Spider Web Dishcloth

I learned to crochet many years ago making dishcloths and then pot holders for my house. I continued to make them to learn new stitches knowing that even if they weren't something I wanted anyone to see they would still be used to clean my house. I've always loved having holiday themed dishclothes and potholders for the kitchen.

About five years ago I updated the holiday potholder collection. I thought it had been more recent but one thing about this blog is it does help me keep track of my projects. It has been much longer since I've updated my holiday dishclothes. I still make scrubbies as they die and I've made some regular dishclothes on occasion but the time has come to add some new holiday ones to our collection.

This is a free Yarnspiration pattern found here. This is actually a scrubby pattern made with Red Heart scrubby yarn. I have never been able to crochet with their scrubby yarn and honestly for the same reason have never been a fan of the items made with the yarn. However, I wanted to see if this would work with traditional kitchen cotton. This was made with Peaches and Cream.

I started with the web. If the web wasn't going to work than the project was pointless. My one thought is I might use a g hook to get better definition with the web next time if I make it again. I used an H hook for the entire project. The only changes I needed were to change to kitchen cotton and I used blue for the border since I didn't have any purple on hand.

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.

Barbie Pilgrim

Over the years I've acquired quite the doll library but only in the last few years have I truly commited to seeing what actually can be utilized for this donation.

This pattern comes from Crochet World's 1984 Special Issue No.2 Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 Inch Fashion Dolls. What intrigued me when I saw this on a used pattern site was the mention of the Pilgrim outfits. Ken's is designed for display. However, when I saw Barbie's I had hopes this might work.

Notes:

The pattern calls for sport yarn. This is one of those terms that can make you crazy in old patterns for a number of reasons. Even in 1984 there were a number of references to sport yarn that meant different things. However, today we have so many different types of yarn referrred to as sport that the word is sometimes less than helpful.

The outfit shown in the picture looked like the yarn was lighter so I started with heavier thread, moved on to fingering and found myself at DK. Even then while the dress was a bit bulky, the way the waist was formed made the dress too small for my current model. To manage this I decided to fall back to crocheting over an elastic for the waist ensuring that the waist would fit.

As a note for future projects I'd start with the elastic waist and fingering yarn. The Premier Basix DK was bulkier than I liked but it was the only yarn that was even close to fitting at the waist.

The suggested D hook worked for the yarn portion of the project. I used a 1.8 mm thread hook for the thread sections with the exception of the bonnet which I used a 2.0mm.

I changed the cuffs by joining and then sc to the dress.

Bonnet needed added neck rows to get it to fit this Barbie's hair so I continued to crochet until it fit the face of the doll. The bonnet is supposed to have 3 rows bend back over the bonnet. I sc first row into back rows and sc next two rows as written. This just makes it easier to get the thread to fold evenly. I added ties to the bonnet with I believe 30 chains. If this was being displayed the like of ties would likely not be an issue but since it is designed for play it needs to be tied down.

I have a third Pilgrim pattern for Barbie from Shady Line that I last made before this donation started. I may pull that out and see which pieces work best. I do like the bonnet and apron from this pattern. The collars would have worked better if the dress worked better.