
Based on the photo you see above, which shows my Curvy Made-to-Move Barbie wearing the raglan-sleeved blouse from View 3 in Simplicity Barbie doll clothes pattern 8281 from the early 1980’s, you would think Curvy Barbies could wear all of the patterns from this set.

But it may not be wise to make assumptions about this vintage pattern just yet. The pattern was originally designed to fit a vintage Barbie from the time, and as you can see in the image below, the raglan-sleeved blouse from Simplicity 8281 fits a vintage Barbie to perfection:

The skirt both dolls are wearing is one of my own designs, of course. (Click here for that pattern and tutorial video.) You’ll recognize it from all the different blog posts I’ve been doing about the ensemble shown below:

Well I’ve discovered that the raglan sleeve blouse from View 3 of Simplicity vintage doll clothes pattern #8281 does fit a regular modern-day Barbie, although as you can see in the image below, the darts don’t quite match her bustline:

But does it fit my Made-to-Move Curvy? I’m afraid not. When you flip her around to the back, you can see that the Velcro didn’t quite close when I tried it on her:

That’s just a Made-to-Move Curvy Barbie though… Will the Simplicity 8281 pattern fit my regular Curvy Barbie?
Once again, I’m afraid the answer is no:

Although in this image, you can see that it fits regular Curvy Barbie with just a little bit more room. It’s possible that snaps may be a better option than Velcro.
The best solution, though, is to make a gusset. If you’re not familiar with gussets, it’s one of the features I teach in my class, “How to Alter Doll Clothes Patterns.” Have a look at the video below to learn more.
Most of the commercial patterns I display and talk about here on ChellyWood.com are also available for sale on eBay. However, if you’ve never purchased a pattern on eBay before, it’s a good idea to read the article I wrote called, “Tips for Buying Used Doll Clothes Patterns on eBay.” It will save you time, money, and will likely prevent buyer’s remorse.
And by the way, if you use the links I’ve provided to make your eBay purchase, this website will receive a small commission, which helps fund the ChellyWood.com website, so I can continue to provide you with all the free patterns and tutorial videos offered here.
If you’d like to see all of my previous blog posts on the vintage 8281 Simplicity Barbie doll clothes pattern, or any of the other vintage patterns I’ve written about, please click here.
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Chelly Wood and the ChellyWood.com website are not affiliated with the pattern company or companies mentioned in this blog post, but Chelly finds inspiration in the doll clothes designed by these pattern companies. To purchase patterns from Simplicity, McCall’s, Butterick, Vogue, or other pattern companies shown and discussed in this blog post, please click on the links provided here. These links below the “Disclaimer” section do not help raise money for this free pattern website; they are only offered to give credit to the company that made these patterns.