Calico Critter Mom Christmas Dress

The Calico Critters have entered the Christmas project with a dress for Mom made with Char Caywood's Empire Dress pattern available for purchase here.

Notes:

This was made with size 10 Aunt Lydia's thread. The variegated is no longer available.

I need a b hook to get this to fit the bunny.

I chose not to add trim to the neck as I have in the past as the Christmas colors would have been a bit overwhelming. I did reduce the arms this time decreasing around and then doing a row of sc on each arm.

I closed the back with a snap.

I'm thinking of adding a dress for my own holiday decorations.

My Life Gingerbread Outfit

I'm continuing with my Christmas themed projects for the 2026 doll donation. This is one of Adoring Doll's patterns available for purchase here.

Notes:

I used an I hook for most of this project. I'd consider using a J hook for the Vest as it proved to be a little small around the arms when joined. I used an H for the bow. I used a G for the buttons.

The white and red yarn are Red Heart Super Saver. The brown is either Red Heart or Caron Pounder Yarn. I didn't have a label for it and it was rolled into a ball after a previous project.

This suit is similiar to the Elf suit I made for the Our Generation Boy. The one note I'd make for myself is before starting the split for legs make sure to be at the back center. I had been doing this while doing other things and found my first leg was well off center and the leg needed to be frogged and redone.

I'm hoping to make the Gingerbread Dress for the other My Life Doll's Christmas outfit.

Lil Cutesies Christmas Dress

The Lil Cutesies doll is next up for a Christmas outfit. I went back to the Petite Doll's outfit I wrote about last week changing to Christmas colors and making the corrections in the skirt following the directions for a dc ch dc v-stitch to a 2 dc ch 2 dc v-stitch in the second row which makes for a puffier skirt.

The dress and shoes are made using a Petite Designs pattern that can be purchased here. The hat is again adapted from the free Barbie Santa hat available here.

Notes:

I've started to use size 3 thread for some of the smaller baby doll dresses as I'm fining them to be a bit large with the sport baby yarn. The red sport I have is slightly heavier than current baby yarn which makes it even less helpful for these outfits.

The white and red are Aunt Lydia's. The green is Thread Art. When I start buying thread again I'm going to need some darker greens in all numbers if I want to do the Christmas project again for next year's donation.

I did rows 1 and 2 skippped to 4

I join all rows no need to close back.

I decreased the panty rows down to 3 and this made for a better fitting panty. It reduced the width for the front of the panties but this was not a huge issue as they tend to be incredibly bulky in full.

Hat:

I needed a chain of 50 to get the hat to fit around the doll's head. Over the white base rows I reduced to the original count and the thread stretched quite well. I was then able to follow the pattern as written.

The pom pom continues to be the pattern I've used for all of these dolls and then sewn on to the hat. I've never been great at making traditional pom poms and these don't tend to shed.

Lots to Love 10 Inch Baby Doll Sleep Sack

December turned out to be an appointment month which allowed me to finish off another sleep item for the donation a little less than ten days before Christmas.

This is a free pattern you can find here.

Notes:

I used an I hook for this project.

I add an extra row before the final row for this doll.

The yarn is Herrschners' Worsted 8 Baby Stripes Pastel Rainbow. I found this yarn works a little better for the smaller dolls than the Red Heart yarn. I still use traditional worsted for the larger 16 inch baby dolls.

Lil Cutesies Dress, Hairband and Shoes Set

December was a busy month for starting the 2026 project. I'm preposting into January as I'm working on some Christmas outfits and thought it would be better to post them closer to the holiday when possible.

With this project finished Lil Cutesies enters the 2026 donation project.

I've been working on adapting Petite Doll Designs so they fit the Little Cutesies doll a bit better. I love being able to use yarn over thread but over the years I've come to realize that these projects can be a bit bulky with the baby yarn and I've been working on using thread. I realized I actually converted one to size 10 thread last year. I really do need to read my notes before tackling these projects. I took notes on my phone this year and then printed the changes I made to add to my pattern sleeve for this pattern.

This is a Petite Creative Design pattern available for purchase here.

Notes:

I changed to size 3 thread this year and liked that it was a little less bulky. I noticed in another post for a different pattern that I tried size 10 with a few changes and it worked and I'd think about that for next year.

I did rows 1 and 2 skippped to 4

I join all rows no need to close back.

I needed to decrease the crotch to 4 stitches to get the panties to fit. This is another reason to consider using size 10. Even size 3 is bulky.

Increase to 12

Sew to waist

Do additional top rows in sc

Skirt row 1 and 2 are not the same it changes look of skirt

This is why this verstion doesn't flow as well. Not sure I'll have a chance to come back and try it again this year but an important not for future projects.

Finish legs

5 dc rather than 7 crochet shell for bottom of skirt. If I follow the change of skirt pattern the 7 dc would likely fit.

Finish top of bodice with alternate color

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Christmas Dress

This outfit was created adapting Amy Carrico's Springs Set for the 8 inch Baby doll and playing with Darsk's free hat pattern from Baby's first Christmas pattern found here.

Amy Carrico's pattern used to be available on Etsy but is still listed as being available for purchase on Ravelry here.

Notes:

After making the Spring outfit for the 2026 donation I decided to try this with size 3 thread as the red sport yarn I had was too heavy when I tried it.

Dress:

I followed the hook suggestions I used with the yarn and I found this worked for the thread. The first 2 rows with a C hook and finish with a B hook.

For this outfit I chose to continue to turn even after joining as I wanted a different look than the Spring dress.

Panties:

I'm continuing to play with the panties to get them to fit this doll as I find they are either too big or too small. So still a work in progress.

Shoes:

I used a C hook with the shoes and followed the pattern as written. Shoes fit well with thread.

Hat:

I used the brim from Darski's hat pattern. I may try to enlarge the Barbie pattern for the Lil Cutesies doll when I make her Christmas outfit. This wasn't quite the look I was hoping to make.

Rag Doll Christmas Dress

I generally don't make hats or headbands for this doll as her hair makes fitting them rather challenging. However this free 18 inch doll Santa Hat is designed to be oversized and thus fits over the doll's hair.

Notes:

Both patterns for this were adapted from free patterns. The dress is Darski's Dora Dress For February Dress found here. The hat is a free 18 inch doll Santa hat pattern found here.

Dress:

I use a K hook for the first 7 rows joining at the end of row 7.

For the skirt I switch to an I hook to the end of the dress.

In Row 1 to make the arms fit both dolls I need to chain 8.

However this creates and issue with the skirt so in the following row I need to evenly reduce by 8 stitches the number of additional chains added in the previous row prior to starting the pattern that will eventually establish the skirt.

Use a stitch marker to mark the decreases and increases. They are just easy to loose.

Don't skip the directions for finishing the top and the arms.

Hat:

I used the suggested I hook. The suggested yarns are no longer available but I used regular Red Heart yarn and still liked the outcome. I followed the directions as written. This is where I learned to make pom poms that I use for the other dolls.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Christmas Dress

This outfit puts the Lots to Love 14 inch baby doll on the map for the 2026 donation and gives me hope of sending off each doll with a Christmas donation.

This is an adaptation of Amy Carrico's Spring outfit listed for sale on Ravelry here. It also adapts the free Barbie Santa hat pattern I've been using which you can find here.

Notes:

Dress:

The dress, panties, and shoes are from Amy Carrico's pattern. The pattern includes a sweater and headband which I intead to use when I make this as a non-Christmas outfit to add to the donation later in the year.

I have an old big ball of Red Heart Sport Yarn in Red that I've been using for various Christmas doll outfits along with white Bernat Baby.

To make the dress fit I used a G hook for the first 2 rows switching to an E hook for the rest of the dress.

The final shell row of the dress was done in white to give it a Christmas look. The neck is finished in sc white. I used decrease rows with the red to finish off the arms.

The panties need to be worked to 32 stitches at both ends before joining. I play with this pattern every time as I add rows and then decrease to get the panties to fit over the diaper without being too big.

I use an e hook for the shoes following the pattern as written. These stay on fairly well.

While the pattern comes with a headband I wanted a Santa hat and decided to experiment with the free Barbie Santa pattern found here. Hat:

There are some patterns that are harder than others to adapt from doll to doll especially when the dolls are completely different body types. This Santa hat has proven to be a bit easier likely because it is a bit less complicated than something with more form to it.

I originally tried the white baby sport yarn with a larger hook but it was too tight. I moved to white worsted 4 yarn and an I hook and the bottom of the hat fit leading me to believe the pattern would work for this doll. I changed to an H hook for the red yarn.

Pom Pom:

Row 1: 10 DC into magic circle

Row 2: 2 DC in each DC from previous row

Row 3 Dc 1 2 Dc in next

Finish off weaving yarn through bottom of pom pom and pulling closed. Weave in starting end and use finishing end to sew on to hat.

My Life Sleeping Bag

I vowed last fall I'd finish the accessories earlier for the 2026 donation. I really didn't enjoy rushing to finish them at the last minute.

A couple of appointments and some Christmas movie viewing made this one move along quickly.

Notes:

This is made from a free pattern found here. You can find sleeping bags for the fashion dolls there along with snuggle sacks for the various sized baby dolls.

I use a K hook to make this fit the 18 inch dolls.

I believe this is Red Heart Super Saver Bright Stripe. I often pick skeins up at Walmart for the sleeping bag projects.

Our Generation Boy Elf

Happy New Year!

I finished this outfit Sunday and moved on to a Christmas outfit for the Lots to Love 14 inch Baby Doll. My hope is all the dolls will leave with a Christmas themed outfit. Not sure how well that will go for the Calico Critters but I think I can manage for most of the remaining other dolls.

Notes:

This is Adoring Doll's Elf outfit that can be purchased here. It is shown with the Boy and Girl in red and green but the pattern is the same for both dolls. It is a jumper style pattern not a seperate pants and top outfit. While the shoes are separate the gloves are attached.

I believe the white and green yarns are both Red Heart Super Saver skeins.

The elf suit was made with an I hook and I followed the directions as written.

I used an H hook for the sleeves and the gloves. Even with the H there were some fingers breaking through I might go with an I the next time for the gloves.

I worked the first row of the collar in the back loops to get it to flop forward. I used the suggested H hook for the points I'd consider a G next time as they are larger than I expected. It might be that this doll has a bit of hair but I went up to an H hook and had to increase the stitch count and lengthen the hat to get it to fit on his head. I'd consider starting with an I hook and perhaps reducing once past the skull and hair.

The shoes worked up with an H hook. The only challenge I had was two different colors of green forced me to remake one shoe.

I would make this again for the boy doll as I don't have lots of Christmas options for him. This worked out well.