Kits for Kids Chelsea Simply Bluetiful

This is a new donation project for me this year and until I work on the packing project in May I'm not sure if all my choices are the best but we work on the information we have to make the best choices we can.

For my main doll donation of the year I tend to buy or add accessories to the dolls I buy. However, this donation is different. Space for all items is limited to a single bag and I'm trying to limit the pieces that can be lost as a child moves.

During the recent sales I stocked up on some of my Barbie dolls. I've been thinking about what direction to go with Chelsea as the It Takes Two Camping set I've picked will eventually be discontinued. I was able to stock up for a few more years. My hesitation has been that most of the Chelsea models have a hard plastic "tshirt" that can show through depending on the outfit I make. The dark blue and even the yellow from the camping have not been a huge issue but as I started to shop not only were the newer colors more likely to clash with the outfits I made but they also had print designs on them to look more like a child's tshirt. I get the concept but again not quite helpeful for making clothes.

As I was thinking about what to do for the next Chelsea I found out about this donation and saw there was a basic Chelsea in two skin tones being offered. It's Barbie and friends Club Chelsea. I picked up on at my local Walmart to test how the clothes would fit because the measurements didn't match the current model doll I was using. After realizing the fit would work I picked up a couple of each skin tone for donations during the big sales in March.

This fit my goal of a simple doll. This model has a gingham dress and shoes. The body has no plastic tshirt cover common in the Chelsea line which makes dressing her a bit easier.

Notes:

This has been my go to free Chelsea pattern found here.

I used a 1.8 mm thread hook for this project.I used a 1.8 mm thread hook for this project.

I did not decrease rounds when joining at round 7 or the project would be too small for this Chelsea doll.I used a 1.8 mm thread hook for this project.

The back and top were finished and back closed with a snap.

For this outfit I did add trim at bottom.

Chelsea Christmas Dress

Chelsea enters the 2026 donation with a Christmas outfit made from two free patterns. The dress is the free Simply Bluetiful pattern found here. The hat is the same one hat I used for Skipper found here.

I was able to finish Skipper and Chelsea's dresses two days before Christmas. It is fun to crochet Christmas items during the holiday season itself.

Notes:

Dress:

This dress has become a staple for Chelsea although I don't believe it made it into the 2025 donation as I'd tried a bunch of new pattern for Chelsea.

I believe these are both Aunt Lydia's size 10 crochet thread but for my notes the variegated is Aunt Lydia's Shades of Christmas. I had bought some for pot holders a while back and am working on using up orphan fiber.

To fit this Chelsea I need a 1.8 mm thread crochet hook.

I do not overlap the back as suggested in the pattern as I find the dress is then too tight.

The final row is a trim and depending on my mood I add or leave off. Wanting to add the contrasting color thread I chose to use the trim row. I would do this again in the future for a Christmas dress.

Hat:

The major change to the hat is I used the 1.8 mm hook for the hat. It fit her head better and it also looks like it will work for Stacie.

I hate making pom poms. I had an 18 inch doll Santa hat years ago that crochet balls and added them so that's what I've been doing this year. !0dc into magic circle. 2dc into each dc for 20 total. Finish off and close to make ball leaving end to sew to hat.

Chelsea Sleeping Bag

There are certain projects I try to make each year for the donation. A few years back I added sleeping bags and snuggle sacks for the respective doll types. I also have some targeted specific clothing items I try to make for certain dolls. For a variety of reasons I've fallen behind and need to get caught up on these items and you will likely start to see more of them posted in the coming weeks.

I finally finished this one Tuesday.

I received an email from the school and it looks like the drop off date for the donations is the first couple of weeks of December. I am hoping to be done with 2025 donations before Thanksgiving so I can get everything boxed and ready to go, leaving me the time to enjoy the holiday and start on the 2026 donations.

I am working on two sleeping bags a Barbie family member and an 18 inch doll and currently a nightgown for the second 16 inch baby doll. It gives my brain a little rest between repetive projects.

I've been using Suzie's Stuff's sleeping bag patterns for all the non-baby dolls except for the Glitter Girl.

This is her Teanie Tiny pattern for Beanie Babies found here. Her sleeping bag patterns can be done in sc or in a pattern that provides texture. I generally make the larger dolls with the shells and Chelsea with sc. This year I finally changed the color of her bag and decided to try the shells. I like the shells. I might even try a patterned yarn like I do with the larger dolls next year. This was scrap yarn I was hoping to finish off so a good choice for the project.

Notes:

I used an I hook for this project.

As I mentioned with the previous sleeping bag project the first join is critical to attach correctly or the opening is too small.

I was and am continuing to work on the boy Our Generation Sleeping Bag. I will be starting Stacie's sleeping bag also using this pattern.

Once the top is established I continue the length until the feet are fully covered and then follow the closing instructions.

Chelsea Summer Play Set

I try to balance getting some of the accessory projects finished with getting some clothing items done early in the donation months. One thing I've tried to do in recent years is try to start of the year making sure I get something done for each doll as it is easy to fall behind when you have nothing done for one doll and the year is a quarter gone.

I'm balancing a few challenge projects with some simple clothing projects I tend to include each year to get something in each doll's bag.

I found this to be a quick and easy pattern for Chelsea once I adapted the pattern.

In past years I've made this a full length dress but with this color I really liked the shorter look.

Notes:

You can find the free pattern here.

This pattern is the base for the Chelsea dress but do to the differences in dolls I've made significant changes.

The pattern calls for size 30 thread I use size 10 for Chelsea with a 1.8mm thread hook.

I follow rows 1-4 of the pattern as written with the changes in thread and hook size.

Following row 4 I continue row 4 for an additional 4 rows joining after completing 8 rows.

I changed the pattern's written row 5's V stitch to 2dc ch1 2 dc instead of dc ch1 dc I kept the skip stitch in place.

The dolls are different sizes and I never counted the skirt rows. I continue until the dress fits passed the doll's knees.

To close the back I use a snap after finishing the back with sc.

Chelsea Variegated Dress

I started making this for the donation a couple of years ago adapting it from a free pattern found here.

I like the shorter version of this dress in the variegated colors. I will hopefully make the longer version in a solid color prior to the donation as it is a quick and easy add to the donation bag.

Notes:

I used a 1.8 mm thread hook for this project.

I did not decrease rounds when joining at round 7 or the project would be too small for this Chelsea doll.

When I previously made this outfit in the vaiegated colors I believe I stopped prior to the dress increases around the knee. In the future if the dress is too short I'd just continue with the current rows until the length was achieved. It looks better longer in the solid color than the multi-colors.

Last year I finished not just the back but the neckline of the dress. It looks fine with the solid pink. I'd just finish the back when using variegated in the future.

Thanks to a Barbie Blogger I was able to pick up some outfits for Chelsea at Dollar Tree prior to Christmas for this year and next year's donation.

I never know what will come back at the Dollar Tree and what is a one and done so I will pick up stuff and store if it is something I'm likely to want for another year.

The line is called Friend's Forever and I believe there are a total of 6 outfits. I had to hit almost all my local Dollar Tree stores to find all of them, but I know Chelsea will leave pretty well dressed for the next few years.

Chelsea Summer Play Set

Last year I found a free Amelia Thimble doll crochet pattern here that adapted rather easily for Chelsea.

I stuck to taking the top and making it into a dress. The pants were a more complicated transfer.

Notes:

This pattern is primarily a starting point for the dress but it is important to acknowledge the designers work and credit it as I'd never have tried this without her pattern.

With that said I did quite a bit of rewriting to get this to fit Chelsea and took my advice from last year to make an additional change.

The pattern calls for size 30 crochet thread to make it fit Chelsea I used size 10.

I used a 1.8 mm hook.

Rows 1-4 are done as written with the changes to thread and hook.

I added an additional 4 rows to lengthen the top prior to adding the skirt section and joined after finishing row 8.

This time I followed my suggestion from last year and began with a 2dc ch1 2dc v-stitch after finishing row 8 to start the skirt. This created a better skirt. I continued this pattern until the skirt went past the knee. I didn't count the rows. I finished the back and added a snap to close.

Chelsea Simply Bluetiful

I was fortunate to stumble upon Rebeckah's Treasures website last year where I discovered a pattern set that I've been adapting to fit the female fashion dolls for the donation. You can find the free Chelsea pattern here.

This is a quick simple project if you don't mind using crochet thread which is pretty hard to avoid when crocheting for the smaller fashion dolls.

Notes:

I know this isn't Aunt Lydia's size 10 thread but which alternate brand it is I don't know. I'm going to have to develop a method for tracking them once the labels are removed. I keep the sizes separated but rarely the brands. This becomes an issue when I want to replace a specific color so perhaps its time to work on a system.

The pattern suggests a 1.7mm hook I used my 1.8mm and the size was fine.

Row 7 starts a decrease and I chose not to decrease as the dress was too tight when I tried this last year and I noted it to prevent me from making the mistake this year.

I did a ss hem rather than the suggested trim.

I made a romper from this last year and am considering trying that again but I have other Chelsea patterns I'd like to try first and then maybe come back again if I have time.

Chelsea Sleeping Bag

I originally thought about adapting the free Barbie sleeping bag to fit Chelsea but on the same website was a pattern for the Teeny Beanie Sleeping Bag found here so I decided to try that for Chelsea instead as the size seemed like it would fit.

I used the suggested I hook and worsted 4 weight yarn for the project. In order to make it long enough for Chelsea as this was not designed for her I had to add a few rows at the end before closing it.

These sleeping bags are fun accessories for the dolls and they work up very quickly and are a great use for yarn scraps you might want to finish off.

Chelsea Romper

I mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to adapt Rebeckah's Treasures free Simply Bluetiful Chelsea pattern found here into a Romper for the Chelsea Can Be a Builder donation doll.

For my own notes I did not decrease in round 7 but joined with a ss. I also did not increase in Round 10 which I did previously with both dresses as this made the pants section balloon out too much. Instead when I reached the leg section I chained 4 and joined at the half way point for the legs and added 3 rows to each leg for the romper.

I finished the back before adding a snap to close the romper. I would definitely consider adding this to next year's pattern selection as it works out quite well. I'm still thinking of using the top section for a top and adding shorts for the donation. It also could work as a top and skirt combination.

Chelsea Simply Bluetiful Dress

Last week I mentioned that I was determined to send Chelsea off with a wardrobe this year after such a sad showing with the 2021 donation. I found a great free pattern here that required just a little adapting as it is designed for a slightly smaller Chelsea doll.

I stuck with the size 10 Crochet thread. The pattern calls for a 1.65mm or 1.75mm crochet hook I used a 1.8mm to make guage and I found the fit worked well for the doll. Row 7 decreases the stitch count from the previous row and I won't give away the designer's secrets but I found this was too small for the Chelsea I'm working with so I kept with the previous rounds stitch count and joined the row with a ss and continued on with the directions.

I like the look of this style and the way the dress comes together. I'm thinking of making another dress shorter without the finishing at the bottom. I'm also thinking about splitting the skirt for shorts and making this into a romper style outfit for Chelsea. The more outfits the better. I prefer a style that goes together quickly and easily.

I have never tried making shoes for fashion dolls before. However the website also has a free shoe pattern for Chelsea here. Not sure I'm a fan yet but at least she has shoes. I used the 1.8mm for the shoes as well.