So, I'm very excited about this week's craft! To round out our mini-series of ballerina/dance crafts, I thought it would be fabulous to make a barre -- there are almost no tutorials online about how to make your doll a ballet barre, and this version is sturdy, looks great, and goes together pretty easily!
**Giveaway update** We have a winner! It's Rena, who said she loves all kinds of dance, but specifically Fancy Shawl -- "when the dancer mimics a butterfly’s movements". Sounds like a really beautiful dance, and a great part of your cultural heritage Rena! We'll be in touch via email soon :)
Want to get started? All you need is a few things from the hardware store.
I'm using 1/2" PVC pipe for this project. One 5' length should be plenty! You'll also need two T joins, two 3-way elbow joins, two 45 degree joins, two straight connectors, and two end caps. This goes without saying, but make sure all your fittings are the right size for your pipe, and that they're all 'slip joins', not threaded.
Next, cut your pipe into sections. You can use a hacksaw for this, but I like to use a ratcheting pipe cutter. It's much cleaner, safer, and tidier. (And you can do it in your living room, instead of having to resort to the garage!)
Cutting the pieces above will get you a basic barre. If you want to add the second, lower barre, you'll need another piece of pipe 17" long.
I wanted my barre to look rather fancy, so I painted my pipe and fittings.
If you want to add the second, lower barre, now's the time to add some extra, special fittings! You'll need something that looks and works rather like this (I believe it's called a 'split ring hanger'). Drill a hole in your straight connectors, and attach the split ring hanger.
Next, lay out all your pipe pieces, as shown in this picture. Start putting everything together!
And, if you're doing the second barre, go ahead and attach that using the other half of your split ring hanger fittings.
And there you have it! A finished ballet barre, just the right size for your 18" doll!
Happy dancing, and be sure to let us know in the comments if you make this!
48 Comments
Sharon
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move would be the waltz or anything ballet is beautiful, too. Love all your patterns and ideas – you are such an inspiration!
hannah f.
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is the Carlton (Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bell Airs dance move).
Love this dance bar – it is exactly what my girls need!
Sophie T
July 03, 2015
Wow! Your barre looks fabulous and I love how you painted it and made it look so real! The “metal” parts are especially impressive!
My favorite dance move is anything ballet. I especially like when they are on pointe shoes.
Cathy brockman
July 03, 2015
Let’s Twerk it?
Michelle
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is any move that makes my heart & soul happy!
Terry
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is the Plie
Teri S.
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance moves are anything from the “Pride and Prejudice” era. I love they way the dancers had to coordinate and the beauty of the flow of movement. Of those dances I think I like the country dances the best (where couples formed two lines and you danced down the middle).
Barb
July 03, 2015
My Granddaughter loves dance and gymnastics, she would just love this for her collection.
Terry
July 03, 2015
oh my gosh! So cute, all my nieces dance! They would love it
Karen M.
July 03, 2015
My granddaughter is in tap, ballet and pre-point classes. I love any move she makes, or tries to make!!!
Diana
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is the Arabesque. It is sooooo graceful. Our 3 year old granddaughter is hilarious when dancing this move.
Chris
July 03, 2015
My grand baby would love this!
Barbara Lipovics
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move to do is Ron du Jambe. I started taking ballet lessons this year (I’m 65) and I love this move because I can do it!
Sarah
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is anything tap. Of course, it’s always better if it’s being done by Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire and NOT me! ;)
Gerry Thompson
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is a pirouette.
Marian
July 03, 2015
Having danced for years I always found leaps of all kinds to be my favorite dance moves. It seemed you could slip the “surly bonds of Earth” if only for a moment. A feeling of freedom and flight is exhilarating. This barre reminds me of the many house one spends in dance class at the barre, both happiness to be there and the thrill of the upcoming lesson.
Gail Orr
July 03, 2015
My favourite dance move is locking. I love to watch the dancers performing this move on So You Think You Can Dance.
Chloe
July 03, 2015
Well, since I’m looking into being a professional dancer, I’ll have to go with an actual dance move from class. XD haha. My favorite dance move is probably Fouetté turns en pointe, or a Grand Jete (Leap). If we aren’t counting that, then I’ll go with the sprinkler/the lawnmower.
Ah, this is so exciting! I’ve always wanted to have a ballet bar for my dolls!.
Mary
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is my brother-in-law doing “the worm” at weddings!
Jeanie
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is watching my granddaughter dance! She won the “Born to Dance” award at the last competition! She preformed a wonderful ballet routine to “Let it Go” from Forzen!
Thelma Lockhart
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance is the Jitter Bug. If I won, my granddaughter would get this for her doll. She would jitter bug with me if she got it. If I don’t win, we will make one together as she is on her way to stay with me for the net 2 weeks. We will have a doll tea party with my great-nieces. This was being planned for when my granddaughter would be here. The date is July 10th for the Tea Party. The girls will make Boogie Boards and maybe ballerina balance beams. I made them ballerina outfits already which they have.
Michelle Smith
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move would have to be the running man.
Annie Dee
July 03, 2015
A Plié!! After all this time, it’s the only move I remember!
Amy O
July 03, 2015
Such a great idea!!! My favorite dance move is pirouettes. I’m always amazed when dancers can do so many in a row!
Heidi O
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is the waltz. This project is sooo cute!!
Leah
July 03, 2015
Love this project and dancing the mashed potato – thanks ?
Linda
July 03, 2015
I have always loved dancing and took ballet lessons in my younger days. A pirot (not spelled correctly I don’t think). Would love to win but will certainly try to make it,
Nancy
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is…." I love the 1920’s through the 1940’s, the Lindy Hop is my all time favorite! I would love to won this ballet bar for my aunt. I make doll clothes for her and she would love this ballet bar, guess I would have to make her a tutu for her doll too :)
Elizabeth
July 03, 2015
The Waltz … so slow and elegant
Julia
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is my granddaughter practicing the first five positions at the barre. The concentration of making her little body obey the moves shows the fierce little spirit she has. Whether she will be a dancer is unknown but the discipline of the dance will carry her far in whatever she chooses to do.
Cindi
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is one I don’t fall down from!
Valerie
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move is The Sprinkler. A party isn’t complete unless someone whips out that dance move. LOL. P.S. This is such a cute tutorial.
Rita M.
February 04, 2015
I did forget to mention that sanding the pvc—even the little fittings—is essential. I just used some of the “plaid” bottles of paint that I had, then finished with a spray of clear coat finish.
Rita M.
February 04, 2015
My husband and I made this. He did the cutting, using my band saw, and I did the painting. I’m so proud of it—wish there was a place to post a photo here. Ours is pink and silver and going to North Caroline (from Kansas City) for our granddaughter’s birthday. Thanks so much for this great tutorial!
Antonia
February 04, 2015
Excellent projects love. Your work
Honey
January 03, 2015
Your thnnikig matches mine – great minds think alike!
Mike
December 20, 2014
Melinda,
My wife saw this and wanted me to make it for our granddaughter, I just finished the final assembly. Your instructions were excellent, parts list was accurate and everything fit together perfectly. A friend had a ratcheting pipe cutter and it made for clean, accurate, and quick cuts. I can suggest some ideas for attaching the second bar and painting.
I got all the parts you suggested including the split ring hanger. The split ring hanger is actually threaded so I picked up two short bolts that were short enough to slide down inside the coupler. I drilled the hole in the middle of the coupler big enough to allow me to slide the bolt into the coupler and push the threads out the hole, then just threaded the hanger onto the bolt threads sticking out of the coupler. It was a snug fit, a screw head instead of a bolt head might have been easier but it worked perfectly. I have pictures I could post if there is a way to do that.
The big challenge for me was the painting. I got spray paint specifically for plastics and did not think I would need to do any surface preparation, it didn’t work out so well. The paint wanted to slide off the slick surface of the PVC pipe. When I got ready to paint the assembled fittings I took a sanding sponge and knocked the shine off the fittings and they held the paint perfectly. I would suggest doing this or sanding the PVC pipe as well, just enough to kill the shine.
Two other tips on painting that I learned the hard way. I just spray painted each pipe but then to assemble I needed to scrape or sand the ends of each one to be glued to make them fit back into the fittings, do yourself a favor and cover the ends to be glued with masking tape so you can just cut it or pull it off after painting. Also some spray paint got into the fittings and I had to sand them lightly for everything to fit, I suggest stuffing some paper towel into the fitting openings to keep paint from getting in.
We painted ours silver and pink in the same paint scheme you used and it really turned out well.
chris
December 03, 2014
What type of PVC pipe and fittings did you use? I am having an issue (at HD and Lowes) finding all of the fittings, there are no 3 way joins in the type I chose, so I went to a different purpose/type PVC (electrical I think the man said) and they had a 3 way elbow but the top hole was smaller than the bottom 2 holes, I tried to fit the other hole with the original type of PVC to no luck.
Thanks for your help
Lorraine
October 25, 2014
When using spray paint tell the sales person in the hard we are store what you need the paint for and,they can make recommendations for yo to use. Now with this being said I don’t remember the brand name but,there is a spray paint made specific for plastics this can be used for those big ulgy play structures for the back yard.
This might be a spring project for the grands.
Love your ideas.
Barbara
July 11, 2014
can’t wait to make one
Cathrine
June 29, 2014
This is like the cutest thing !!!
Cathrine
June 29, 2014
This is like the cutest thing !!!
carol Moger
April 17, 2014
What kind of paint do you use? I’ve made other things from pvc pipe and it always chips so easily. Love what you made! Carol
IRIS
April 03, 2014
I can’t wait to get started on this. Bothe my youngest GD and both my Great GD’s have been in dance since Day 1. Their AG Dolls have many dance outfits. This is a perfect accessory.
Melinda
March 28, 2014
Hi Sewbig! I sanded the pipe and fittings lightly and used a spray primer before spray painting. I just used ordinary all-purpose spray paint and let it cure, but a sealer might not be a bad idea!
Kasi
March 11, 2014
This is AMAZINGLY creative!!!! I’m rushing to the hardware store RIGHT NOW!!! I am so excited to make one of these. Thank you.
Annette
March 09, 2014
Having been a ballet dancer, I want to make this for my doll! Great work, and your barre looks authentic. Except we did not have blue barres, but ugly old I don’t even know what color they were, barres! LOL!
Sewbig
March 08, 2014
I love the colors you chose. What type of paint did you use? Did you have to use a primer? Or a sealer?
Sharon
July 03, 2015
My favorite dance move would be the waltz or anything ballet is beautiful, too. Love all your patterns and ideas – you are such an inspiration!