Blinged-Up Crochet Barbie Cocktail Dress Pattern

I've seen some pretty amazing doll clothes around Blogland, very detailed and gorgeous! While they are inspiring, you won't see anything too involved here at Pig In Mud:@) But what I hope you will find every once in a while is a "rainy afternoon project" that you can bang out within a couple hours or even better yet, make with your daughter or granddaughter. This little cocktail dress is a good example.

I love these funky little $1 skeins of yarn at AC Moore! Variegated with sequins, the bling immediately caught my eye... I think Barbie's a blingy kinda gal:@) The yarn is not 4 ply, it's thinner, maybe it's closer to a baby yarn or sport weight?

 This tube dress only uses single crochet and double crochet and is worked from the bottom up. I love that it has some shape to it. I'll admit that it was a lucky coincidence that the dress goes from lighter to darker, I didn't even think of how the colors would work out!

 As for the pattern, I am a novice at crocheting, these are my notes while making it. It will give you an idea of what you need to do and I think you can guess it just needs to be decreased a few stitches for the waist, increased for the bust and then decrease the last row over each boob so the top fits snugly. I kept slipping it on the doll and doing what seemed to make sense:@)

Crochet Barbie Cocktail Dress-I used an H hook.
Chain 28, slip stitch into first chain making sure not to twist chain.
Row 1-3~ Chain 1, single crochet around, slip stitch into chain 1 at end of row.
Row 4-6~ Chain 3, double crochet around, slip stitch into chain 3 at end of row.
Row 7-8~ Chain 1 *single crochet in next four stitches, decrease single crochet in next two stitches, repeat from *. After the last decrease just single crochet to the starting point again. Slip stitch into chain 1.
Row 9-11~ Chain 3, double crochet around, slip stitch into chain 3 at end of row.
Here's where the top begins and I really just eyed what I was doing... I considered where I joined my chain 28 the center of the back and single crochet to under her arm, then started increasing for the bust.
Row 12~ Chain 1, single crochet the next 5 stitches (or until you're under her arm), single crochet increase in the next 6 stitches (or to cover the bottom of her breasts), finish single crochet around, slip stitch into chain 1.
Row 13~ Chain 1, single crochet the next 6 stitches, single crochet increase in the next 3 stitches (fullest part of breast), single crochet in the next 3 stitches, single crochet increase in the next 3 stitches, finish single crochet around, slip stitch into chain 1.
Row 14-15~ Chain 1, single crochet around, slip stitch into chain 1 at end of row.
Row 16~ Chain 1, single crochet to boob, decrease single crochet, single crochet, decrease single crochet, single crochet to middle of back chain 1. Tie off and work ends in.

Please let me know if you try it and if there are any needed pattern adjustments!

You can click here for my Barbie Pinterest Board.

Have a happy day:@)