Glitter Girl Sleeping Bag

I saw a camping pattern set for both the 18 inch and 14 inch dolls at Adoring Dolls and it immediately went on my Christmas wish list.

I was quite happy to find it on Christmas morning and I decided to start with the sleeping bag for the Glitter Girl doll as her donation bag is often not as filled as those of the 18 inch dolls. You can purchase the camping pattern here. It is also sold separately by size in her store if you don't want both patterns.

Notes:

I used an I hook and still added a few rows to get the length I wanted. I attribute this to my odd guage. Another note to myself as one of the pictures kept throwing me fold up.

This pattern works up quickly and is helping me with adding to my goal of giving some additional creative play options along with the dolls and their clothes.

This set comes with wood, a flashlight, and some clothing. I'm going to try to add the wood and the clothes. I'm picking up some camping sets to send off with the donation that will include flashlights so I don't think I'll be making those this year, but its good to have the patterns because you never know what will be available in other years. If I can't find a Barbie set I may try the flashlight in thread.

My Life Raincoat

I have a binder that I've been filling with outfits from Adorable Dolls for the 18-inch dolls. Her patterns are quite affordable, easy to follow, use available yarns or yarns easy to substitute from my stash and I generally can follow them to completion.

The one challenge I do find with her patterns sometimes is the formating. She has interesting ways of creating the shaping in her patterns so the stitch counts can be long in each row but I sometimes end up making notes as they can be challenging to follow as printed. The directions are clear and once I've written them out I never have trouble following them but formating them a little more clearly would make this situation ideal.

This pattern was worked from my Joann's Big Twist Stash. While a slightly lighter worsted I love the color selection and especially when on sale the price is very attractive, especially for my donation projects where spending less means I can do more.

You can purchase the pattern here.

18 inch Doll Off the Shoulder Dress

I knew switching from the Springfield dolls to new donation dolls might provide some new challenges. However, I knew the outfits I'd been making for the Springfield dolls fit the My Life Walmart dolls. I had more questions about the Our Generation Dolls from Target. I had this memory from back when I first started making 18 inch doll clothes for my now college aged niece that the Our Generation dolls were slightly "larger boned" than the Springfield dolls. However based on my comment that my niece is now in college I wasn't sure if things had changed. Therefore after finishing the last baby doll project I decided it was time for an experiment with a new doll pattern from Adorable Dolls, Off the Shoulder, that can be purchased here.

This was perhaps not the best choice of outfit to begin this journey with the new doll. I love the outfit and am happy with the outcome, but when I make my next attempt for the Our Generation Doll it will be with something that opens in the back not a one piece outfit that slides on and off with sleeves. If I do make this for the Our Generation Doll again I'd move up to an I hook for the bodice and return back to the H hook for the skirt. The bodice was just too tight with the H hook to make this outfit work for the Our Generation doll but it fits nicely for the Walmart's My Life Doll. So it appears we will have a mixed donation this year of Walmart and Target 18" dolls.

Note for myself:

Even making this for the My Life doll I needed an I hook to make the sandals feet the feet. I also used an I hook and the purse. I'd likely use a button or other means to close the purse should I make it again. The flowers worked with the assigned hook sizes for the headband and the waist.

I love these sandals. I can't recall making sandals before. Years ago my Aunt made a pair for my niece's doll from plastic canvas. These however, worked up quickly and I think they are adorable. I would make these again to go with a summer outfit.

While my first Our Generation project didn't come to fruition it did motivate me to order a My Life Doll for the Christmas donation and I know I won't be wasting outfits that don't fit the Our Generation doll if the sizing is off. That is a relief. I'm not sure what my next 18 inch outfit attempt will be.

My next project is for the JC Toys Lil Cutesies Doll Lulu. I am challenging myself to donate a variety of different dolls and sizes this year. I found a Mary Maxim pattern that is designed to fit this doll and I also think I can adapt some of the 8" patterns to make sure this doll heads of to the donation nicely outfitted.