My Life Mermaid

I'm down to my last two posts for the projects for the 2023 donation. I'm actually in the process of sorting stuff and packing it as I write this up and prepost it. I have a delivery date and while it seems impossible it soon will be time to begin work on 2024's donations.

After starting on the Mary Maxim kit I was pretty sure I had another Mermaid pattern. Before I discovered Adoring Doll's 18 inch patterns, Sweet Silver Crochet patterns was one of the places I got many of my themed outfits for the dolls. Sure enough I had picked up her Mermaid pattern and never made it. I seemed 2023 was the year of the Mermaid. You can purchase her pattern here. Notes: I used Red Heart Super Saver Wild Flower and Turqa. Peacock would likely work for the tail as well. The suggested yarn is Crafter's Secret but I didn't have any and Red Heart worked for the project.

I did not record the hook size but I'm thinking I had to go up to an I to get the waist section of the tail to fit. It might have been an H for the fin.

This should become part of my princess rotation. I pulled the patterns late in the year but the thing about an on going project is nothing stops you from continuing it into the next year and I hope to add more princess dresses to next year's donation.

My Life Cinderella

Cinderella seemed an appropriate post for Halloween. Every year I try to either add patterns I haven't ever made or return to favorites I haven't made in a few years. The princess patterns are always favorites but they don't make it into every donation. This year I decided to see if I could bring back a few as I know they tend to be popular.

This is Sweet Silver Creation's pattern that can be purchased here. I have a few Cinderella patterns that pop up for the donation from time to time. This one requires a signficant commitment of yarn in the main color. I was able to use a left over ball of light blue but this used up a signficant amount of a Caron Pounder.

Notes:

I noticed I never made notes for previous outings so best to get a few simple notes down.

I used an H hook for this pattern the I was a bit big, it might work for the Our Generation if I decide to switch up and make this pattern for the Our Generation next time.

The dress and the collar were closed with a snap.

I did not end for arms but continued pattern in more traditional arm fashion. I've not had good luck following arm section as written.

The shoes are made using the shoes from Silver Creation's School Uniform pattern and the suggested f hook. The pattern can be purchased here.

My Life Princess Belle

While my guage is never normal every so often it really goes haywire and I've learned to accept and adjust. Normally for an Adoring Doll pattern I go up a hook size but for this pattern I needed an I hook to make the outfit slide on and off. I suspect had the outfit used a snap or button I could have gotten away with an H hook.

For those of you interested this pattern includes a Belle wig. Since this is going as a donation doll that will hopefully see quite a bit of play time and not as a doll that will be displayed I opted not to make the wig.

There is addiitional trim for the bottom of the dress but trim was not with me this round. I think approaching this on a better day I'd work a trim that functioned for me but in this case I left it off.

You purchase the pattern here.

This was another chance to pull yarn from my stash to work on previous project left overs. I have kept with my goal this year of reducing the left overs and turning them into doll clothes.

18 Inch Doll Cinderella

I did mention I'd eventually get back to making costumes for the donation dolls didn't I? I own several Cinderella patterns for the 18 inch dolls. Some are more challenging than others. I chose this one because it is quick to make up and I had the supplies on hand. While I've been focusing on using up orphan yarns I have a supply of staple yarns that the majority of my donations come from and since I haven't been out shopping much I haven't resupplied those as much as I would normally do and therefore there wasn't a guarantee that when I went to find light blue yarn I'd have any available.

For those of you interested in this pattern you can purchase it from Adoring Doll Clothes here. While her prices are quite reasonable she regularly has sales or deals for multiple pattern buys if that is of interest. I know I take advantage to keep up on her newer designs.

Pattern Notes:

To add the overdress I changed row 9. I crocheted in the back loops for this round to leave the front loops available to begin the overskirt. This is a change from the directions and one I'd like to remember when I make it again.

I had to add rows to the headband to make it long enough. When I make this next time I need to measure this prior to finishing off to make sure it fits.

To get the shoes to fit I needed an I hook. This is pretty standard for me.

Snaps closed the dress and the choker at the neck. This differs from the pattern directions.

The dress was short so I added rows to make it floor length.