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 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 Variegated Dress

I mentioned after fininishing Rebeckah's Treasures free Simply Bluetiful pattern for the Chelsea donation I was going to try to adapt it to expand my wardrobe donations for this doll for 2022. You can find the free pattern I used as the basis for this project here.

While working on the original dress I had thought the dress would also be cute at a shorter length. I'm continuing to work from my stash and I thought a variegated look would be fun for this dress so I chose Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread Size 10-Monet for this project.

As with my previous use of this pattern I used a 1.8mm hook to make the dress fit and did not decrease the stitch count as this Chelsea is slightly larger than the previous doll this pattern was written to fit.

I finished the back closing and used a snap to close the dress. I'm hoping to make a romper splitting the dress into short legs. I'm also considering a shorts and top outfit from this pattern as well. I struggled mightly to find something easy that fit Chelsea last year so I'm going to stretch this as far as I can take it so she leaves for the donation with a decent wardrobe.

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.