using Wonder Clips, attach the paper pattern pieces on top of all the cut material pattern pieces except the Tie.
2. Using the paper pattern pieces as a guide, use your awl, hole punch, or other tool to punch the holes.
3. On the Heel piece, use the 3/16″ grommet hole punch to punch the larger top holes.
4. (Optional) Use your grommet tool to attach 3/16″ grommets to the Heel.
Pinning the Pieces for American Girl Doll Josefina Moccasin Pattern:
5. With the Sole paper pattern piece on top of the right side of the fabric, put a pin through the X and Y holes on the wrong side of the fabric.
6. Flip the piece over, so the wrong side of the fabric faces towards the top, with the heads of the pins resting against the wrong side of the fabric.
7. Attach the Vamp piece to the Sole piece. To do so, take another pin (blue pin), place it in one of the Vamp’s X hole (making sure not to pin the paper pattern piece this time) on the right side of the fabric. Then, slip the pin in the Sole’s corresponding X hole, wrong sides of the fabric of the Vamp and Sole together.
8. Remove the pin that was only in the Sole (see previous step, the green pin is now removed).
9. Repeat for the other X and Y holes. Make sure that there are 3 holes in between each X and Y. Wonder Clip around the Sole and Vamp pieces to keep them in place, and remove the paper pattern pieces.
10. Use the same method of pinning, attach the Heel (wrong side facing) on top of the Vamp and Sole. Wonder Clip the bottom of the Heel to the Sole to keep it in place.
Sewing:
11. Cut 40″ of your matching thread. Thread your needle, and do not tie a knot at the end.
12. Put your needle in between the Vamp and the Sole, through only the Y of the Sole.
13. Pull through and leave a 1″ tail.
14. Guiding the thread around the outside of the moccasin, put your needle through the Y of the Heel and Vamp.
15. Pull through, creating a taut tension without diminishing the 1″ tail.
16. Now you will have two threads (your tail and your needle thread) in the same place. Tie a double knot with these threads. Do not cut the tail yet.
17. Put your needle through the same Sole’s Y hole. Now you are going to sew all around the moccasin. To do so, guide your thread around the outside of the moccasin and put your needle through the hole next to the Y hole. You will put your needle through the Heel, then Vamp, then Sole. Continue this technique all the way around until you have sewn the last hole, which will be right next to the first Y hole you sewed.
18. Put your needle through the Heel and the Vamp’s Y hole. Your needle thread is now at the same place as the tail thread.
19. Tie a double knot. Cut threads close to the knot and use the eye of your needle to push the knot into the moccasin.
Finishing the American Girl Doll Josefina Moccasin Pattern:
20. Thread the Tie through the grommets and tie a bow.
21. Complete steps for a second moccasin. Shoes are complete!
Machine Sewing Instructions for American Girl Doll Josefina Moccasin Pattern:
Punching & Marking the Holes:
Steps 1,3,and 4 are the same. For step 2:
2. Using the paper pattern pieces as a guide, use your awl, hole punch, or other tool to punch only the X and Y holes. Or, punch only the paper pattern pieces and mark the holes with chalk.
Pinning the Pieces for American Girl Doll Josefina Moccasin Pattern:
All steps, 5-10, are the same.
Sewing:
All steps, 11-19, are different. Instead:
11. Using an appropriate needle and foot (for leather fabric, use a leather needle and a teflon foot), with a 2 mm stitch length and a 1/8″ seam allowance, sew along the edge of the moccasin. Do not start with a backstitch, but do end with a backstitch. To achieve different looks, decorative or overcasting stitches can be used.
Finishing the American Girl Doll Josefina Moccasin Pattern:
All steps, 20-21, are the same.
Finished! Thank you for choosing to make these Historical Moccasins!
I hope you enjoyed this pattern, and I’d love to see how your outfit turned out! If you share any pics of the project, please tag me; it’s wonderful to see your creations! You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at:
@joanierosesewing
If you have any questions or thoughts, message me on social media or email me at joanierosesewing@gmail.com. If you liked this pattern, check out my “Blue Hawaii” free summer outfit pattern here.