Diana’s Patch - Sewing Patterns for Soft Sculpture Dolls, Vintage Dolls and Doll Supplies

This easy-to-follow pattern set includes designs for a shirt, overalls, dress, bib, and bloomers tailored for 16" (Pattern #68) and 20" (Pattern #69) Cabbage Patch Kids. The shirt and dress are crafted from woven cotton, featuring ruffled sleeves with a contrasting sleeve band. The shirt boasts a neckband, while the dress showcases a piped collar. Overalls can be fashioned from light twill or heavy woven cotton fabric, complete with leg cuffs that complement the shirt. The bib features knife-pleated ruffles. Both the overalls and bib are adorned with embroidery, with a design measuring approximately 3-4 inches. Available in my Etsy shop!

I've completed the Day to Night Cabbie pattern, but I must warn that it's not suitable for beginners. Working with velvet and chiffon can be challenging, as velvet slips easily and requires hand-basting before machine stitching, while chiffon is prone to snagging and requires careful grain alignment. However, substituting velvet with twill and chiffon with regular cotton fabric can make the project more manageable. Available on Etsy . Inspired by the  American Girl Day to Night Barbie outfit , I aimed for accuracy, adding details like a fully lined jacket. The jacket and skirt are made from velvet, adding an extra touch of elegance. I did make a few tweaks, like adding elastic to the waist of the skirt for easy on-and-off, omitting the Velcro. Pattern includes instructions and pieces to make a velvety jacket with white contrast collar and two-button closure, a chiffon scarf, a felt hat with band, a bodysuit, and a reversible skirt with velvet on one side and gathered chiffon ...

 I really did not want to make another outfit like this because the last one took me so long. But, driven by perfectionism, I felt it really needed to be improved. This version took about half the time as the original, with notable improvements including replacing tulle with chiffon in the skirt and using sew-on snaps instead of working buttons.  Now I just need to finish writing up the pattern and get it published, yet I’m contemplating making an outfit with twill fabric rather than velvet to see if it’s much easier to work with.

After creating the Day to Night Cabbie outfit and writing up the pattern, I began thinking about ways to improve it. One aspect that bothered me was the tulle skirt, which kept sticking up, and was bulky due to several layers of tulle. To gain inspiration, I purchased the 1980s Day to Night Barbie, curious about its construction and materials. I also wanted to complete the collection. I discovered that the "night" skirt isn't made of tulle but rather the same chiffon-type fabric as the scarf.  So off I go to make another Cabbie outfit... Meanwhile, the Day to Night Barbie has gained popularity, partly due to American Girl's reproduction outfit for 18" dolls. In 2017, Mattel released a reproduction Day to Night Barbie for $30, but I only found out after they were discontinued. Now, finding an unboxed vintage or reproduction Barbie for under $100 is challenging. I lucked out on eBay, finding one with its box and accessories, but slightly used. Initially, the d...

Taken from the Vintage Fandom Wiki page, here is a list with photos and descriptions of the vintage Barbie Patterns. You can easily scroll through to see all the patterns, and click on an image to enlarge it.  Advance 2895 1962; Barbie Trousseau Wardrobe. Advance 2899 1962; Ken Wardrobe: He's a Doll! Barbie's Boyfriend: A handsome wardrobe for Ken, Barbie's Boyfriend - fun to make and Sew-Easy too! Includes patterns for: 1) Jacket and Ascot 2) Slacks and Shirt 3) Deck Pants and Shirt 4) Bermuda Shorts and Shirt 5) Robe 6) Pajamas Advance 3377 1964; Teen Doll Wardrobe: Tucked in the envelope are patterns for six different outfits. Each is printed on a separate tissue with its own step-by-step instruction chart. There is also a little sewing book which tells you, in simple words and drawing, the steps you take to make your doll's clothes. It doesn't matter which outfit you make first - one is as easy as the other. Pin a tissue to the fabric and  cut.  . .do what th...