Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Spring Dress and Jacket

I'm returning to Amy Carrico's Spring Dress and Jacket pattern for the Lots to Love 14 inch baby doll that can be purchased here. It was in the 2024 donation but somehow missed the 2025 donation.

Notes:

This is made with Bernat Big Ball Baby Sport yarn. The yellow striped is getting harder to find but it does make a nice contrast with the regular yellow baby yarn. It's nice to try something other than pink or lavender for this outfit.

The pattern calls for an e hook but I need to start the first two rows of the dress and the jacket with a g hook before finishing with an e hook.

The panties need to be worked to 32 stitches to fit this doll. Depending on the year I sometimes need to add additional rows and then decrease a little to make them fit. I also finish around the legs.

The shoes fit as written and this year using yellow I have more variety of shoe colors for this doll.

I finished under the arms. My note from my previous project suggested finishing the top as well and I'd do that next time.

The dress is closed with a snap and the jacket with a button.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Capri Set

I've got an extensive collection of Amy Carrico's baby doll patterns that I've collected over the years. I loved the feeted outfits she makes and she has some of the only shoe patterns that seem to stay on the baby dolls.

I stumbled upon this one which is available for purchase on Ravelry here while finding a purchase link for another pattern. Every so often I find a pattern that I don't have of hers and this was one.

I'm always looking for something different for the Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby doll as many of my patterns are variations on a theme. The sweater and the hat reminded me of infant sets my Mom used to make years ago. Different techniques as hers were knitted but similiar style.

Notes:

I used the suggested e hook for all of the items. The pink I believe is a Herrschner's Baby sport yarn and the white is Baby Bernat Sport.

For my own notes I tried adding some cute buttons but I'd need larger button holes thus the smaller than normal buttons from my stash.

The hat fit as written without any challenges.

Other than perhaps making larger button holes the sweater also worked as written.

The T-strap on the shoe was a litle fudgey. I might leave this off next time. There is a picture of the shoes without the additional T.

The pants for some reason were the challenge. I tried going up hook size, adding stitches and nothing was working until I decided to add elastic and go back to my fall back style of pants. I crocheted over the elastic and then split with a chain 3 at the crotch for the legs. I reduced stitches to make the upper section and then the legs a more reasonable width as covering the elastic can create more stitches when you use a thinner yarn.

Part of the challenge for this doll is the velcro diaper and this brand of yarn. When the pants were too tight the yarn attached to the velcro. The elastic waist allowed me to get the pants on and off without challenge. I try where possible to make these outfits little hands friendly.

I really like the sweater and could see using it with other patterns. It works up quickly and is a nice addition to the donation. This hat fits suprisingly well. I sometimes find the hats are my Goldilocks problem too big or too small. These shoes are a variation on her standard shoes and other than the t-strap they are my favorite for this doll.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Baylees Bikini

It was time for the Lots to Love 14 Inch doll to enter the 2026 swimsuit challenge and I chose Amy Carrico's pattern as I'd had really good luck with it last year.

This year it fought me every step of the way so next year I might try Char's pattern that I also have for this doll instead. I do not currently have a link where you can buy this pattern as it is not listed for sale on her Raverly store.

This was made with Herschnerrs baby variegated and I believe Bernat baby yarn. I needed a g hook to get the items to fit.

If I make this again I would decrease the top less.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Sweetly Dress

Several years back I accidently made this too large for the Lots to Love 10 inch baby doll and it got added to the Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby doll's donation. It doesn't make every donation year but I do keep it in the rotation.

With the exception of the shoes this outfit is made using Darski's free Sweetly pattern found here. The shoes are from Amy Carrico's Spring Pattern which appears to be currently available on Ravelry here. Her patterns come and go so I link them when they are up. I love these shoes with socks for the 14" baby doll and frequently add them to other patterns.

Notes:

I didn't read my previous project notes and confused them with my written notes for the nightgown from this set.

I used Herrchners worsted and Ice Cream Yarn Meringue for the dress. The shoes were made with the Lemon and Bernat Baby Sport Big Ball White.

The dress required an H hook and I added rows for length. I also added the same chain trim to the bottom of the dress that is used on the sleeves.

I used the Lemon for the panties and played with the design as I usually do.

The shoes were made with the suggested e hook as written.

The bonnet belongs to another pattern in this set. It was made with an H hook and as it was a bit short I decided to play with some post stitches.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Swimsuit

This was made using a free Amy Carrico Fun in the Sun pattern found on Ravelry here.

Notes:

I only found last year's yarn when I finished the project so I stuck with Herrschner's 2 Baby yarn but used the Castle color.

My guage has been all over the place lately so I needed a C hook to get this to fit where I've previously made it work with a B and this yarn.

For my own notes when checking gauge on this project make the bottoms first as this was the quickest way to determine if the yarn hook balance had been reached. When the shorts fit the halter top fit.

The sandals and the visor always have to be fiddled with to get them to work for me. I never write this and then think I must be having a bad year but it came to me as I was working this year that this has always been the case.

I wrote a note to increase the ties as they are tight. I increased to 40 and I'd go to 50 the next time as they are still short.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Playtime Romper

I love the look of this pattern but I've struggled both times I've made the top and can't help but think I'm reading the directions wrong.

I caught one mistake and that helped but I'm still finding myself in a Goldilock's dilema that the shirt is either too big or too small. Too small makes it impossible for a child to dress the doll so I opted for slightly large instead of abandoning the project.

I used an E hook until I reached the second row after the arm holes changing to a D. The directions at the top where the outfit is tight are pretty straight forward. I tried adjusting both hook and yarn. I did purchased some additional hooks recently that are between some of my smaller hook sizes and I'm hopeful this might give me some ability to make an item larger without making it too large.

I did realize there is an additional dc I had not realized when I first read through the directions in row 6. This is a reminder to myself to read the directions carefully.

The sleeves were made with a D hook. I tried a smaller hook but it made it difficult to get the arms through. The arms need to be shorter.

I struggled with the hat the last time I made this outfit but this time it worked as written.

The pants required an additional row before splitting for crotch as they were short but I used the suggest B hook.

The booties also were made with the b hook as written.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Cuddle Up Romper Kits for Kids

I wasn't sure this outfit was going to make it into Kits for Kids. It is the last item for the donation but due to some challenges I've not been crocheting much the last week of the donation push. However the Friday before I made a push to finish the last bits for this outfit.

This is one of Amy Carrico's patterns that is currently listed for sale on Ravelry here.

As the Lots to Love 8 inch dolls are no longer being made and my supply is diminishing I've been considering my options.

I will continue to use the doll for Aztec Wishes and Operation Shoebox for 2027 since I've already started my Aztec projects.

However, going forward I think I'm going to double up on my Lots to Love 10 inch dolls for Aztec Wishes and use a Lots to Love 10 inch Doll for Kits for Kids. This will allow me to stretch my supply of Lots to Love 8 inch dolls for the shoeboxes as size is most critical there. I've been looking for a substitute but so far nothing compares to this doll. Hopefully, I will find something before my Shoebox supply runs out.

Likely do to some health issues I was having my guage was all over the place on this project and I was constantly adjusting hook sizes.

Notes:

The yarn was Baby Bernat Big Ball yarn in yellow and pink.

While I normally use a C for the main part of the shirt and a b for the arms this time I needed an e and a d hook to get it large enough to fit the doll.

The pants continued to require a B hook.

The headband went up to a D hook.

Next month I will get to see how these projects work for the intended donation and hopefully get a better feel for what to work on for next year.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Sweet Baby Mine

With this Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby doll outfit I move from Christmas to Valentine's Day for the doll donation. The beauty of the Valentine's projects is most are able to be worn more through out the year. Some pieces can even be split and worn with other outfits as they don't scream Christmas.

The main portion of this outfit is made with Darski's free Sweet Baby Mine pattern found here. I used the dress, cape, and headband found in the much larger set.

The shoes, and undies I made using Amy Carrico's Spring Dress pattern which is listed as being sold on Ravelry here. Her patterns show up and disappear between Etsy and Ravelry so I make no promises. I've bought just about every baby doll pattern she has available for the sizes I donate because I love her designs. They just aren't always easy to locate.

Notes:

The dress is made with Walmart's Mainstays Pink Blend. I picked up more of this because I do like it for this outfit and at some point it will be discontinued. I believe the pink is the same Pretty and Pink.

I use an I hook for the dress thus ignoring the directions after row 5 to change hook sizes.

The directions are changed to join the dress after row 5.

To get to this length I add rows trying it on until I like the length.

I follow the directions for the cape and headband as written except I join the headband sewing the flower over the join.

Amy Carrico's pattern requires baby sport weight yarn and I used pink and white baby bernat sport and an e hook for the panties and the shoes.

I followed the shoes as written.

The panties require working to 32 sc to get it wide enough to fit the doll. I then add some rows to get it to fit over the diaper.

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.

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.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Spring Set

Every year I try to bring back patterns I didn't get to the previous year. This one has many little pieces to it so often if it isn't one of the early patterns I make in the year I don't always get to it.

This is Amy Carrico's Spring Set. It is currently shown on Ravelry as buy here but I bought it years ago from her Etsy shop so I don't know if the link is still valid. You can find it here.

Notes:

I alternate between a b and c crochet hooks for this outfit.

The yarn is Bernat Big Baby Sport Lavender and White.

The bodice of the dress is made with a C hook changing to a b for the skirt as it gets wide quickly.

Not sure if it was the b or the c for the jacket I thought I'd made a note but I did not. I am thinking it was a c to fit over the dress.

I used a b for the panties as I made a note the c made them too big. I also used a b for the headband adding 10 stitches to the starting chain. It tends to be big width wise for the head and this is a better version.

I needed a c hook for the shoes a b was too small.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Baylees Bikini

This is an Amy Carrico pattern which does not look like it is available for purchase any longer. I keep checking back as her patterns do pop up on either Etsy or Ravelry from time to time but no luck this year.

Having finished the swimsuit for the Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby doll I'm one outfit closer to finishing the challenge. It was the perfect swimsuit weather. I often end up making these in the winter dreaming of the warm weather but this was made in the middle of a hot humid heat wave and I wanted to be at the beach.

My previous notes indicated I needed to go up in yarn and hook size but this year I stayed with the directions for both but had to play with the waist a bit as it was a bit larger than I needed.

Notes:

This is Bernat Baby Sport Ombre I believe Baby Baby but not having the label not sure.

I used the suggested e hook for this outfit. I did not have time for the towel and I did start the sandals only to remember why I don't make her sandals. I can never get them to fit right. It is a cute outfit without either and some year I may get around to making the towel to add.

One note to self this does look better in darker colors. I went with baby yarn on hand but looking at previous project the darker pink looked better.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Dress, Hat, and Booties

I've been trying to keep track of which dolls have been falling behind on filling their donation bags and I noticed the Lots to Love 14 inch Doll needed some attention.

Notes:

This outfit is made using a free Linmary Knits pattern found here for the dress and hat and what is becoming my go to bootie pattern for this doll from an Amy Carrico pattern Spring Set which I believe can still be purchased on Ravelry here.

This doll requires an E hook for the bodice and a G for the skirt. The main color for this outfit was Bernat Softee Baby Soft Red. I don't believe I've used this yarn often. It is a 3 weight yarn but has the feel of Caron Simply Soft. The contrast color is Bernat Big Baby Sport Yarn yellow.

I need to adapt this pattern just a little bit as the Lots to Love doll is a pretty chubby baby doll.

One note to myself that I always forget and already have forgotten as I've begun a second outfit for the larger baby doll the bodice should be done in back loops. I still have two more outfits to complete after these two so a chance to redeem myself.

After reading my notes from my last project I chose not to join until I reached the waist as this makes getting the dress on and off easier. I closed with a snap.

WHat was not in my previous notes was I needed 6 additional rows followed by two contrast rows for bodice length before starting wasit after completing original bodice pattern. In the past I've done this as one solid bodice color. I like the contrast split. I would consider splitting the rows more evenly between the contrast colors as I reached the waist before completing another set of directions. It would be more balanced if I split the two sections evenly.

The directions for the hat should also be followed in back rows until you reach the shell rows which I clearly did not do. For this doll I would stick to the e hook for the entire hat not switching to the g hook as suggested. The hat is a little large.

The booties fit as written with the same yarn I used for the main project and an e hook.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Cuddle Up Romper

I have most of Amy Carrico's doll patterns for the sizes that I make but in looking at my previous year's projects for notes I don't think I've actually made this pattern before. I made another one for this sized doll with the feet but not this one.

You can still find the pattern to purchase on Ravelry here.

I have been picking up Herrschners' baby yarn over the years because it tends to be on the cheaper side if I can get a shipping coupon and because it has more color options that many of the cheaper acrylic brands. I've made these style outfits in pinks and yellows and it was nice to be able to branch out to peach.

Notes:

This was made with Bernat Sport Baby White and Hersrschers' Baby yarn. I used the suggested E hook for all pieces.


The pant directions do work as written but it took me a couple of tries to get the legs attached correctly. For future reference pinning the toes together facing forward helps. Use markers for specific points and to show starting and end points as these can get lost.

I do need to focus on finishing more outfits for the Lots to Love 14 inch doll as the outfit count for this doll is dead last at the moment.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Swim Suit

Where possible I do try to give myself some variety in patterns. I have tended to use the same swim suit pattern for the Lots to Love 8 inch Baby Doll and the Lil Cutesies Doll but I remembered I had this free pattern from Amy Carrico Fun in the Sun, you can find here, and decided to try it out this year.

Notes:

I didn't have the suggested yarn but I decided to try Herrschners 2-ply Baby Yarn in what I believe is Dress Up. I didn't start with a full skein and I had plenty left over so it requires a limited amount of yarn for the project.

The pattern calls for a B hook and I found this worked well even with the change of yarn.

I followed the pattern as written. The one change I'd make for future projects is I'd make the ties for the top longer. It will make tying the top easier for little hands.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Cuddle Up Romper

After my oops that resulted in last week's Lots to Love 10 inch version of this pattern I decided not only to focus on making this work for the doll it was designed for but to document my path through it so I could repeat this for next year's doll.

This is an Amy Carrico pattern that she is not currently offering called Cuddle Up Romper. My first time through it this year it ended up rather large using the suggested D hook, thus it becoming an outfit for the larger baby doll.

Notes:

The yarn for this project was Baby Bernat Sport Yellow and Pink.

Shirt:

I used a C hook for the shirt for everything but the sleeves. I used a B hook for the sleeves to keep them from becoming too large.

I followed the rest of the directions as written.

Pants:

I used a B hook for the pants. Oddly with the smaller hook the legs joined easier than when the pants were larger. Not sure why. Amy's footed pj type pants are the rare occasion I don't make my pants top down regardless of the way a pattern is written. It really isn't practical to make these feeted pj type pants from the top down thus the need to join the legs.

Reminder to myself to follow all the waist directions including waist band to get to correct decreases for fit.

Headband:

I believe I used the D hook for the handband and it fit as suggested.

Lots to Love 10 Inch Baby Doll Cuddle Up Romper

One of the advantages to dressing and donating multiple sized dolls is when something doesn't fit one doll you have a shot it will fit another rather than having wasted all your effort and time on an outfit.

This is Amy Carrico's Cuddle Up Romper pattern for the Lots to Love 8 inch doll which is not currently available. According to my records I haven't made it since 2021 and I didn't write much about my experience back then.

However this year following the suggested hook size the outfit was huge. The shirt would have been big but OK but I had to decrease the waist just to fit the Lots to Love 10 inch doll despite the stitch count being right so clearly something wasn't OK.

Notes:

I used a D hook with Bernat Baby Sport White and Pink.

I had to fiddle with joining the legs to get the stitch count to match and the legs to join.

Later I did additional reduction rounds above what the pattern suggested at the waist as the pants were large even for this doll.

I needed to make a larger starting chain for the headband as the original pattern does fit the smaller doll.

Not all a loss as I know have this set up to use with the larger doll. I am playing with my hook size to see what I need to adjust for a better fit for the smaller doll.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Summer Outfit

This is one of Amy Caricco's patterns, Summer Set for 8 Inch Doll, that currently seems to be available for purchase on Ravelry here. At one point after seeing her disapear than reappear on Etsy I think I managed to finally buy all her baby doll patterns for the sizes I can use because I love her baby doll patterns but she isn't always selling her stuff so my suggestion is buy it while you can because the next time you go back the option might not be available.

I've been exploring options for thread to expand color options. This is made with Knit Picks size 3 Curio. I've not had a great deal of experience with Knit Pick's thread but I was pleased with the quality and when I bought it a while back I was able to add some color options I hadn't previously found for size 3.

I went with Bahama instead of teal as I had it on hand. However, I was a bit distracted when I started the project and mixed up the main and contrast colors. When I made this previously I followed the instructions for white main and teal accent. This time I had Bahama as the main and white as the accent. I went back and looked at last year's project and I like both options.

One major change I made this year was not adding the t-strap. I found this incredibly annoying last year and it didn't add much to the look or fit of the shoes. The version I made is closer to the Mary Jane shoes I make for the larger 16 inch baby dolls minus the socks. I would keep this change for the future.

Notes:

Top:

I started with a C hook for the top. It was too tight with the suggested B. However I shifted to a B hook in row 4 because as the increases occured the larger hook made the top way too large.

For the arms I did not add the increases in the suggested stitches as it made the sleeves into mini balloons and it didn't look great.

Shorts:

I used a C hook to get the shorts to fit and followed the pattern as written.

Headband:

I used a C hook to get the band to fit the head but the smaller b hook for the flower. The pearl buttons are from Joann's.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Summer Outfit

I've long been a fan of Amy Carrico's patterns for the baby dolls as they work up quickly making a nice wardrobe for the various sizes of dolls. Unfortunatly her shop has disappeared from Etsy and while some of her patterns appear to be for sale at Ravelry I haven't tried purchasing any there as there are none I hadn't previously bought when she had her store on Etsy. I didn't see this one listed in my brief search on Ravelry. Hopefully she will be selling her patterns more widely again as they are great outfits for the baby dolls.

This one is titled Summer Outfit should you do a search for it.

Notes:

I'm starting to really enjoy working with size 3 crochet thread.

This was made with Aunt Lydia's White and Warm Teal.

I've been disappointed that Aunt Lydia's and Red Heart seem to have decreased the available colors for their various thread sizes. I've also noticed they are much harder to locate locally. Oddly Hobby Lobby has size 10, 8, and 5 but no 3, which seemed strange to me. I have been buying other brands to get a broader base of colors but they tend to be pricier.

On to the pattern.

Top:

I started with a C hook for the top. It was too tight with the suggested B. However I shifted to a B hook in row 4 because as the increases occured the larger hook made the top way too large.

For the arms I did not add the increases in the suggested stitches as it made the sleeves into mini balloons and it didn't look great.

Shorts:

I used a C hook to get the shorts to fit and followed the pattern as written.

Headband:

I used a C hook to get the band to fit the head but the smaller b hook for the flower. The pearl buttons are from Joann's.

Shoes:

I used a C hook for the shoes. The t strap has to be played with to get it to work there is no easy way to get it to work.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Sunday Go To Meeting Dress

When Amy Carrico was still on Etsy I purchased a bunch of her doll patterns and only recently finished downloading and printing them to use for the donation. While she is no longer on Etsy, I did find this pattern listed for sale on Ravelry so feel free to check it out here.

Notes:

I used Aunt Lydia's Fashion 3 Crochet Thread in White and Black and Thread Art's Size 3 Crochet in Hot Pink for this project. Technically the shoes should have been made with the pink but I wasn't sure I had enough to do both shoes after making the head band so I decided on the traditional black Mary Jane shoes.

I made a note on the pattern and I have a note in my phone that the next time I make this pattern I should order two cones of the Thread Art in the main color for the dress as it is a bit of a fiber hog.

I went with the suggested b hook for this project.

The only major change I made was adding rows to the panties as they were too small for this doll. I went from row 10 to row 15 before doing row 11. This was a bit large and I ended up sc 2 dc around after row 11. So perhaps 14 rows would do the trick.

This is on my radar for next year as it is a very pretty dress. I'm not sure how well it adapts for the Lil Cutesies but I will see what I have time for once I work through all the Lil Cutesies patterns I have.

It was funnny when I saw the title of this project I wondered how many little girls still wear frilly dresses to Church and sure enough a little one behind me on Sunday came all decked out for Church and it made me smile to myself for doubting.

I'm still working on the sleeping bag project and I'm hoping to get started on the summer bathing suit project. Since Memorial Day has come and gone it seems like a nice themed based project to help me keep cool over the next few months.