Barbie Strapless Dress

Barbie_strapless_printable  - pdf format

It's just one pattern piece with 1/4 inch hems included!  The skirt's pretty easy, just use a rectangle. 

There was one here before but it seems to have disappeared.  The pictures and instructions are still around, but the pattern itself is lost in the sands of time.  I guess I really didn't keep a single copy of the file or even the printouts that I could have scanned back in, so it was back to the beginning with a new one!  I used tinfoil this time instead of stickers  :-) 

Oh yes, it works, but it is not THAT easy.  Still had to have some testing cycles before it started to come out right. 

 

Pretty basic to sew up... right sides together, stitch 1/4" in from the top and sides, then stitch the darts (or do darts first, for a smoother interior) clip the corners and turn inside out

One of the test models goes together with a rectangle for skirt

That's as done as it's gonna get.  See the pin holding it together in back?  The SHAPE is the important part  :-)

Test 2, with really elegant zigzag hem finishing... turned the wrong way too, no less.  You CAN
do better than that  :-) 

I was trying to make sure it would fit all three Barbie shapes, the classic 1966, 1999 and 2006,
and it does. 

There it is on the 1966.  You just need to sew the velcro on a little tighter for the new shapes.  I left plenty of extra fabric on the back flaps of the pattern for that purpose.  Might want to try it on the doll and then trim some off. 

Hey, check out my sewing machine.  It's a Singer made in Mexico in the eighties.  I ripped off everything electric and strapped it to a treadle base, so when the power goes out (as it frequently does) I have at least one toy to play with by candlelight.  The foot was pressing so hard it was impossible to sew with, so I ripped the springs off and put rubber bands on there instead.  Now it presses about right and the tension is good.  After doing this much modification to a thing it's hard to hate it  :-) 
We kind of have an understanding with each other by now.