Skipper Crop Top and Shorts

It's almost Labor Day but Skipper finally has shorts. Considering the doll won't be leaving until November for a Christmas donation seasons are less relevent when I make the stuff. However, sometimes when its hot I do feel like shorts are a good idea. This past week was a good week for short outfits.

This was the second outfit from Annie's Cool Crop Tops and Shorts Pattern from their Annie's Fashon Doll Crochet Club FCO104.

I used the medium directions with a C hook for Skipper with baby 3 yarn. I would continue with this for the shorts but use I'd use a b hook and the large directions for her top. I had to add rows with the medium directions to get it to fit the modern Skipper. Barbie's finished shirt was too big so I'm thinking a smaller hook would make the fit work.

I've started Stacie's shorts with the smallest pattern but lots going on so we will see when that outfit is finished.

Skipper Ski Outfit

I've been revisiting my pattern binders and pulled out the House of White Birches leaflet Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion dolls to try Ken's pants for Barbie to go with her poncho. I discovered I needed Ken's pants while reading the 2021 post about Skipper's Ski Outfit and it reminded me this could be a quick set of outfits for the older members of Barbie's family. Since I'd pulled up the notes I had for Skipper I decided to start with her outfit.

Notes:

I used a C hook for this outfit.

The purple is a no longer available Babe cotton yarn that I'm trying to finish off. I'm thinking of using this on Barbie's poncho pattern for a smaller version for Skipper as well. The yellow is Knit Picks Pallette yarn.

I added an additional row to the pant legs. These seem to be short on both the Barbie and Ken patterns for the modern dolls.

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.

Due to the change in yarn I needed to finish the back and neck which added more of a mock turtleneck look than the sweater I'd made previously. I liked the look.

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 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.

Skipper Little Sister Pretty Ensemble

One of the benefits of documenting these projects each year is I can go back and remember what pattern I used and what materials I used to make the project.

That proved helpful this year when I realized not all the Barbie patterns had been put away at the end of the last donation season. I was pretty sure I was missing some but I couldn't remember which patterns I needed to locate. When I realized I hadn't made anything for Skipper this year I looked up last year's donation page and then looked at the project blogs to get ideas for this year. That's when I realized the leaflet I was missing was the out of print Annie's Fashion Doll Sister and Me 87D21. Thankfully with some searching I located this and several other patterns I hadn't put back in the Barbie binders last year and they've all been happily returned.

What I like about this particular set is last year I was able to use a couple of the patterns for both Skipper and Stacie with minimal adjustments. I'm hoping to try some of the Barbie patterns that I didn't have the chance to try for last year's donation. I think I have some colors that would work.

I used Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread Size 10 Wood Violet and White with a Tulip Etimo 1.5mm Steel Crochet Hook.

This sweater works up easily and could be a nice addition in different colors for other Skipper and Stacie projects.

Skipper Tennis

I mentioned when I wrote about Barbie's tennis outfit that I was working on one for Skipper as well. I finished up the skirt from the 1995 Leisure Arts Fashion Doll Leaflet Vacation Fashion Doll Wardrobe but the top was proving a more difficult fit. I put Skipper aside and finished off some other projects.

After finishig Ken's tennis outfit I decided it was time to take a crack at finishing off Skipper's outfit and made a very simple top alternating HDC and sc rows measuring to make sure the top fit and adding increases and then decreases to make sure the shirt was a good fit. I added chains for the arm holes and then crocheted into the chains into the next row and finished off with crocheting around the ends to finish off the top. I used snaps to close the back of the shirt.

I used the same method I did for Ken's head band I measured the distance around her head, cut 1/8" elastic, sewed it together and then crocheted around the elastic finishing off with a second row of slip stitches.

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.

Skipper Pretty Dress Ensemble

I'm really enjoying working with these patterns from the out of print Annie's Fashion Doll Sister and Me 87D21. After trying on this dress and the short set I'm also thinking with a smaller hook I am going to be able to give Stacie some additional clothes for the donation as well.

The Bates Bamboo steelite 1.5mm hook was the right choice for this project. I used Aunt Lydia's Size 10, Wood Violet and Red Heart Crochet, Thread Size 10, White.

Skipper Short Set

Skipper is the last of the Barbie dolls I plan on donating this year. I pruchased the Space Discovery doll sets for both Skipper and Stacie.

I pulled out Annie's Fashion Doll Sister and Me, 87D21, which I purchased but never used a decade ago when I was making Barbie clothes. At the time I'd started a collection of the digest sized fashion doll books but stuggling with my thread hooks made making many of the outfits unlikely. With new hooks comes the chance for new adventures.

I decided to start with a simple pattern in the set to see how close the sizing was for the new Skipper doll. I was wrong in my previous post about Stacie. I have a picture of the old Skipper down the bottom and these dolls are pretty much the same "size" although as I learned in the bottom picture they don't quite wear the same size clothing.

Skipper's shorts and shirt are made with size 10 thread and a Tulip Etimo Rose Steel Crochet Hook-Size 4/1.25mm. I mention the specific hook because at the moment I'm working with a series of ergonomic handled thread hooks to get a variety of sizes and it may just be the way I handle them but I don't get the same guage with all my hooks. I've been making notes on my patterns and here on my blog so I can go back and recreate items when needed.

This is the last item of furniture I found at Dollar Tree for the doll donation. I'm hopeful they will come out with more before the November deadline. Accessories always make playing with dolls more fun. I've been pleased to add the furniture, shoes, bags, and other little items from Dollar Tree for the Barbie part of the donation. I hope they continue their fashion doll offerings.

I haven't seen my orginal Skipper model in some time. I pulled her out to compare her to the current Skipper. I found the shirt was looser and I was barely able to snap the shorts closed. This is the closest fit of the three dolls to date. Her outfit fit much better than Ken or Barbie's did on their older versions. I don't know a great deal about the history of Barbie and thus Skipper. I did find it funny that the old and the new both have colored striped hair. The old had pink and the younger while now having dark hair has purple stripes in her hair.

From a dressing point of view I do like the straight arms of the old Skipper better than the bent of the modern, but that is just based on fewer ways to catch the thread/yarn as I take thc clothes on and off as I'm fitting them to the model doll.

Skipper Witch Costume

This Skipper Halloween costume is adapted from a free Barbie Witch Costume Pattern. As I explained when I made the Betsy Ross Pattern Red Heart Sports Yarn is used instead of the Red Heart and Caron One Pound worsted weight yarn used for Barbie's outfit. The required 1/4" elastic was changed to 3" for the waist instead of the 4" the Barbie pattern uses.

As you can see from my picture, I did not change to orange as the pattern suggested. I preferred the solid black to the orange accents. However, there should be no problem for anyone adapting the pattern to add the orange should they choose.

I loved the idea of adding the mask although it did take a little work to get it right. Not having made the Barbie Witch, I do not know if similar problems exist if you make the pattern with the heavier worsted weight yarn. The hat worked up well and I am thinking about playing with it as a second option for the American Girl. The original Barbie pattern does include arms, but as I explained before, dressing skipper with her bent arms can prove challenging. I need to experiment more to make them user friendly.

Next year I think I will switch and make Skipper a Ghost Costume and send Barbie a Witch Costume.

I am currently working on an American Girl Doll Witch Costume combining multiple free patterns. I will post about that when I am finished.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Skipper Colonial Outfit Crochet

This is an adaptation of the free Betsy Ross Barbie pattern. I made simple changes to create a Skipper version of this pattern. I used Red Heart Sports Yarn instead of the Red Heart and Caron One Pound worsted weight yarn used for Barbie's outfit. Another major change was using a 3" 1/4" elastic waist instead of the 4" the Barbie pattern uses.

My Skipper adaptation does not include sleeves. The Skipper doll I am making clothes for has bent arms and this can be challenging for kids when dressing and undressing the doll. Since this dress does not use snaps, I chose not to add the sleeves from the original Barbie pattern.

I am enjoying adapting the free patterns to Skipper. I have a Halloween costume to share soon.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Barbie St. Patrick's Day Dress

I have been working on adapting Skipper and Barbie patterns to fit each other. This is the Sun Dress pattern from Annie's Attic Fashion Doll Little Sister, pattern book number 87D22. When I looked at the finished Skipper pattern, it seemed like it would make an interesting St. Patrick's Day outfit. I still want to do some work on making the bodice fit better. However, I am pleased with my first effort.

This adaptation started with a four-inch elastic circle. I looked at similar patterns to see what the starting chains were and began the pattern using the same number of stitches. Then I followed the pattern for the Skipper skirt.

My next project is an Easter outfit for the American Girl Doll. I finished the top, skirt yesterday, and am working on the arms and details. I have not decided on a St. Patrick’s Day pattern for the American Girl Doll yet.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Skipper Sun Dress

Skipper's Sun Dress was another pattern from Annie's Attic Fashion Doll Little Sister, pattern book number 87D22. This is my favorite of Skipper's dresses so far. I love the way the skirt hangs and I learned some new techniques for constructing a dress. I pulled the skirt out several times before finishing the outfit, but I now understand how it is made and I am thinking of trying a Barbie dress using the same pattern and just adding more stitches. While the party dress used fingering yarn, this dress was made using sports yarn, a cheaper alternative considering the amount of outfits I have been making.

I am working hard to finish my Valentine's package that needed to be mailed, yesterday. I have one bear almost finished. One part of the bear is not cooperating. I am trying to make a second one, but do not know if there will be time. I still have one finger puppet to go and then the package has to be mailed, as is or it will be there by St. Patrick's Day.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Skipper Party Dress

This picture does not quite do the dress justice. It is much fuller and prettier in person. This is another dress I adapted from Annie's Attic Fashion Doll Little Sister, Pattern Number 87D22 published 1986. This pattern used fingering yarn and it was so much fun working on the skirt. The formation of the skirt creates the illusion of an underskirt. The pattern creates the style with layers of crochet skirt instead of an actual underskirt. This was a new style of skirt pattern for me. I am anxious to make a few in different colors. The top of the dress has been simplified. I also added an elastic waist as I explained in previous blog posts. I also experimented with using buttons instead of snaps for closures in the back this time.

It has been fun experimenting with the Skipper patterns. With these patterns, I hope to be able to adapt them and make more styles for the doll. I have not found many free Skipper patterns so being able to adapt the few vintage books that are available is an advantage. For those that are interested, I have been using a three- inch elastic for her waist and crocheting over the waist band before working on the skirt and then the top. Barbie's outfits have used a four-inch elastic sewed together and then crocheted over for her outfits.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Pictures may not be used without written permission.

Skipper Skating Outfit

I bought three sets of the camping Skipper and Kelly/Stacie dolls on clearance. Mom and I needed the dolls for models to make clothes and the other two sets will be used for a combination of Easter and birthday presents. I had a Kelly doll from a Church sale that I experimented with making clothes for prior to Christmas and sent one outfit off with my Christmas box. However, I promised myself I would not open the box with Skipper until after Christmas.

Sure enough Christmas afternoon I was opening Skipper's box and pulling out an Annie's Attic vintage book I had purchased to start this outfit. I have not found many free patterns for Skipper. You can see what I have located on the Kelly/Skipper page, the link available underneath. I have found a couple of Annie's Attic Crochet Little Sister books. This pattern comes from Fashion Doll Little Sister, Pattern Number 87D22 published 1986. This book uses primarily sports yarn, which if you follow my blog you know is important to me. The second one I purchased was Fashion Doll Sister and Me, 87D21, also published 1986. This one unfortunately is crochet thread. I am hoping I can convert some of the patterns to Lustersheen because I am hopeless with thread. I have seen both these available on vintage pattern sites and auction sites if you are looking for them.

I am confused if this is supposed to be a rollerskating or ice skating outfit. The pattern shows a picture with old fashioned laced roller skates, but also has it in the winter patterns. I guess the child with the doll gets to choose what she will do when wearing the outfit.

While there are not many free patterns available for Skipper, I am hoping I can use what I am learning from the published patterns and my experience with Barbie to make a variety of other Skipper items once I finish the first book that uses sports yarn. For instance knowing the waist on the skirt and the party dress, I can play with other Barbie patterns to try to adapt them to Skipper sizes.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Pictures may not be used without written permission.