Rag Doll Dress

This is Petite Creative Designs pattern that I recently made for the Lots to Love 14 inch doll that you can purchase here. I tried it last year and it was a good match. I put this year's outfit on when I was done with the baby doll outfit and it was a good fit. I decided to move forward with the Rag Doll outfit.

Notes:

I used a G hook for this pattern.

The yarn is Baby Bernat Big Ball Sport Pink and Lion Brand Baby Soft Mint.

Chelsea Shorts and Shirt

I pulled some of the quicker Barbie family patterns to make from my binders thinking it would be best to add the various Barbie dolls to the rotation for fear of making it to November only to find the dolls had no clothes. This pattern is actually based on a free dress pattern from Rebeckah's Treasures found here.

I've adapted this dress pattern a couple of times and I'm hoping to get a few more outfits from it this year again. However I did orginally intend to make a dress with the green but as I was finishing the top section something just said summer short outfit and I stopped and went with it. The bottom of the shirt is finished in reverse sc stitches.

Notes:

I used a 1.8mm hook for this pattern.

I joined the top without the suggested overlapping to fit the version of Chelsea doll I'm working with for this project.

The shorts started with a chain 27 and join. I then sc in rows adding some increases to make the future legs a bit wider until I reached the crotch and split evenly with a chain for for the short legs. I started rows on one leg until I got the desired length fininshing with a slip stitch hem. I matched the second side to the first.

Skipper Simply Beautiful

This is Rebekah's Treasures free patterns Simply Bluetiful for the Teen Fashion Doll found here. I wasn't sure which doll this was going to fit as I have two "teen" dolls in the Barbie line Stacie and Skipper and even when the pattern specifies one with the way the dolls change sometimes a dress fits one better than the other. In this case the dress went to Skipper as suggested.

Notes:

I used Aunt Lydia's Size 10 Wood Violet and my Tulip Etimo thread 1.25mm hook.

This dress comes in 3 sizes for the fashion dolls. I don't overlap in row 11 for any of the dolls but join as the fit can be tight when I don't.

I've been able to get a few different outfits using this as a base for the Chelsea doll. I'm hoping to adapt it a bit for Skipper. I also pulled some size 20 thread from my stash to see if I can get this pattern to fit Stacie. I have so few patterns for these 2 dolls that I'm trying to learn to stretch them as I can.

16 Inch Baby Doll Green Sundress

I donate two JC 16 inch Baby Dolls each year and that requires me to repeat certain patterns to make sure both dolls leave with enough clothing and accessories for a good donation.

As I mentioned in a previous post last week this is a free Sundress pattern I originally started making for a no longer available Mary Maxim 15 Inch Baby Doll that I used to donate in the early years of this donation. I started hunting for patterns that would fit that doll and when I graduated to the 16 inch doll it wasn't a huge adjustment to get the same patterns to fit the slightly larger doll.

While the original blog is no longer online for this free pattern, you can still access the pattern through the wayback machine here. The pattern includes the hat and the dress. I use Darski's baby shoe pattern for all my 16 inch baby doll outfits found in her free Peachy Keen pattern here. It is one of the only patterns that seems to consistantly fit the doll and stay on.

Since I find myself repeating patterns I do occasionaly find myself playing a bit with them. In this case I added a sc chain 1 sk 1 trim for the hat and the bottom of the dress.

This was a great chance to attack more stash yarn. I didn't finish off the green ball but it is significantly dented. The yellow was also another left over ball. I'm hoping to continue finishing off left overs and yarn that has lived to long in my stash as the donation projects continue.

Lil Cutesies Dress, Headband and Shoes

This was another pattern from Petite Dolls for the Little Cutesies Doll. You can purchase the pattern here.

Notes:

I used a B hook for the pattern and chose to close the back rather than use a tie. It is loose enough to slide on and off without needing to leave an opening and adding a tie.

Over time I've acquired quite the supply of baby yarn for the doll projects. I believe the main colors are Bernat Baby Big Ball Pink and White. The Green is Lion Brand's Baby Soft Mint. It is easier to find the white, pink, and blues in baby yarn. I tend to pick up colors like this green when I find them on sale because there is always a project like this one that benefits from a different contrast color.

I left off a row of the knickers which I then replaced when I added the bodice. This let me use the actual first row of the bodice to crochet the row in back loops to allow me to use the front loops later for my my skirt row. Others may not find this necessary but I found it was much easier to get an even starter row for the skirt all around.

I'm also adding a note to remind myself that the first skirt row and the remiaing skirt rows are different. This doesn't give away the design notes but I didn't read the directions carefully and wondered why my skirt did not look like the one in the picture. Once I followed the directions I got the fuller look I wanted.

I still haven't fixed the bulky knickers issue yet. I'm thinking about experimenting with taking out a row so the panties are shorter and then build up the bodice from that area. It's worth a try the next outing. Another note regarding the knickers the knickers color is the same color as the top. This reminds me not to play yarn chicken. I sometimes think these small doll projects are a great time to use up yarn and they can be but it pays to note how much yarn one needs or you end up wasting yarn, not using it up.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Swimsuit

I started off the year with two all doll projects in mind. Every doll would leave with either a sleeping bag or a sleep sack and each would have a bathing or swimsuit. I finished the first project and the second project got a little stalled but I made a list of outstanding dolls and I'm picking up the project again.

This is one of Char Caywood patterns and it can be purchased here. The pattern was designed to fit the 8 inch and the Lil Cutesie doll so you'll be seeing this pattern again.

Notes:

This was made with a mix of three sizes of size 10 Crochet thread. When it comes to the dolls I've been looking primarily for colors so I don't mind mixing brands. From Artiste I believe the yellow is Gold Dust and the variegated is Blossoms. Since the Aunt Lydia's yellow was open I'm not sure of the color but I believe it might be Maize.

I used my Tulip Etimo 1.75mm thread hook for this project.

I changed the trim at the top to a sc chain 3 skip one as it was bulging a bit with the pattern suggested trim. I've made it before with the suggested trim but each time is different and this just fit better this year.

Lil Cutesies Dress, Knickers, and Shoes

I'm continuing to cycle through my donation dolls trying to make sure they all leave with clothes. This is one of Petite Dolls patterns for the Lil Cutesies Doll that can be purchased here.

As I did with the larger JC 16 inch Baby dolls my plan is to cycle patterns through the Lil Cutesie doll and the Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby doll as most patterns fit both with minor adjustments. Since the Lil Cutesies doll was still waiting for a picture to be taken when I finished this outfit, I started on a bathing suit for the Lots to Love 8 Inch Doll that I hope to switch and make this dress for the Lots to Love 8 Inch and the Bathing Suit for the Lil Cutesies doll.

This was made with the same Herrschners yarn I used for the Lots to Love 14 Inch Doll I posted about yesterday. I used the suggested E hook and the fit was fine. This pattern does not come with a flower so I borrowed one from another one of her patterns I purchased here. One of the advantages of having a pattern library is being able to borrow items from one pattern to use with another. I do this all the time with shoes. When I find a pattern that is easy and fits I often repeat it.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Dress Hat and Shoes

As I mentioned previously I've been using my phone to track the doll items as a way of better planning my doll projects so the dolls are better dressed. The blog works well for a general site but having a list when I'm mobile to see what I should be working on vs perhaps what I really want to work on keeps me on target for finishing before the deadline.

As I was reviewing I noticed the baby dolls have been sadly neglected this year. So after having made some for the larger baby dolls it was time for the Lots to Love 14 Inch Doll to get an outfit.

This is one of Petite Doll's designs that can be purchased here. Just a note the pattern is written in UK crochet terms so I do find myself occasionally having to remind myself to sc and not dc in certain points of the pattern but I've gotten better over the years as I've used more UK patterns.

Notes:

Hook size: E

I used Baby Bernat White for the top. I believe this is an old Skein of Herschners afghan yarn I've been using up for the purple. Their yarn prices recently went up on their house yarns but I had stocked up on some of their house brands last year primarily for the baby doll projects as it is a little lighter than advertised and seems to do well for the various baby doll outfits. It comes in a wider variety of colors than traditional baby yarns so I find myself using it more frequently. I have a rather large stash of yarn so hopefully I can ride out the price change and it will return to a more reasonable brand for the quality.

I changed the hat a bit this year by doing a row of front post sc to create the brim for the hat. I picked the idea up on an 18 inch doll pattern and I liked the way it formed a little brim.

16 Inch Baby Doll Sundress

This is probably the oldest and most consistant of my donation patterns for the 16 inch baby doll. Technically I have "older" patterns, some antique but I found this one when I was first starting with the 15 inch baby dolls and have used it consistantly since then.

Sadly the blogger has disappeared from the Internet but you can still access the pattern through the wayback machine here. The pattern includes the hat and the dress. I use Darski's baby shoe pattern for all my 16 inch baby doll outfits found in her free Peachy Keen pattern here. It is one of the only patterns that seems to consistantly fit the doll and stay on.

I was excited to finish off another ball in my collection of left overs, although it didn't quite finish the whole outfit. I had to start a new skein to finish off the hat and to add the shoes. However, it is always great to see a ball gone. I have a green ball eyed for the copy of this dress I need for the other 16 inch baby doll. While I still have to stock up on colors I go through consistantly I like to target yarns that I bought and never used each year and now that I have my left overs in a bin I like to use them up as well.

Notes:

This pattern was designed for a smaller doll so I've had to work on hook sizes to get a good fit over the years.

I use a K hook for the dress joining after the first row. I used an H hook for the hat and an I hook for the shoes. I do have to make the straps a bit longer but I play with that every year so I didn't record a strap length this year.

Our Generation Howdy Neighbor Madison

Guage is always an interesting adventure for me. I can follow the directions I've used for years with a doll and some years it just changes. Last year I wrote down the changes for the Madison pattern to fit the My Life doll and I followed them using a ball of yarn I believe I was using last year when I made the doll for the My Life donation in 2022. However, this year the dress was a better fit for the Our Generation doll. No real loss since I generally have more outfits for the two My Life Dolls than the Our Generation Doll, but I always find it strange to see what works and what doesn't from year to year.

Notes:

I used a J hook for the bodice as it was tight with an I hook. After the joining round I returned to the I hook.

I finished the back in green rather than the white trim. It just worked better for me. I also used a snap to close the back rather than buttons.

Row Changes:

Row 3: It says sc 19 I believe this should read 9 to match the stitch count. This is why I love designers that give you a stitch count. It is so much easier to figure out what they intended when I make a mistake or when there is a mistake in the pattern.

Row 11: There was no stitch count for row 10 so I could be off, however, based on what I did in row 10 to reach the stitch count in row 11 I dc in 5 3dce in next 11 times to get a count of 55.

To get the length I wanted on the dress I added rows.

I went from 12-16 to 12-20.

Trim:

I did not finish the back in white and I adjusted the top trip. I did not ss I crocheted 5 sc across back. I chained 8 instead of 5 for the strap, it was too tight with 5. Then I continued pattern as written making these changes for the other side of the dress.

Since this works up quick I may try it later for the My Life dolls with an I hook to see if I can get a better fit with a different colored yarn.

It feels good to get some items finished for the project. There are many wonderful positive things going on outside of doll world but this donation is near and dear to me and I want to make sure I don't neglect it.

16 Inch Baby Doll Sunny Day Doll Dress

I try to challenge myself each year with a project either from a book or a pattern I've downloaded but never actually made for the donation.

This is a now out of print free Coats and Clark 20 inch Baby doll pattern that I played with to try to get it to fit the JC 16 Inch Baby Doll. This doll tends to be a bit chubby so I was hopeful that the adaptation wouldn't be too difficult but it was much harder than I'd anticipated due to the structure of how the dress came together.

For those who might wish to find the pattern for a larger doll as it does seem to be out on the Internet in places the pattern is Coats and Clarks WC1651 Sunny Day Doll Dress and Headband designed by Joyce Nordstrom. It uses Aunt Lydia's Size 3 thread. I ended up moving to size 10 to get close to fitting the smaller doll.

I'm glad I acccepted the challenge of trying something new for the baby doll this year, but unless I adopt a bigger doll for the donation I don't see this pattern coming back out in the near future.

Our Generation Dovetailed

As I mentioned in previous doll posts I've been working my way through Darski's free 18 inch doll patterns.

I often neglect the Our Generation doll and find myself scrambling at the last minute to make it equal for the doll donation. There are certain outfits I tend to make for the Our Generation doll so I'm trying to pull some of those as I go through the binder and make sure the Our Generation doll gets some attention as I go.

This is Darski's Dovetailed pattern and you can find it here.

Notes:

I use an I hook for the skirt and I use a hair elastic for the waist band

To make the top fit I use a K hook until I change to pink then I change to a J hook. I finish the back with grey and make the button holes as I finish the back. I tried finishing the back with white on the Rivulets outfit and liked the look. However, as I looked at the back of this outfit again, still didn't like the idea of finishing the back in white, so I went with grey.

Next To You Prayer Shawl

This is a free Lion Brand pattern designed to promote their Coboo yarn. You can find the pattern here.

I love the softness of the Coboo yarn and the texture of the shawl is beautiful despite my lack of photography talents.

One challenge is a one typical of cotton yarns and that is that it splits constantly. I found myself working carefully to keep the yarn intact. However, seeing the person who received this wrap themselves in it and sink into it it was well worth the challenge of working around the splitting. In fact I've ordered enough yarn in lichen for a second one for someone who prefers green to the suggested lilac.

I didn't record the hook size on the pattern but I know I went up significantly and I've started the second one since my yarn arrived. When I settle on the hook size for it I will update this post and write it on the pattern as this seems to be a pattern I'd repeat again as it makes a light weight comforting shawl.

Walled Garden Prayer Shawl

I borrowed Modern Crocheted Shawls and Wraps from the library before purchasing. When I saw the Walled Garden pattern I knew I wanted the book.

Sadly I was in a rush to get the pictures taken as we were headed out when I took these but the colors and the texture on this shawl are wonderful. This actually is one I would love to have for myself. This was the first prayer shawl I made for a specific person not just to be given out randomly and I knew who I'd make it for when I saw the pattern. The key was finding the yarn. Lately manufacturers introduce beautiful colors and then sadly by the time you purchase a book or pattern the yarn may no longer be available.

When I first started searching for Caron Simply Soft Rose Garden it was challenging to find in the amounts I needed. The pattern requires 7 skeins and since the yarn was hard to find and I am known for needing more than the pattern requires I ordered 9 from Mary Maxim as they were the only ones who had the colors and the amount I wanted. There shipping is often expensive but if you can wait they do occasionally have shipping deals and that's when I ordered.

Sadly, my pictures aren't great but the colors really do give you that feeling of being surrounded by a beautiful garden. It is a heavy shawl as you can imagine with it using even 7 small skeins of yarn. However, come winter I expect it will be a nice reminder of the beauty of summer when we don't have the beautiful summer flowers to show us.

My Life Youthful Memories

This has been a wonderful busy year and I'm trying to make sure that despite some great things coming into my life I don't forget those in need. The doll donation may not end world hunger but joy is a precious gift in our world. Providing something unexpected to children at Christmas is something I've enjoyed doing for some time now.

I mentioned in my previous doll post this week that last year we organized all Darski's doll pattern links on Crochetville and I printed out the ones I hadn't previously downloaded. I also put together a binder of her 18 inch doll patterns so I could find them when I wanted them, rather than hunting through several binders of patterns to find hers. This summer as I return to making doll clothes again I've turned to an old friend's binder to find inspiration for the journey. Her patterns are so creative that I've found myself back into the groove of creating doll clothes and still working on shawls.

This free pattern is Youthful Memories and you can find it here.

This was another one I thought I'd made but while similiar to some of her other patterns I've never made this one before. This is a delightful outfit and it works up fairly quickly. This was another chance to use up left over yarn from previous projects.

Notes:

I used a hairband for the elastic waist. I've continued to need an I hook for her patterns this year.

Lacework Wild Fire Prayer Shawl

I love fall colors so when I decided on a second Lacework Prayer Shawl from the now out of print The Prayer Shawl Ministry Volume 2, I decided to work with Homespun's Wild Fire.

This makes a heavier but very comforting shawl. If I ever make one for myself this would be on my list of pattern choices. I like the weight of it and I'd likely go with the Wild Fire or the Blue Lagoon as I like both of the finished looks with this pattern.

This worked well for me with a K hook.

My Life Rivulets

Last year at Crochetville we pinned all of Darski's free doll patterns on a post to make them easier for ourselves and visitors to the site to find.

While researching the links for the project I realized I'd missed a couple of projects that I thought I'd made before.

For instance the pattern color of this dress is similiar to the Madison dress and I suspect I had the two confused. I chose yellow because I have a big ball left over from a previous project and I didn't have green. Since one of my goals with the doll project is to use up left over yarn the yellow was a logical choice. I was even able to use up left over white yarn from a baby blanket that has been wanting a new home.

You can find the free pattern link for Rivulets here.

Project notes:

I used an I hook for this project. The yarn was all worsted weight left overs from previous projects likely Caron Pounder for the yellow and Mary Maxim baby yarn for the white. In previous years I've made shoes for every outfit however this year I think I'm going to make packets of shoes for each doll and send them with the dolls as I think I could manage a shoe weekend and I often have lost energy when I come to the end of a doll project as I'm squeezing them in between shawl projects.

Topaz Prayer Shawl

I don't blog as frequently as I should but I do like to catch up on my projects as I often come back here to revisit projects when I start new ones. Keeping a record here of what I attempted, where I found the pattern and what I changed has been quite helpful over the years. As I've been working on doll clothes again I find myself frequently checking because even from year to year I've made changes.

This shawl is Topaz Shawl from The Crocheted Prayer Shawl Companion.

I used Homespun yarn but with so many colors disappearing I can't find a grey close to this being currently sold. The pattern calls for Red Heart Symphony Yarn which has been discontinued. The pattern called for an L hook not having one I tried my M hook and found the sizing to be good.

This shawl is in the style of the larger scarf shawls. When I started I was trying to make a range of shawls to appeal to a variety of people I didn't know. I've found different styles seem to appeal for a variety of reasons. For more recent projects I've been trying to target specific people looking for patterns and yarn weights/colors that are more fitting for the individual. The next few I'm writing about were in that general batch for anyone in need.