American Girl Sun Dress

Sweet Silver Creations has always been one of my favorite 18 inch doll designers. Over the years I've collected most of her 18 inch doll patterns. They've generally appear on my Christmas and birthday lists. I'm hoping some new ones will be coming out soon. This is my first attempt at making this one. You can find the pattern here.

I loved the dress and the shoes. I wasn't as happy with the hat.

Pattern notes:

I used worsted weight instead of sport weight yarn. The H hook worked with the worsted weight to make the outfit fit.

Gracie's Day at the Beach

After finishing my first baby doll set I got started on my first Mary Maxim doll kit, the 18 inch Gracie's Day at the Beach kit. I loved the Tutti Frutti Sugar Baby Stripes yarn that came with the kit for the dress. The only drawback is that because of the variegated nature of the yarn and not being sure of how much extra I had, I started at the end of the yarn I had and didn't end up with the pretty light orange color the model had because I was afraid of running out of yarn. If I make this again, I would buy enough extra to have the option of starting out with the orange at the top. It is a prettier look.

I love the feel and the colors of this yarn. I would like to find another project that would work with it and order it again.

This set does come with sandals, which I chose not to take out and use since I plan to donate the doll that came with the set and the outfit. I want the child to have the chance to be the first to use them.

One surprise about this set that is not listed on the description is that it also comes with a bathing suit pattern made in the contrasting color yarn used to finish the dress and make the beach bag. That was a pleasant surprise and I will be posting pictures of that outfit soon.

I had not purchased any of Mary Maxim's doll kits in the past. I purchased a few after Christmas and will be trying them out and blogging about them as I work through them. This first one was a success. Based on the cost of the doll, the two patterns, the yarn, the shoes, and the buttons, I feel I got my money's worth out of the deal. While I can get the dolls with coupons, I have to buy the lighter weight yarns online and getting this coloring would mean buying through Mary Maxim. Factoring in the cost for the two patterns, I feel even better about my purchase.

Barbie and American Girl Doll Free Patterns are listed on my blog at these locations:

Barbie Crochet and Sewing Page

Barbie Knitting Page

Ken Page

Kelly/Skipper Page

American Girl Doll Crochet and Sewing

American Girl Doll Knitting

Doll Blankets and Pillow Patterns

Additional Doll Patterns also Available on the Holiday Blogs:

Christmas

Valentines

Easter

Graduation

Patriotic

Halloween Page

Thanksgiving

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