Barbie Mania by Nana Gaye

My mother was an excellent seamstress..  With three daughters, she did her share of sewing for us and also making doll clothes. She started making Barbie doll clothes about 1960  when my younger sister and I got our first Barbie dolls.  Every Christmas we would get a box of Barbie clothes.  My oldest niece was born in 1974 and as soon as she was “Barbie” age, she also got that special box and so on down the line. It seems nearly every Christmas there was a box of homemade Barbie clothes under the tree for some lucky little girl.  I started making Barbie doll clothes soon after my third son was born.  I first sold them at craft fairs, etc.  After all those boys, I loved making pink things with lots of ribbons and lace! My mother died in 1994 and by that time there was a great niece Barbie age at Christmas.  I made the box of doll clothes that year and following  years for great nieces.   In 2006, our family was blessed with 4 baby girls who are now just about Barbie age.   This Christmas there will be six boxes of Barbie clothes under the family Christmas tree!  Guess who will have the most fun on Christmas Day dressing the dolls……my sisters and I who are all over 50!

This is the first year that I will be making Barbie clothes for my own granddaughter.  I hope she will enjoy them as much as I did.  She has a new baby sister so the saga will continue for at least a few more years.

The wedding dress is a replica of Princess Diana’s gown. It took me an entire day to make it. I could have made myself 3 or 4 dresses in that length of time.   That little bitty sleeve is in three separate parts and that collar is a nightmare to attach. The dress and train takes 1 ½ yards of fabric and that is a lot for a 11 ½ doll!   I have only made 2 of the dresses and do not intend to make anymore!

This wedding dress was made by my mother and is on one of my childhood Barbie’s.  I treasure that dress.  This white lace dress was made by my mother and is shown on my old Midge doll circa about 1964.

I have all of my mother’s old Barbie patterns.  One of my favorite is this nightgown and robe.  I have ordered several older patterns from eBay.

These are two more of my favorites.  I have made that black and white short dress in many different colors but the black and white is so sophisticated!

I love the black velvet evening dress and little girls love to touch it!  Notice all my pretty dolls. I have bought these over the years for around $4 or $5 dollars usually just in a swimsuit.   You cannot find really pretty Barbies anymore unless you buy the expensive dolls. I absolutely hate the ones with pink hair, etc.

I have an entire closet full of fabric suitable for Barbie clothes, yards upon yards of ribbon and lace, lots of tiny buttons, shoes, hats,  and fabric roses.  My mother could look at something and make it, but I am not that talented.  I can put two or three patterns together for a “new” design but that’s as far as my creativity goes.  My least favorite part of Barbie sewing used to be hand sewing on  all those tiny snaps.  Thank the Lord for Velcro!

New for me this year, will be making American Girl size clothes.  A few weeks ago, my sisters and I took a vacation together to the Smoky Mountains.  Since we each have a three year old granddaughter . We found a doll store and went wild!

And before anyone asks no, I can’t make Barbie clothes to sell this year……..I have 5 great nieces  and a granddaughter to sew for this Christmas.   Maybe next year!