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 Poncho and Pants

I don't have lots of patterns specifically designed to fit Skipper. Those that I have aren't always designed to fit the modern Skipper so when possible if I find a Barbie pattern that seems like it would adapt well to Skipper I try to make it work.

The poncho for this pattern is made using Michelle Ratman's design that can be purchased here. The pants were made using an out of print House of White Birches leaflet Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion Dolls.

Notes:

I used Barbie's pants pattern which fits Skipper but I still needed to add rows to the legs to get it to fit. The pants are made with Knit Picks Palette Fingering Yarn and a C hook. I used 1/8 inch elastic measured cut and sewn together prior to crocheting around it for the waist band.

When I made Barbie's poncho I commented that I didn't have any sport weight cotton. I did find some and used it for Skipper's Ski outfit. However it was too light for the poncho. During my search I did unearth a skein of Knit Picks Shine Worsted that I also want to finish off so this became the yarn for Skipper's poncho.

This Skipper with her hair seems to have a larger head than than Barbie or it could be the cotton yarn is stiffer. Anyways I started with a G hook until I went to the mesh where I went back to the e hook I had used for Barbie's poncho.

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 Sleeping Bag

I'm slowly working my way through the sleeping bags using them as my travel/waiting/appointment projects. I've been rotating between the Barbie family and the 18 inch dolls and it was time for Skipper to have hers.

Every year I try to finish off balls or small skeins not yet made into balls left over from previous projects. I don't remember the brand this particular yarn came from but it was used on several different projects before being finished off for Skipper's sleeping bag. The yarn has an odd striping pattern and it had some large patches and other small ones. It was a bit of a game of yarn chicken and I did end up adding some purple to the bottom to finish off the sleeping bag when I lost the game. However, it was worth it have another partial skein turned ball finished off.

This is a free pattern for a fashion doll slepping bag found here.

I used an I hook for this project and wished I had read my project notes from last year as I wrote it needed to be 12 inches long but not knowing I had previously measured I ended up carrying Skipper with me on my various outings.

This makes a great travel/waiting project. I had it almost complete after my last outing and decided to finish it off Sunday night so I could start on one for one of the larger 18 inch dolls. They are less great as travel projects when they get to the end as you have to be more careful about not making them too long and then finishing them off. It is easier to travel with a project that is past the pillow stage where it needs to be stuffed and before you reach the toes where you have to start being careful as to where to end. That's when I tend to pull it out of the bag and finish it off. I still have a few more to make so I will have travel sleeping bags for a little while longer.

Skipper Red Riding Hood

I've always been a huge fan of traditional tales and I love adding doll clothes or amis when I make them to connect books with toys for kids. I have some outfits for the larger dolls but until recently I had nothing easy to make for the Barbie fashion doll family. I have some older patterns but they are more complicated and while I do want to conquer them someday, this year is devoted to finishing items and getting them into the doll bags.

I found a series of traditional tale patterns on Ravelry designed by Mel Garcia Tello. You can purchase Red Riding Hood here.

This pattern is designed for Barbie but the suggested yarn is not one I can find. Therefore I decided to experiment with Aunt Lydia's Fashion Crochet 3 Thread in Scarlet,White,and Blue Hawaii.

Notes:

I used the suggested 2.5mm hook for the dress. The pattern creates the dress in solid red to match the cape. I decided I wanted a more traditional peasant dress look and went with a white top, changing to blue for the skirt portion of the dress. The dress fit Barbie but it was snug getting it on and off so I decided to see if it was a better fit for Skipper, thus making this Skipper's outfit.

I plan on trying the peasant dress with a larger hook for Barbie at another time. I also think this dress would work for Skipper without the fairy tale theme. She can always use some dresses. Especially ones that are easy to work up.

The cape is made with a 3.5mm hook and again I think this was small for Barbie while a good fit for Skipper. One change I would make is I'd likely not slip stitch the ties for her cape. While it protects the ties making them stronger it makes it too bulky to really tie the cape well.

I think I would try an f hook for the cape when I make it for Barbie to adjust to the change in fibers. I plan to stick with the Crochet thread for the project. I think the cotton is a better choice than other fibers for this project.

Skipper Mermaid

Last month I wrote about making this outfit for Barbie. You can find the free pattern here.

I decided to see if I could adapt the pattern for Skipper using Caron Simply Soft Paints Oceana that I had left in my stash and seemed like it might be a good fit for this project.

To make this fit Skipper I had to make some adjuatments to the original Barbie pattern as she is a smaller doll.

Notes:

I used an E hook for this project and the lighter Caron Simply Soft Paints rather than the Mary Maxim Prism I had used for Barbie.

These changes were enough for making the top fit.

The tail was long for Skipper so I needed to adjust the pattern. I followed the tail pattern and stopped at row 27 as this was the length best suited for Skipper. I finished the tail with row 33. I made the fins and added them as described in the pattern. They fit fine.

Skipper Easy Dress

I've come across some free Barbie patterns recently and decided to try some out for the 2024 donation. I've found over the years that some Barbie patterns will fit Skipper and as I'm making a gown I will usually try it on both dolls to see which doll it fits best. I had intended this for the Barbie Vet doll. This is her last year with the donation as she is no longer available. After trying this outfit on both dolls it was a better match for SKipper, so I added some stitches to the base row and have begun a second outfit for the Barbie Vet. You can find the free pattern here.

Notes:

One of my goals every year is to dig into my stash and start using old yarn that seems to have been forgotten. I used Red Heart Big Ball Sport Yarn for this project. I had honestly forgotten about this yarn as it had gotten buried. This was some of the earliest yarn I used for Barbie clothes and I believe blue is the only color I have left. I still have some small skeins of the Red Heart Sport Yarn and know have been using Hobby Lobby's sport yarn and Herschnerr's yarn for these outfits.

The e hook worked for this outfit along with the suggested starting chains. I needed to add two chains for it to fit the Barbie Vet and likely will need more chains for the Zoologist.

One thing I didn't do for this outfit but am doing for the Barbie version is marking the stitches as it is was hard for me to differentiate between stitches and chains. For the second outfit I've marked each stitch to see if I can get the same skirt pattern as the picture from the pattern. It was not enough of a concern to start again with the Skipper dress, but I do return to these notes when I start again the following year so it is helpful to make note of useful tools.