Barbie doll panties

November 29, 2024

Barbie doll panties

Sewing Barbie doll, or other doll panties is quick and easy, even on a vintage Kenmore sewing machine!

Measure the hip width of the doll

Add 1/2" seam width 1/4" seam allowance on each end = 1/2" larger than hip measurement. This is a doll, no ease required, other than to pull panties up.

1 3/4" depth

Cut out this rectangle

Multi stitch zigzag stitch set for 2.5 zigzag width

Size 11 ballpoint or jersey needle

Stitch length 14 stitches per inch

Measure 1/8" wide elastic, by wrapping it around the dolls hips, stretching the elastic, then mark where end cross.

DO NOT CUT ELASTIC YET

Start stitching on a square of doubled fabric scraps, it is a "leader fabric" (this helps you start stitching without your fabric getting pushed down into the needlehole, and prevents thread nests, and allows you to start stitching right on the edge of your fabric.

Stitch your fabric leader right to the edge, leave needle down in fabric, then butt your doll panty waistband up against this, right where you want to stitch your elastic, and lay the elastic on it, butted right up against the leader fabric.

Put the presser foot down, and turn the handwheel to be sure your needle comes down in the elastic and panty fabric. Sew a few stitches.

Put the needle down in the elastic and fabric, hold the fabric leader behind the needle, then hold your elastic against the fabric, right where you want the elastic, then match your elastic mark with the other edge of the back seam fabric area, stretching your elastic, stitch all the way to the mark. Backstitch.

Always raise needle to highest position (and takeup lever to highest position, at the end of any stitching), to remove fabric from the machine, snip threads and elastic, and snip thread between leader fabric, and your project.

You can cut the leg openings before sewing the center back seam, if desired, as I did, on this pair of panties. (I sewed 2 pair, for my granddaughter's dolls, this pair I trimmed legs first, but the second pair, I cut the leg openings after sewing the back seam.)

Fold panties in half, with elastic on the outside, to create the center back seam.

Start with fabric leader, again, butt top of panty waistband and elastic, up against leader, and stitch back seam, along edge of fabric. (Lock seam beginning and ends with 2 or 3 reverse stitches.) Remove from machine, snip threads.

Lay panties so the seam is in the center, then cut on a slant, from the side fold, 1/4" to nothing, leaving a narrow crotch area. (This can be done before, or after sewing the back seam.)

Sew panty crotch, start with a fabric leader.

Using fabric leader helps prevent thread jams

Sew crotch seam, remembering to use a fabric leader (or you will drive yourself crazy, on zigzag machines, jamming tiny fabric into needle opening). Lock seams. Remove from machine, and snip threads, removing leader fabric.