I got a bunch of ribbon yarn at a church rummage sale (my main reason for buying it being “Ooooh…that’s pretty!”) and I was having a hard time figuring out what to make with it…so my brain came up “Why don’t you make a Barbie dress?” Not just any Barbie dress…a fancy ball gown with dangly bows and a large variety of stitches. (I was thinking Fantasy Blanket-style.) And for the first time (in forever), I wrote the pattern for two sizes – Ever After High and Barbie. (The post title is so long, though, with all that information in there!)
I don’t know if I’ll be doing multiple sizings in the future, because it was a lot of extra work, but it’s nice to have the dress fit more than just one kind of doll (since I have one Ever After High, and countless Barbies.) 😉 BTW: I’m sure you can tell, but throughout the pattern, Briar (the Ever After High) will be in pink, and Merida (the Barbie) will be in white.
I will stop nattering on now, let’s move on to the pattern!
Materials
- About 50 yards of ribbon yarn: I wish I could tell you the brand that I used, but I don’t know which it was. It looks to be about 50 yards or so (about being the key word here.) I also got a few skeins of Lion Brand Incredible, which I imagine would work fabulously, though I didn’t use them for this dress. (My yarn stash is like a dragon’s hoard at times.)
- For the Barbie-sized dress I used white Red Heart Super Saver. It looks a bit like a wedding dress, actually. I wanted to make a Barbie-sized version without using any more precious ribbon yarn. (dragon’s hoard…) It’s funny how using two different kinds of yarn can make the dress look so different!
- I (5.50 MM) hook
Skirt
The skirt is worked the same for both kinds of dolls.
Ch 52, join with a sl st to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc and ch 1), sk 1, dc in next st. *Ch 1, sk next ch, dc in next ch* around, sl st to 2nd ch to join.
Rnd 2: Sl st into next chain space. Ch 2, 2dc cluster in same space. *Ch 1, 3dc cluster in next chain space* around, ch 1, sl st to first cluster to join.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in same st. Ch 2, dc in next cluster. *Ch 2, sc in next cluster, ch 2, dc in next cluster* around, ch 2, sl st to 1st sc to join.
Rnd 4: Ch 2, bpdc around first sc. Ch 2, bpsc around next dc. *Ch 2, bpdc around next sc, ch 2, bpsc around next dc* around, ch 2, sl st to first dc to join.
Rnd 5: Sl st into next chain space, ch 2, dc in same space. 2 dc in each ch space around. Sl st to 2nd ch of first ch 2 to join.
Rnd 8: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around, sl st to first sc to join.
Rnd 9-10: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around THROUGH BACK LOOPS ONLY. Sl st to first sc to join.
Fasten of and rejoin the yarn to the other side of the starting chain. We’re going to disguise the chain as a back-post round and work from top to bottom for the rest of the dress.
Rnd 1: Join with a standing single crochet (start with slip knot on hook, insert hook, pull up a loop, yo, pull thru 2) as follows: *Bpsc around next dc, ch 2* around, join with sl st to first bpsc.
Rnd 2: Sl st into next ch space, ch 1, make a 2 dc cluster, ch 1. *2 dc cluster in next ch space, ch 1* around, sl st to 1st cluster to join.
Rnd 3: Sl st into space between clusters, ch 1, 2 dc cluster in same st, 2 dc cluster in each space around, sl st to first cluster to join.
Rnd 4-5: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around, sl st to 1st sc to join.
Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in same st and in next 3 sts, popcorn in next st, *sc 4, popcorn* around, sc in last st and sl st to 1st sc to join.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around, sl st to 1st sc to join.
Rnd 8: Ch 1, sc in same st. *Ch 1, sk next st, sc in next st* around, ch 1, sl st to 1st sc to join.
Rnd 9: Ch 1. 2sc in the first skipped stitch from the last round. *2sc in the next skipped stitch from the last round* around, sl st to 1st sc to join.
Rnd 10-11: Repeat Rounds 8 and 9 one more time.
Rnd 12: Ch 2. Starting in the same st, *dc2tog* around. Sl st to first st to join.
Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in same st, sc2tog. *Sc 1, sc2tog* around, sc in last st. Do not join. Do not fasten off, continue onto the bodice for the size you’re making.
Bodice
The bodice has two different sizes, written out separately, so choose the appropriate one. The last round of the skirt was worked unjoined, continue working in rows for the bodice.
For Ever After High dolls:
Row 1: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc in the rest of the sts until the end of the row.
Row 2-3: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.
Row 4 (straps): Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, ch 2, sk next st, sc 1, sc2tog, sc 1, ch 2, sk next st, sc in last st. Do not fasten off, continue on to the button loops (scroll down past the Barbie size.)
For Barbie dolls:
Row 1: Ch 1, turn, *sc2tog, sc 1* to the end of the row, sc in last st.
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, *2sc in next st, sc in next st* to the end of the row, 2sc in last st.
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, 2sc in first st, sc in the rest of the stitches across.
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, *2sc in first st, sc in next 2 sts* to the end of the row, sc in last st.
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, *2sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts* to the end of the row, sc in last 2 sts.
Row 6: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.
Row 7 (straps): Ch 1, turn, sc in first 3 sts. Ch 3, sk next 3 sts, sc in next 7 sts, ch 3, sk next 3 sts, sc in last 3 sts. Do not fasten off, continue on to the button loops.
Button Loops
For both sizes, ch 3, turn to work down the side of the bodice rows, sc in next row-end. For Ever After High dolls, continue single crocheting down the row end until you reach the end. Then fasten off and weave in ends. For Barbie dolls, sc for a few more stitches (3 or so), then make another button loop by (ch 3, sc in next row end). Then sc to the end of the bodice, fasten off and weave in ends.
Sew on 1 (EAH) or 2 (Barbie) buttons opposite the button holes.
Have you crocheted with ribbon yarn in the past? What do you like to make with it? It’s awfully expensive, which is why I got mine at a rummage sale… but it’s beautiful and fun to crochet with! I can’t figure out what else I should make with it ~ I would welcome ideas.
Have a wonderful, yarn-filled day, lovely followers! 😀
Very pretty! It’s cool to see the same dress in two different textures…looks completely different!
Thank you! I’m glad I made it in worsted weight too, it does look entirely different (and I crochet looser with the ribbon yarn too…I’ve never been good with gauge!) Thanks for commenting! 🙂
“Dragon’s hoard” is the perfect description for many a yarn stash! That is some very pretty ribbon yarn – no wonder you fell for it.
I love how the design details really pop in the Barbie version. Someday you’ll have to make a human-sized garment…. 🙂
Thank you, Mrs. M! I can get rather protective of my yarn stash sometimes…I’ve had one skein of yarn for nearly six months now and can’t figure out what to make with it. 🙂
I’d love to design a human sized garment, but there’s the problem of having enough yarn, and that people don’t like to wear crocheted ball gowns…stuff like the Katniss Cowl is easier. I love your people-sized clothing, though, someday I’ll have the courage to make one. 🙂