Stacie Mermaid

I mentioned working on adapting the free Barbie pattern in thread for Stacie and I decided I couldn't wait for my other planned projects. She jumped the line and I was pleased to find with some work the pattern worked for her as well as Skipper and Ken.

I adapted this free Barbie pattern found here.

With some experimentation I landed on a size B hook and size 10 thread.

This is from a set of really small multi-colored Hobby Lobby almost samples that I've picked up over the years for small doll projects and trims.

This required a little more than I'd anticipated as I lost some thread experimenting with the project. For my own notes this was color HD0007.

I'd consider Aunt Lydia's size 10 ocean when I make this again for Stacie. It comes in a much larger cone and I won't have to worry about running out of thread.

Crop Top:

I tried a number of experiments making the top and learned some valuable lessons.

First while I join the top for Barbie and Skipper without any issues moving to thread it become too hard to make this work for Stacie so I didn't join the top and added to snaps to close the top in the back. This was not a huge challenge once I accepted this change was needed.

The second change was needing to add some weight or thickness to the top as going down to size 20 thread didn't fit and not fixing the gaps with size 10 made the arm holes and the snap closing impossible.

To manage this I did row 1 as written.

Row 2:

I dc in the first three and between the first three stitches giving me a start of 6 stitches. Then I chained 3 for the armhole before skipping 6 stitches. The original directions had no chains but I found this made the arms tight and hard to work around. I worked a total of 18 with dc and working between dc stitches. Then I chained 3 skipped 6 stiches for second arm. Like the first side I finished by creating 6 stitches by dc in each dc and between dc.

I followed rows 3-4 as written adapting to new stitch count without joining.

I finished the back edges and added two snaps to close.

Tail:

I wasn't sure how wide the tail had to be to fit Stacie's hips with thread so like all the other stuff I experimented. I made a note to increase to 23 stitches but I suspect going to the directions to 24 would be fine

Width was more my focus than length so unlike Ken and Skipper I failed to note which row I stopped on but I know I was past row 28 before I stopped and moved to row 33.

Fin:

I followed the note I made on Ken's project and stuck to reducing to 10 stitches for the tail. I think for Stacie I might go to 8 as I think it might have joined together better.

Both row 7's are joined. I keep trying to look at the picture to figure it out and there are actually directions.

Stacie Valentine Shirt and Pants

I've been experimenting with a free Barbie Valentine Heart sweater pattern and so far Ken and Stacie now have Valentine outfits.

Notes:

The shirt is a free Barbie pattern available here.

I decided to revamp my efforts after the first shirt went to Ken.

Knowing I had a range of dolls this could fit depending on outcome I went smallest first.

I started with a 1.25 mm thread hook and size 10 crochet thread in red and white.

This time I chose not to join with the girls bent arms the more room I have to get the shirts on and off the better and there is no real added benefit to closing it other than I needed fewer snaps. The designer joins and ties at the top.

I haven't finished with this pattern and still have some work to do on the arms which I realized after I'd finished them off. I chose not to add the trim after trying it and not liking it. It may look better when the directions are followed for the arms.

I used the top white trim to decrease the neckline for a better fit. There is off the shoulders and then there is topless.

The bottom trim worked fine adjusting for the fact it wasn't joined.

I made these pants the way I make most of my pants. I measured elastic for the waist and did sc around the waist. I then did I believe 2 or maybe 3 rows of dc before splitting with a chain 3 for the legs. There are 14 rows of dc for the pants. I finished the pants with a row of ss as I find this helps the pants keep from catching and fraying.

The pants are also size 10 crochet thread and a 1.25mm crochet thread hook.

I am hopeful that Mattel continues to produce the Stacie line. I still have a few left in my donation stash but I'm finding Stacie and Skipper harder to find. I like having a variety of dolls other than Barbie to send off.

Stacie Christmas Dress

I finished two projects on Boxing Day this year. Stacie's first outfit for 2026 and a Sleeping Sack for the 16 inch Baby Doll.

I'm always thrilled when I can find patterns to adapt for Stacie as there are not a great number of patterns designed for her. This outfit was adapted from two free patterns. A free teen version of the dress I used for Chelsea's Christmas outfit found here. The hat is from a free Santa Barbie pattern found here.

Notes:

I used size 20 thread and a 1.25 mm hook for the dress. I had tried on the Santa hat I made for Chelsea on Stacie and found the adaptations worked for her so I used a 1.8mm hook with size 10 thread for the hat.

This is the only version of this pattern I need to use the overlap in row 11 to get the outfit to fit the doll. Without the overlap the outfit is too large. With Skipper and Chelsea the dress is too tight with the overlap. I'm not sure I've made this dress for Barbie but it is on my radar for this year.

I needed all rows to get this to length I wished. The final row of the pattern is a trim row and I chose to add white to make it more of a Christmas themed dress. The pattern does not have trim at the top but I added a sc trim in white again for the Christmas look.

I make the hat pattern as written with the exception of the pom pom. The one mistake I made this attempt came because I was working on two projects at the same time and one required turning after joining and this one does not. I need to pay closer attention as the hat looks better without the turns.

Pom Pom:

I crochet 10 dc into a magic circle and join. For second row I dc increase in each dc finish off and gather with needle and add to hat.

My hope is to use the teen version of this pattern to make non-holiday patterns for both Stacie and Skipper. I always like to find pattern that work up quickly that add to the donation wardrobes.

Stacie Sleeping Bag

Another sleeping bag off my list for the 2025 donation. Both Chelsea and Stacie are made with the free Beanie Bag sleeping bag found here. Skipper, Barbie, and Ken use the Fashion Doll pattern found on the same blog.

I have a stash of Herrschners' yarn that I've bought when I had a shipping coupon and as I've gotten back into finishing the donation for 2025, I've been targeting it more for projects. The purpose of buying the yarn was to use it for projects not to have a stash. Most of what I have ranges between their 3 and 4 weights but I've found their weights are lighter than the other acrylic brands I've purchased. This oddly makes it better for certain doll projects because I don't have to pay more to buy a lighter weight yarn.

With this sleeping bag I've started using it for the Barbie sleeping bags and it works because they aren't as heavy. I'm currently working on Skipper's sleeping bag with Worsted 8 Baby Stripes Hydrangea left over from a project for the glitter girl. The next time I have a shipping coupon I'll be buying more of this color as I'll need it for the 2026 Glitter Girl project and the weight seems a good fit for the bags.

Stacie Top and Skirt

I'm always on the look out for free doll patterns, especially those that look like they'd be quick and easy to finish for the donation. It is rare to find patterns for Stacie let alone free ones so I was thrilled to find one that was not only free but looked like something I'd finish. I stumbled across the Tess and Annie blog which doesn't look like it has been updated in some time but it has some wonderful patterns for Barbie and this outfit for Stacie found here.

Notes:

I used the suggested 1.8mm thread hook and size 10 crochet thread for this project.

The top has what the designer calls polka dots made using lavender thread. This requires changing colors across dc to sc and I did try this but found my stitches were getting tight across the fabric changing the fit of the shirt as I continued. I eventually frogged my first effort and went with the solid purple shown here. The color effect is cute but it was far too frustrating for me.

I also changed the placement of the arm holes. I made them going forward rather than returning and going back to finish them. I tried both ways and was not pleased with the suggested method. I found making them going forward was a better option for me.

I joined the top at the bottom of the trim. In the future I would join before I started the trim on the bottom and then finish the edges before adding a snap to close the top of the top.

I found the skirt was a fairly tight fit so I started using the directions for row 6 after completing row 3 until I reached 54 stitches.

Stacie Sleeping Bag

Another sleeping bag off my list. I decided to start with the Barbies as they are the quickest to finish off. Stacie was an opportunity to use up some Caron Simply Soft Ombre Rosewood.

Just a note to myself for future projects, Simply Soft is not the best choice for the fashion dolls for this project as their hands get stuck in the yarn. If I had enough it likely wouldn't be an issue with the larger dolls, but it was constantly snagging on Stacie's hands.

This is a free pattern you can find here.

I don't count rows once I'm past the established pattern for the shells. Since this is designed for a Beanie Baby I do need to make it longer. I just continue until it fits the doll and finish off. This year it is slightly longer than required but it also aids with the doll not getting snagged on the yarn.

There is a free pattern on the same site for fashion dolls but with Stacie's hands out as wide as they are I find the wider Beanie Baby bag is a better fit for getting her in and out with minimal snagging.