Ken Sleeping Bag

With this item finished Ken's box was packed for the donation the week of Halloween! Yes I am very excited to be getting these boxes packed so early. The departure date isn't until December but this means I can close out 2025 and begin the prep for 2026 once the last doll is packed.

The base of this pattern is Suzie's Stuff free Fashion Doll Sleeping bag found here. This is done completely in sc and I prefer the shell option she offers for the Beanie's found here. So I combine the start of the fashion doll and finish it with the Beanie shells. I just like the look and the texture it provides. I also find it works up faster than the rows of sc's.

Notes:

I used an I hook with what I believe was Red Heart Super Saver Green Tones. After getting the join correct I started the shells right away and I liked it better. I generally continue the pattern until I can join it at the bottom with a little room for Ken's feet. This makes it easier to get him in and out.

Still working on nightgown wear, bathing suits and sleeping bags until the boxes are complete. Then I can have a little more freedom of creation starting 2026.

Ken Pajamas

I started to look for a pajamas pattern for Ken not remembering I'd made him pants and a robe in 2022. The pattern came from Crochet World's Fashion Doll Showcase #1.

What I actually wanted was a more traditional pajamas pattern though not just a robe and pants. I thought I'd found that my pajamas pattern flipping through Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion Dolls including a Complete Wedding Esemble and Trousseau. I didn't look that closely at the time to realize it wasn't a pajamas pattern but actually a jumpsuit that reminded me of a costume from the Six Million Dollar Man. With that in mind the top still worked for my project if I didn't make it a onsie. Not finding lots of other options I decided to go this route.

Notes:

I used a D hook and Baby Bernat Sport Blue yarn for the top and followed most of the pattern as written through row 10 where I stopped before joining to make the jumpsuit. The one major difference I made was to use sc for the collar as it was way to large with the suggested dc. The sleeves worked as written.

I made the pants the way I make most of Ken's pants. I measured and sewed a piece of elastic big enough for his waist and crocheted around it with a C hook and the same yarn as the top. When I reached the crotch I split the paints by chaining 4 in the middle and joining thus creating two legs of equal stitches. I crocheted one leg until it was long enough I believe it was 19 rows. I ended it and completed the second leg.

These are the smallest white butttons that come in my button sets I buy. I bought some mini buttons for the Barbie outfits and they work with the thread and fingering yarns. However, they are not big enough to work with the baby yarn. I had to remove and add the larger buttons. Just an FYI note to myself for future projects.

Ken Mr. Freedom

One of the advantages to working on a holiday donation a year in advance is when you miss a holiday deadline you still are ahead of the calendar. I started working on the Independence Day outfits for Ken and Barbie in June but life happens and I finished both up over the weekend.

A while back I had received as gifts patterns from Judys Dolls and Patterns. Her patterns were more complicated than many I had tried but I loved the various styles and themes. Sadly when I went back to link this pattern I found her Etsy page was gone. Now that I had started to work on her patterns I was hoping to purchase more.

In case she does make a return to the Internet this was her Mr. and Miss Freedom pattern that gives holiday outfits for Ken and Barbie sized fashion dolls. One of the reasons I had hoped she was still online is I did find a missing row 8 in Ken's trousers pattern which left me clueless as to how to proceed with a different style of pants than I normally make so I reverted back to my traditional split for the legs as I couldn't figure what had happened in row 8 that possibly made the count in row 9 real.

Notes:

Trousers:

Size 10 thread and 1.25mm hook

I followed rows 1-7 and did my own split for the legs. After doing so I only needed 23 rows for each leg. This could be do to change of pattern of the Ken I made this for either is possible.

Bib:

The jacket was listed next but I thought I'd have a better chance figuring hook size if I made the bib and vest first and this worked out better for me.

I used a 1.25 mm hook and did pattern as written.

Vest:

1.25mm hook

I used a button and avoided snap or bead. I tried the bead but since this wasn't a display doll glue wasn't an option and sewing ruined the look. A small button worked better.

Hat:

The hat was tight and I ended up with a 1.8mm hook

Jacket:

I found the jacket for both dolls a bit tricky to get the front lapels to work correctly.

The pattern calls for the sleeves to be made and sewn in but I've never had luck with this option so I opted to match the stitch count and crochet them on.

Ken Swim Trunks

There are certain patterns, like the 16 inch Baby Doll shoes that I repeat constantly because they are the best pattern for the job. There are other patterns I repeat because despite the huge supply I have it takes time to go through my options and then figure out what it will take to complete the new option.

I've been making Ken's swimming trunks from an old Crochet world pattern for years. It wasn't so much a favorite as it was something I knew. This year as I started to use the Leisure Arts out of print Honeymoon Wardrobe leaflet 2132 for Barbie and Skipper's swimsuits it seemed a practical idea just to look at Ken's pattern for a change.

The Crochet World pattern is fancier. The waist is ribbed and it has stripes. It also is made with thread and depending on the Ken model of the year it has been a bit challenging to make gauge. It is a good bit of effort for a swim trunks. I'd rather save the detail work and time for something that looks worthy of the effort.

Crochet World 2009 pattern

Notes:

This was made with Baby Bernat Big Ball Sport yarn and a size B hook.

Having looked at the previous pattern I would decrease the waist line before splitting for the legs. The narrower legs look better. There is a short set pattern in this leaflet I may add as well and I'd likely do the same for that pattern as well. This is a 1991 pattern and the doll featured in the pictures has bigger legs than the modern Ken doll I'm using. Just something to keep in mind as I work through more of these patterns.

The only adjustments I made for this outfit were yarn and hook size. The fingering yarn I had was too small and I needed a B hook not the suggested 2.10mm hook. My 2.0 was too small.

Ken A Nip in the Air

I found a binder of the Annie's Fashion Doll Collection patterns I'd been hunting for and promised myself I'd start working on the patterns that fit the donation this year. I've started and its been an interesting journey so far. This is the first Ken pattern I've worked on and there were some interesting challenges.

Hook sizes and fiber are always a starting place with older projects as what is listed isn't always available. In this case the older hook sizes have to be translated to modern mm thread hook sizes. A size 7 for instance isn't as helpful as it might have been when these projects were written.

One challenge I've found recently has been finding shades of thread for these projects. In this case I needed size 5 dark grey thread for Ken's pants. Grey is a challenging color at best but dark grey is even harder. My options for size 5 thread were limited to begin with but my amazing husband stumbled upon size 5 Pearl thread in the embrodiery section of Michael's. I had no idea if it would work but I had him bring home 7 skeins as I knew I'd need a significant amount to finish the pants with the smaller sized options.

Notes:

Trousers:

To my very happy surprise the thread made gauge and was easy to use with a crochet hook once I rolled it into a ball. I used a b hook for these pants. I'd consider going slightly smaller as the waist ended up larger than was helpful despite making guage. I would sew the belt shut and add the buckle after the fact next time. The pants should fit snugger than mine but I suspect they still can slide on and off. There is a snap on the pants to close them and I'd keep that but the two snaps are bulky and don't sit well together.

I needed 5 skeins of the size 5 Pearl thread to complete the pants for future reference.

I will need to reduce the wasit size the next time I make these pants either through using a smaller hook or reducing stitches.

I only needed 46 of the original 56 rows of the pants for this doll.

Sweater:

I believe this was made with size 10 Thread Art. I used a 1.8mm thread crochet hook. The original sweater, hat and mittens were made with red but it had a real Christmas feel to it. I wanted an outfit that would last through the fall and winter season as I don't tend to make many donation outfits for Ken.

I followed the body of the sweater as written. In the future I would make the sweater a little longer so it tucks better into the pants. I did have to change the arms as I found the arms as written to be huge.

Arms to row 21

Skip to row 27 completing 27-28

Skip to 34 completing 35-35

Skip to 38 completing 38-29

Repeat 39 to row 42

Mittens:

This was a different style of mittens than I've made before but they worked using a size 1.5mm hook.

Hat:

The hat was also made with 1.8mm thread hook with size 10 thread I used for the sweater and mittens. The white is Aunt Lydia's size 10.

Ken Sweater and Slacks

Years ago long before the donation I had my Aunt teach me to crochet so I could make doll clothes for my now adult nieces' dolls. Back then I bought a Nicki Epstein Crochet for Barbie book but I never made anything from it. I couldn't find any of the yarns in the book and it was before I discovered Yarn Sub which has truly helped me since then to find althernatives when designers list a yarn nobody seems to sell by the time I've purchased the pattern.

I've challenged myself in the last few years to tackle patterns that I've purchased but never made. I was looking for a Valentine outfit for Barbie and remembered there was a sweater with hearts in this book and it might be worth looking at it.

I checked Yarn Sub but it even shrugged when I put the yarn name in and that's when I decided to experiment with what I know about Barbie clothes. It didn't sound like this was made with size 10 thread so I decided to try an experiment. I used size 3 what I believe was Knit Picks Curio thread but I couldn't find this shade of green when I looked. I chose not to add the chart as this style of pattern was different from the way I usually make shirts and I wanted to focus on construction without needing to deal with a chart as well. I chose green rather than pink because as it happened if it was too large green was a better choice for Ken.

I've chosen to try size 10 yarn for Barbie. Not having lots of patterns for Ken sweaters I'd try this again but I might try size 5 thread as this one is still bulky with size 3. I suspect it would be tight with size 10. I could also try a smaller hook size.

I used the suggested C hook for this project

The pants are simple construction I've been using across the doll brands. I measured elastic for Ken's wasit, sewed it together and then sc around it with no longer available Red Heart Sport Yarn. I then dc rows until I hit the crotch decreasing rows until I reached 30 stitches. Each leg then had 15 stitches and I continued the legs for I believe a total top to bottom of slacks of 17 rows. However I measured the first leg until it was a length I was happy with and then counted from the top down and completed the second leg to match. I finished the slack legs with ss around..

Ken Loom Hat

I've been experimenting with looms and still need to get beyond my basic practice lessons. However these little doll projects are a great way to try out the skills I do have.

Living in New England I like adding winter clothing to the doll donations when possible. I just recently made some small Ken sized crochet hats for some skeletons and honestly I wasn't looking forward to making another set.

I thought about putting off the challenge until Spring but I saw Michael's had a Mini Loom Set. It has a 2 inch, 3.5 inch, and a 5 inch loom as part of the set. I was most interested in the first and the last. I hoped the smallest would work for my Barbie collection and I was hoping the largest would be a solution for my Blue Knifty Knitter which has some lose pegs. I don't plan on dumping it but I suspect if over used it will not be with me forever. Having alternatives was not a bad choice. I was fortunate to find coupons which made the purchase reasonable for my experiment.

Notes:

The gauge on these is similiar to my Knifty Knitter looms and requires thicker yarn or I suspect double worsted 4 to get the project to work.

I had scraps from Premier Puzzle Yarn so I decided to play with that to see if I could get a Barbie sized hat for one of the dolls. I eventually settled on Ken to start with because his hair is molded to his head making it easier to get on and off.

I learned with the 2 inch 10 peg loom that I couldn't make the traditional e-wrap brim pattern as it was just too tight to make it around the doll's head. However, if I e-wrapped the hat without the brim it fit. This was an experiment in how long to make the hat. It is a bit longer than I thought it would be when I was looming it. I'd go with fewer rounds for my next attempt.