Patterns for male fashion dolls are rare. Most doll sewing is aimed at the 11.5 inch female body, and a Ken® doll usually ends up in the same two or three outfits he came with. If you want to change that, here is what is different about sewing for him, what fits which male body, and where to start.
Our male patterns were drafted and test-fitted on the original Ken® body, the 12 inch (1:6 scale) male fashion doll. Dolls are not included with any pattern; the names are used only to show fit.
How the male body changes the pattern
A female doll pattern is built around the bust and the waist: darts, a fitted bodice, a skirt that has to clear the hips. A male doll has none of that. He is about half an inch taller, his shoulders are wider, his torso is straight, and his head is larger than the neck opening of a fitted T-shirt. So the pattern work moves to different places:
- Shoulders and chest decide the fit, not the waist. A T-shirt that is right across the shoulders can hang straight down and still look correct.
- No darts, no gathering. Male tops are flat pieces with a front, a back and sleeves. That makes them one of the simplest things to sew for any doll.
- The neck opening. The head will not go through a neckline cut to the neck size, so a male top needs stretch, a closure, or both. Our T-shirts are cut for stretchy fabric and close with small hook-and-loop tape or snaps.
- Sleeves. A sleeve for a doll is a few centimetres long, and the armhole is tiny. It is easier to sew the sleeve in while the T-shirt is still flat, then close the side and sleeve seam in one go.
Which male bodies fit
Mattel has sold Ken® on several bodies over the years, and they are not all the same width. Our T-shirt pattern was fitted on the original body. The broad and the slim bodies have not been tested; if your doll has one of those, sew the sleeveless style first in a cheap knit and check the chest before you cut the others. The oversized sweater is roomy by design and fits 12 inch male dolls as well as the four female bodies, so it is the safer choice for a doll you are not sure about.
If you have a doll from another maker, measure around the chest under the arms and across the back between the shoulder joints, and compare with the test piece. The Size Guide explains how we measure dolls with a strip of paper instead of a tape.
Fabric: stretch, and thin
The T-shirt pattern asks for stretchy fabric, spandex or stretch cotton. Leftover jersey from a worn-out human T-shirt is ideal: it is thin, it has the right amount of stretch, and the knit is fine enough to look like fabric rather than towelling at 1:6 scale. The sweater takes a slightly stretchy knit too, jersey, stretch cotton or a polyester knit, with a contrast colour for the collar, cuffs and band. Skip very thin, see-through knits for a first project; they are harder to handle than they look.
Prints and stripes need to be small. A narrow stripe reads as a striped T-shirt; a wide one reads as a flag.
Sewing it
- Print at 100% and measure the 1 cm and 1 inch marks on the sheet before you cut anything. A print scaled by a few percent is the most common reason a doll garment does not fit.
- The seam allowance, about 3 to 4 mm, is already in the pattern. Sew on the dashed seam line, cut on the outer line, and do not add more.
- Use a short stitch, about 2 mm, and a stretch or narrow zigzag stitch on knits if your machine has one. A plain straight stitch works too if you do not stretch the fabric as you sew. By hand, a small backstitch is fine.
- Hems on a knit can stay raw; knits do not fray. If you want a finished look, turn the hem once and stitch it with the fabric relaxed.
- Sew the closure, small hook-and-loop tape or snaps, before you close the last seam, while the piece still lies flat.
Three T-shirts, more looks
The T-shirt set gives you a sleeveless, a short-sleeved and a long-sleeved version from one download. Sew the long sleeve in a stripe and you have a sailor top; sew the sleeveless in white and it is an undershirt; add the oversized sweater over any of them and the doll has a winter outfit. With one knit remnant you can dress him for a week.
Questions we get
Do your Barbie® patterns fit Ken®?
The female dress and top patterns do not; the bodies are too different. The oversized sweater does, and the T-shirt pattern is made for him.
Which Ken® body do the patterns fit?
The original 12 inch body. The broad and slim bodies have not been tested; make a quick test piece first.
Do I need a sewing machine?
No. The seams are short and a small backstitch by hand is strong enough. A machine with a stretch stitch is quicker on knits.
Can I sell the T-shirts I sew?
Yes, in small quantities, with a credit to "Pattern by DiNerija". The pattern files themselves may not be shared or resold.
Both patterns are in Sewing Patterns: Male Doll T-Shirt Sewing Pattern, 3 Styles (PDF + SVG) and Oversized Doll Sweater Sewing Pattern - Regular, Curvy, Petite, Tall and 12 in Male Dolls (PDF + SVG).