Ken Shorts and Shirt

I made this back in 2022 when I was using the smaller Ken Dentist.

Lately I've fallen back to my newsprint and other older magazines for the Barbie dolls because many of them have quick to make outfits that are more designed for play than display. I admire the people who collect, dress, and display their dolls. The hand made outfits can be amazing to look at but for little hands and someone looking to fill a room full of donation bags those patterns just aren't as practical a choice.

This pattern comes from the out of print newsprint title House of White Birches Crochet Wardrobre for 11 1/2 inch Fashion Dolls Including a Complete Wedding Ensemble and Trousseau. I try to include titles even for out of print stuff because it's easier to find something if you have the information to look. I learned this recently when I came across a new line of newprint titles I'd never seen before.

I used a C hook for both the shirt and shorts despite the pattern calling for a D hook. I suspect doll size and yarn create different needs.

I used a no longer available Red Heart Baby sport yarn for the pants and Bernat Big Baby Sport White for the shirt.

I rather liked this version of Ken beecause he fits many of my old vintage patterns much better than the dentist. However, I misjudged purchasing extras and if my inventory is correct I only have him through 2025 before I will need to find a new Ken model.

While I've replaced Barbie with the camping Barbie nothing on the market for Ken right now appeals. I got stuck this time because by the time I ordered a couple and started making something for the model he was already disappearing from the market. This time I have to make testing a priority regardless of where I am in the current year's donation.

Ken Ski Outfit

I previously made this outfit for Ken back in 2021 using the pattern found in the out of print House of White Birches Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2" Fashion Doll Including a complete Wedding Ensemble and Trousseau.

This is a black and white newsprint leaflet but I love it for this project because for the most part the patterns are designed for people who want to make a wardrobe for a child to play with rather than an adult who will display the dolls. I have been exploring the patterns a bit more this year and returning to some like this one I hadn't used in a few years. I'm trying to get better about notations so when I do return to a project I have a starting point.

One challenge I have had is that the sizes on the model dolls change. Sometimes significantly and sometimes in a minor way. The first Ken I used for the donation is more similiar to the current model I'm using now. The middle one, the Vet was smaller and required significantly more changes to the old fashion doll patterns to get the clothing to fit. Sadly, this Ken looks like he's been discontinued so I will have to start searching for a new model. I'm hoping to find one similiar in size to this one because so far the old patterns fit him pretty well.

Notes:

I used Knit Picks Fingering Palette and a C hook for all items I would suggest using a D or E hook for the hat as it is tight.

Sweater:

I've played with changing colors at the top. I like this look better than the previous look. The single strand stripe got lost at the top. The double stripe looks cleaner.

Don't decrease sleeves at row 11. While it gives a more realistic cuff look the hand does not fit through the cuff once the count is reduced. I think I realized this before but without notes I tried the reduction and pulled it out. Pallete doesn't always love being pulled out.

Pants:

I end up crocheting around to cover the elastic and then reducing. I waited to reduce after making the legs. I think in the future I would experiment with reducing after finishing the elastic row as the pants get puffier the longer the additional stitches remain. I did get down to 15 stitches for each leg and that was a good fit once I reached it to get them easily on and off.

As I mentioned earlier these dolls seem to be slightly different in size. I needed to add rows to 18 to get the legs long enough for Ken's pants.

Hat:

After realizing Ken's hat was tight I went back to see if I left any instructions for Skipper's hat I'd made earlier and sure enough I had so for next year's project I leave myself the reminder from Skipper's project. I'd also seriously consider going up to a D hook as this was snug.

I added one 2 dc in one dc in next row for the hat after reading my previous project notes and I found this made the hat fit better with the doll's hair.

Ken Winter Clothes

I'm always on the look out for patterns for the Barbie family that I think I will actually make. I especially wanted this pattern for Ken and possibly Stacie as I lack patterns for both. There is a Todd pattern with him wearing overalls that may also fit Stacie since the version I have is a camping doll she's clearly active. There are parts of the Barbie pattern I like and I may make that as well. Lately I have also had luck getting stuff to fit Skipper from the Barbie side so we will see.

This is JudysDollandPatterns Christmas Playtime Pattern that can be purchased here.

While I often include holiday themed outfits in the donation. I find them fun to make and I hope the kids enjoy being able to dress their dolls for the holidays, I try to make sure the dolls have enough daily outfits before focusing on the holiday treats. This seemed like it would be a great option for a winter outfit for Ken if I avoided the Christmas colors. It hopefully allows more potential for these pieces to be mixed and matched with other Ken items.

I made a "ski" outfit for him a few years back with Knit Picks fingering yarn and I'm thinking about pulling that out of print pattern out and giving Ken a nice winter wardrobe.

Notes:

I used various brands of size 10 crochet thread for this project.

I used my Tulip Etimo 1.8mm hook for everything but the sweater sleaves when I went down to a 1.5mm hook as the sleeves were too bulky.

While the sweater appears large in the front it isn't in the back where I added the snaps to close it. I added a finishing row and it closes but it is a nice close. I'd experiment with a 1.5mm next time to see how the fit works perhaps going up in sizes in certain places and using a smaller hook in others.

I suspect I had an issue when I made the shoulders for ths pattern because the arms are made and joined and I couldn't get the arm to set. I then reverted to sc around the armhole and made the arm going down from the shoulder. If this is a problem in the future I suggest making the cuffs ahead and adding them at the end. In this instance I alternated with dcfp and dcbp to get some texture for the cuffs. It would be easier to make them and join.

Had a similiar problem with the collar and used the same solution. For next time I would suggest sc around the collar to even it out and count how many rows of the collar I'm going to need to make it fit.

I chose not to add the fringe to the scarf or hat. I had no intention to try with the hat but I did try with the scarf and wasn't thrilled with the look so I pulled it out.

Regarding labels for dolls Ken is listed as Christmas Boy with size (12") listed under title. This confused me until I saw the 12". I likely will make this same mistake next year so a note is useful. Barbie is Christmas Girl, Stacie, Christmas Sister and Todd, Christmas brother.

Ken Farmer

My motivation to learn to crochet was having both a niece and a great niece who got into dressing their dolls about the same time. In some cases there really wasn't much available at the time to buy for the dolls. In other cases what was available was a bit pricey for kids who weren't happy with a few outfits but wanted complete wardrobes. When they outgrew dolls I started donating dolls and clothes because I had found a hobby I really enjoyed.

Shirley Jean Wright was one of the first designers of Barbie clothes I tried because the clothes were made with bulkier worsted yarn and not thread, which at the time I didn't have the proper hooks to make working with thread practical for me. After I stopped making clothes for the nieces I moved more towards the larger dolls for donation as the outfits were easier to make.

I believe it was 2021 when I finally started donating Barbie's family and started returning to my binders to find projects that would work for the dolls. However, I never did go back to these patterns, likely because I had discovered thread. Thread is great but finished outfits are still a better option for kids who like to dress up dolls.

As I was looking for ways to add items to Ken's donation this year I came across a free out of print pattern for called Ken's Overalls that is still available through the Wayback machine.

She has a huge treasure chest of Barbie and Ken outfits still available through the Wayback machine. The downside is the Wayback Machine doesn't have the pictures for the patterns. I'm trying to locate the patterns I originally downloaded so I can continue making more of them, but I may have to think about resorting to trying some without the pictures if I can't find the Ken ones as I really don't have many Ken patterns to begin with and many are just not quick and easy. I tend to rely on pictures when I crochet to confirm I'm following the directions so I'm hoping that somewhere in my Barbie binders I have the copies of the patterns.

With help from the Wayback machine you can find Ken's Overalls pattern here.

Notes:

I would make this again for the donation. It fits my quick and easy project goal. I would think about another shirt for this project just because this pattern is bulky but it works.

I used a D hook with Red Heart Super Saver for the Overalls and the Shirt. The hat is made with Herschnerrs Baby Worsted Peachy.

To get enough length in the legs I went from 14 rows to 17 rows.

I used a C hook for the hat and ended up playing with the pattern to get a look I liked. After row 4 I did a row of dc post stitches. It gave the hat a little more form.

Ken Sleeping Bag

These sleeping bags are great travel projects. Ken's made waiting for several appointments much more relaxing as I was focused on finishing a project and not on how much time I was waiting or anticipating the appointment itself.

Last year was the first year I added sleeping bags to the donation so I didn't do much experimentation. The fashion doll sleeping bag pattern found here uses row upon row of sc's to make the sleeping bag. There is a Beanie Baby pattern that has an option for two sets of patterns. You can make the traditional sc option or it offers a shell pattern that I've used for the smaller fashion dolls. I decided to experiment and use the shell pattern with Ken's sleeping bag to give it a bit more texture. You can find the directions for the shell stitch version here.

Notes:

I started out with the fashion doll pattern completing the pillow and the first established sleeping bag prior to switching over to the shell portion of the Beanie pattern.

For this sleeping bag I used Red Heart Super Saver Fall and an I hook.

Once the pattern is established I no longer count rows. The doll travels with me and I measure as I think I'm getting close prior to closing at the bottom.

I had a ball of yarn I can't identify left over from a previous project that I set up for my next travel project. The pillow section is done and I've started the sleeping bag portion leaving the rest for my appointments. This one is slated for Skipper.

Ken Shorts and Tank Top

I am happy to say as with Barbie I had to replace the previous Ken, Ken Dentist, with a new Ken, Travel Ken, as the Dentist was no longer available. What made me happy is this Ken is closer to the size of the older patterns I have and I'm hoping it will make it easier to fit patterns to him, thus giving him a better wardrobe when he leaves for the donation.

I made a different set from an out of print Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 Inch Fashion Dolls Including a Complete Wedding Ensemble and Trousseau for the 2022 donation. I didn't get back to it last year. I will likely revist it for the shirt as quick and easy shirt patterns for Ken are always a blessing.

However, getting back to this pattern I found it while doing a search for free Ken patterns. You can find the pattern here.

Notes:

I used Knit Picks Palette Yarn. This is a fingering weight yarn. MANY years ago when I first started working with Barbie dolls it was the first affordable fingering weight yarn I could find and I've stuck with it over the years, buying it when its on sale.

I changed from an f hook to an e to get the outfit to fit the doll.

Note to self the pony tail holders are too big for Ken you will need to cut and sew elastic for the shorts.

The designer has included directions to make this into a long sleeved shirt and turn the shorts into pants. As I mentioned above I'm always searching for ways to extend Ken's wardrobe so I hope to get back to this pattern and add another outfit to his donation bag.