Our Generation Back to School

This project started with multiple misconceptions. First, I thought I'd made Adoring Doll's Back to School outfit, you can purchase here, before. Yet despite searching I can't find a record of making it and when I started making it didn't seem as familiar as I had thought. This is one of her early patterns and some of the pieces are constructed quite differently than some of her more recent stuff.

The second mistake I made is I wasn't looking for a Back to School outfit in my binder. With the heart on the shirt I had this pegged as a Valentine outfit and was quite confused when I couldn't locate a black jacketed Valentine outfit. When I searched her site and realized I had the name and intention wrong, sure enough I found it in my Adoring Doll pattern binder. I'm still using it for the Our Generation's Valentine holiday outfit. It works well for my theme.

Notes:

I used the suggested g hook for the boots. I find I need a smaller hook for the our Generation doll feet then the My Life. Just my experience. I tend to have to go up one to two hooks for the My Life depending on the shoes.

The outfit required an I hook to get it to fit the doll.

This is my favorite heart. I am currently working on another of her Valentine outfits for the My Life doll that uses a slightly different heart motif and I'd come back to this one next time. It just works up better and finishes nicer.

I love the jacket, especially in black for this outfit. The one item I really wasn't thrilled with was the skirt. I would use a substitute if I come back to this next year as the construction for the waist and skirt just didn't sit right.

My Life Valentine Outfit

Valentine's Day kind of crept on me this year and while I can add holiday outfits at any time of the year since the donation doesn't go out until November there is something about making the outfits around the holiday as a way to celebrate that appeals to me. I finished Darski's pattern and decided to continue on with Adoring Doll's pattern that you can purchase here.

Pattern Notes:

I used an I hook for most of this pattern.

In order to get the slip stitches in I added them slightly differently than the designer. After row 1 I went back to the start of row 1 and did a row of pink slip stitches ended and finished off pink and continued on with white and row 2.

After row 2 I repeated this for second set of ss.

At the end of row 9 I repeated this for ss that heart will sit on.

Hat and shoes were made with I hook.

Sweater:

I hook

I added 2 sc rows to arms and finished them with a sc chain 3 skip on around

I finished complete edge of sweater in process of making suggested button hole I just preffered a finished look.

While I love the sailor shoes I have to remember to use this shoe pattern more frequently as I really like them!

American Girl Valentine Outfit

While I've continued to crochet, I've gotten sadly behind on documenting my projects. It seemed like a good time to get caught up. I have become a fan of the free 18 inch doll patterns from the blog Adoring Doll Clothes. This pattern is her free Valentine pattern found here. This is an adorable outfit to add to my donation project. It also fits my goal of adding holiday patterns to the donation.

I needed an I hook to get the dress and shoes to fit. I note this so when I go to make this again it won't be such a surprise. I don't mention it for others as I've found my personal gauge is often specific to move.

Little Miss Firecracker

I like to make at least one Patriotic outfit to cover the various Patriotic holidays. DH bought me a new pattern for Christmas, Little Miss Firecracker that can be purchased here.

I've been having a challenging time with gauge so I expected to use a larger hook. I had no issue with the dress. However, I did add more rows to the vest to get it to be a little longer. Again it could just be me, but I wanted it to cover the back of the dress where all the buttons show. The vest trim is very creative and I have plans to use the vest for other patterns. It makes a nice cover for an outfit.

The only holiday I have left to make is Halloween. I have a couple of options, but I'm working on a Dr. Seuss themed outfit at the moment. I found a free hat pattern a while back that I've wanted to make in honor of Dr. Suess' birthday March 2. When I was teaching we always had Cat and the Hat themed decorations for the day and various reading themed events.

I am thinking it would be nice if each doll had outfits for each holiday. We'll have to see if I get there. I have been fortunate in the years I've completed one holiday set along with the regular outfits. I still have to get those baby dolls done, too.

American Girl Valentine's Outfit

I discovered Tara Cousin's Heart Tee and Skirt Outfit last year and decided it would be my Valentine's holiday outfit. You can purchase the outfit pattern here.

I've made peace this year with the idea that I have to play with gauge. I had to use an I hook to make the outfit fit and use up my friend's yarn on this outfit. With anything smaller the sweater was just too tight. I pulled out my first attempt prior to starting the blankets after using the suggested hook and decided to try the I hook after finishing up the doll blankets.

After finishing this project I've decided to tackle an Easter dress I've never completed. I've already pulled it out once when I realized I'd confused two of the shells. One shell has three stitches the other five. It makes a much smaller skirt when you only use three stitches. However, I'm back on track again and working to see how if I can make it work this year.