From Balloon to Tissue Paper Leotard

Red Ruffles Fashionista Barbie #11 wears a no-sew leotard, tutu, and ballet slippers.

In a 2016 Facebook doll group project, I created a balloon leotard for one of my Barbies (Red Ruffles Fashionista #11) using a video that had been floating around on Facebook as a guide. The rest of the group participants and I also made a tutu and ballet slippers for our dolls. My doll is shown in the first image that was taken after completing the costume in 2016.

A new photo of the costumed ballerina, taken alongside other dolls that share the Goddess head sculpt, led to a recent discovery about the costume.

Recall that the costume was created some 10 years ago. Since 2022, my doll has been displayed like this in a vinyl over-the-door shoe pocket. When I retrieved the doll a few weeks ago along with other Barbies that share the Goddess head sculpt, I discovered that the top of her balloon leotard had ruptured. This was probably caused by the doll being inside the vinyl pocket, behind a bedroom door where it did not receive adequate ventilation. 

Close-up of the ruptured leotard

I decided that instead of using a balloon to create a replacement leotard, I would make one from tissue paper as illustrated in the following photos:

I had to peel and, in some areas, scratch off the balloon leotard, which was stuck to the doll's body.

I Saran-wrapped the area that the new leotard would cover as illustrated in this photo and in the one immediately above it. For protection, her head and hair were wrapped in plastic, too.

I used a papier-mache-like technique to create the tissue-paper leotard with both water-diluted and undiluted Mod Podge and strips of pink tissue paper. The Mod Podge was applied with my finger or a wedge makeup sponge (mostly using my index finger).

The doll's body was completely covered with Mod Podged tissue paper and allowed to dry before additional layers were added.

After application of each layer of Mod Podged tissue paper, I stood the doll in a mug until the tissue paper dried, as illustrated in this picture and in the one immediately above it.

In this picture, the leotard has dried, and the excess exposed edges of Saran Wrap were trimmed with a combination of an X-Acto knife and scissors.

The previously used ribbon trim was tied around the top of the leotard, and the tutu was tied around the doll's waist.

She posed gracefully for two more photos. 

The leotard is permanently attached and will require cutting off if I ever want to redress her, but I have no plans to do that.

Even though the tissue paper leotard is more durable than the balloon, I plan to display her in an open area.

The final AI-led photo below placed this lovely doll in an elegant ballet performance scene. 

Solo performance

Related Link

Making a No-Sew Doll Leotard, Tutu, and Slippers

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