You can't argue with the popularity of Barbie dolls. Almost every girl dreams of such a toy. Modern shops offer a wide variety of dolls themselves, as well as clothes for them. However, there are situations in which the young owner of Barbie does not manage to try on a new outfit on her, since it does not fit in size. Mom can save the situation by sewing a simple dress for the doll. But first you need to find out how the size of the Barbie doll is determined.
A bit of history
Today, there are many Barbie models, both collectible and thematic. The story of the 11.5-inch plastic doll, which is now considered standard, began back in 1959 with the filing of American mother Ruth Handler. The woman took as a prototype the Bild Lilly doll, which was popular in Germany at that time, with proportions similar to human and 29 cm tall. Matell, which was the property of Hanlders, created the first Barbie doll for this prototype and taking into account the recommendations of Ruth.
For all decades, the doll was also made in large sizes comparable to the growth of the child, and porcelain models made to order are also known.
New Barbie dolls, which began to be produced since 2005, do not differ in growth from the old-style models.
Standard doll sizes
The current established size of Barbie dolls is 29 cm (11.5 inches), while the male representative, Ken doll, is one and a half centimeters taller (12 inches) and the younger sister (Scripper) is 1 inch lower.
The modern Barbie differs from the old model mainly in chest circumference (it is larger on the older version of the doll by 1 cm). In addition, the new model has a more elegant back. Classic models are made to this day. They are usually significantly cheaper than new products.
There are models from 25 to 30 cm tall, and they also belong to the Barbie brand.
How to sew clothes for a doll yourself
Sewing casual clothes for Barbie is not complicated. Difficulties may arise with jumpsuits or lush evening gowns. To connect, you can use a simple seam, sew manually or on a typewriter. Based on the fact that the size of the Barbie doll implies the presence of small parts when sewing outfits, the manual method is preferable.
Materials for sewing doll clothes are limited only by imagination. You can also crochet or knit the outfit. And decorating the hem of a magnificent dress with frill or lace, you can get an analog that is in no way inferior to clothes for Barbie, which is sold in the store.
Step-by-step instructions for sewing a simple dress
To sew the outfit, you need to accurately determine the size of the Barbie doll. To make a simple sheath dress, you need to measure the doll’s height, the required length of the product, the circumference of the chest, waist and hips, as well as the width of the shoulders and the height of the yoke (length from the shoulder line to the center of the chest).
The stages of tailoring a basic dress for Barbie are the following steps:
- Preparation of a sketch of a future product. The hostess of the doll can be involved in this process.
- Transferring the sketch to paper, taking into account the measurements taken, is the construction of the pattern.
- Next, the pattern should be cut and attached to the cut of the selected fabric
- Circle the pattern, adding a seam allowance of 1-1.5 centimeters on all sides.
- Cut parts and sew together, observing the position of the front and back sides.
After sewing, it is recommended to steam the item for the doll fashionista with an iron through a cloth.
Beautiful Barbie dolls are available today in almost every toy store. And the clothes sewn for the doll with their own hands will help to give individuality. You can also attract a daughter to this process, so that she learns sewing and perseverance in the process of this interesting activity. Designer outfits will definitely distinguish a Barbie doll from many others.