Home » Free Barbie top pattern for beginners (15-minute DIY)

Free Barbie top pattern for beginners (15-minute DIY)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Privacy Policy page and additional disclosures can be found here.

Free Barbie top pattern and sewing tutorial for beginners. You can make your own Barbie peasant top in less than 15 minutes. This is a simple and quick sewing project that doesn’t require advanced sewing skills or special tools.

I made this elasticated top from a woven cotton fabric rectangle and it’s so easy that even a beginner can sew one, hassle-free.

free Barbie top pattern, peasant crop top DIY

I love the simplicity of this doll crop top. You can build an inexpensive Barbie doll wardrobe and use up fabric scraps from your stash in one fell swoop. Also, this is a great gift idea for all Barbie lovers.

Related: Barbie faux button placket skirt tutorial / How to make a doll sleeping bag

Sewing tiny clothes for small dolls like Barbie is a bit more difficult than sewing for larger dolls, but this is not the case here. This pattern is very simple and doesn’t take long to make.

On top of that, you don’t need any doll sewing tools to finish this elasticated crop top. A sewing machine and some fabric scraps and you’re good to go!

Barbie peasant top sewing tutorial and free pattern

Sewing supplies – Free Barbie peasant top pattern for beginners

free Barbie top pattern for beginners, easy DIY

Free Barbie peasant top pattern & step-by-step tutorial

Step 1 – cut your fabric piece

Cut a fabric rectangle that measures 17” by 3.5”. 

Step 2 – hem both long edges

Fold over both long edges 1/4”, then fold them over again 1/2”, and sew as close to the folded edge as possible.

hem both long edges

I wanted a ruffled neck, so I made one casing a bit wider and topstitched about 1/8 inch from the top edge.

hem both long edges

This is how the fabric piece looks right now. 

two elastic casings

Step 3 – draw 2 lines across the rectangle

Mark a point that is 4.5” away from both edges and draw 2 perpendicular lines with a fabric marking pencil, or chalk, or even a regular pen.

draw 2 lines across the rectangle

These lines have to be visible because you’ll use them soon as guidelines when cutting up the sleeves. 

Step 4 – feed the elastic through the casings

Now cut 2 pieces of 1/4” wide elastic that are each half the length of our original fabric piece. 

cut elastic pieces

Use a safety pin to feed the first elastic into the first casing. Stitch both ends of the elastic in place. Thread the other elastic piece into the second casing, and again sew both its ends in place. Backstitch.

feed the elastic through the casings

Straighten up the elasticated fabric piece so that the gathers are evenly distributed. 

feed the elastic through the casings

Step 5 – stitch the elastic in place

Do you see the lines you drew in Step 3?

Now you have to stitch the elastic in place in the proximity of those lines – before and after, up and down. Backstitch each time.

stitch elastic in place - Barbie doll peasant top

Step 6 – cut the sleeves and the top

Cut the fabric piece along the two lines. It doesn’t have to be perfect, don’t stress about it.

cut the sleeves and the top - DIY Barbie clothes

Because you stitched the elastic in place in the previous step, now you have three elasticated fabric pieces. One of them is the doll top, and the other two, the smaller pieces, are the sleeves. 

Step 7 – sew the sleeves and the top

Fold one elasticated piece in half, align the edges, and sew with a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Do not start stitching too close to the edge to avoid fabric getting caught in the sewing machine. Backstitch generously. I actually reinforced all my stitches.

Repeat for the other two pieces. 

free Barbie top pattern DIY

I chose not to finish the seams and I trimmed as close to the stitching line as possible. Neither my daughter nor the Barbie dolls care about the inside of the clothes. Anyway, the seams won’t fray much, but if you want you can use fray check.

Step 8 – attach the sleeves to the top

Turn all pieces right side out. All that is left to do now is attach the sleeves to the top. You can hand stitch them, but it’s equally easy to use the sewing machine. 

sewing free Barbie top pattern

Fold the top in half and center the back seam to mark the sides – that’s where you’ll attach the sleeves.

If you use the sewing machine, just use your fingers to get the other layers out of the way. You only need to make 2-3 straight stitches (or zigzag) and then backstitch.

DIY Barbie peasant top sewing

There you have it, a cute Barbie peasant top that you whipped up in no time!

free Barbie peasant top pattern & sewing tutorial

Free Barbie top pattern & tutorial for beginners

free Barbie top pattern for beginners

Did you find this free Barbie top pattern and tutorial helpful? I’d like to hear what you think of it! And I would love to see pictures if you give this easy DIY project a try.

Let’s keep in touch! You can find me on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest.

Related posts

Easy drawstring gift bag with handles (free pattern)
Top 15 best sewing tips for beginners
Top 3 beginner sergers of 2024
50+ easy sewing projects for beginners

Leave a Comment