Diana’s Patch - Doll Blog - Sewing Patterns and Doll Supplies

 I splurged and bought Courtney’s bedroom set. It was on sale for 20% off, making it $180.  I don’t remember it being on sale that low in the past. When I checked out with PayPal, I received an offer for their credit card with a $50 credit, which makes the bedroom set $130. I’m also going to be getting 380 rewards for my order (I also purchased her walkman for 20% off, as well as one of her shirts).  With that, I’ll be getting about $20 back, making it $110. Most of the accessories that come with the set I will be selling individually on ebay , hopefully making $110 back.  This is the only way I could splurge on this.  My main draw for getting this set was the phone. Rarely do people sell the phone individually and if they do, it goes for over $50.  Then I was browsing eBay (a dangerous past time, I know) and I saw a super cute bedding set with the Care Bear theme. It inspired me to make my own, along with Strawberry Shortcake, Hello Kitty, and Barbie! ...

Mattel's Strict Trademark Policies: What Etsy Sellers Need to Know  As an Etsy seller, I recently stumbled upon a question about whether sellers need to blur out the faces of American Girl (AG) dolls to avoid copyright infringement. Curious, I dug deeper and found  page after page of sellers who had their Etsy shops closed or listings deactivated due to trademark infringement.  Most companies don't mind when sellers use images of their products, but Mattel (the manufacturer of AG and Barbie) is a different story.  In fact, some YouTubers have stopped making videos featuring Mattel's dolls due to the company's strict policies. What Constitutes Trademark Infringement? When it comes to trademarked names or intellectual property, copyright infringement is often referred to as trademark infringement.  Trademark infringement occurs when someone uses a trademarked name, logo, or symbol without permission, in a way that's likely to confuse consumers or dilute the trade...

Exciting news!  My brand new sewing pattern,Crystal Barbie-Inspired Ensemble, is now available on cpkdiana.etsy.com ! Note: I have had to take out all "Barbie" references from the listing and blur the face due to Mattel's extremely strict enforcement of their trademark and intellectual property rights. Apparently no one is allowed to use the term "Barbie" or even use a Barbie doll in a photo of something that is being sold. I have written to Mattel to get permission to use doll images, but it could take weeks to hear back. I'm also working on patterns for Cabbage Patch Kids and American Girl Dolls, which will be available soon! In addition to selling patterns, I'm considering offering finished outfits for purchase. If you'd be interested in buying outfits for your dolls, please let me know! This will help me gauge interest and plan my fabric purchases accordingly. Thanks for your support, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts! The Inspiratio...

  Did someone say Peaches and Cream?  My last Barbie-to-Cabbie outfit project led to a fascinating suggestion: recreating the iconic Peaches and Cream Barbie look. I never owned this Barbie as a child, nor do I remember her. Determined to find inspiration for my next Cabbie outfit, I embarked on a quest to find a Peaches and Cream Barbie. However, it wasn't easy! She is extremely popular, and even rough condition dolls with missing accessories (like the boa and belt) were priced around $50. Mint-in-box versions were a staggering $200+. I set up eBay notifications to alert me to new listings and managed to snag one at a reasonable price. This Barbie has her complete outfit and is in pristine condition – just needed a gentle cleaning. Now, I’ve drafted a pattern to recreate this stunning outfit. I'm excited to start sewing, but I'm also a bit apprehensive. Chiffon can be notoriously tricky to work with! Off to sew... Wish me luck! I'll be back with the finished Peaches an...

 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  P 1962; Barbie Trousseau Wardrobe. Advance 28991962; 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 Ascot2) Slacks and Shirt3) Deck Pants and Shirt4) Bermuda Shorts and Shirt5) Robe6) Pajamas Advance 3377  P 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 the ...