I wanted to make a dress for Barbie that did not need to have snaps or velcro sewn on as closures because I'm lazy like that. So I crocheted a dress using worsted weight yarn that would give the dress enough stretch to slip on, but at the same time still have shape. I've only tried it on the Barbie type that has the hard legs which are slippery, not the rubbery legs. However, because of the stretch, it does fit dolls that are the older (disproportionate) type and the newer (less disproportionate :) ) type.
Slip on Dress
Materials:
Worsted
weight yarn
I
Hook
Gauge:
4 sc = 1 inch and 4 sc rows = 1 inch
Dress:
Ch
20, sl st in 1st ch
Rows
1-4: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st in 1st sc (20 sc)
Row
5: Ch 1, (sc in next 3 sc, sc dec over next 2 sc) 4 times, sl st in 1st
sc (16 sc)
Row
6: Ch 1, (sc in next 2 sc, sc dec over next 2 sc) 4 times, sl st in 1st
sc (12 sc)
Rows
7-8: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st in 1st sc (12 sc)
Row
9: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, sl st in 1st sc (24 sc)
Row
10: Ch 2, dc in each sc around, sl st in 1st dc (24 dc)
Repeat
Row 10 until the dress is the desired length. F/O and weave in ends.
Straps:
Working
on the other side of Row 1, attach yarn in a sc that you would like to be in
the back.
Row
1: Ch 1, sc in next 6 sc, ch 6, sk next 3 sc, sc in next 8 sc, ch 6, sk next 3
sc, sl st in 1st sc
(14 sc, 12 ch, 6 sk st)
Row
2: Ch 1, sc in first 5 sc, sc dec in next sc and in next ch, sc in next 4 ch,
sc dec in next ch
and the next 2 sc, sc in next 4 sc,
sc dec in next 2 sc and in next ch, sc in next 4 ch, insert
hook
in last ch, yo, pull through ch, insert hook in 1st sc of this row,
yo, pull through all
loops
on hook.
F/O
and weave in ends. Decorate as desired.
In the pictures, I used a contrasting color for the straps and I added a row of sc to the bottom using the same contrasting color to balance out the top.
