How to Make a Fashionable Bracelet Using Barbie Doll Shoes
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How to make a cute and very fashionable bracelet for yourself or to give as a gift using Barbie doll shoes.
I wanted to make a fashionable bracelet for my sister’s birthday. She is into vintage Barbie clothes. Here is what I made for her – A Barbie Shoe Bracelet. It is adorable and very colorful.
I celebrated my birthday too, since I am a twin. My sis is officially in the record books – 5 minutes older than me! She is my twin sister, Carol. She is the one on the right, I am on the left of our “little sister” Laura on her wedding day.
We have always made good bookends for her and always add instant symmetry to all of our “sister” photos. In this photo I am the one bending down and Carol is on the left.
People have always asked us, What is it like being a twin? Did you ever switch classes in school? Switch boyfriends, fill in for each other on the job? Who’s smarter, taller, skinner, funnier, nicer, meaner, etc, etc, etc…
We never thought we looked enough alike and would get away with any shenanigans, so the answer is no to trying to fool people. When I was in 7th grade I had to write an autobiography. I titled it, They Call Me Carol, But I ‘m Diane.
That is the best way I can describe what it is like being a twin – I can answer to two names along with having a built- in buddy. Being a twin is really no different than being a “single”. Our twin-ness makes us look alike, but we are very different in many ways.
I wanted to give Carol something special for our birthday, something that would make her smile, something she would treasure always. She collects vintage Barbie clothes.
A bracelet with Barbie shoes came to mind and would be just her style. I planned on completing it a month ago to arrive on our birthday, but that didn’t happen.
How to Make a Fashionable Bracelet Using Barbie Doll Shoes
I am going to show you how-to make a bracelet out of Barbie Shoes. It is not hard to do and can be completed in less than an hour.
Here is the collection of shoes I found to make the bracelet. I bought them on ebay. Type in “Reproduction Vintage Barbie Shoes”. The real vintage shoes are pretty expensive, so look for the reproductions.
supplies needed:
Jewelry making supplies can all be purchased at the craft store.
- 20 or more Barbie Doll shoes
- Bracelet chain
- 10 mm Jump rings
- Awl
- Point-nose pliers
- Optional: beads
- To start, using a bead hole expander or awl, make a hole in the back of each shoe.
Then put a 10mm open jump ring through it. You may have to use a pair of needle-nose pliers to get the ring in the hole.
If the shoe is made of hard plastic it is pretty easy to get through. The rubbery feeling shoes took a little more effort.
2. Then attach the jump ring with shoe to the bracelet chain. Depending on how many shoes you have, you can space the shoes at equal distances apart or fill the entire bracelet to cover a lot of the chain.
The completed bracelet.
I also added some pearls and crystals to add some contrasting interest.
I also wanted to make something that said “Barbie” to put the shoe bracelet in for a fun gift-giving presentation.
Find out how to make the perfect gift bag to place the Barbie shoe bracelet in if giving as a gift.
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Thank you for sharing the Barbie Shoe Bracelet! I love it! I have odd Barbie shoes from my granddaughter’s dolls, and this is the perfect way to preserve and enjoy them! I know your sister had to just love it!
Hi Janice – My sister does love it and wears it frequently. She says she always gets comments about it when people realize it is made from Barbie shoes. :-) She said it also starts a conversation about fond memories of playing with Barbie as a kid.
Hi! I am not a jewelry maker but so not familiar with jump rings. What size did you use? Happy holidays!
Hi Jeannie – I used 10 mm open jump rings to attach the shoes. You can see them here: https://bit.ly/3cZFpYt Happy Holidays – I hope you have fun making the bracelet.
Hey
Hope you’re enjoying a great day!
I love the Barbie shoe bracelet!
Thank’s for sharing a great article…..
Hi Diane !
I am Spanish and mother of 4 boys. The last two, they are twins. Very good way to explain what you feel to be twin.
One day after school with my children, one of them was with me and the other played a little further . A girl came up and asked:
-Ferran, which is there is you, or your brother?
I laugh out loud!
I love the bracelet!
kisses
Blanca
PD:
I think my English is very bad, sorry … but I hope you understand me ;-)
Thanks so much!! I will! :)
I LOVE that bracelet! What a fabulous gift! You have such creative ideas! One of my best friends loves Barbie. Hmm I wonder if I could find some of those shoes…
Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous ideas and tutorials!!
Hi Johanna – Check for the shoes on Amazon or ebay. Toys R Us may even have some.
Can you tell me where I can find a bracelet like the one you used for the Barbie shoe bracelet?
Thanks.
HI Patricia – I got the base bracelet at the craft store. Michaels and AC Moore both sell them. They are in a hanging dark blue package where all the jewelry making supplies are sold. It costs only a few dollars. For the real silver ones – the cost is a bit higher. If you can’t find them you can buy a length of chain which they also sell packaged and add a bracelet clasp using point nose pliers.
At the risk of being un-p.c., when my daughter was 3, she used a Barbie that I got at a rummage sale, that had its hair cut short and was dressed in denim, instead of a Ken. One day she was playing with it and a Barbie, and says, holding them up, “Look Mom, they’re Lebanese” (meaning lesbian). Where she had even heard the word lesbian at that age is beyond me. I about choked.
I love the Barbie shoe bracelet! I might have a go myself. It’s so cute and quirky. This is the first time I have ever looked on this website, but I’ll be checking it out. Have a look at mine if you like,
http://www.helloinmyhumbleopinion.com
It’s mainly about fashion, photography, art, music, and just stuff I generally get up to and like.
I love the bracelet, I’m going to try it. Where did you get the beads? and how did you put them on the bracelet?
the bracelet is sooo cute and clever, ive been a barbie fan for so many years, i almost 50 and still love little girl bracelets im going to attempt to make one, also i have a teacup poodle white of course 3lbs and of course her name is Barbie, everyone loves her thanks for the idea, sincerely, yvette and Barbie
I LOVE IT…I want to dig through the attic and make one with my breyer horse stuff ;)
That bracelet is just too cute ;) We all love shoes and our first “Barbie”…that is back in the day when it really looked like Barbie…lol Just found your blog via Gnee of Singing with Birds. I can relate with the twin thang…my sister and I are “Irish Twins”…we are the same age for one month every year and right now we are both the big “5 0”. Happy B’day to you and your twin and have a wonderful weekend! Oh yeah…be sure to tell your babie sister…Lovely bride!
Hi Diane,
Hope you had a great time in the city! Congratulations, your fabulous bracelet and bag made this week’s Top 5 Hits at Singing With Birds. You just do such fun projects and this one took me down memory lane. Can’t imagine life without Barbies! I’ve ordered the shoes and we are making these at my Mom’s “Girl’s Week,” in Palm Desert in November. My 5 sisters and Mom bring a project and we do one each day. Like me, I know they will love these too! Thanks so much…looking forward to your report on the conference.
That is SO cute and creative! I love the presentation! Thanks so much for the great project, I’ll be linking.
I am so making this bracelet and purse for my Barbie-obsessed friend! What a totally cute idea!
What a wonderful blog you have. I’m the mom of identical twin boys (who are turning 10 in a couple of days) and I know they are as different as can be in personality, but so close in so many ways. I hope they always stay close. The gift you made was so sweet, and original too. I love it.
Blessings,
Marcia
Such a cute gift you made for your sister and actually I thought y’all were triplets in that photo. Happy birthday to you both. Have a super weekend.
The bracelet idea was fantastic. I bet your sister was thrilled. I really liked the purse package you created. I’m bookmarking it for future use. LOVE it!
Thanks for linking up to the “Cheap Thrills Thursday” party at Black Kats Design. I hope you had fun and will join in again next Thursday!
Kat
http://www.BlackKatsDesign.blogspot.com
Thanks for visiting my blog. It’s fun to hear about people’s Barbie stories. This bracelet is fabulous! I am going to have to get on eBay!
Very interesting to hear about being a twin. I have twin daughters and even though they are identical they are so different. They are 6 and people are asking them questions already about swapping places. They are frustrated about being the same so much that they like to wear their school uniforms differently so they can be different!
What a wonderful gift.You are such a sweet sister to think of such a meaningful gift.
Happy Birthday to both of you.
I am fascinated by twins.Dunno why.
Very clever!!!!
What a great fun gift you made:)
I have wanted to make one of these for my dtr but I have not been able to find Barbie shoes! Where ever did you find them?
I just have to tell you that is the most spectacular gift, where in the world did you find Barbie shoes!!! I want that bracelet. I Remember all the Barbie sandals that went over the toe use to break. I still have my Barbie in the attic. I want you to know that my Mom never got me a Ken because she was afraid there would be shenanigans! LOL
Carol
Hi Carol
Thanks for the comment. Too funny about the reason you didn’t have a Ken. I didn’t have a Ken either. Erma Bombeck once wrote a piece titiled – Daddy Doll Under the Bed. It was quite funny. She talked about the fact that dolls like Ken really were not played with. You dressed them and then threw them under the bed as they went to work The rest of playtime was with Barbie and her girlfriends, Stacey, Francie, and her sister, Skipper. Going shopping, trying on clothes, and decorating the dream house.
So I don’t think we missed much not having a Ken.
My best Diane
Oh, so cute, as usual! I have to try this for my grand daughter, one for her and one for me.
what an adorable and thoughtful gift! and a happy birthday to you. you always amaze me.