Crochet for Barbie Doll: 75 Delightful Creations to Crochet Hardcover – May 1, 2002

I own the Knitting for Barbie by the same author. Both books are very well illustrated and inspire the reader to create beautiful clothes for the Barbie or 11 1/2" fashion doll. The only part I have difficulty with is the yarn that she lists for each project. Usually authors will also suggest another yarn of the same size/type. She does have references in the back. I would like to shop locally. We have some pretty nice yarn shops where I live. That is the only complaint. The book is exactly what it is, a fashoin doll crochet book. I would recommend.

I had purchased this book a few years ago at Joann's, but it got lost when I moved. I signed on to Amazon.com and was able to find it. My great granddaughter wants me to make most of the outfits, but I am finding it difficult to find some of the yarns. I wish I could find a list of substitute yarn for those I can't get. I love the book and was very happy to get it. Thanks.

didn't like the pen check marks on each step of the pattern direction, however, they do not cover anything needed to complete the project

You have to know what size Barbies you're crocheting for, as there are about 3 sizes of Barbies out there. My suggestion would be to purchase a Barbie that's the size of your granddaughter's favorite, so you can try things on her as you go to ensure proper fit. The book has tons of cute outfits and accessories like hats and purses!

Arrived early, packaging fine, book is in very good condition. Happy camper.

The book offers instructions for dresses, tops, jackets, robes and pants. However, there are many, many patterns for things like hats, blankets, shawls, rugs all in 1:6 scale. Based on the cover I thought the focus would be strictly on fashions but this is not the case. As such I can only use about 1/3 of the contents usefully. I usually buy my 1:6 scale accessories and props. If you're interested in more than fashions for your doll then this is a book for you. I have a degree of let-down because I expected 100% fashion and not so many extra pieces.I have reduced my review from 3 stars to 1 star because the overall concept of this book is muddled. Ms. Epstein is an experienced crochet designer but she is not a good writer nor anyone with a knack for teaching and guiding one through the process of creating the finished product. The instructions are minimall and in order to do a thorough job it is necessary to write out the instructions row by row so you can accurately map out the intricate increase and decrease required for each row when needed. What Epstein has done is condense all the instructions so there is more room for her photos and dioramas. This decision renders the book useless if you just want to get to crocheting an outfit for your doll.Most people who crochet 1:6 scale know how to display their dolls and will have different props suited to their needs. This is why I have given the book 1 star. If Epstein wanted to write a book about dioramas then these large photos would be justified. It would have been more helpful to have diagrams and more detailed explanations of the rows and stitches.The summary for the book is misleading. It should be clearly stated what the variety of items are. For example, one page has a big photo of a doll sofa with two pillows. The actual pattern is for two small heart shaped pillows. Such patterns can be found at no cost at some craft sites. How much better if Epstein and her editors had devoted that space to more detailed row by row instructions for the doll outfits.There are also patterns for Ken sized dolls.This book is going into the trash. I won't even send it to the library because it is misleading and a poor introduction or even good workbook for the intermediate crocheter. All flash and photos and minimal patterns.The seller deserves a 5 star rating. The book was well-wrapped and promptly shipped.

I have mixed feelings about the book. On the one hand, it's about staging dolls for beautiful photographs, and if you like dolls and doll clothes, it's inspiring to look at the book. As to the practicality of the designs, I'm not so sure. Thread has to be worked tightly, and the gauge on some designs is so tight (20 sts to the inch!) that they are difficult for me to work. For myself, I prefer a looser gauge -- both for ease of work and the suppleness of the end product. But -- it's also true that yarn is bulky on small dolls. I think the designs are fairly simple and I plan to modify them for my purposes.

Beautifully done! Love the Variety of patterns and the instructions are easy to follow.