Our Generation Let the Sunshine In

Let the Sunshine in is part of Darski's free Weatherby pattern set found here. The shoes are made with Sweet Silver Creations Sailor pattern which I noticed recently was available again for purchase here.

Notes:

I am pleased to say I was able to find Navy Red Heart Super Saver locally again. I looked last year and even online I couldn't get navy when I went to make this dress last fall. I go through phases with Navy so when I stock up it takes me a while before I need it again. Sure enough when I ran out last year I couldn't find it. I have a Jumbo so it should last me a while as doll clothes are small.

I used a K hook on the dress for the bodice and an I hook for the skirt. I used a K hook for the Bolero jacket.

I suspect I took out some of the increases in previous years and failed to note it so for my next attempt I'm noting I make want to take out some of the increases in the skirt as it was fuller than in previous years.

There is a mistake in the hat and next year I want a reminder that the brim should be wider and if it isn't than I've made a mistake and should repair before finishing.

I took these pictures back in 2022 and continue to include them in posts about this project as a reminder to myself because while I didn't need them this year. When I stop putting them in my project notes I may not look back several years to figure out why it is so hard now when it wasn't before.

Skipper Poncho and Pants

I don't have lots of patterns specifically designed to fit Skipper. Those that I have aren't always designed to fit the modern Skipper so when possible if I find a Barbie pattern that seems like it would adapt well to Skipper I try to make it work.

The poncho for this pattern is made using Michelle Ratman's design that can be purchased here. The pants were made using an out of print House of White Birches leaflet Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion Dolls.

Notes:

I used Barbie's pants pattern which fits Skipper but I still needed to add rows to the legs to get it to fit. The pants are made with Knit Picks Palette Fingering Yarn and a C hook. I used 1/8 inch elastic measured cut and sewn together prior to crocheting around it for the waist band.

When I made Barbie's poncho I commented that I didn't have any sport weight cotton. I did find some and used it for Skipper's Ski outfit. However it was too light for the poncho. During my search I did unearth a skein of Knit Picks Shine Worsted that I also want to finish off so this became the yarn for Skipper's poncho.

This Skipper with her hair seems to have a larger head than than Barbie or it could be the cotton yarn is stiffer. Anyways I started with a G hook until I went to the mesh where I went back to the e hook I had used for Barbie's poncho.

Barbie Strapless Dress

I'm working my way through the out of print House of White Birches Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion dolls. The patterns are allowing me to use up yarn on hand while filling up my donation bags.

There are two strapless dress patterns in this leaflet for Barbie. This one is found on page 17 for my future reference as I suspect I'll be back to make this one again. I liked the approach to fitting the bodice on this gown even when I was unsure how the current Barbie compared to the vintage one the pattern was designed to fit. I was pleasantly pleased to find I could make it work.

Notes:

This was made using the same Babe yarn I used for Skipper's winter outfit. I still haven't used it off. I think there is enough for one more fashion doll item.

I chose not to make this a full length dress. I don't currently have many casual items for Barbie and I thought it would be more practical for this to be a shorter dress. I mentioned the page number because there is a second outfit in the booklet with the same name that is shorter, looks similiar but the directions are different. I might try that later but if I decide to repeat it would be helpful to know which pattern I tried considering the picture won't help since I changed the pattern length.

The D hook worked for this outfit but I needed to finish the back in order for their not to be a gap when I used a snap to close it. This is a slightly heavier yarn than the Knit Picks Fingering Yarn I normally use for these outfits so when I make this again hook size may need to change. I did try making this with an old A.C. Moore sport weight yarn and it was too thick. I'm thinking it likely needs to be a DK weight or lighter.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Sun Suit

This is the last of my projects for the Lots to Love 14 Inch Dolls from Darski's free Sweet Baby Mine pattern found here.

I realized as I checked my notes I'd only made this as a gift for the JC 16 Inch Baby doll. I'd never actually attempted it for the smaller doll so my notes were not as helpful as I'd hoped. That being said I'm not sure how helpful these notes will be as I tried some items I'll likely not have around for the next time I may this projects but I will write them as I'm never sure later what will help to know.

Notes:

This is made with Big Twist Bulky 5 in a color no longer available. I hadn't realized it was a bulky yarn when I pulled it out of my stash as it has the feel of a worsted 4. My experience with Big Twist is that while I love the color options it does tend to be a bit lighter than listed. If you know this going in and choose the right project options it tends to work out. In this case I wanted a bright happy variegated color for the project and the slightly heavier weight wasn't a huge issue.

In order to get it to fit around the waist I needed a J hook. In the future regardless of yarn I'd reduce what ever hook I chose prior to splitting for the legs. The chubby doll can have a waist challenge sometimes but once past the tummy the size reduces dramatically and things can get bulky.

The contrasting yarn is Red Heart Super Saver Spring Green. I used an I hook for the Suit and an H for the hat. The hat was made as written.

The shoes are from an out of print Amy Carrico pattern Spring Jacket and Dress. I used an e hook and Baby Bernat Sport Pink and White.

Lots to Love 10 Inch Baby Doll Sweater Set

Thanks to Darski's free patterns for the Lots to Love 10 Inch Baby Doll I've gotten a good start on the donation bag for 2024. This is the sweater from her Sweetly pattern set found here.

In years past this sweater has come out large enough to fit the Rag Doll and the Lots to Love 14 inch Baby doll so this year after realizing I was headed down that path again I decided it was time to make changes and record them.

Notes:

I used Bernat Big Baby Sport Pink and Baby Baby. Sweater:

The pattern changes from a G to an F hook I stayed with the F hook for the entire sweater.

Row 1 as written.

Row 2 skip one skip one stitch between pattern directions this reduces overall stitch count making sweater less bulky and a better fit on the doll.

Row 3 dc in every dc 2dc in every chain space. This adds stitches back to original pattern but not nearly as wide as original.

Row 4 dc in 3 2 dc in next. Slows down increase from original pattern.

Row 4a as written with different number of total stitches.

Row 5 I had to fudge row 5 to make the numbers work for the armholes based on new number of stitches. I didn't record because it took me a few tries to make it work.

Rows 6-8 were worked as written based on the new stitch count.

Pants:

As I mentioned in previous posts I've been using my own basic pants pattern. I finally recorded the chains required for this doll's waist.

Chain 44 for waist. For this set I did a row of sc prior to finishing rest in dc. I would do that again it made for a better waist. I did not use elastic for these pants. I did a chain 3 and join to split for legs.

Booties:

I keep playing with the adaptation for this pattern trying to get the best fit but this is what I've been working on recently

Complete row 1-3 of the booties.

Row 4: sc in back loops around

Row 5: sc reducing 4 times at toe

Row 6: sc evenly

The headband is a work in progress. Still a little larger than I wanted. I'd likely go down to a D hook the next time. I did a row of sc to fit the doll's head and then crocheted around the row on both sides finishing with a sc chain 3 edging.

My Life Artist Print Dress

This is another one of Michelle Ratman's designs that can be purchased here. Just for my reference this is the Military Dress pattern 1101.

Notes:

Generally I love when I don't have to add buttons or snaps because the outfit can slide on and off the doll but after having made another one of her patterns for the Our Generation doll and finding it some what challenging to remove and put and not being able to get it on the My Life doll I decided I needed to redesign so I could add a back opening to make it easier to slide on and off the doll. My first priority is making it easy for a child to use, even though I really do love simplicity for myself. It is a waste if the child doesn't end up using it because it is too hard to dress the doll.

I used an f hook and chose Red Heart Super Saver Artist Print for this outfit. The pattern calls for sport weight 3 cotton yarn but the only place I found was loose after going down to the f hook was the shoulders which I tightened by finishing the back and the top at the end.

I followed the directions for the first 8 rows with the exception of not joining until I completed the 8th row. This created a back opening which made the dress easier to slip on and off. I joined after completing row 8 and continued with the directions as written.

When I finished the dress I finished the back and dealt with a slightly looser top when I reached the top by sc in 3 decreasing in the next across. This gave the top a better fit through the chest and shoulders.

Lots to Love 10 Inch Baby Doll Sweetly Pants and Top

I've been working on a series of Darski's free baby doll patterns to fill the baby doll donation bags. The Lots to Love 10 inch Baby doll has two pattern sets to work from. This pattern comes from her Sweetly pattern found here.

While I haven't restricted myself from getting new yarn I've really been pushing myself to use up the older orphan yarns in my stash some of which seem to magically appear when I think I've used them all up. The yarn for the shirt is an old skien of A.C. Moore's sport yarn that I'd stocked up on before they'd closed because it was a good doll weight yarn. I am really trying to finish off these older skeins to reduce the look of a hoarding yarn room.

Notes:

For the top, I used the suggested F hook with the A.C. Moore yarn which is a slightly heavier sport yarn than the baby yarn I generally use with the baby doll patterns. I used one button to close the top in the back.

Another challenge I've given myself is to try some of the designs I've avoided over the years because the techniques bother me. So I did attempt to make the pants legs up rather than waist down using Bernat Baby Sport yellow. I found the legs were both tight and short so I changed to making the pants waist down as I always do and added a trim at the bottom of the pants. Sometimes it just isn't worth fighting with my preferences but I did try. I did not use elastic in the waist for these pants.

I keep playinng with the booties but this seems to be the best fit yet.

Complete row 1-3 of the booties.

Row 4: sc in back loops around

Row 5: sc reducing 4 times at toe

Row 6: sc evenly

I did a sc ch 3 around the top.

I thought I'd worked the the bonnet worked as written last time but this is actually closer to what the bonnet is designed to look like. Not sure I mind as this way the doll has two different bonnets.

Skipper Ski Outfit

I've been revisiting my pattern binders and pulled out the House of White Birches leaflet Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion dolls to try Ken's pants for Barbie to go with her poncho. I discovered I needed Ken's pants while reading the 2021 post about Skipper's Ski Outfit and it reminded me this could be a quick set of outfits for the older members of Barbie's family. Since I'd pulled up the notes I had for Skipper I decided to start with her outfit.

Notes:

I used a C hook for this outfit.

The purple is a no longer available Babe cotton yarn that I'm trying to finish off. I'm thinking of using this on Barbie's poncho pattern for a smaller version for Skipper as well. The yellow is Knit Picks Pallette yarn.

I added an additional row to the pant legs. These seem to be short on both the Barbie and Ken patterns for the modern dolls.

I added one 2 dc in one dc in next row for the hat after reading my previous project notes and I found this made the hat fit better with the doll's hair.

Due to the change in yarn I needed to finish the back and neck which added more of a mock turtleneck look than the sweater I'd made previously. I liked the look.

Water Bottle Carrier

This carrier is based on the water bottle carrier I made several years ago from Leisure Arts All About Cotton book.

One of the biggest changes that has occured since I made the last round of these carriers is that refillable water bottles have gotten quite a bit larger than the disposable water bottles that this pattern was originally designed to carry. It makes sense people are focused more on hydration so carrying more water is important. However, the original pattern needs a wider bottom to accomadate the larger bottles.

For this particular bottle I did a base of 32 stitches. I worked Rows 1-3 as written. DC2 Dc in next 6. This gave me my 32 stitches to start and then I followed the pattern accounting for the extra base stitches until I reached the height I wanted for the larger bottle.

Since this was a gift and I didn't have access to the bottle, I used a food canister I had that was about the same size to make sure it was forming the size I wanted and checked it before adding the strap.

I have two types of straps I make for these bottles. The pattern starts with 100 chains which works as an over the shoulder or hand carry strap. However, when I made mine I wanted a cross body strap as I find stuff tends to fall off my shoulder when I most need my hands free. I settled on a starting chain of 160 and that is what this bottle has as the person getting it wanted a cross body option.

I used an I hook for this project and Lily Sugar and Cream Psychedelic. I've started on a second one that is still larger than the original pattern but smaller than this one so we will see how it works out.

Barbie Poncho and Pants

I have written about several of the Michelle Ratman patterns I purchased for both the Barbie and 18 inch doll donation. I'm slowly working my way through them adding new items to the doll bags.

This outfit combines Michelle's poncho pattern that can be purchased here with a pants pattern found in an out of print White Birches leaflet Crochet Wardrobe for 11 1/2 inch Fashion Dolls.

Notes:

While the pattern calls for cotton 4 weight yarn for the poncho I went with acrylic because I either have "kitchen" cotton or sport weight for my ami's on hand. I don't have a brand or color because this was a great project to work on using up a left over ball of yarn from a previous project.

The worsted acrylic required a change to an e hook to fit this Barbie model.

The last time I made the pants from the House of White Birches pattern for Barbie in 2021 her sister Skipper ended up with them and I made a note to try Ken's pants to see if the fit would be better. Barbie sizes change over time and this Barbie fits the Ken size better than the pattern written for Barbie. I'm hoping to make the complete winter sets for Ken, Barbie, and Skipper in the near future.

I used a C hook for the pants crocheting over an elastic band. The pants are made with Knit Picks Palette fingering yarn.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Sweet Baby Mine Dress

I've been working my way through Darski's free baby doll patterns for the various sized dolls. The Sweet Baby Mine set for the Lots to Love 14 inch Baby Doll can be found here. The shoes are from an out of print Amy Carrico pattern Spring Jacket and Dress.

Each year I try to use up orphan or abandoned yarns that I purchased and never used. This is Mainstays Acrylic Pink blend. I think I orginally picked it up to make scrubbies but it lost its way in my yarn stash and was repurposed for this outfit. The need for solid pink worsted help me finish off a ball of yarn left over from previous projects. The shoes are made with Baby Bernat Sport pink and white.

Notes:

I followed the suggested hook size but ended up adding rows to the skirt to get it to knee length.

The headband also required additional rows to get it to fit around the dolls head.

I joined the row after the arm holes were made and finished back before adding one button to the back.

Lots to Love 10 Inch Baby Doll Sweetly Dress

I've been trying to rotate through the baby dolls to make sure they all leave with wardrobes. I mentioned previously Darski wrote 2 pattern sets for the Lots to Love 10 inch Baby doll. This doll dress pattern is from her free Sweetly set found here. I used Bernat Big Ball Baby Sport in Pink and Baby Baby. Notes:

The suggested hook sizes worked for me.

The panties ended up a bit longer than I wanted as it took me an extra row before I could join the crotch. It works but I'd combat this by adding and additional row to the dress before adding the trim next time. I did row 10 inn a contrast color and I'd do that again for a future project.

I changed the shoes to make them fit better. I would suggest an e hook next time as I had to sew around the top to tighten them.

Complete row 1-3 of the booties.

Row 4: sc evenly

Row 5: sc in back loops around

Row 6: sc reducing 4 times at toe

The bonnet worked as written.

Lil Cutesies Nightgown

Darski created two free pattern sets for the Lots to Love 10 Inch Baby Doll. The first she called BBL which is where this outfit came from and the second is Sweetly. Both pattern sets have nightgown patterns but I find one fits the Lots to Love doll better than the other. I guessed wrong and the Lil Cutesies doll ended up with a nightgown this year.

For future reference this is the nightgown from the BBL pattern made with a G hook. Since I will likely adapt it again for the Lil Cutesie doll I'd likely use an F hook the next time. I'd gone up to a G trying to get it to fit the Lots to Love 10 inch Baby doll in the back but it just wasn't working for me. I decided to see if I could save the time and resources invested by adapting it to the smaller doll. I'd never used it for the smaller doll and it with some adjustments the pattern fits. I just think the smaller hook would make it a bit less bulky.

Notes:

I believe this is made with Bernat Baby Big Ball Baby Baby. I've been collecting the sport yarn as I can find it and the colors seem to be disappearing. It's a great weight for the doll clothes. I don't always keep the labels once opened so I try to make a good guess at the colors. I prefer the variegated/striped yarns for some of the doll projects. It's not always easy to find a great selection so I'm hoping this line isn't being discontinued. I picked up a lone Lavendar at Walmart even though I didn't really need it as I noticed it was the last one they had and I haven't found it online.

As I mentioned above I used a G hook but I'd likely go with an f for a future Lil Cutesies nightgown. I'm working on how to adapt this for the smaller Lots to Love 8 inch doll.

To finish the outfit I did a row of sc around including the collar prior to adding the ties using the directions. I chained 30 rather than 20 for the ties. Mine tend to be short and I find them harder to tie. After I finished a complete sc around in pink I finished the pink and followed the directions for the ties changing from 20 to 30 chains. I decided to add a chain 3 decorative collar. I did a sc in first sc ch 3 sk 1 than sc in the next. This was done in the front loops of the previous row of sc. When I reached the end I finished with chaining 30 for the second tie.

The sleeves are also finished with a row of constrasting color sc and then an additional row of sc chain 3 skip 1 sc around.

I wanted a finish for the bottom I chose a sc skip 1 sc 5 dc shell in next stitch around.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Spring Dress and Jacket

This year I've been seeing old patterns I haven't used in years, patterns that get used almost every year, and new patterns that I've either purchased or have found as freebies on the Internet. It makes for a change of pace to keep the project engaging. I enjoy revisiting favorite patterns like this out of print Amy Carrico pattern but I also enjoy trying something I either haven't done in a while like the Barbie Winter formal or the free dress pattern I adapted for the Lots to Love 14 Inch doll and the Rag Doll.

This year I've done probably the best job in tracking items made for the dolls but one hole in my system in color tracking. I have pictures of the items but I don't always think to check accessories for colors. This doll now has two sets of purple shoes as I had forgotten I used this pattern to make shoes for the free dress pattern and used a solid purple rather than the striped yarn I used for the dress. Not a huge issue as shoes tend to be some of the fist items lost when kids are playing with dolls, but I do try to vary the colors so they can mix and match. Something to note for my future lists.

Notes:

I used Bernat Big Baby Sport Lavendar. Oddly I have the best luck finding this at our local Walmart. I can get pink, white, and blue almost anywhere but they always seem to have the colors like purple, yellow and the variageted there as well. I know each Walmart supply is different but I mention this as I was struggling to find purple online as I buy most of my yarn online but stumbled upon it at Walmart and I try to get the hard to find colors there because they are helpful for my doll projects.

The jacket/sweater and headband are made with Lion Brand's Ice Cream Yarn Black Cherry. I've been using Ice Cream yarn quite a bit recently for the baby dolls and the Rag Doll for various outfits.

Changes:

I use a G hook for rows 1 and 2 for both the dress and the the sweater finishing both projects with an E hook.

I added finishing rows to the arm holes inner and outer this year for the dress.

I did a sc row around the arm holes prior to adding the dc arms for the sweater.

The panties need to be worked to 32 stitches at both ends before joining. This year I added a few extra rows to the top once joined to make it fit up and over the diaper. I finished with a row of hdc. I did a row of sc around the legs to finish the leg holes and then did sc chain 3 skip 1 around the leg openings.

Our Generation Monet Dress

A while back I stumbled upon Michelle Ratman's doll patterns on Etsy. I picked up some Barbie and 18 inch doll patterns that were easy to make and inexpensive to buy. A wonderful combo for someone looking to make stuff to donate. While I do like a challenge occasionally to learn something new for the most part my goal is to complete as many outfits as possible for the dolls I donate that kids will enjoy using with their new Christmas dolls.

This was a really straight forward pattern. This is a one piece, no buttons or snaps required. In the future I may experiment with that to see if I can get a better fit for the My Life doll but it worked really well for the Our Generation doll as written. I'm thinking if I don't join I might get a better fit for the shoulders with the My Life. I plan on experimenting with this later to see if I can get an outfit from this for the My Life doll as well.

The pattern does not come with shoes. The shoes are from an out of print Sweet Silver Creations pattern.

Notes:

I used an F hook for the Our Generation Doll.

I mention the Monet Red Heart Super Saver because I've been using lots of striped yarn and this requires more of a variagated yarn than striped. I wanted to remember what color worked for this project.

As with many of my projects I needed to add rows to get to the knee length.

Glitter Girl Kennedy's Sweater Dress

I generally search for Wellie Wisher's crochet patterns to find something to fit the Glitter Girl doll. The dolls are close enough in size that I can generally make the patterns work.

Kennedy's Sweater Dress is the main pattern for this outfit and can be purchased here. The shoes are from and Adoring Dolls dress pattern I made previously that you can purchase here. I am lazy about shoes when I find a pattern that is easy to make and works up quickly it often appears in outfits that don't come with shoe patterns.

Notes:

I used the suggested f hook for this project.

Not having Yarn Bee Hint of Silk I used Herrschners Worsted Aquamarine. A note for myself I would consider ordering grey and other lighter colors duing my next Herrschners order for this dress and a couple of other outfits for next year. This pattern specifically requires a lighter color. I tried it with a dark blue and the texture gets lost and it becomes rather drab so I frogged it and went with aquamarine.

I only needed one button hole for the outfit.

I did add some rows to the skirt to get it to knee length.

I used an e hook for the shoes even with the lighter worsted.

It is time for the Glitter Girl Doll to get some pants so I plan to use one of Adoring Doll's patterns to solve this problem. I have a couple different options for tops but pants have been elusive. I think I have a summer shorts pattern I should tackle during the warmer weather as well.

Rag Doll Hookfully Dress

I mentioned when I made the Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Outfit that I was interested in seeing if it could be adapted for the Rag Doll as well. I tried it on the doll and while a little long that was easily dealt with by reducing the total rows.

I donate one of these Rag Dolls that can be purchased from Factory Direct each year. I post teh information because I often see cute items that have generic names like Rag Doll rather than a brand name that is easy to search online. So I like to tell people where I find the odder items if they are available so they can decide if it works for them.

There are no specific crochet patterns for this doll so I work on adapting patterns for other dolls that seem like they'd be a good fit. When I finish an outfit and it looks like it might fit or be adapted to fit the Rag Doll I put the pattern aside for future use for the Rag doll.

This is a free baby doll pattern found here.

I followed the notes from the previous outfit I made with some basic changes:

Notes:

I used the suggested G hook for this outfit.

The pattern worked for me through row 7 as written.

Row 8: With row 7 established I worked a row of hdc even.

Row 9: Repeat row 8 joining at the end of the row.

After finishing row 9 I returned to the directions row 9 continuing without changing colors as I was using striping yarn. I wanted this dress to be shorter than the baby doll dress so I measured it against the doll as I worked it.

To finish off the bottom of the dress I did a sc skip 1 followed by a 5dc shell around joining at the end.

The dress was a bit tighter so it required more finishing rows in the back prior to adding a button hole. Using an H hook might be an option for the Rag Doll next year.

I finished the arms with a sc chain3 sc around the arms.

I used Lion Brand's Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Yarn for this project. I'm finding this brand to be rather helpful with the larger baby doll and Rag Doll projects.

Barbie Winter Formal Dress

I went back to look for notes for this project and the last time I made this outfit was in 2011 for a now adult niece. However, I did realize one challenge has remained the same. The original directions for this dress don't fit the Barbie I'm using. The Barbie I used back then and my current model are slightly larger than the Vet model I used in previous years. I'm going to try this with the directions as written to see if it would fit Skipper without changes I needed to make for Barbie.

This pattern comes from an old out of print Annie's pattern club leaflet, Fashion Doll Quick and Easy 87D20. The original pattern uses trim for the skirt, top, shawl, and as an outline for the dress. Oddly there is no mention of what kind of trim or how to attach it. The trim in the pattern picture creates a beautiful illusion of there being an under and overskirt but with the time and resources I had on hand the trim wasn't an option.

When I previously made this dress I made limited mention of the changes I needed to get the outfit to fit the doll. I plan on a more fuller explanation for my own purposes because I will return as Barbie has become a more fixed donation and this is a quick outfit to add.

Notes:

I followed the skirt pattern and the shawl pattern as written with the exception of the trims. I eliminated the trim for the skirt as I've yet to figure out how this can be done easily without directions.

For the shawl I used size 5 crochet thread and a D hook and used a shell pattern of dc ch1 dc ch1 dc (3 dc with a chain between them) around the edge of the shawl spaced as evenly as I could. One change I would make is to make a larger shell at the spike of the shawl. I had ended it off before I realized this would have been a better option and didn't wish to go back. This would work well for next time. The shawl closes with a snap.

I tried a variety of yarns for the dress to see if I could get it to fit the waist line before resorting to my old trick of using elastic for the waist and crocheting around it.

I have an old big ball of Red Heart sport yarn that I used for this project. I picked it up back in the time I was still making Barbie clothes and really haven't touched it since. I'm hoping to utilize it for more Barbie projects and finally send it off.

I measured the elastic around Barbie's waist and sewed it together.

It took 29 sc to cover the elastic join and continue to join for all bodice rows.

From here I worked up the bodice section.

Dc 5 decrease around

DC 4 decrease around (21)

DC 3 decrease around (18)

DC even for 2 rows I might reduce this to one with the added trim.

I would use the size 5 crochet thread next time for the top. I didn't come up with the idea until working on the shawl.

Creating the bodice this way makes the dress slide on and off with no need for snaps or buttons.

I followed the skirt pattern as written although I believe mine was short on rows as the bodice was longer. It's a trade off I need to work on. As I mentioned above I'd likely reduce a row on the bodice which would start the skirt higher giving it a better look.

Stacie Winter becomes Spring

I began with idea of making the sister pattern from JudysDollsPatterns for Chelsea in thread.

I had started down this road with Stacie originally but I couldn't get the waist to fit. It ended up large for Chelsea but by the time I'd finished the edges it fit Stacie this time. I'd decided to go with size 20 thread for the shirt for Chelsea as the size 10 thread was huge. I found the 20 actually worked better for Stacie as well but as with the skirt during the finishing stages I needed to add some space around the neck to close as I'd decided not to add the winter finishing collar. The colors I had on hand just had more of a Spring feel so it seemed a good choice finish it as a Spring outfit.

The Christmas Playtime set can be purchased here.

Notes:

I used a 1.8mm hook for the skirt and a .9mm for the shirt.

I changed multiple rows trying to get it to fit Chelsea so this would be something to explore when making this again for Stacie. I'd start with the larger hook for the skirt but likely reduce the hook size to the .9mm once past the waist line to avoid some of the puffy feel and to get the details of the alternating colors to work better.

Usually I use snaps for Barbie and family but I picked up some tiny buttons and a button hole was a better choice for this project based on the challenge of getting the neck to fit right.

I plan on trying the overalls pattern for Stacie. I had hoped it would work for both dolls but after this experience I don't think it will work as hoped.

My Life Rivulets

I discovered I'd missed this Darski pattern last year and wanted to make sure I included it again in this year's donation.

I struggled a bit with yarn thickness this year. I made this with left over Red Heart yellow yarn last year and had no issue. I started with Red Heart this year and the yarn wasn't heavy enough to hold the pattern. I tried a different color thinking I might have grabbed Joann's Big Twist which generally is lighter but having grabbed a skein right from the labeled package I was sure it was Red Heart I was struggling with and was some what confused as I had no problem the prior year.

Then I pulled an old Caron Pounder out of my stash and it was thicker than my current stash of Red Heart. No idea why but it was holding the format of the dress so while my intention wasn't to go with dark green for the dress, it was the only shade of Pounder I could quickly lay my hands on for the experiment. The white is left over Mary Maxim yarn from a baby afghan I've been slowly using up on projects like this one.

One thing I've started doing for myself is documenting more details of how I adapted patterns to get the outcomes on my blog enteries because I'm finding I come back to these and there is more room to document here than on my pattern sheets sometimes. I also find I take more time to clarify for myself here than I do on my quick pattern notes.

Notes:

I went with a Caron Pounder for thickness this year. I'll experiment further to see if I my issue with Red Heart can be adjusted. When I run out of the Mary Maxim yarn for trim I think I can substitute Bernat's Big Baby Sport Yarn which I always keep here for the baby doll projects.

I used the suggested I hook for everthing but the top trim. I used a g hook for the trim on the top as it tended to poof with the larger hook and the lighter yarn. I might use a g hook for the trim on the bottom next time as well as it got a bit bulky with the I hook.

Don't increase beyond four dc between the post stitches as the skirt gets to be huge. The last row is all dc before adding trim. I missed this and the trim sits better from dc row.

The bottom trim rows need to adjust for reduced number of increases.

After finishing the dress directions I finished the back and top of the dress with the primary color yarn before adding the white trim. This made for a cleaner back and made adding the trim easier. It also makes the arm holes look cleaner when completed.

Be careful not to split yarn changing from chains to dc for arm holes. The white yarn is soft but it needs to stay strong for the arm holes.

I need to do a V stitch in the end stitch of each end for each row of the shawl, not in the chain stitch. I struggled with this last year and caught the direction this year.

Last year I didn't make shoes for this outfit as I was crushed for time. These were made with an out of print pattern from Sweet Silver Creations.

Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Hookfully Dress with Add Ons

I'm always happy to find free patterns for the doll donation. Over the years I've learned even when a doll pattern is written for a doll of a similar length it doesn't always fit the doll you have because length doesn't include other measurements when you are are making doll clothes. However, if you are willing to adapt you can find something new to try.

You can find the free pattern for the dress here. The shoes and panties are from a no longer available Amy Carrico Spring Dress pattern. The hat is a work in progress design I haven't quite mastered yet of my own making.

I chose to adapt this pattern in several ways because the Lots to Love 14 inch doll is likely more chunky than the doll the designer was using.

If you check out the website you will discover this dress is made in solid colored stripes. It is an adorable look. The challenge with this format for me was I had no idea what modifications I was going to need to make to the pattern so it was difficult to know where to make the color changes to keep the pattern even. I chose instead to go with a self striping yarn Lion Brand Ice Cream Black Cherry.

I had originally purchased this yarn for doll blankets but have found it to be a great yarn for both the baby dolls and the Rag Doll dresses. I tried this dress on the Rag Doll and while I'd choose to make it slightly shorter it is a good fit for her and I have another pattern that will work for her donation as well.

Notes:

I used the suggested G hook for this outfit.

The pattern worked for me through row 7 as written. It got to be too big after row 7 so I made adjustments.

Row 8: With row 7 established I worked a row of hdc even.

Row 9: Repeat row 8 joining at the end of the row.

After finishing row 9 I returned to the directions row 9 continuing without changing colors as I was using striping yarn. I don't remember if I finished all 19 rows. I kept measuring it on the doll for length.

To finish off the bottom of the dress I did a sc skip 1 followed by a 5dc shell around joining at the end.

I finished the back of the dress and added a button hole.

The shoes and panties are from a currently unavailable Amy Carrico's Spring Dress pattern. The hat is based on dc increases with a fpdc row to set for the brim. The brim is made with one row of dc in front loop of fdc stitches.

The panties were made with an e hook and Baby Bernat Sport Pink I need to work to 32 stitches for both sides of the panties for them to fit this doll.

The shoes were made with an e hook and Baby Bernat Sport Pink and White.

My Life Ready for Spring

I hadn't realized that it had been a while since I made this dress until I tried to pull up my notes from previous years for this project. With that in mind I made more detailed notes for future projects. This is one of my older 18 inch doll patterns from Maggie's crochet and it still can be purchased here.

Notes:

I used Caron One Pound Lilac for the main portion of the dress and Herrschners Worsted Baby Tiara for the contrasting color.

The gauge was a bit tricky for the dress. I made gauge with an H hook but the dress was still snug with an I hook. I'd consider making the dress with a J hook next time and reducing to a H hook after passing the hips for my next attempt.

In the past I've used contrasting kitchen cotton but I didn't have any of the appropriate colors on hand so I went with the Herrschners yarn. The outcome works but if I have the cotton in the future I'd go with the cotton it rests better.

I used a G hook for the shoes. They are a bit large. I added a chain 5 skip 1 ss trim around. Then I took a long piece of yarn and using a yarn needle threaded it around the top of the shoe starting from the front so I could tie it off in a bow in the front. I knotted the ends to keep them from fraying..

I played with the basket pattern a bit. I used one of each of the colors with an H hook. When I got past the bottome section I worked a dc in the back loop and started reducing in each row until I was happy with the shape. At this point I made a simple handle.

The headband was made with the above listed colors and a G hook. I'd consider an F hook for the next attempt.

Collar works best if the sc are worked so they face the back side of the dress as this helps when you turn to add the chains. I tried putting the sc in the standard form and I couldn't get the collar to lay flat.

Chelsea Summer Play Set

I've been working on a few more complicated doll outfits so to give myself a break I've been throwing in a quick Chelsea outfit when I reach a "milestone" on a bigger project.

I found this free Amelia Thimble pattern a few years back and while the outfit wasn't a complete match for Chelsea, I was able to turn the top into a dress for Chelsea. It has become a great quick project and adds another item to Chelsea's donation bag.

You can find the free pattern here. Notes:

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.

Skipper Sleeping Bag

I'm slowly working my way through the sleeping bags using them as my travel/waiting/appointment projects. I've been rotating between the Barbie family and the 18 inch dolls and it was time for Skipper to have hers.

Every year I try to finish off balls or small skeins not yet made into balls left over from previous projects. I don't remember the brand this particular yarn came from but it was used on several different projects before being finished off for Skipper's sleeping bag. The yarn has an odd striping pattern and it had some large patches and other small ones. It was a bit of a game of yarn chicken and I did end up adding some purple to the bottom to finish off the sleeping bag when I lost the game. However, it was worth it have another partial skein turned ball finished off.

This is a free pattern for a fashion doll slepping bag found here.

I used an I hook for this project and wished I had read my project notes from last year as I wrote it needed to be 12 inches long but not knowing I had previously measured I ended up carrying Skipper with me on my various outings.

This makes a great travel/waiting project. I had it almost complete after my last outing and decided to finish it off Sunday night so I could start on one for one of the larger 18 inch dolls. They are less great as travel projects when they get to the end as you have to be more careful about not making them too long and then finishing them off. It is easier to travel with a project that is past the pillow stage where it needs to be stuffed and before you reach the toes where you have to start being careful as to where to end. That's when I tend to pull it out of the bag and finish it off. I still have a few more to make so I will have travel sleeping bags for a little while longer.

Stacie Winter Outfit

As I mentioned yesterday with my post about Ken's winter clothing I wanted to see if I could get the Christmas Sister pattern to fit Stacie.

I am no Barbie expert. My interest first was in finding outfits that would fit my nieces' dolls and in recent years finding patterns that I could make that would fit the current models I could donate. I know the names, sizes, and availabilities of the Barbie family have changed over the years, but mostly I try to find patterns that I think I can work with for the models I'm currently using.

The current Stacie model I'm using is around 9 inches tall. The Chelsea model is around 6 inches tall. The Christmas Playtime set from JudysDollandPatterns has a 7 1/2 inch sister and brother pattern. I hope to adapt both for Stacie and Chelsea.

You can purchase the Christmas Playtime set here.

Notes:

I originally tried the 1.8mm hook and size 10 thread that had worked for Ken thinking that while the doll may be taller how much bigger is she? This proved a bad choice. The skirt didn't come close to fitting at the waist. My mistake was not trying it on Chelsea. I'm currently trying the pattern with Chelsea now with adaptations because she is not as tall as the doll in the pattern.

I tried adjusting hooks but size 10 was clearly not the answer. I decided to try Knit Picks Palette which is a fingering weight yarn and my 2mm thread hook. This made for a slightly bulkier look but it is a winter outfit. After experimenting with a Chelsea outfit, I plan to try for another outfit for Stacie using size 3 thread. I had started it but changed to the palette as I needed more time to experiment with hook sizes because it wasn't flowing at all.

Unlike the Ken pattern the sweater forms the arms as you go not sewing them together after the fact. I generally prefer this but the challenge for this pattern is the ribbing instead of being formed as you go is added at the end which seemed a bit strange. That being said I was able to add the collar which I couldn't do for Ken since the neck area was more even.

Just a note about the ribbing, I'm already reducing the number of stitches for the ribbing for Chelsea as it is just too big. I'd do that for Stacie and Ken for the next time I make these outfits. I like the ribbing but it's just too large for the overall outfit.

I changed the skirt pattern. First I didn't want a full length skirt. Even if I had been going for a full length with the fingering yarn the texture changes weren't as smooth as they might have been with thread so I decided to end the skirt after the 5dc row. I tried adding the next row and the texture just wasn't right.

The hat only has one row completed because it just became too big with the yarn. I realized the ties as written wouldn't tie after I made the first side and decided to treat it more like a scarf wrapped around the head for warmth and closed it with a snap.

I'm currently trying to adapt this with size 10 thread for Chelsea and experimenting with size 3 or maybe 5 for Stacie to give her an additional outfit in different colors for the donation. I lack many options for Stacie so exploring options for something different is important.

At some point I'd like to try out the sweater and skirt for Barbie. I'd likely try Ken's hat on her to see if it would fit. I'm not as crazy about her hat pattern.

Ken Winter Clothes

I'm always on the look out for patterns for the Barbie family that I think I will actually make. I especially wanted this pattern for Ken and possibly Stacie as I lack patterns for both. There is a Todd pattern with him wearing overalls that may also fit Stacie since the version I have is a camping doll she's clearly active. There are parts of the Barbie pattern I like and I may make that as well. Lately I have also had luck getting stuff to fit Skipper from the Barbie side so we will see.

This is JudysDollandPatterns Christmas Playtime Pattern that can be purchased here.

While I often include holiday themed outfits in the donation. I find them fun to make and I hope the kids enjoy being able to dress their dolls for the holidays, I try to make sure the dolls have enough daily outfits before focusing on the holiday treats. This seemed like it would be a great option for a winter outfit for Ken if I avoided the Christmas colors. It hopefully allows more potential for these pieces to be mixed and matched with other Ken items.

I made a "ski" outfit for him a few years back with Knit Picks fingering yarn and I'm thinking about pulling that out of print pattern out and giving Ken a nice winter wardrobe.

Notes:

I used various brands of size 10 crochet thread for this project.

I used my Tulip Etimo 1.8mm hook for everything but the sweater sleaves when I went down to a 1.5mm hook as the sleeves were too bulky.

While the sweater appears large in the front it isn't in the back where I added the snaps to close it. I added a finishing row and it closes but it is a nice close. I'd experiment with a 1.5mm next time to see how the fit works perhaps going up in sizes in certain places and using a smaller hook in others.

I suspect I had an issue when I made the shoulders for ths pattern because the arms are made and joined and I couldn't get the arm to set. I then reverted to sc around the armhole and made the arm going down from the shoulder. If this is a problem in the future I suggest making the cuffs ahead and adding them at the end. In this instance I alternated with dcfp and dcbp to get some texture for the cuffs. It would be easier to make them and join.

Had a similiar problem with the collar and used the same solution. For next time I would suggest sc around the collar to even it out and count how many rows of the collar I'm going to need to make it fit.

I chose not to add the fringe to the scarf or hat. I had no intention to try with the hat but I did try with the scarf and wasn't thrilled with the look so I pulled it out.

Regarding labels for dolls Ken is listed as Christmas Boy with size (12") listed under title. This confused me until I saw the 12". I likely will make this same mistake next year so a note is useful. Barbie is Christmas Girl, Stacie, Christmas Sister and Todd, Christmas brother.

Our Generation Boy Harry Potter

I was gifted Adoring Doll's Harry Potter set back in 2022. I made Hermione for the My Life Doll for the 2022 donation and haven't been back to the pattern since. This year as I was searching my pattern binders for patterns for the Our Generation Boy, Harry Potter came up as an option. You can purchase the pattern set here.

This project has multiple pieces so I've been working on it as I made other clothes. I started with his scarf which looks simple enough but with multiple color changes there are plenty of ends to sew in before it is finished. I moved on to the hat and shoes. Finally I attacked the coat, finishing with the sweater.

Notes:

Pants:

I used an H hook for the pants. I only needed 25 rows for the legs. I finished with a ss seam. This keeps legs from catching on shoes.

Shoes:

It's been my recent experience that I need a smaller hook for shoes with the Our Generation doll than with the My Life doll. This proved to be the case here I used the suggested G hook.

Shirt:

I started with an I hook for the sweater but it proved to be tight, I found the K hook worked best for the outfit. I used an I hook for the sleeves to keep them from being too large. Coat:

I needed a K hook to get the coat to fit. I used an H hook for the finishing outside trim.

Scarf:

I used the suggested G hook for the scarf. Just a reminder to myself there are 19 sections.

Hat:

I used an H hook for the hat with the suggested dark grey. I used black last time and I will go back to that the next time I make either outfit. It looks better.

Chelsea Drop Waist Dress with Flared Skirt

This is on of Char's Pattern for Chelsea that can be purchased here.

I made this one two years ago with Creative Yarn Source solid colors as I didn't have any Lizbeth size 20 on hand. I couldn't find Watermelon when I did finally order but I did get a variety of variegated colors.

Oddly when I searched for Lizbeth 20 this year it isn't really available. I don't know if it has been discontinued or if it is a supply issue but it is kind of sad. While Creative Yarn Source has lots of amazing solid colors the don't the same mix of colors in their striped thread. Their stripes tend to have limited colors for size 20. Not exactly what I want for these projects. The fashion doll projects don't take much thread so I'm hopeful my size 20 Lizbeth supply will hold out for a bit.

When I made this last time it was a bit larger than I wanted. This year I opted for a .9mm Tulip Etimo Thread Crochet Hook. I've made a habit of recording the mm of the hook for the thread hooks rather than the size as I find the thread hooks vary far more between brands for the thread hooks than they do for the larger yarn hooks.

Notes:

When I made this previously I made it with all solid colors from Creative Yarn Source. This time I mixed Lizbeth and Creative Yarn Source. I found when I went to add white trim with the Creative Yarn Source size 20 yarn it seemed bulkier than the Lizbeth and I pulled it out as it looked fine without the arm trim.

The pattern includes a dress, hat, panties, and shoes. Last year I made the hat, but this year I just found it was akward trying to get it fit over Chelsea's hair and opted to frog it and not include it with the donation. The outfit is cute without it.

Our Generation Madison

Darski's Madison pattern from her Howdy Neighbor pattern set has become a go to pattern for both the Our Generation and the My Life doll. It is a quick and easy pattern but with the spike stitches it has a fun summer look to it.

You can find the free pattern set with additional patterns here. The shoes are part of a pattern set no longer available from Sweet Silver Creations.

Notes:

I use a J hook for the bodice section of the dress returning to an I hook once the dress has been joined. The skirt gets very puffy if I continue with a J.

Row 3 should read sc 9 not 19 as the numbers do not work for the stitch count without this change. I love it when there are stitch counts.

Row 11: Row 10 sadly doesn't have a stitch count so having made this a number of times now I'm making this note for myself others may find it works differently for them. I dc in 5 in order to get a stitch count of 55.

Rows 12-16 I increased to 20 for the length I wanted. Thus making row 17 row 21

Bodice trim and strap changes:

Instead of slst in 5 I sc in 5 then I chained 8 for the arm strap. This was just a better look and feel for me. This changes the next chain direction to chain 8 ending with sc 5 at end.

I chose to finish back with green not white trim. I also closed it with a snap which is why the sc are more important at the top as it gives a better spot for snaps to sit.

I feel like I'm getting a bit more balanced in finishing outfits for all the dolls rather than focusing on certain dolls and leaving some neglected.

16 Inch Baby Doll Dress, Hat and Shoes

This outfit was made from free patterns. The dress and hat patterns are available from Linmary Knits here. The shoes are my go to pattern for the JC 16 Inch Baby doll from the Peachy Keen pattern found here.

For the Linmary pattern I used Bernat Baby Big Ball sport yellow and white. The shoes require a heavier worsted 4 yarn so I used Red Heart Super Saver Lemon.

Notes:

I used the suggested hook sizes through out the pattern and this year it worked.

The pattern uses English (British) crochet terms so if you are used to American crochet terms you will need to remember. I've actually written the US changes on top of the English terms as I tend to forget when I'm tired.

In past years I wrote instructions for the row repeats for the dress, this year I finally wrote them for the hat. Still not sure I have the hat exactly as written but it works for my project intentions.

Ken Farmer

My motivation to learn to crochet was having both a niece and a great niece who got into dressing their dolls about the same time. In some cases there really wasn't much available at the time to buy for the dolls. In other cases what was available was a bit pricey for kids who weren't happy with a few outfits but wanted complete wardrobes. When they outgrew dolls I started donating dolls and clothes because I had found a hobby I really enjoyed.

Shirley Jean Wright was one of the first designers of Barbie clothes I tried because the clothes were made with bulkier worsted yarn and not thread, which at the time I didn't have the proper hooks to make working with thread practical for me. After I stopped making clothes for the nieces I moved more towards the larger dolls for donation as the outfits were easier to make.

I believe it was 2021 when I finally started donating Barbie's family and started returning to my binders to find projects that would work for the dolls. However, I never did go back to these patterns, likely because I had discovered thread. Thread is great but finished outfits are still a better option for kids who like to dress up dolls.

As I was looking for ways to add items to Ken's donation this year I came across a free out of print pattern for called Ken's Overalls that is still available through the Wayback machine.

She has a huge treasure chest of Barbie and Ken outfits still available through the Wayback machine. The downside is the Wayback Machine doesn't have the pictures for the patterns. I'm trying to locate the patterns I originally downloaded so I can continue making more of them, but I may have to think about resorting to trying some without the pictures if I can't find the Ken ones as I really don't have many Ken patterns to begin with and many are just not quick and easy. I tend to rely on pictures when I crochet to confirm I'm following the directions so I'm hoping that somewhere in my Barbie binders I have the copies of the patterns.

With help from the Wayback machine you can find Ken's Overalls pattern here.

Notes:

I would make this again for the donation. It fits my quick and easy project goal. I would think about another shirt for this project just because this pattern is bulky but it works.

I used a D hook with Red Heart Super Saver for the Overalls and the Shirt. The hat is made with Herschnerrs Baby Worsted Peachy.

To get enough length in the legs I went from 14 rows to 17 rows.

I used a C hook for the hat and ended up playing with the pattern to get a look I liked. After row 4 I did a row of dc post stitches. It gave the hat a little more form.