The first sewing pattern I used for the 11.5″ girls was this one, McCalls 7550. That experience taught me to look at the dolls modelling the garments in the picture, because nothing I made from this pattern fit my vintage Barbies. I made the sundress (shown in a blue floral) in navy and again in pink, and it just barely fit the Silkstone girls. The pattern is drafted for dolls that are less curvy than vintage B.

Here’s my post about those dresses.

Now, of course, my newest girls have a different body sculpt than vintage B. original Silkstone or articulated Silkstone. The Made-to-Move Original body is smaller in the bust and hips, and generally less curvy. I have the Looks 20 redhead, and the blonde from the new Basic Black series has the same body sculpt. I was wondering what patterns to use for them – the garments that fit the Silkies are a bit big in the bust for the MTM Original body – and remembered this pattern.

Aha! It works brilliantly.

Let’s have a look. I made sundresses again – that view has a halter top – but left out the crinolines. Here’s one of them in a cotton print (with cotton voile lining) on Barbie Basics #2: (Hmm. Now I see the red thread on the front of her skirt. Oops!)

I’ve always thought these hats were funny – they’re made of two circles of fabric with a wedge cut out, like a piece of pie. The opening is then seamed, like a dart, and the two sides sewn together and turned. It looks like a plate to me BUT it’s hard to make hats for the girls. In the first place, they’re fiddly, and in the second, they often are too small to sit well on their heads. When they’re made big enough, they look disproportionate. I love hats and this frustrates me. I tried the disc hat on a whim, and it actually looks pretty good. Who would have guessed?

The shoes make me laugh. They were included in a mixy-mixy bundle of shoes for B. They should have red soles because they look like Christian LouBoutin’s Daffodile pumps embellished with Swarovski crystals. (Nothing but the best for the girls!) I’m trying to figure out a way to neatly paint the soles red and make them sparkle. Too bad I only have a white pair.

I also made the jacket and pants (shown in pink on the pattern envelope) with the top but without the scarf. I used pleather for the pants and these are snug even on MTM Original. It might be the fabric.

They look great, though, and the length is perfect. I made the top but didn’t like it particularly. It’s a little loose in the bust on this girl but just a relaxed fit. I changed the neckline to a V instead of the round neck so now that top looks a bit like scrubs to me. That may be the issue for me.

Instead of the top, I knit a top from Sticka-til-Barbie, #263, in black Malabrigo Sock. Here’s the Ravelry link for that pattern. Like so many of these patterns, it’s a quick and clever knit. I made the decreases mirror each other, but otherwise just knit as written. This one is a little confusing – it’s knit in the round to the bottom of the front slit, then you need to work past the CB to the othet CF with each row.

The jacket is also quilting cotton, also lined in cotton voile.

I tried both on an articulated Silkstone and an original Silkstone.

This is a little loose in the waist and fits perfectly in the bust on the articulated Silkstone. (She’s Best in Black, btw.) If I was sewing specifically for her, I would just move the waist snap 1/8″.

Here’s an original Silkstone in view E.

This is A Model Life. The pants are quite loose around the waist for her but fit okay through the hips. I think they could be a teensy bit longer. She refused to wear the red boots, btw. 🙂

She also wasn’t fond of the sweater, as if was quite loose for her, especially in the waist. She preferred this little short sleeved cotton top that I drafted up for the Barbie Basics 20. (She liked it, too, but it didn’t fit under the coat, which she loves.)

So this pattern that I’d set aside in frustration is now a go-to for the newest girls. This pattern is still available new, in either print or downloadable PDF. Here’s the link to the product page at Simplicity patterns.

I’m now regretting that I chucked out the suit I made from this pattern. It’s shown in green on the envelope, a dress and jacket, and I made it of ivory silk. It was soooooo pretty but it didn’t fit any of my girls then. I guess I’ll just have to make it again – but now, I have a piece of green silk that will be just perfect.