Chelsea Summer Play Set

Last year I found a free Amelia Thimble doll crochet pattern here that adapted rather easily for Chelsea.

I stuck to taking the top and making it into a dress. The pants were a more complicated transfer.

Notes:

This pattern is primarily a starting point for the dress but it is important to acknowledge the designers work and credit it as I'd never have tried this without her pattern.

With that said I did quite a bit of rewriting to get this to fit Chelsea and took my advice from last year to make an additional change.

The pattern calls for size 30 crochet thread to make it fit Chelsea I used size 10.

I used a 1.8 mm hook.

Rows 1-4 are done as written with the changes to thread and hook.

I added an additional 4 rows to lengthen the top prior to adding the skirt section and joined after finishing row 8.

This time I followed my suggestion from last year and began with a 2dc ch1 2dc v-stitch after finishing row 8 to start the skirt. This created a better skirt. I continued this pattern until the skirt went past the knee. I didn't count the rows. I finished the back and added a snap to close.

Chelsea Simply Bluetiful

I was fortunate to stumble upon Rebeckah's Treasures website last year where I discovered a pattern set that I've been adapting to fit the female fashion dolls for the donation. You can find the free Chelsea pattern here.

This is a quick simple project if you don't mind using crochet thread which is pretty hard to avoid when crocheting for the smaller fashion dolls.

Notes:

I know this isn't Aunt Lydia's size 10 thread but which alternate brand it is I don't know. I'm going to have to develop a method for tracking them once the labels are removed. I keep the sizes separated but rarely the brands. This becomes an issue when I want to replace a specific color so perhaps its time to work on a system.

The pattern suggests a 1.7mm hook I used my 1.8mm and the size was fine.

Row 7 starts a decrease and I chose not to decrease as the dress was too tight when I tried this last year and I noted it to prevent me from making the mistake this year.

I did a ss hem rather than the suggested trim.

I made a romper from this last year and am considering trying that again but I have other Chelsea patterns I'd like to try first and then maybe come back again if I have time.

Chelsea Shorts and Shirt

I pulled some of the quicker Barbie family patterns to make from my binders thinking it would be best to add the various Barbie dolls to the rotation for fear of making it to November only to find the dolls had no clothes. This pattern is actually based on a free dress pattern from Rebeckah's Treasures found here.

I've adapted this dress pattern a couple of times and I'm hoping to get a few more outfits from it this year again. However I did orginally intend to make a dress with the green but as I was finishing the top section something just said summer short outfit and I stopped and went with it. The bottom of the shirt is finished in reverse sc stitches.

Notes:

I used a 1.8mm hook for this pattern.

I joined the top without the suggested overlapping to fit the version of Chelsea doll I'm working with for this project.

The shorts started with a chain 27 and join. I then sc in rows adding some increases to make the future legs a bit wider until I reached the crotch and split evenly with a chain for for the short legs. I started rows on one leg until I got the desired length fininshing with a slip stitch hem. I matched the second side to the first.

Skipper Simply Beautiful

This is Rebekah's Treasures free patterns Simply Bluetiful for the Teen Fashion Doll found here. I wasn't sure which doll this was going to fit as I have two "teen" dolls in the Barbie line Stacie and Skipper and even when the pattern specifies one with the way the dolls change sometimes a dress fits one better than the other. In this case the dress went to Skipper as suggested.

Notes:

I used Aunt Lydia's Size 10 Wood Violet and my Tulip Etimo thread 1.25mm hook.

This dress comes in 3 sizes for the fashion dolls. I don't overlap in row 11 for any of the dolls but join as the fit can be tight when I don't.

I've been able to get a few different outfits using this as a base for the Chelsea doll. I'm hoping to adapt it a bit for Skipper. I also pulled some size 20 thread from my stash to see if I can get this pattern to fit Stacie. I have so few patterns for these 2 dolls that I'm trying to learn to stretch them as I can.

Ken' Swim Trunks

I've made a point of focusing on celebrations rather than worries for this year's donations and Ken's swim trunks bring us to another celebration. His are the last of the fashion doll bathing suits I need for the 2023 donations!! I still need more swim suits to finish off my yearly challenge but one set of dolls is done and that is worthy of celebration.

This pattern comes from the June 2009 Crochet World. The pattern is called Fun in the Sun and includes swim wear for Ken and Barbie along with beach accessories. I've made some of the accessories in the past but the last time I got caught up in making the accesories some of the dolls left without suits so I'm thinking suits first and I can always go back and make the accessories if I have the desire to come back later.

The pattern calls for a 1.9 mm hook with size 10 crochet cotton. For my last two attempts I've used size 10 cotton with a .6 mm Tulip Etimo steel crochet hook. Having done this twice now I've found the .6mm hook is splitting the thread and since I've increased my supply of size 20 thread I'm making a note here for next attempt to try the size 20 thread with a larger hook to avoid the thread splitting and make this a more pleasurable project.

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.

Skipper Swim Suit

It does seem so strange to be working on swim wear during snow storms but some how it does remind me Spring will come and the weather will warm.

I've been exploring my doll binders trying to explore patterns I may not have added to my donation before or ones that I haven't done in a bit. Skipper's swim suit is actually a Barbie pattern found in an out of print Leisure Arts leaflet Crochet Fashion Doll Clothes Book 2, leaflet 437.

This pattern calls for baby yarn and I used a Tulip Etimo 1.25mm hook to get the outfit to fit Skipper.

Skipper Sleeping Bag

I've started to celebrate finishing certain repeated projects because it is helps me remember these projects are about not about repitition which I'm not a fan, but about each child getting something special for the holiday.

While I still have more sleeping bags to make this is the last of the fashion doll sleeping bags for 2023. I used the free fashion doll pattern found here that I previously used for Ken and Barbie.

This was made with what looks to be no longer available Big Twist yarn from Joann. I used an I hook and followed the pattern until it measured 12" long. I am recording the 12" because I had no real idea how long it was going to need to be to fit Skipper I kept measuring it against her in the bag until I was sure it was long enough to close the end of the bag. I make these notes to give myself a crochet until and then check for the next time I make this project. I'm hoping the sleeping bags become a regular accessory as they are easy enough to make and add a little something extra to the donation.

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.

Stacie Sleeping Bag

I'm continuing to work through the doll donation's camping theme sleeping bags. Stacie's bag is made using a free Beanie Bag pattern found here. I chose to use the alternate shell pattern for this bag because I have lots of these to make and finding ways to make them different keeps the project engaging.

I followed this pattern as written with the exception of length as this is not a Stacie pattern. I chose to go with the wider width because of the bend in Stacie's elbow. I could other wise have used the regular fashion doll one and made it shorter. I also wanted to try the shells. It makes for a unique texture for the sleeping bag.

Stacie Swim Suit

After making Charpatterns bathing suit for Chelsea which you can purchase here, I began wondering if I could adapt it to fit Stacie.

In the past I've primarily adapted Skipper patterns to fit Stacie as there are not many patterns designed to fit the modern Stacie. However I don't have a swim suit pattern suited for Skipper and was thinking of adapting a Barbie suit for her this year.

I tried the bottom of Chelsea's suit on and realized it was too small but it showed promise for adaptation.

Notes:

My notes are not specific and intended only for myself for reference for next year as a starting point.

I used size 10 thread instead of size 20 thread called for in the pattern for Chelsea's suit.

I stuck with the Tulip Etimo 1.25mm Thread hook I'd used with the Chelsea suit.

I increased the crotch rows in the front until they reached the hip bones for Stacie. I need to record a stitch count next time. I matched this in the back and this eventually required a decrease row after the swim suit was joined as it was just a bit loose. I sc 3 and decreased.

I added an additional dc row for the skirt and I'd do the same with Chelsea's the next time as well.

I did a finishing row outside the leg holes and did some decreases to make it a little tighter.

As Stacey is longer in the torso I added additional rows in the front panel before decreasing.

Ken Sleeping Bag

I've been working my way through various accessory projects and it was time to make Ken's sleeping bag.

His sleeping bag is made with the same free pattern I used for Barbie's found here.

Notes:

I used Hobby Lobby's I Love this Yarn Autumn Stripes for this project. (I note this because I want to buy more for other projects and I'm terrible with remembering names of colors.)

After you establish the actual sleeping bag portion of the bag distance becomes more important than row counting. The rows are accurate for establishing the pillow and where you want to chain to begin working in the round for the bag but as for the length of the bag it really depends on your doll. I didn't measure for Barbie or Chelsea but I will the next time I make the bags. I did for Ken however and the bag from top of pillow to where I stopped the rounds to join was a little over 13 inches.

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.

Chelsea Sleeping Bag

I originally thought about adapting the free Barbie sleeping bag to fit Chelsea but on the same website was a pattern for the Teeny Beanie Sleeping Bag found here so I decided to try that for Chelsea instead as the size seemed like it would fit.

I used the suggested I hook and worsted 4 weight yarn for the project. In order to make it long enough for Chelsea as this was not designed for her I had to add a few rows at the end before closing it.

These sleeping bags are fun accessories for the dolls and they work up very quickly and are a great use for yarn scraps you might want to finish off.

Skipper Little Sister Pretty Ensemble

Last year was the best year for getting the Barbie dolls dressed for the donation but as usual one doll usually gets sadly neglected and last year that doll was Skipper. I thought I'd started well by completing this outfit, but that was the only outfit Skipper left with last year. This year I decided I'd start with Skipper and try to make sure she left with more outfits this year.

This outfit was made using the out of print Annie's Fashion Doll Sister and Me 87D21 leaflet. To make it fit the current Skipper doll I used a 1.5mm Tulip Etimo thread hook and Aunt Lydia's Wood Violet and White Size 10 Crochet thread. My guage has been a bit weird so I did end up adding an extra row to the skirt as it was rather short.

With a little adaptation this pattern fits Stacie so you will likely see it again as it works up quickly and there are not tons of patterns available for either doll.

Barbie Sleeping Bag

Last year I started with a theme of getting all the dolls prepared for the beach. This year I put Adoring Doll's Camping pattern for the 18 and 14 inch doll on my Christmas pattern list and it inspired me to think about how the other dolls could get into the spirit this year.

I was thrilled to find a quick and easy sleeping bag pattern that I hope to adapt for all the Barbie dolls here.

This pattern used worsted acrylic yarn and an I hook. The pillow requires a small amount of stuffing to give it firmness. I had to add some rows to get it to the length suggested but because she gives you not just the number of rows but the length you should get to it made measuring the pillow and the bag easy.

I will need to make it shorter for her sisters and longer for Ken so this is a good sample of the size I want. There are camping sets currently on the market for Barbie. Some have sleeping bags others focus on different accessories but this is a free easy to make accessory for those who want one.

This was another great project for using up left over yarn. I'm coming my scaps to decide which yarn to use for the rest of Barbie's family to make sure everyone has a sleeping bag to take with them when they leave for the donation next December.