It is also a realistic experience of dressmaking, as anyone who has tried to get the most out of a piece of cloth knows. In trying to put together a pattern for a dress it is helpful to imagine what the finished product will look like. This makes it easier to figure out which seams to match together or where to put glitter glue or trim. The process of moving from 3 dimensions to 2 and back can help develop spatial visualization skills as you imagine what the pattern piece for an article of clothing will look like, or what the dress will look like from the pattern. These kinds of questions encourage girls to think in terms of the perimeter of a shape.
Adults can also bring out the relationship between perimeter and area.
A scallop-edged skirt will take longer to cut out than a similar one with a smooth edge in part because the perimeter is longer. However the pattern pieces may cover the same amount of fabric because the areas are almost the same. The Color and Fabric Design workshops are both quite limited in the design opportunities they offer. However if girls using the software become interested in either of these areas there are activities outside of Barbie Fashion Designer they may like to explore. My taste in colors does not run toward bright pinks and purples, so I was disappointed with the 12 choices available in the color workshop.