Category: Vintage Ken

Simplicity 9054, showing the envelope front, which displays swimwear, hippie clothes, and 1960s and early 1970s fashions for both Ken and Barbie
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie, Vintage Ken

Guide to Sewing Simplicity 9054 Doll Clothes for Vintage Barbie and Ken Collectors #MeMadeMonday #BarbieGirl

Sometimes people who visit my website for the first time think I’m offering these copyrighted patterns for free. That’s not the case, of course. My website does offer free sewing patterns for vintage Ken, vintage Barbie, and similar-sized dolls, and if you need help finding those patterns, this link should help. However today’s blog post is all about the lessons I’ve personally learned when sewing … Continue reading Guide to Sewing Simplicity 9054 Doll Clothes for Vintage Barbie and Ken Collectors #MeMadeMonday #BarbieGirl

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The DoApick thumbnail (do a pick thumbnail) is purple with a rainbow and cloud graphic behind a cell phone, featuring a photo from a vintage Mattel doll clothes catalog. Today’s photo features a vintage Barbie doll modeling American Airlines Stewardess doll clothes ensemble number 984. Click on this thumbnail, and the link will take you to the “Do a Pick” game, which you can play by viewing (and listening to) the story scenario dealing with realistic activities children enjoyed with dolls, back in the 1970’s. Leave a comment to play along.
Do a Pick! Game, Doll Play Videos, Vintage Barbie, Vintage Ken

Let’s Do a Pick — Play a game with Barbie’s Friend Ship Airplane from 1972! #DoApick #vintageToys

  It’s Christmas, 2025! So today’s #DoApick short is about the fun Christmas presents that were available to play with when I was a kid, growing up in the 1970’s. So fun! I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday. 🙂 Today’s “Do a Pick” game features the following: American Airlines Captain #0779 American Airlines Stewardess #984 Army and Air Force #797 And here’s a link … Continue reading Let’s Do a Pick — Play a game with Barbie’s Friend Ship Airplane from 1972! #DoApick #vintageToys

Chelly Wood4 Comments
In the center of the frame is an old Y2k computer screen for an art program. The image shows the catalog listings for Ken swim trunks and beach jacket #750, the Ken Fun on Ice #791, and Ken Casuals #782. To the right of these catalogue images are the clothes (minus socks and shoes) from the original catalog listings. The text above this reads "Ken Clothes for sale." The ChellyWood.com logo appears at the bottom.
Favorite Books, For Sale in the Store, Vintage Ken

I have some vintage Ken clothes for sale on eBay… #KenFashion #KenCollector #DeClutter

I’m not so much a collector as a doll clothing designer, so while it’s really nice to have a variety of different Ken dolls to design and sew clothes for, I don’t really have a need for original doll clothes. So although a friend very generously gave me this collection of vintage Ken clothes — many of which are original Mattel items with the tags … Continue reading I have some vintage Ken clothes for sale on eBay… #KenFashion #KenCollector #DeClutter

Chelly Wood5 Comments
Thumbnail featuring a 12 inch tall (Malaysia 1968) “Bendable Leg” Ken doll stands beside a dress form labeled “Tape Measure Tuesday.” The thumbnail includes text: “With doll clothing designer, Chelly Wood,” accompanied by the Chelly Wood dot com logo. The image is bordered by purple rulers against a turquoise blue background. Clicking this thumbnail leads to an infographic detailing sewing measurements for the bendable leg Ken doll that was made in Malaysia in 1968.
Doll Measurements, Ken Patterns, Tape Measure Tuesday, Vintage Ken

Tape Measure Tuesday: Bendable Leg Ken (Malaysia 1968) sewing measurements #KenDolls #TapeMeasureTuesday

Scroll down for clarifications to each measurement. You’ll notice that today’s infographic has an unusual heading: “Bendable Leg Ken (Malaysia 1968).” What’s that all about? I’ll tell you what I know in today’s blog post. Please note: when you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations … Continue reading Tape Measure Tuesday: Bendable Leg Ken (Malaysia 1968) sewing measurements #KenDolls #TapeMeasureTuesday

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With a quilted purple and blue frame, a photo of a Made to Move Curvy Barbie with bright pink Anime-style hair stands next to and looks down at vintage 8281 Simplicity Barbie doll clothes pattern, which contains the patterns for making the very same raglan-sleeved shirt or blouse that the Made-to-Move Curvy Barbie is wearing. She also wears a miniskirt that is not pictured on the envelope for Simplicity 8281 vintage Barbie doll clothes patterns. The ChellyWood.com logo appears to the side of the photo.
Curvy Barbie, Fabric, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Sewing and Fashion History, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Barbie, Vintage Ken

What are raglan shirts? — Here’s a quick explanation! #Sewing #HandmadeWithLove

In the image at the top of today’s blog post, Ken is modeling a handmade raglan-sleeved T-shirt, but what, exactly, does “raglan” mean? Well, in today’s blog post, we’ll dig deep into the differences between a set-in sleeve and a raglan sleeve, looking at doll clothes sewing patterns for both kinds. If you’re wondering about the history of the word “raglan” (AKA its etymology), I’ll … Continue reading What are raglan shirts? — Here’s a quick explanation! #Sewing #HandmadeWithLove

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Framed by a purple and turquoise blue quilt, here we see a photo of vintage Ken doll clothes pattern number 2899 from Sew-Easy Patterns by Advance. Over the top of the vintage Ken doll clothes pattern, the words "BTS doll" are followed by a question mark. The ChellyWood.com logo appears beside the photo, to the left of the photo.
10-inch doll clothes patterns, 11-inch doll clothes patterns, BTS Dolls, Vintage Ken

Okay yes, BTS dolls can wear vintage Ken clothes, but… #SewVintage #BTSfan

I’m back with another analysis of my Advance 2899 sewing pattern for male fashion dolls. In the past, I’ve shown you how modern Ken and Ryan dolls fit into this pattern, and today, by request from one of my followers, I’m going to show you how well these patterns work for my Jimin doll from the Mattel BTS doll collection. This blog post was scheduled … Continue reading Okay yes, BTS dolls can wear vintage Ken clothes, but… #SewVintage #BTSfan

Chelly Wood2 Comments
The Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been repainted and re-wigged) stands beside the Advance 2899 vintage doll clothes patterns for a 1960's Ken doll. This pattern was published in 1962.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Vintage Ken

What is a facing in sewing? #SewingProjects #BarbieAndKen

It might surprise you to learn that of all the handmade Ken clothing items shown in the image above, the last thing I finished sewing was Ken’s shirt. Why? There was a mishap with the facing! So today’s blog post is about facings, and in particular, how sewing a facing on doll clothes is a little different from sewing facings on people’s clothes. *Please note: … Continue reading What is a facing in sewing? #SewingProjects #BarbieAndKen

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The Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been repainted and re-wigged) stands beside the Advance 2899 vintage doll clothes patterns for a 1960's Ken doll. This pattern was published in 1962.
Ken Patterns, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Uncategorized, Vintage Ken

How to Sew a Patch Pocket on a Ken Doll’s Shirt (Advance 2899) #SewingTips #VintageSewing

Last week I gave you a few tips and pointers on sewing a collar for Ken’s View 2 long-sleeved shirt, in the Advance 2899 doll clothes sewing pattern. This is a vintage sewing pattern from 1962, and I’m really enjoying sewing with it! This week, I’m going to talk about how to sew on a patch pocket, like the pocket you see on my Ken … Continue reading How to Sew a Patch Pocket on a Ken Doll’s Shirt (Advance 2899) #SewingTips #VintageSewing

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The text says, "Shoes for Ken" and it displays (left to right, top to bottom) a black pair of work boots, a pair of sneakers that look similar to Vans, a pair of Reebok style Ken sneakers, a pair of bright blue wingtip style shoes with gold laces, a pair of rust colored sneakers with angled white stripes, and a pair of men's mules or clogs.
Doll Collecting, Doll Shoes, Vintage Ken

Ken shoes! Let’s talk about Ken shoes, accessories, and fashions, old and new… #VintageKen #DollShoes

I grew up in the 1970’s, when Ken dolls were few and far between on the shelves in stores. Even harder to find was any type of fashion for Ken dolls. And based on the kinds of emails I get relatively frequently, it’s still a lot harder to find clothes and accessories for Ken than it is to find clothes and accessories for Barbie. Today … Continue reading Ken shoes! Let’s talk about Ken shoes, accessories, and fashions, old and new… #VintageKen #DollShoes

Chelly Wood7 Comments
The Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been repainted and re-wigged) stands beside the Advance 2899 vintage doll clothes patterns for a 1960's Ken doll. This pattern was published in 1962.
Ken Patterns, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Uncategorized, Vintage Ken

How to sew Ken’s collar so it lays down flat #VintageKen #SewingTips

Recently I sewed the collared shirt shown in View 2 of this vintage 1962 Advance 2899 sewing pattern for Ken dolls. While I was working on this, I got a message from one of my followers, asking if there’s a trick to sewing Ken’s collars so they will lay flat. And yes, there are a couple of tricks. Today’s blog post will address them. *Please … Continue reading How to sew Ken’s collar so it lays down flat #VintageKen #SewingTips

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Within a purple frame that has tiny white polka dots, it says, "Free Pattern" next to a photo of a Hasbro World of Love "Soul" doll wearing handmade doll clothes including a shirt, pants, vest, boots, and a hat. The ChellyWood.com logo appears beside the image.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, 12-inch doll clothes patterns, 8-inch doll clothes patterns, 9-inch Dolls, Barbie Patterns, Daily Patterns, Ken Patterns, Romeo & Juliet, Vintage Ken, Whole Costumes for Dolls, World of Love Doll Patterns

Sew a Fez for Ken, a Pillbox Hat for Barbie, or a Barrel-shaped Hat for 8 inch Dolls w/free patterns @ ChellyWood.com

Please scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free printable PDF sewing patterns and links to any additional relevant tutorial videos. This video first came out when I was working on the stop-motion video of Romeo and Juliet with Dolls. I still haven’t finished putting together Act V of that video, largely because my girls were my inspiration, and now that they’re … Continue reading Sew a Fez for Ken, a Pillbox Hat for Barbie, or a Barrel-shaped Hat for 8 inch Dolls w/free patterns @ ChellyWood.com

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Here we see the Chelly Wood doll (she's actually a Liv doll that has had a make-over so it looks like the real person, Chelly Wood) holding up McCall's vintage Barbie pattern #6420 which has images of Barbie wearing six different outfits. The pattern's container is very worn but the images are colorful and sharp. This pattern was marked with a copyright of 1962. The thumbnail is framed with a purple and turquoise blue quilted frame.
Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie, Vintage Ken

Vintage Barbie doll clothes patterns with underpants pattern — try McCall’s Pattern #6420 #VintageBarbie #VintageSewing

If you’ve been sewing for dolls for very long, you’re probably aware that doll underpants patterns are hard to come by. Of course, I have free underpants patterns on this website, and my patterns will fit lots of dolls, including the 6 inch American Girl dolls, Skipper, Barbie, and many Barbie-sized dolls, in addition to my baby doll bloomers and 18″ doll underpants pattern. (Click … Continue reading Vintage Barbie doll clothes patterns with underpants pattern — try McCall’s Pattern #6420 #VintageBarbie #VintageSewing

Chelly Wood2 Comments
12-inch doll clothes patterns, Daily Patterns, Ken Patterns, Vintage Ken

Let’s make a pair of easy-to-sew elastic waist pants for Ken today w/free patterns @ ChellyWood.com #BarbieAndKen #MattelKen

Scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns. Today’s tutorial video is a re-make of the one I posted on YouTube in 2015. The original video isn’t a bad one, but back in those days, I didn’t have good studio lighting, and I’d like to think I’ve learned a few tricks since then, to make the lessons easier for … Continue reading Let’s make a pair of easy-to-sew elastic waist pants for Ken today w/free patterns @ ChellyWood.com #BarbieAndKen #MattelKen

Chelly Wood3 Comments
Within a turquoise blue thumbnail frame, we read "free patterns" and beside this text stands an Elf on the Shelf wearing a black turtleneck and blue jeans.
11-inch doll clothes patterns, Crafts and Hobbies, Daily Patterns, Elf on the Shelf, Holiday Crafts, Ken Patterns, Vintage Ken, Whole Costumes for Dolls

Get ready to sew some adorable clothes for your Elf on the Shelf with free patterns for the cutest tiny turtleneck sweaters! #Funny #HolidayCheer

For your free patterns and tutorial videos, please scroll down to the second set of bullets. Note: as an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. As part of my Elf-on-the-Shelf series (requested by followers), today I’m posting a full outfit that was originally designed to fit Ken dolls, for your Elf on the Shelf. The turtleneck sweater fits my Elf on the Shelf quite … Continue reading Get ready to sew some adorable clothes for your Elf on the Shelf with free patterns for the cutest tiny turtleneck sweaters! #Funny #HolidayCheer

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This is a framed thumbnail with the following text written inside a bodice pattern outline: "Vintage Patterns with lessons for beginners" and a small yellow arrow points to text that states, "available after 30 October 2023".
Crissy Family of Dolls, Marie Osmond dolls, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Pepper Dolls (Vintage), Tammy Doll Patterns, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Vintage Barbie, Vintage Brad, Vintage Francie, Vintage Ken, Vintage Skipper, Vogue Ginny Dolls

Lessons from Vintage Doll Clothes Patterns (Gallery)

NOTE: These are not free doll clothes patterns! If you would like to download any of the hundreds of free, printable sewing patterns that I offer on this website, please view this video to learn how to find free patterns to fit the doll you’re sewing for. With that said, please click on the doll clothes patterns you would like to learn about: I created … Continue reading Lessons from Vintage Doll Clothes Patterns (Gallery)

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