Barbie and friends

[aprilconnett]

I am posting this here and in Kids' crafts. I have recently acquired 5 honorary neices ( and 4 nephews) and would like to make some Barbie and Ken clothes for them. I already bought the dolls at the local thrift stores. Actually,Barbie is easy enough to dress, but I cannot find ANY current patterns for Ken. I would love to know what you are doing for the girls n your life . . .

Thanks

[NCLee]

I used to love the excuse that I was making Barbie clothing for gifts in order to play. :) Currently I don't have a niece of the right age to use that as the excuse any longer. (sigh)

Have you checked the pattern books at the sewing/craft's stores or at WalMart if the one near you still sells fabrics? That's where I found some of my patterns many years ago. Some of the sewing, crochet and such magazines have had patterns, too. Perhaps you can google to see if any have web sites with article archives.

Another option is to go to the dollar type stores and buy a dressed "fashion doll" of the same size (11 1/2") as either Barbie or Ken. Sometimes these stores have them for a dollar or two. Take the clothing apart and use it to make your own patterns. The easiest way to do this is to iron each fabric piece and then apply a fairly stiff iron-on interfacing. Take a pix of the doll wearing the outfit before you take it apart. Store the pix and the pattern pieces in a zip lock bag.

Sometimes yard sales will yield well loved Barbies and Kens. Even if the hair has been hacked off (sorry - I mean - used as practice for a future hair stylist) the outfits and accessories can be put to good use in creating a gift for a little girl. Yard sales will give you an inexpensive selection of fabrics. The back of a $1 blouse can yield enough fabric for several mix & match outfits.

Depending on the ages of the girls, sewing for Barbie can be the basis for a gift of items needed for them to learn to sew. That's an ideal use for those bits of fabric and trim leftovers from other sewing & decorating projects, along with some basic sewing accessories.

An appropriately sized cardboard carton can become Barbie's closet and/or dressing room. Spray paint and tiny print wallpaper samples can be used to decorate the box. Insert a small rod through the box that will accomodate those tiny clothes hangers. A stack of wooden kitchen match boxes can become a dresser. (Just glue the boxes together, cover the sides and the "drawer" fronts with decorative paper. Add a shanked button for a drawer pull). A compact or other small mirror can the hung or glued over the dresser.

For more ideas on decorating and furnishing google
doll house miniatures plans
Barbie furniture plans

Hope you find this post to be helpful. You know you've made me wish I had a 7 year old niece in the family, now. LOL

Lee

[Anon001]

April, this is what my mother did to teach me how to sew and it would work with your Kens.... and Barbies. She would take the clothes that came with my G.I. Joe and lay them on a paper sack. Then she would trace the clothes, allowing for a seam allowance. Then she would cut the sleeves pattern off of the front and back pattern pieces. Then she would pin the "patterns" to the material. Another thing is to buy a Ken and Barbie and using their clothes, take them apart at the seams and use them to make patterns.

[aprilconnett]

I have the current patterns from the sewing stores, but none of them have anything for Ken. I am really hoping to not have to buy a new doll or the clothes if I don't have to. Those things are downright expensive these days.

[NCLee]

Go to Dollar Tree or one of the other "dollar" stores. They have the inexpensive flimsy versions of Barbie and Ken. The male versions will be harder to find, but I have seen them from time to time, dressed as GI Joe or some other action figure.

Lee

Edit: Depending on what patterns you have, some of the Barbie patterns can be converted for Ken. Pants, vests, T-shirts, etc. You may have to alter a bit, but that shouldn't be hard to do, since you can trace a hers pattern onto plain paper. Then, tweak the new his paper pattern, as needed.

[Dawgus]

April, my grandmother made and sold Barbie/Ken/GI Joe clothes for years. I *think* my mom has most of her old patterns in the attic. If I can get them, I'll gladly send them to you. I'd love to see them being used. Grandma would sure love to know they are. :-)

It amazed me what she would make. Full suits, pants, jackets, all with tiny hand sewn buttons or snaps. She even had someone that gave her scrap pieces of mink for barbie fur coats. Everyone knew her from making these clothes. I can't think how many cards we all got from customers when she passed away, it was amazing. She didn't care about the money though, she just loved to make them. She'd spend hours hand sewing these things and sell them for $1.25. That house just isn't the same witout seeing her sitting there sewing.....backwards inside-out sweatshirt and all, lol.

[aprilconnett]

Dawgus,
I would LOVE your grandma's old Barbie and Ken patterns! I would be sure to take good care of them . . .

[backlash]

Just got this in an email.
Don't forget Barbi is 50 now.


http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/9619/barbi50.th.jpg (http://img34.imageshack.us/i/barbi50.jpg/)

[Anon001]

That's too funny....

Personally speaking.....

Here's one of my favorites...




Redneck Barbie

http://cedarshillfarm.com/bhmphotos/redneck-barbie.jpg

[backlash]

That's a keeper.
thanks

[Dawgus]

April, my mom dug through her entire attic and can't find those patterns. It's possible they got thrown away, arrgh. I'll check with my uncle the next time I see him. I'm not giving up! lol

[aprilconnett]

Awesome! Thanks.

[NCLee]

I was at WalMart today, waiting for some prescriptions. Checked the pattern books in the sewing department. McCalls has 1 pattern packet for 11 1/2" fashion dolls (Barbie Dolls). Simplicity has 4 pattern packets. Between those, there are enough designs to make dozens of outfits.

Hope this helps.
Lee

[CarolAnn]

There are FREE patterns for Barbie on the net: http://www.janelwashere.com/crafts/doll_patterns.htm
Here are more: http://www.molendrix.com/strihy1.html

The second site has male patterns, although he may look like a character from The Lord of the Rings when you get done! (Actually, I think that could be kind of cool - can't wait to try some of these!!):wub:

[CarolAnn]

There are FREE patterns for Barbie on the net: http://www.janelwashere.com/crafts/doll_patterns.htm
Here are more: http://www.molendrix.com/strihy1.html

The second site has male patterns, although he may look like a character from The Lord of the Rings when you get done! (Actually, I think that could be kind of cool - can't wait to try some of these!!):wub: