The new Barbie Movie has taken the world by storm, bringing a wave of pink everywhere! The costume designs are a dazzling display of fabulousness with a strong vintage vibe, which I absolutely adore. Drawing inspiration directly from Barbie’s iconic wardrobe, the outfits in the movie are truly unforgettable. Rather than splurging on the movie dolls (though we couldn’t resist picking up the Pink Western Barbie), I’ve decided to get creative and hack together some sewing patterns to recreate a few of the iconic looks, starting with my favorite—the pink gingham dress. Follow along with this tutorial to sew your very own Barbie Movie-inspired gingham doll dress!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Pink gingham fabric with small squares (4-5mm or 1/8”)
- Matching pink or white thread
- Approximately 30cm of matching gingham ribbons in both 5mm and 1cm widths (for straps and belt)
- A pink gingham ribbon bow (or create one using the 5mm ribbon)
- White netting or tulle for the underskirt
- Pearl seed beads (for the belt and necklace)
- Jewelry headpin (for threading beads onto to create the buckle)
- 2 poppers or snaps
- Beading elastic for the necklace
- Fray check or fray stop liquid
How to Make the Dress
Step 1: Make the Bodice
To create the bodice, start by downloading the pattern here:
[Barbie Movie Dress Bodice Pattern Download]
Cut out the paper pattern pieces and pin them onto your fabric. The fabric should be folded, with the front bodice piece cut on the fold. Pin the back panel pattern to the fabric and cut through both layers. Be sure to align the checks so they are vertical.
Using a removable fabric marker or fabric pencil, mark the positions of the bodice darts (the triangle shapes) on both the front and back panels. Apply fray check or fray stop liquid to all raw edges—gingham tends to fray quite a bit, so this will help prevent that and eliminate the need to finish the seams.
Next, sew the darts on the front and back bodice panels. To do this, fold the fabric right sides together and sew from the point of the triangle to the fabric edge. This will shape the bodice properly. Press the seams flat once sewn.
Step 2: Make the Skirt
For the skirt, I used the 10th Anniversary Medium Girl pattern from Requiem Art Designs, which is free with the purchase of another pattern. I also picked up the Country Classic Summer Dress pattern, as it has a similar vintage Barbie Movie vibe. I haven’t tried that one yet—my project list is just too long! I did attempt to figure out how to calculate box pleats, but eventually gave up!
You can find the pattern on Etsy when you buy another one.
The pattern piece you’ll need is called the 1-Piece Skirt. Cut the fabric accordingly, and make sure to mark the locations for the pleats, as this is an important step.
Apply fray stop or fray check to the raw edges of the skirt. Next, press a hem at the bottom of the skirt and topstitch it in place.
For the pleats, sew them together, but only stitch about 0.5cm down from the top. Repeat this for each pleat.
Once all the pleats are sewn, press them flat.
Step 3: Make an underskirt
Cut a piece of tulle or netting to match the depth of your hemmed skirt and twice the width. Sew two rows of gathering stitches along the top edge. Gently pull the threads to gather the tulle until it matches the width of the bodice.
Step 4: Attach the skirt to the bodice
Place the bodice on top of the skirt, right sides together, with the bodice facing down. Tack the pieces together by hand. If there’s any excess fabric in the skirt width, trim both sides evenly to ensure a neat fit.
Pin the gathered underskirt to the skirt (so it’s on the inside) and sew through all three layers to attach the skirts to the bodice. Press the bodice up.
Step 5: Finishing off
Fold the dress in half lengthwise and sew the back seam, stopping about 2cm below the waistline. Next, sew the poppers or snaps at the top of the bodice and at the waistline. Before attaching each popper or snap, fold the fabric that will be on top inwards. For a snug fit, mark where the other half of the popper or snap should go before sewing it in place.
Cut two lengths of thin ribbon and seal the ends with a flame (adults only) or fray stop. Place the ribbons on the front bodice, marking their desired position. Hand sew the ribbons onto the front. Repeat the same process for the back bodice.
Step 5: Accessories
Cut two lengths of thin ribbon and seal the ends with a flame (adults only) or fray stop. Place the ribbons on the front bodice, marking their desired position. Hand sew the ribbons onto the front. Repeat the same process for the back bodice.
