Barbie Once Upon a Time

Still playing catch up with my fall donation projects I couldn't post without access to a computer.

I did get through the final donation box yesterday. I'm always amazed at how many amazing goodies people can fit into a mailing box, especially when I try to put the stuff back in the box. Sunday I finished my final doll project for the 2024 donation. Now I need to pack everything up and finish posting my notes so I can revisit these projects when I get stuck another time.

One of my goals for the Barbie donation was to visit some of my pattern collections and try some of the outfits I'd never made before. Clearly I'd bought the patterns for a reason. It was time to actually try them.

This pattern comes from Annie's Fashion Doll Crochet CLub. I mentioned previously I'd love to find an original complete binder as I do love these patterns for the donation. Some are more practical than others but I've found many to be useful for the donation.

This is a Joyce Bishop pattern number FCC07-04 Once Upon a Time.

I finished this one before Halloween and it was fun to work on a costume theme before the holidays. I used a combination of no longer available Red Heart Sport Yarn and Lion Brand Ice Cream Yarn for this project.

I used a G hook for the overskirt for the first row only and dropped to a C hook for the remaining rows. It is an odd combo but it made the skirt fit her hips without the skirt being too big.

I ended up adding a tie to fully close the back of the skirt. Different yarns can create different outcomes.

This was a fun Barbie princess outfit. I'd like to play with it more for the 2025 donation.

Barbie Blue Party Dress

As I've mentioned in several blog posts I've been going through my doll pattern binders looking for some neglected patterns that might be something that would work for the 2024 donation. This comes from my collection of Annie's Fashion Doll Crochet Club patterns that I've been building over the years. This is from the Sundresses pattern FC20-02 for anyone who might be interested.

I secretly have a dream that I stumble across a complete binder of these patterns at a library used book sale or a church sale or some place with a price I could actually afford. I see them occasionally pop up online but far out of the reach of a price I'm willing to pay for items I donate. As much as I'd love to have a complete set, I'd much rather put the money towards buying dolls, accessories and the items I use to make the doll stuff to donate. I still hold out hope that at some point Annie's will release these patterns as digital patterns. It wouldn't be the same as finding the binder but I could find the ones I'm missing.

This outfit was made with Aunt Lydia's size 10 medium blue crochet thread and a 1.25 mm thread hook. For my own notes since I expect to return to this pattern again row 26 should be completed as written. It feels like the dress will be too small but it makes the back close correctly.

There are two main patterns in this leaflet and full length patterns included for each shorter dress. I hope to make all four dresses to include in the donation. This one worked up well so I'm thinking the longer version should work. We will see about the second dress. If the short version works up well I would be ready to make a longer dress to increase the wardrobe options for the donation dolls. I have multiple Barbie's leaving this year.

Tampa Doll's donation box included a box of doll shoes so I decided to include a pair with the party dress.

Barbie Crop Top and Shorts

I made myself a promise this year that I'd work through my doll binders and find projects that I'd neglected that I thought I could actually complete for this year's donation. While going through my Barbie binder I found an old patterne that seemed like a good one to work on when I needed something quick and simple. This one was perfect because it offered a simple project and it had three sizes of the Barbies with limited changes so it was a great way to add projects to the donation bags.

This is an out of print pattern from Annie's Fashion Doll Crochet Club FCO104. I truly wish Annie could find a way to reprint these patterns in digital format for purchase as they are often ridiculously priced in the used pattern market. I like them because they vary from simple projects like this to fancy detailed outfits I'll never make but there is variety for all levels and interests.

I've learned working with Barbie's that I always need to test the outfit against my current model doll as the dolls can change. I'm donating a Ken and Barbie that don't really do well with the older patterns I have but the current models seem to do quite well. I'm only hoping when I have to get the next model when my supply of these current models runs out still fit these older patterns without the drastic changes I'd had to do for the previous dolls.

Notes:

I used baby yarn for this pattern. Herrschners baby 3 for the solid and Lion Brand Ice Cream 3 for the shirt.

Barbie Doctor

I've been going through my Barbie binders looking to increase the donation for the fashion dolls this year. I'd forgotton about this out of print leaflet Annie's Attic Crochet Costume Party for Fashion Dolls 870014. I have another costume leaflet but they are far more costumes than anything that could be added for a career outfit.

I was suprised to find these use yarn rather than thread. Many of my older patterns are thread so it was a welcome break.

It has been nice to have a doll that fits the older fashion doll patterns. The previous doll I was using I had to do far more adaptations so I skipped using many of these patterns.

Notes:

This calls for sports yarn but sports yarn is a relative term especially with older patterns. Thankfully, this pattern has gauge so I tested some baby yarn I had to see if it would make gauge with the suggested e hook. To my delight it worked.

For my own records the green baby yarn had no label but I believe it is Mary Maxim's Baby's Best Yarn in mint. I've been buying their baby yarn when I have a shipping coupon because they work well for so many of my doll projects. The white yarn is Bernat Baby Sport White. In a twist I ended up needing Aunty Lydia's Size 3 Fashion Crochet yarn for the mask as the yarn was too thick.

I used a size E crochet hook for everything but the mask. I made the mask with a size D hook.

Shirt:

I chose not to add the sleeves. I couldn't get a modern scrubs look but the sleeves just looked awkward.

While using the directions to finish the neckline I also finished the sides of the shirt prior to adding the snaps.

If I had mint thread I would have added the pocket but the yarn pocket was too heavy and bulky.

Pants:

I thought the pants might end up being long but they fit as written. I made no changes to the pants.

Jacket:

I finished the ends of the jacket coat while working the collar and I would do that again.

I tacked down the collar and I would not do that again.

After I finished the coat I found the white thread for the mask. Next time I would try to make the pockets for the coat and see if they worked with thread instead of the heavier yarn.

Hat:

I think I'd make the hat a bit wider for the top and then perhaps tighten for the bottom. It doesn't fit well and I'd work more on fit the next time I make this.

Mask:

The mask pattern didn't work for me. First the yarn was just too heavy and chains work better for ties. The Adoring Doll pattern uses loops for the ears of the larger doll but there isn't enough of Barbie's ear to hold a mask so ties are required.

I just crocheted a rectangle finished the edges and then I added ties to each corner without crocheting back down the chain as this was just to thick even with slip stitches.

Barbie Poncho and Pants

I have written about several of the Michelle Ratman patterns I purchased for both the Barbie and 18 inch doll donation. I'm slowly working my way through them adding new items to the doll bags.

This outfit combines Michelle's poncho pattern that can be purchased here with a pants pattern found in an out of print White Birches leaflet Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion Dolls.

Notes:

While the pattern calls for cotton 4 weight yarn for the poncho I went with acrylic because I either have "kitchen" cotton or sport weight for my ami's on hand. I don't have a brand or color because this was a great project to work on using up a left over ball of yarn from a previous project.

The worsted acrylic required a change to an e hook to fit this Barbie model.

The last time I made the pants from the House of White Birches pattern for Barbie in 2021 her sister Skipper ended up with them and I made a note to try Ken's pants to see if the fit would be better. Barbie sizes change over time and this Barbie fits the Ken size better than the pattern written for Barbie. I'm hoping to make the complete winter sets for Ken, Barbie, and Skipper in the near future.

I used a C hook for the pants crocheting over an elastic band. The pants are made with Knit Picks Palette fingering yarn.

Barbie Winter Formal Dress

I went back to look for notes for this project and the last time I made this outfit was in 2011 for a now adult niece. However, I did realize one challenge has remained the same. The original directions for this dress don't fit the Barbie I'm using. The Barbie I used back then and my current model are slightly larger than the Vet model I used in previous years. I'm going to try this with the directions as written to see if it would fit Skipper without changes I needed to make for Barbie.

This pattern comes from an old out of print Annie's pattern club leaflet, Fashion Doll Quick and Easy 87D20. The original pattern uses trim for the skirt, top, shawl, and as an outline for the dress. Oddly there is no mention of what kind of trim or how to attach it. The trim in the pattern picture creates a beautiful illusion of there being an under and overskirt but with the time and resources I had on hand the trim wasn't an option.

When I previously made this dress I made limited mention of the changes I needed to get the outfit to fit the doll. I plan on a more fuller explanation for my own purposes because I will return as Barbie has become a more fixed donation and this is a quick outfit to add.

Notes:

I followed the skirt pattern and the shawl pattern as written with the exception of the trims. I eliminated the trim for the skirt as I've yet to figure out how this can be done easily without directions.

For the shawl I used size 5 crochet thread and a D hook and used a shell pattern of dc ch1 dc ch1 dc (3 dc with a chain between them) around the edge of the shawl spaced as evenly as I could. One change I would make is to make a larger shell at the spike of the shawl. I had ended it off before I realized this would have been a better option and didn't wish to go back. This would work well for next time. The shawl closes with a snap.

I tried a variety of yarns for the dress to see if I could get it to fit the waist line before resorting to my old trick of using elastic for the waist and crocheting around it.

I have an old big ball of Red Heart sport yarn that I used for this project. I picked it up back in the time I was still making Barbie clothes and really haven't touched it since. I'm hoping to utilize it for more Barbie projects and finally send it off.

I measured the elastic around Barbie's waist and sewed it together.

It took 29 sc to cover the elastic join and continue to join for all bodice rows.

From here I worked up the bodice section.

Dc 5 decrease around

DC 4 decrease around (21)

DC 3 decrease around (18)

DC even for 2 rows I might reduce this to one with the added trim.

I would use the size 5 crochet thread next time for the top. I didn't come up with the idea until working on the shawl.

Creating the bodice this way makes the dress slide on and off with no need for snaps or buttons.

I followed the skirt pattern as written although I believe mine was short on rows as the bodice was longer. It's a trade off I need to work on. As I mentioned above I'd likely reduce a row on the bodice which would start the skirt higher giving it a better look.

Barbie Dress

I'm always on the look out for new patterns for the doll donations and lately I've been in favor of ones that have the look of something that would be easier to finish rather than challenge patterns. I have binders of patterns in the challenge range but for the donation it helps just to have some patterns I can finish and get some items in the donation bags.

This is another Michelle Ratman pattern you can purchase here.

This pattern calls for Grace Patons cotton yarn. I've been trying to use stash yarn on hand for doll projects when possible. I settled on some Sinfonia sport cotton I had previously purchased for ami projects. I believe this is forest green but since I no longer have the paper cover I can't confirm that.

Notes:

This pattern starts out feeling like it will be way to large for the doll. However my suggestion is before changing hook or yarn wait until you make the arm holes to determine what you wish to change.

I ended up changing from a g hook to an e hook and the fit was better for the doll.

This pattern makes a dress that slides on and off so it requires no butttons or snaps.

For those who don't like working with thread and want a quick outfit for Barbie this is a great little pattern. I will continue to use it for the donation as it works up quick and it is easy to get on and off the doll.

Barbie Peach Gown

This is the last year for the Barbie Pet Vets as I've run out of them and they are no longer sold.

This is the Barbie Zoologist that will be joining the donation this year with the Vet. I picked up a few Barbie Zoologists dolls and will hopefully find a few more on sale before they also leave the market to keep me going for a few more years.

While I generally do buy an extra doll to use for creating the outfits and send the accessories off with a donation doll, this year the choice was easy as one box arrived crushed and not acceptable for donation. It was a great choice for my model/fitting doll.

Next year I'm hoping to donate a Zoologist and the Camping Doll for the 2025 donation. I was able to pick up a couple of the camping dolls when they were on sale at Christmas.

I decided for the start of the year at least to focus less on projects that challenge me and more on projects I can finish and get into the donation bags.

With that in mind I turned to a Barbie pattern I didn't make last year. It is a pattern no longer available on Ravelry. I leave the link here with the forlorn hope that the designer may come back at some point. It is the quickest and easiest Barbie pattern I have and I'm determined to get a second one finished for the Barbie Vet in a different color. Having the link also helped me locate the pattern among the several binders of patterns I have for Barbie and family.

Notes:

As with my previous attempt for this pattern adjustments had to be made to get this dress to fit the current model.

I used Herrschners peach baby yarn with an e Hook. I will need a different color for the second doll so I'll have to see what is in the stash.

Rows 1-4 follow as written joining after row 4 with sc not slip stitch. Keep turning rows while working in the round until row 36. After row 36 stop turning and work traditionally with slip stitch.

Do not decrease in rows 8-12 or dress will not fit.

Finish off back and you may need to add additional row on closing side as it can be tight.

Add snaps to close back.

Barbie Simple Outfit

I am no doll expert, including Barbie but if you make enough clothes for dolls you start to understand a few things. I've learned over the years there are many versions of Barbie and when you find patterns for Barbie not only do you have to be aware of the age of the pattern because Barbies have changed through the years, but that even newer patterns can be made for different versions of Barbies and that can effect how the outfit will fit the doll.

You can find this free pattern for the Barbie Trendy doll here.

This pattern calls for Yarn and Colors Must Have which is a cotton sport weight I didn't have in my stash. I used Yarn Sub to find a sport cotton I use for ami's in my stash but when making the pattern it was huge for the Barbie I donate. I then moved on to Knit Picks Palette Fingering also in my stash and was closer to the fit I was hoping to get. I used a C hook for the top and a B hook for the bottom. If I used this yarn again for this outfit I'd go with a B hook for both. I'm currently experimenting with size 5 crochet thread to see if I can make this for Skipper.

I think I'd remove a row of the shirt for future outfits as it is a bit bunchy but I like the shirt. It is simple but an easy add on. I am still thinking about how to improve on the skirt as it is a bit poofy.

Barbie Nautical One Piece Swimsuit

I used to follow the Crochet for Barbie blogspot until it disappeared from the web. You can find this free pattern here while the link lasts.

I always expect issues of guage when I work with different designers and in this case she designs for a slightly different sized Barbie. However, with some work I like this outcome for Barbie's summer swim wear.

I used size 10 cotton crochet thread and Tulip Etimo 1.8mm Thread hook.

As always I take responsiblity for my odd guage so my notes are for my own use:

The red section of the suit fit as written. To make the white fit I stayed with the 36 stitches and didn't do the decreases. The increases made the outfit huge and the decreases didn't create the shaping as shown in the pattern picture. I'm OK with the look.

For the bottom blue section I stayed with the 36 stitches as well. For row 6 I sl st in the first 6 stitches and continued the pattern as written.

I slipped stitched the tie rather than sc as the sc were too thick to tie.

Chelsea Swim Suit

I've decided to add swimming clothes to my camping theme. Who knows at some point I might add winter clothes for winter camping for some of the dolls. I purchased the swim suit pattern for Chelsea at Charpatterns here.

Notes

This pattern requires size 20 thread. The blue comes from Creative Yarn Source french blue

The variegated is Lizbeth Springtime

I have no trouble getting Creative Yarn sources size 20 thread but Lizbeth which I use for the contrasting variegated colors has been harder to find so I've been buying it as I can find it for the doll clothes.

I used Tulip Etimo size 1.25mm for this pattern.

Stacie Little Sister Pretty Ensemble

Having made Skipper an outfit using this pattern from the out of print Annie's Fashion Doll Sister and Me 87D21 it was only a matter of time before I got around to making one for Stacie as well since I proved last year with some minor adjustments of hook size the pattern can be used for both modern dolls.

This was made with Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread size 10 in Mint Green and Red Heart Size 10 Crochet Thread White using a Tulip Etimo 1.25mm steel crochet hook. I've been pleased to find that I only have to adjust the hook and can continue with the size 10 thread. The size 10 is easier to source than the size 20 I've started to use for some of the "Barbie" projects.

Barbie Two Color Sundress

I finished another outfit for the Barbie Pet Vet donation doll. This was made with another free pattern found here. This free pattern uses UK terms so you will need to be aware of that if you are used to US crochet terms.

I made some changes to help with the fit of the dress as I found it was too large with any of the weights of yarn I had on hand. I switched to Aunt Lydia's Fashion Crochet, Cotton Size 3, Warm Rose and Sage. I used a 3mm hook through out the dress and ended up adding a row to the top to reduce it. I would use a c or b hook for the top the next time I try this dress for the top and then use the next size up for the skirt to get a slightly better fit.

I chose not to join as I went and instead sewed the seem up through the first color change. I tried joining but I found it didn't work well. As much as I try to avoid sewing when possible this was a better option for this dress. I closed the top with a snap after finishing the opening.

Chelsea Simply Bluetiful Dress

Last week I mentioned that I was determined to send Chelsea off with a wardrobe this year after such a sad showing with the 2021 donation. I found a great free pattern here that required just a little adapting as it is designed for a slightly smaller Chelsea doll.

I stuck with the size 10 Crochet thread. The pattern calls for a 1.65mm or 1.75mm crochet hook I used a 1.8mm to make guage and I found the fit worked well for the doll. Row 7 decreases the stitch count from the previous row and I won't give away the designer's secrets but I found this was too small for the Chelsea I'm working with so I kept with the previous rounds stitch count and joined the row with a ss and continued on with the directions.

I like the look of this style and the way the dress comes together. I'm thinking of making another dress shorter without the finishing at the bottom. I'm also thinking about splitting the skirt for shorts and making this into a romper style outfit for Chelsea. The more outfits the better. I prefer a style that goes together quickly and easily.

I have never tried making shoes for fashion dolls before. However the website also has a free shoe pattern for Chelsea here. Not sure I'm a fan yet but at least she has shoes. I used the 1.8mm for the shoes as well.

Barbie Peach Gown

I often tell people if you see a pattern, download it, save it, and print a copy because sites disappear or people remove patterns. This pattern was available as a Ravelry download here but is currently unavailable. I list the link because it could go live again. If I find the pattern I will add a link for my own records and to share with others.

For this pattern I started with Bernat Baby Big Ball Sport Yarn, Peach Blossom but I needed a heavier weight yarn for the project. I had a free shipping coupon for Herrschners a while back and after discovering that the yarn works well for the smaller dolls I picked up a supply in various sizes. I wanted to stay with peach and decided to try out the Herrschners Baby Yarn that is a 3 weight. This proved to be a better fit.

Since the Barbie Farmer doll was no longer available to purchase I moved to the Barbie Pet Vet for this year's donation and am finding like last year the doll is a different size to fit than my old doll.

As with all Barbie/fashion doll patterns you need to fit the pattern to the doll. You can never make the outfit thinking it will fit. I also made some changes do to how I prefer to construct outfits.

I used an e hook for this project. To make this outfit fit this particular Barbie I kept the stitch count for the bodice at 22 and did not do the decreases from rows 8-12. When I tried the decreases the dress was too small. I continued on with the increases as written. For my own preferences I joined the dress after the first 4 rows and worked the dress in the round not joining with slip stitches as I didn't like the line the ss left on the dress. I used a snap to close the top of the dress.

Barbie Beach Accessories

When possible I try to add accessories as well as clothing to the doll donations. I think it just adds some fun to the doll experience. Giving Barbie and Ken beach bags and a beach ball seemed like a great idea to add to their swim suits.

The pattern for the beach bags, towel, and beach ball are found in the same Summertime Blues Fashion Doll pattern set designed by Lori Zeller and found in Crochet World June 2009 that I used for Ken and Barbie's bathing suits.

The added white stripes in the beach ball made it easier to join the pieces together. I tried another beach ball from Annie's Fashion Doll His and Hers and without the additional seems mine didn't end up round and I decided to frog it and move on to other projects. Ken, Barbie and the rest of the family will have to share. I'm still hoping to get the rest of the siblings into bathing suits before the donation deadline.

Barbie Bathing Suit Cover-Up

One of the lessons I've learned since I started back down the road of making Barbie clothes is when I start with a new pattern leaflet try a small item to work out guage before moving on to the more complicated patterns.

Now you might ask why not just use the pattern guage. Well I do that, but I've got two challenges with that. The first is my guage doesn't always match that of the designer. Sometimes I'm spot on and sometimes it feels like we are doing completely different crafts.

The second challenge is more practical. While I am honest about my lack of Barbie expertise, I have learned that Barbie has changed and continues to change in size despite retaining the 11 1/2 inch height. Therefore, when you look at an older publication you don't know precisely which Barbie or other fashion doll those clothes were sized to fit. While I might have a challenge if I had the same doll the designer used in matching gauge. I can guarentee I can't trust the guage will match when working on a modern Barbie. I choose to try a small project before jumping to a larger project. It generally helps me to work out some of the sizing issues before also adding more complicated construction issues.

This pattern comes from Lesiure Arts Vacation Fashion Doll Wardrobe 2716. This was another leaflet that was in my Barbie binder from my last round of doll clothes making that I didn't use because the patterns are all made with crochet thread. While I wasn't able to use them back then, they have proved a wonderful investment for my current projects. I have my own pattern library to pick through to find items to make that I'd never tried before.

This also reminded me of the extra clothes we used to need when visting the less than warm waters of Hampton Beach, NH in the summers of my childhood. While the air might have been hot your feet sometimes felt like they were frozen when you returned to the hot sand. So having warm to put on was essential to our beach outings. Barbie's coverup is a bit more fashionable than my beach clothing of those days, but it brought back some fun memories.

Notes:

To get the sizing I wanted I used a Tulip Etimo Steel -Size 2/1.5mm Crochet Hook with Aunt Lydia Crochet Cotton, White and golden yellow.

Barbie Bathing Suit

I started working through the Summertime Blues Fashion Doll pattern set designed by Lori Zeller and found in Crochet World June 2009 when I made Ken's swim trunks. Summertime Blues which includes Ken's swim trunks and beach accessories is found on Dolls, Doll Clothes and Accessories, an Annie's CD Rom, it is also on the Crochet World Collection 2001-2010 DVD computer disk if you happen to own those.

I've been using these smaller projects between other projects I'm working on. Along with Barbie's swim suit I'm also working on the beach accessories to add to the donation as well. I plan on posting them as a set when they are finished.

While I had to use a considerably smaller hook to fit Ken I returned to my Tulip Etimo Steel Hook-Size 4/1.25mm for Barbie's outfit. I decided on Aunt Lydia Crochet Thread Size 10, Maize because I've almost finished off this cone and I hate having left over fiber. These small projects are a great way to use up the thread so it doesn't end up getting lost in the stash and wasted.

I've been hunting out of print books and leaflets recently. I was thrilled when my second hand copy of Bathtime Buddies arrived in the mail today. I've been searching for weeks for an affordable copy in good condition and I found one in great condition that wasn't a library discard. It took forever to ship but I can now return my library copy! I had a back up PDF copy which I plan to print the patterns to cut out the cloth sections of the animals but I really didn't want to print the books or work from a computer screen. This solves that problem. I also got a copy of an out of print Annie's Fashion Doll book that I'd been hunting for a while this week. I'm pleased with my finds.

Skipper Ski Outfit

After making Ken's ski outfit, the plan was to make Barbie's ski outfit from the same White Birches leaflet Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion dolls which was in the same section of the leaflet.

One of the advantages of donating multiple sized dolls is if an outfit doesn't fit one doll I still have a chance of getting it to fit one of the other dolls. In this case I thought the hook size would remain consistant for both Barbie and Ken's outfits. I'd used a C hook with Knit Picks Palette fingering yarn and the fit was good for Ken.

However, I found the pants a little small for Barbie and thought it would be worth trying them on Skipper to see how they fit. The pants were a much better fit for Skipper. The sweater was a toss up. Either Barbie or Skipper can wear it, if you have sisters you may have experienced closet raiding.

Since Skipper's pants were complete she gets the sweater for the donation. If all the dolls end up with one child I suspect over time they will likely share clothes that are close in size.

I'm going to try Ken's pants on Barbie and see how close they are to fitting Barbie. It will at least give me an idea of where I want to make the change, larger hook size, more starting stitches, etc.

Someone posted on a recent comment asking me if I sell or donate the doll clothes. I work with a local tech high school that does a holiday toy drive every year. With COVID that wasn't possible last year and I donated directly to the charity they work with to make sure the dolls got to the kids.

I buy dolls to donate and have duplicate models to size the clothes to so I know the clothes fit before sending them off to the donation. I include a picture of the model doll wearing the clothing in the baggie with the outfit so the child and parent can see what the outfit looks like on the doll or a model similiar to one they recieve in the donation.

I'm fortunate to have family and friends from Crochetville who also send items for the donations each year. This year I've started a thread that will post in November that documents all the items made.

Ken Ski Outfit

It's supposed to be in the 80's this week so what better time to think cold and create winter wear for Ken. I've also been flipping through my collection of Barbie patterns trying to find casual wear for Ken to crochet. I'm amazed at how many patterns for wedding and swim attire there are for Ken, but I'm looking to expand his options for dress up play.

One of the leaflets I came across from my decade ago pattern buying spree was a House of White Birches newsprint set with black and white pictures and typesetting I haven't seen in years. The patterns however are quite good for my purposes of creating clothing for kids to play with the dolls rather than display, although I suspect there are a few outfits that might work for that as well.

The leaflet is called Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2" Fashion Dolls(Including a complete Wedding Ensemble and Trousseau.)It was published in 1982. If you are interested in finding it I've seen it listed quite a bit recently as I've looked for other out of print fashion doll patterns. Despite the age it is out there.

I didn't recognize the yarn listed in the pattern, which is not unusual these days in modern patterns let alone those dating back to the 1980's. When I looked it up on yarn sub it appeared to be a fingering yarn. Since this Ken doll is a fairly small doll I originally started with thread thinking the pants would be too large. I had tried another pattern in the book that called for bedspread yarn and a size 7 hook. After getting down to a size .4mm hook I ordered some size 20 yarn to experiment with later and moved on to the ski outfit.

The thread proved to be too small and I moved on to a stash of Knit Picks Palette yarn which is a wool fingering yarn that I'd had from previous doll projects. While the pattern called for an e hook I found a C hook was the adjustment required to make the outfit fit the smaller Ken doll.

The one increase in size I needed to make on the pattern to get it to fit was the hat. I found the hat was too small to fit over this Ken's molded hair. I just added and increase row and the hat fit.