Hello there, and happy Christmas Eve! Although I love making super fancy Barbie dresses, there are some times where you just need a quick and casual outfit, so I designed this dress with that in mind. I’ve made ten or so of these dresses, and it’s now my go-to dress pattern, because it’s so easy! It’s made all in one piece, and it takes me less than a half hour.
Because I like lots of different kinds of dolls, I have sized this dress to fit four popular types, as demonstrated in the picture below. If you’re quick, you could make a few as stocking stuffers for any of these kind of dolls!
There’s one version for Barbie and FTH, and another version for EAH and MH. The dress is kind of loose on Monster High, so let me know in the comments if you’re interested in a modified version!
Materials
- Small amount of worsted weight yarn (I don’t know the exact yardage, but I would estimate 20-30 yards.) A note on yarns: All worsted-weight yarns seem to be slightly different thicknesses, but I’ve tried it with Red Heart Super Saver, I Love This Yarn, and Caron Simply Soft (RHSS and ILTH are on the thicker side, while CSS* is on the thinner) and it worked equally well with both. Sorry for the run-on sentence there!
- H (5.00 MM) crochet hook
*CSS = Caron Simply Soft, not Cascading Style Sheets. I’m not that high-tech. 🙂
Notes
Chain join = This is used to join the straps, and it looks smoother than a slip stitch. Remove your hook from the loop, insert hook through indicated chain space, put the loop back on your hook, pull the loop through the chain loop and chain 1.
At the end of the bodice, you’ll be directed to fasten off and sew the ends together, but I cheat on this part because I hate weaving in ends. Just leave a long tail when you start the bodice, and when you finish it, slip stitch to the opposite side and start going on the skirt. You’ll have a gaping hole in the back of the bodice which you can sew up with the beginning tail. If you do it this way, you can make the whole dress with just 2 ends to weave in. ?
Barbie & Fairy Tale High
Bodice
Row 1: Ch 8. Sc in second ch from hk and in each ch across (7).
Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across (7)
Row 3: Ch 8, turn. Sc in each st across (7)
Rows 4 – 6: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across.
Row 7: Ch 4, chain join into chain 8 loop from Row 3, ch 3, turn to work back across last row (strap made.) Sc in each st across.
Rows 8 – 10: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across.
Row 11: Repeat Row 3.
Rows 12 – 14: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across.
Row 15: Ch 4, chain join into chain 8 loop from Row 11, ch 3, turn to work back across last row (strap made.) Sc in each st across.
Row 16: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. Fasten off, leaving approximately 8″ tail for sewing. Whipstitch the beginning chain edge and the final row together.
Skirt
Round 1: Join contrasting color to bottom, strap-free edge. Work 16 sc evenly spaced around edge (1 in the end of each row.) Join with a slip stitch to join.
Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as dc now and throughout), 2 dc in same st. *Skip next st, 3 dc into next st* around. Sl st into 2nd chain of beginning chain 2 to join.
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in same st as joining. Sc in each st around. Sl st to join.
Round 4: Repeat Round 2.
Round 5: Repeat Round 3.
Round 6: Ch 2, 2 dc in same st. *Skip next 2 sts, 3 dc into next st* around. Sl st into 2nd ch of beginning chain 2 to join.
Rounds 7-11: Repeat Round 3 and 6, two more times, then repeat Round 3 once more. If you want the skirt to be longer or shorter, add or subtract repeats of Rounds 3 and 6, ending with Round 3. Do not fasten off, continue on to the edging as follows.
Edging
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in same st. *Ch 5, sk next 2 sts, sc in next st* around to last 2 sts. Ch 2, dc in first sc (counts as last ch loop.)
Round 2: Ch 1, sc over post of double crochet just worked. *Ch 5, sc in next ch-5 loop* around. Sl st to first sc to join.
Ever After High & Monster High
Bodice
Row 1: Ch 7. Sc in second ch from hk and in each ch across (6).
Row 2: Ch 7, turn. Sc in each st across (6)
Row 3-5: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across (6)
Row 6: Ch 3, chain join into chain 8 loop from Row 2, ch 3, turn to work back across last row (strap made.) Sc in each st across.
Row 7: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across.
Row 8: Repeat Row 2.
Rows 9-11: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across.
Row 12: Ch 3, chain join into chain 7 loop from Row 8, ch 3, turn to work back across last row (strap made.) Sc in each st across. Fasten off, leaving approximately 8″ tail for sewing. Whipstitch the beginning chain edge and the final row together.
Skirt
Round 1: Join contrasting color to bottom, strap-free edge. Work into the ends of the rows as follows (you’ll have 12 sts to work into): *sc into next row end, 2 sc in next row end*. You should have 18 sts at the end. Sl st to 1st sc to join.
Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as dc now and throughout), 2 dc in same st. *Skip next st, 3 dc into next st* around. Sl st into 2nd chain of beginning chain 2 to join.
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in same st as joining. Sc in each st around. Sl st to join.
Round 4: Ch 2, 2 dc in same st. *Skip next 2 sts, 3 dc into next st* around. Sl st into 2nd ch of beginning chain 2 to join.
Round 5: Repeat Round 3.
Round 6: Repeat Round 4.
Rounds 7-8: Repeat Round 3 and 4 once more, then repeat Round 3 one more time. If you want the skirt to be longer or shorter, add or subtract repeats of Rounds 3 and 4, ending with Round 3. Do not fasten off, continue on to the edging as follows.
Edging
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in same st. *Ch 5, sk next 2 sts, sc in next st* around to last 2 sts. Ch 2, dc in first sc (counts as last ch loop.)
Round 2: Ch 1, sc over post of double crochet just worked. *Ch 5, sc in next ch-5 loop* around. Sl st to first sc to join.
~
I hope you enjoy this pattern! What kind of dresses would you like to see in the future? I have another one planned for Ever After High, but I would welcome your thoughts on the matter. You can never have too many Barbie dresses! 🙂 Have a wonderful day!
I did not pressure myself to start making Barbie cloths for Christmas for two little girls it is going to be my pleasure to make them for. They do not have Barbies yet but I have purchased a doll for each of them and one for me so I will be fitting to the correct size. It is going to be my joy this winter to make and send them clothes to them. I am in Minnesota and they are in California.I am going to love making this pattern for them as It will be one they can put on and take off by themselves with out asking mom for help.
If I find I am good at this my start making them for an Esty store and craft shows. I will recognize you as the creator of the pattern.
That sounds wonderful, Betty! I’m sure the girls will love the Barbie clothes. In general, I like the crocheted clothes better than store-bought because they last longer and they’re more modest…and it will be extra-special for them since it’s custom-made!
It’s a great idea to start an Etsy store – and thank you for saying you’ll credit me! It’s much appreciated. 🙂 I hope you have fun with the doll clothes!
I did not pressure myself to start making Barbie cloths for Christmas for two little girls it is going to be my pleasure to make them for. They do not have Barbies yet but I have purchased a doll for each of them and one for me so I will be fitting to the correct size. It is going to be my joy this winter to make and send them clothes to them. I am in Minnesota and they are in California.I am going to love making this pattern for them as It will be one they can put on and take off by themselves with out asking mom for help.
If I find I am good at this my start making them for an Esty store and craft shows. I will recognize you as the creator of the pattern.
That sounds wonderful, Betty! I’m sure the girls will love the Barbie clothes. In general, I like the crocheted clothes better than store-bought because they last longer and they’re more modest…and it will be extra-special for them since it’s custom-made!
It’s a great idea to start an Etsy store – and thank you for saying you’ll credit me! It’s much appreciated. 🙂 I hope you have fun with the doll clothes!