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!
149 Comments
I’m from the great state of Texas, so every dance is a two- step.
Favorite dance move would be the ballet related as I love watching ballet. The pirouette, for example.
I started dance lessons when I was 3 years old. So ya I know a lot of dance moves! How am I supposed to pick a favorite? I love all kinds of dance because you can express your self. So I guess my favorite dance movie is "shovel kick "
I really hope I win !!
Adding to my previous post, I wanted to mention a few things. I sanded all the pieces and rinsed and dried them. The ends had been sanded so there were no sharp edges. Then, I spray-painted them with a gray primer before applying the final colors. Putting it together was a very tight fit because of all the coats of paint. It probably would have helped to leave the ends unpainted for a better fit, but I made it work.
I made 2 of these for birthday gifts for my granddaughters. They came out great! My only comment is that no mention was made of the length of the lower bar at the beginning of the instructions. It was found on a picture of that bar near the end of the instructions. I had all the pieces painted and ready to assemble and then realized we had not cut that bar. It was a little frustrating.