Calico Critters Bay Creek Knits Mom Dress

I like working on these projects between other projects as they are quick to finish and add another item to a donation bag.

This is a free pattern found here.

Notes this is made with size 10 thread.

I used two different hooks this year as I found it slightly tight around the arms last year. The Tulip hooks give me a little more room to play with the Golilocks syndrome of being too big or too small. I started with my 2.5mm hook and then went back to my 2.2 after the armholes had been established. I had started with the 2.2 and it was too tight under the arms. However, I've found skirts can overwhelm the small toy so I went back to the 2.2 when working on the skirt.

These are my adapted previous notes on avoiding the surface crochet.

I have never been good with surface crochet so I did follow the directions after row 4 for moving the main color thread back into place to continue the project. However, before starting row 5 I did a row of ss into the front row othe stitch the starting row to avoid having to surface crochet later. I made row 5 by crocheting in the back loops behind ss.

I did not snap a picture of the back of the gown so this is last year's shot as a reminder.

Having used the same colors twice I'm thinking shades of green or blue next year might be nice.

Chelsea Sleeping Bag

I settled on the free Calico Critter pattern found here for Chelsea after experimenting with it for the Kits for Kids donation.

With this one complete I just need one more for my Shoebox donation and I can move on to the small baby doll bassinets. It feels good to get these finished, especially with two additional donations that require sleeping options.

Notes:

I need a 1.5mm thread hook for this project and follow the adult critter instructions with the exception of the length of the sleeping bag.

The identification for this thread sources seems to have fallen out of the cone so I don't know which brand or color this is but I suspect it is Hobby Lobby.

A note to myself is that unlike the previous pattern I was using where it was obvious the bag was long enough I got the feeling this one was too long and stopped. It does fit but I like a little extra foot room to make it easier to get on and off. Next time I'd ignore my fear and go longer. The thread is tighter than the yarn ones I make and a little extra room is worth it.

This was a great travel project over two appointments. This post is being preposted to the end of the month but as I write this I'm starting the last Chelsea sleeping bag I need as I have an appointment this week where I suspect I can get some rows completed.

Chelsea Kits for Kids Sleeping Bag

It's April Fool's Day and I'm preposting my Kit's for Kids projects which hopefully have long been delivered by now. I've been using a free beanie baby sleeping bag pattern for years for Chelsea's sleeping bag. However, the two new charities I've added Chelsea to this year have space restrictions. The beanie bag is bulkier and I decided to explore if I could use the thread bag from the Calico Critters to save space as I've adapted a few of Mom's outfits to fit Chelsea before.

You can find the free Calico Critter sleeping bag pattern here.

Notes:

I am always on the hunt for differnt types of thread, especially variegated colors. This is Herschnerrs own brand size 10. I had previously tried it on a dress I've made multiple times with the same hook and it was huge. It also looks larger than my other brands of size 10. I don't have 8 on hand but that would be my guess as it is smaller than my 3 but it is heavier than my other 10's.

Since I was looking to adapt a smaller pattern to a larger doll this seemed like the ideal time to use some of the thread up. I experimented with hooks until I settled on the 1.5mm hook. I may go back to the 1.25 for the one I need for Operation Shoebox as I'm still on the fence about the size.

I followed the directions as written for the basic formation other than I needed more rows for length due to Chelsea's height prior to starting the pillow section. As I do with the Critters I stuffed the pillow and sewed the bottom opening of the pillow closed.

Calico Critters Brother Sleeping Bag

As I've mentioned previously I prepost a great deal and when making similiar projects I try to spread them out across weeks when possible so I don't have a week of ...

This is the last of the Calico Critter sleeping bags I need for 2026 and was finished at the beginning of March.

I mistakenly made an extra Sister bag in 2025 and put it aside for this year's donation last April thus no need to make one for her now. Not done with this pattern as I plan on adapting it for two Chelsea sleeping bags one with and one without a pillow.

Notes:

This was made with size 10 Thread Art variegated greens crochet thread with a 1.0 mm thread crochet hook.

I use a different hook for the children. I forgot this when I started this and when looking at my notes on the sister frogged and began again as it was larger than I wanted.

This is made with a free pattern you can find here

I choose to stuff the sleeping bag pillows so this requires sewing the bottom of the pillow shut to keep the stuffing inside.

Calico Critters Mom Sleeping Bag

I am so very grateful to be finishing these sleeping bags and sacks so early in the donation year.

With preposting I spread them out so I only post one a week so this one was actually finished a month to the date ago.

These little ones are so quick and easy to finish that I decided to work my way through the Critters before going on to other dolls. I'm also going to adapt this pattern for Chelsea as it is less bulky and since I'm also making one for my shoebox donation space is critical.

You can find the free pattern here.

Notes:

I used size 10 crochet cotton and a 1.25 mm hook for the adult sleeping bags.

Since I don't have the means to add beds to my donation are am sure there is even space for such items I try to send sleeping items with the dolls. Most dolls have a sleeping bag or sack. The baby dolls have some kind of bassinet and blanket and the larger dolls all have blankets.

With this is mind the pattern leaves an empty pillow in the sleeping bag. I never had a sleeping bag with a pillow but as this is the intended sleeping area for the doll I've been stuffing and closing the lower portion of the pillow area. It is a choice when you make one.

Calico Critter Dad Sleeping Bag

I finished this sleeping bag back in February but I try not to post more than one per week.

This is a free pattern found here.

A very dear friend sent me some size 10 crochet thread and this sleeping bag was made with Aunt Lydia size 10 shaded blues. I'm thinking I have an old Barbie pattern that requires this shade. For my notes Thread Art has a similiar color should the Aunt Lydia's become unavailable.

Notes:

I use a 1.25mm thread crochet hook for this project.

The pillow is generally not stuffed as is the case with sleeping bags but since this is often the bed I send with the dolls I do try to include a pillow. The pattern allows you to stuff and sew off the opening if you want but no clear directions are written for this as the design is to keep it flat so it can be rolled up.

Calico Critter Sister Dress

Mother and daughter have now entered the Christmas doll outfits for 2026. Sister is sporting a free shell stitched dress pattern that can be found here. The pattern includes directions for Mother and Sister.

I hope to include non-Christmas outfits for both using this pattern for the 2026 donation.

Notes:

One of the reasons for documenting these projects each year is to remember what worked and learn from the challenges. Last year I used a 1.25mm hook for Sister's dress and while it fit it was tight and it was challenging to fit the tail through the back opening. This was corrected this year with a 1.5mm thread hook.

This was made with size 10 crochet thread. This color has been discontinued.

Calico Critters Sister Sleeping Bag for 2026 Donation

I've mentioned on several occasions that I take the sleeping bags and baby doll snuggle sacks as my travel projects. I move on to doll blankets if there is time before the donation is due. If I finish a project I try to set up the next project so it is ready for the next time I know I'm going to be some place where I know there is a chance I'll be sitting and waiting. Most of the time I remember what the next project is but this time I got it stuck in my head that I needed one more Calico Critters sleeping bag for the sister despite the fact I'd finished the family requirements for 2025.

This was a last minute project out so I grabbed supplies and had the project almost complete when I got home and realized the project was a duplicate. It was almost done and I wasn't going to frog it at this point so I decided I'd set up a separate holding section for the 2026 Calico Critters and I even started a 2026 donation page on my blog so I don't forget and continue to make even more duplicates.

With this explained these are quite simple projects if you don't mind crochet thread for anyone's Calico Critter families. The free pattern provides pattern adjustments for the adult and children critters. You can find the free pattern here.

Notes:

I used a 1mm hook and size 10 crochet thread for this project. I've been working through my supply of variegated thread for these sleeping bag projects.

I've been making this notes as I go along that less stuffing is better on the pillow. Also reminding myself that while the directions are clear on crocheting one end of the pillow the other end must be sewn shut.

Calico Critters Brother Sleeping Bag

I finished this travel project back in April and was sure it had been posted but after checking my blog it wasn't there. To keep my records straight here is the brother's sleeping bag for 2025. As it turned out this was the last one I needed for the 2025 donation. Another project type finished!!!

This is a free pattern available here.

Notes:

I used a 1mm hook and size 10 crochet thread for this project.

My consistant notes for this project is don't overstuff the pillow and remember that the top of the pillow is crocheted but the bottom must be sewn shut to the sleeping bag to keep the stuffing from falling out.

I've made the decision to start with the 18 inch dolls as the next travel project. Their sleeping bags take the longest to finish so getting them out of the way would be a good choice.

I was able to secure another Milk Bunny family set for the 2026 donation but only one set. Not sure if I'm going to need new models after that to match the donation Critters as they are all slightly different in how stuff fits.

Calico Critter Sister Sleeping Bag

I'm continuing my sleeping bag projects for the dolls. I have one more to finish for the brother and the Calico Critters sleeping bags will be finished for 2025. I'm thinking of moving on to the larger dolls so I don't leave them to the last minute once I get the brother done.

Notes:

This is a free pattern that gives patterns for the parents and children Critters. The adjustments are minor and its easy to work between the directions to make both. You can find the free pattern here.

I used a 1mm hook and size 10 crochet thread for this project.

I headed my previous notes and used less stuffing for the pillow and it worked better. The top of the pillow is closed by crochet, the bottom will need to be sewn closed.

Calico Critter Dad Sleeping Bag

With the baby doll snuggle sacks finished for 2025 it is time to move on to the sleeping bags. I was thrilled to find a free sleeping bag pattern for the Calico Critters that adjusts for adults and children. It seemed like a great way to start the next accessory challenge.

I finished this one helping out at a down town event last Saturday. I was amazed how much attention a thread project got. While knit and crochet are becoming more common in public, thread is still some what unique I've discovered in public situations.

Notes:

You can find the free crochet pattern here.

I used a 1.25mm hook for this project.

I am going to start the Mom bag up as I have several appointments where this would be a good travel project.

Calico Critters Mom Morning Glory Dress

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It is much easier to find free and paid patterns for the Mom Calico Critters. This is a free pattern found here. That being said most of the dress patterns are variations on a theme as it is hard to fit something to a toy this small.

Notes:

The pattern calls for fingering yarn I used size 3 Thread Art's Lilac Crochet Thread. I am moving more to thread with some of these smaller projects. Fingering yarn is a subjectiver term and I sometimes have yarn that will work and sometimes it isn't a fit. I decided to start with crochet thread and only move to yarn if I couldn't make it work with thread.

I needed a 1.5mm hook to get the dress to fit the Critter.

I chose not to use the elastic with the headband. I also found the count off for the critter I was using. I crocheted a chain long enough to fit the animal's head and then used hdc for the headband.

Calico Critters Sister Shell Dress

This was one of the earliest Calico Critters free patterns I discovered when I set out to make clothes for family. Now that I've returned to donate them it seemed wise to return to something I'd previously had success making.

You can find the free pattern which gives directions for the Sister and the Mother for this dress here.

Notes:

This is the Artiste Multi-Colored Box of sample threads from Hobby Lobby I discussed in yesterday's post. I suspect it will be quite useful for the Calico projects.

I used the 1.25mm hook I had previously used when I made this outfit for the Mouse I was gifting. Not sure if it is the change in character, thread, or my gauge but the top was slightly tight to add the snap. The bottom was fine.

My suggestion for the future is to experiment with a larger hook for the top and return to the 1.25 for skirt. This will also likely provide a bigger hole for the tail which was also slightly tight. The mouse tail is long and thin so this also was not likely and issue for fitting it when I made it last.

Calico Critters Bay Creek Knits Crochet Mother Dress

The last order I placed for the Rag Dolls was disapointing because I didn't realize they had changed the quality of the dolls. The previous dolls had cute hair the current dolls have much cheaper hair in a less attractive color. I don't wish to waste them so I will make the clothes and donate them but once gone I won't order them again.

I looked online to find a replacement but I didn't find anything that was similiar in the price range for a replacement. I decided to revisit a project I had worked on for some family members. As a result of that project, I had collected patterns and looking online found some additional ones. This seemed like a great time to introduce a new member of the doll donation.

This year's donation will be the Milk Rabbit Family. The set here are my models. An unopened box will go to the donation. I found mine at an unexpected location, Barnes and Noble. I generally don't think to look for toys there but I have had luck finding the Calico Critters online there at a reasonable cost.

This is a free pattern found here.

Notes:

I used size 10 thread with a B hook as suggested by the pattern.

I did not use a foundation chain to start and it worked fine.

I have never been good with surface crochet so I did follow the directions after row 4 for moving the main color thread back into place to continue the project. However, before starting row 5 I did a row of ss into the starting row to avoid having to surface crochet later. I made row 5 by crocheting behind ss. It worked for me, although it was challenging finding the 25 stitches required to start the skirt. It took me a few trys but it was worth it to avoid the surface crochet.

Calico Critters Shell Dress

After purchasing the single Stephanie Marshmellow Calico Critter hoping she would work as an adult model for my Calico Critters outfits I have come to suspect she is actually closer to the daughter rather than the Mother figure. I've finally broke down and bought the Cuddle Bear Family so I have a range of sizes to work from and I'm thinking of making some holiday outfits for myself so they can be part of my holiday traditions as well.

I'm no doll or toy expert so when I make clothes I firmly believe in models to try to make sure the clothes will fit. It takes a good bit of time and resources to make the clothes and you know if they don't easily fit they are far less likely to be used.

For those of you interested in mkaing some Calico Critter clothing of your own this is a free pattern that can be found here and includes directions for the mother and daughter figures, which is what finally made me believe this is not the Mother sized figure I'd hoped for when I purchased it as it was much closer in size to the daughter than the mother.

This pattern works up quickly. I used DMC Traditions Size 10 thread. I have been searching for striped/variegated thread to use with various doll projects and at some point picked up this thread but I'm not sure when or where and it does not seem to be commonly available when I searched for it online.

To make this fit this sized mouse I used the daughter directions and a 1.25mm Tulip Etimo thread hook. I'm finding this seems to be the hook for this mouse. We will see if it holds to the standard for the adult figures when they arrive.