Free Barbie Summer Outfit Circular Knitting Pattern (Knit in the Round)

Knit a cute crop top and mini skirt for Barbie with this free pattern, perfect for using up leftover yarn scraps.

Knit top down in the round with either a long circular needle or a set of DPNs, they are quick to knit with no fiddly seams – hooray! These clothes should fit all 11.5 inch fashion dolls.

This pattern is also available for straight knitting needles, with the top and skirt knit as flat pieces and seamed down the back.

What you Need

• Set of 3.25mm (size 3 US) DPNs or a long circular needle (for magic loop)
• Sport or 4 ply yarn:
  • Crop top: 12m, 13 yds or 3 grams approx
  • Mini skirt: 18m, 20 yds or 5 grams approx
    I used Drops Baby Merino wool in shade 2 of white and shade 10 light turquoise.
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Finished measurements:
Top: 4.5cm (1.75 in) long and 6cm (2.5 in) wide
Skirt: 6cm (2.5 in) long and 9cm (3.5 in ) wide across bottom

Since doll’s clothes are so small, the easiest way to judge size is by actually knitting the 15 row crop top! 😀
But for reference, the tension/gauge is 26 stitches and 39 rows to 10 cm (4 inches) approx.

There are plenty of increases & decreases for shaping, but if you miss the odd one or put it in the wrong place, it’s no big deal. Barbie won’t mind! 😊

Abbreviations

• Rx – round number x
• kx – knit x stitches
• px – purl x stitches
• k2tog – knit 2 stitches together to decrease by 1 stitch
• m1 – make 1 stitch (increase a stitch) using your preferred increase method
  I used m1L: Put your left needle under the bar between the previous & next stitch from front to back, lift it up and place it on the left needle. Then knit into the back of it to make a new stitch.
• m1r (skirt) – right slanted increase
  make 1 stitch by putting your left needle under the bar between the previous & next stitch from back to front, lift it up and place it on the left needle. Then knit into the front of this to make a new stitch.
• st – stitches

Crop Top Pattern

Note: Rounds 1-12 are the same as for the barbie dress pattern

Neckline

Option 1: For a tighter firm neckline, use the long tail cast on (guide + video). Divide your stitches on your circular needle or DPNs to join in the round before knitting round 1 as usual.

Option 2: For a wide, stretchy neckline that can be worn off the shoulder, use the knitted cast on (video) instead, where you use 2 needles and put your needle into the previous stitch when casting on each stitch.

NOTE: With the knitted cast on, knit the 1st row flat on 2 needles before joining to knit in the round from round 2 onwards.

The wide neck option (pink top below) also makes the top easier for small children to get on & off.

Cast on 24 stitches.
R1: knit
R2 and all even rounds unless stated: knit all stitches (no increases or decreases)

Increase at sides and front for shoulders:
R3: k5, m1, k2, m1, k2, m1, k6, m1, k2, m1, k2, m1, k5 [30 st]
R5: k5, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k8, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k5 [36 st]

Armholes

R7: k5. Cast off the next 6 stitches. Start by knitting stitches 7 & 8 and pass stitch 7 over 8 to cast it off.
Knit 13 more stitches, so that you have 6 stitches, the cast off gap and 14 more stitches.
Now cast off the next 6 stitches. Again, start by knitting the next 2 stitches, and passing the 1st over the 2nd.
Finally knit the last 4 stitches.
So you have 5 stitches, a cast off gap, 14 stitches, a cast off gap & 5 stitches [24 st]

R8: k5, cast on 2 stitches using the backwards loop method with your thumb (video), k14, cast on another 2 stitches, k5 [28 st]

Rest of Top

Front increases for bust:
R9: k9, m1, k10, m1, k9 [30 st]
R11: k9, m1, k12, m1, k9 [32 st]

Ribbing:
R13: k6, k2tog, k16, k2tog, k6 [30 st]
R14-15: (k1,p1) and repeat this pattern to end to knit 1×1 rib stitch

Cast off in rib. Start by knitting the 1st stitch, purling the 2nd, and passing the 1st stitch over the 2nd. Then knit the 3rd stitch & pass the previous stitch over it, purl the 4th stitch etc.

Mini Skirt Pattern

Cast on 24 stitches using the long tail cast on (guide + video) or your preferred cast on method. Split the stitches on either a long circular needle or a set of short DPNs to work in the round.

Waist ribbing:
R1-3: (k1, p1) and repeat this pattern to the end to knit 1×1 rib stitch [24 sts]
R4: knit

Skirt increases:
Do 4 sets of increases, increasing evenly by 6 stitches each time in the 1st round and then knitting 3 even rounds.
I’ve used a few right slanted increases (m1r) here as well as the standard left slanted increases (m1) for a neater look. But feel free to just use m1 throughout for simplicity (or your fave increase method).

R5: k2, m1r, k4, m1, k4, m1, k4, m1r, k4, m1, k4, m1, k2 [30 sts]
R6-8: knit 3 rounds

R9: k3, m1r, k5, m1, k5, m1, k5, m1r, k5, m1, k5, m1, k2 [36 sts]
R10-12: knit 3 rounds

R13: k3, m1r, k6, m1, k6, m1, k6, m1r, k6, m1, k6, m1, k3 [42 sts]
R14-16: knit 3 rounds

R17: k4, m1r, k7, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1r, k7, m1, k7, m1, k3 [48 sts]
R18-20: knit 3 rounds
Knit more rounds for a longer skirt.

Skirt border:
R21: purl (the only purl round in the pattern)
R22: knit

Cast off in k1,p1 rib or your preferred method.
To cast off in rib, start by knitting the 1st stitch, purling the 2nd, and passing the 1st stitch over the 2nd. Then knit the 3rd stitch & pass the previous stitch over it, purl the 4th stitch etc.

Finishing

Weave in yarn ends using a tapestry needle.

Reinforce Armholes (optional)

The underside of the armholes is a bit delicate and sharp doll fingers can get caught there.

You can make the armholes more robust by threading your tapestry needle with a length of yarn and adding a few vertical stitches over the bottom side of the armhole (overstitching).

I’ve shown this overstitching in a contrast pink colour on the left below so you can see the stitches made. When you use matching yarn (right) you won’t see it at all:

Washing & Blocking

The crop top is OK straight off the needles but it’s nice to block the skirt so Barbie looks her best:

• Step 1: Soak it in a bowl of cool water for about half an hour (add a drop of wool wash if you like)
• Step 2: Gently squeeze out the excess water (pressing it inside a towel helps)
• Step 3: Lay out neatly on a baking rack or similar and when you’re happy with the shape, leave to dry

I hope you enjoy knitting this summer outfit for a special doll and find the pattern easy to follow.
Got any questions or feedback? Please leave a comment below.

This 11.5 inch doll’s dress pattern is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be copied, sold, translated or distributed in any way, nor any finished items made using it sold, without permission. While it’s also designed to fit Barbie dolls, it’s not associated with Mattel in any way – I’m just a big Barbie fan. 😊