My Life Youthful Memories

This is one of Darki's outfits I've made a few times as it is a bright cheerful spring/summer look and it makes me smile when I'm crocheting it.

You can find the free pattern here. In all the years I've made this I've been missing pages for this pattern that include the rest of the directions for the purse and a pattern for the shoes. I realized that as I decided to try the purse again and realized I couldn't finish it without the remaining directions.

I'd already used Silver Creation's Sailor Doll shoe pattern which can be purchased here because I like the straps to hold on to the foot. However, I would like to try these slip ons at some point to see how well they fit. I'm about half way through another one of her sets so it would be a good time to try the shoes.

Notes:

The pink is Red Heart Super Saver Shocking Pink, the white likely also Red Heart. I've used up lots of white these last few weeks I am pretty sure I don't have anything left but Red Heart in worsted white.

Jacket:

The directions suggest a H hook and I am torn as to which hook I used the H or the I. I thought I'd used the H but I had to switch hooks several times to get the shirt to fit and didn't write it on the pattern so my suggestion would be to start with the H and check the fit.

I finished the front edges of the shirt with sc edge and then for fun alternated front post and back post dc around the nect to get to the other front panel to finish off the second side. I like the textured look. I made a note to add 3 arm rows to the jacket.

Skirt:

I need to buy some 1/4" elastic as the 1/8" has not been working for me lately. The elastic I sewed together for this project broke as there isn't a great deal of room to sew it together at the end seams for the amount of pressure a larger doll exerts on the smaller elastic. I haven't had problems using it for Barbie. Thankfully, I do have elastic hair bands that do work well for these projects so I went with a hairband.

I used an I hook for the skirt.

Shirt:

I struggled with getting the top of the shirt to fit the doll and ended up with a K hook. I would start reducing hook size after the arm holes are formed as it is bulky at the bottom but it needs the larger hook to even close at the top.

I included pictures for the hat and the purse because I refer to these posts every time I come back to a project and the accessories can be hard to see in the general picture.

I used an H hook for the hat and purse. In order to make the trim for the hat I needed the K hook. I chained the suggested yarn together and tied it around the hat. With the actual complete directions for the purse this time I was able to complete the purse. I still may not be reading the directions completely correctly but I ended up reducing the flap to get it to fit her final directions for the button hole. I completed it and I like the look which I have never done before so I'm calling it a win.

My Life Chef

This is the last item from Darski's free Howdy Neighbor pattern found here. The shoes are from Sweet Silver Creations' Sailor pattern that can be purchased here.

Notes:

I take better more detailed notes some years than others. I made this several years back and my notes were not as helpful as I would have liked.

I used an I hook for this hat. I'd go bigger next time for a fuller hat. I tried this twice and it is smaller than the two hats I made before which leads me to believe I may have used a larger hook.

I made these shorts top down crocheting over elastic sewn together. I decreased until I got to the stitch count Darski listed for her legs after splitting. I did not do a chain 3 for the crotch but joined at the split. I did a ss to hem the shorts so they were less likely to get caught while taking on and off.

The previous notes don't mention and issue with the count for the shirt being a challenge for splitting the arms and having them even. To get them to be even I did the first arm as written and then counted the stitches from the end for the second sleeve and put a marker where the join should be made to split the sleeve. This was the only way the sleeves were close in size.

The apron is made using the suggested hook size. Mark both sides where the ties will be added to make sure they will be even on both sides. I chose to sc rather than ss as I prefer the look. Darski's notes explain this but in order for the apron to slide over the head with out tying behind the neck there is a gap that hangs behind the neck. If you decrease the stitches it will not fit over the doll's head. The only way to fix this would be to finish off one side and start the other so you could tie the apron at the waist and neck. I've not tried this but it would fix the large gap.

I used a G hook for the shoes.

I know this is Red Heart White but I have a note that the last time I made this the pink was Red Heart Super Saver Shocking Pink and the colors look like a match.

I added this picture to my notes to remind me to use Adoring Doll's Back to school heart motif. I find it next to impossible to make good hearts. That pattern is one of the few that works for me. I fiddled with this one several times. It would have been easier to pull the other pattern. I will do that next time.

I like that this works as a summer outfit if the child bores of the chef motif.

Our Generation Clam Diggers, Top, and Kerchief

With the wonders of preposting this was the last item I finished in April. Spring is flying quickly by it seems.

This is one of two items found in Darski's free Summertime pattern found here.

Notes:

I've written numerous times about not liking to make my pants legs first but these clam diggers were a compromise. The picture is deceiving the legs are just past knee length but I wanted to get the kerchief in the shot and taking it from a higher angle meant the pants look like they meet the shoes which is not the case.

I would go back to my original plan of top down and work the legs with decreases next time. I keep convincing myself I will come to love her style but these pants are completely fudged to make them fit.

I chose not to add ties to the top. I tacked the ends to the inside of the shirt as the ties didn't work for me.

I used the suggested hooks for this project. Regarding the kerchief, I'd just make a triangle next time. I understood where she was going with the design but her numbers didn't quite work for me. I like the kerchief and I'd make one again for a summer outfit like this one but I'd go with a different design.

The shoes are my go to shoe pattern from Silver Creation's Sailor pattern that can be purchased here.