My Life Harriet

It feels odd to be preposting in May in the middle of April but I'm glad I have enough projects finished to be ahead instead of behind. Life can get busy and it is easy to stop posting and focus on what needs to be done outside of my preparations for donations.

This was made using the free Harriet pattern from Darski's Harriet set found here.

The shoes are from Sweet Silver Creations School Uniform Pattern that can be purchased here.

Notes:

This was made with Red Heart Super Saver Heather Grey and left over Big Twist unspecified grey. I haven't bought any Big Twist since Joann closed but I have been trying to find ways to use up the stock pile I purchased prior to them closing. The scarf is made with Walmart's Mainstay's Pink Blend. I use this particular Mainstay yarn for a couple of projects because I like the color blend.

Skirt:

The skirt was made with the Red Heart Heather gray. I crochet over a pony tail elastic with an H hook and complete the pattern as written. The increases are made in the back not the sides as with the Dovetailed pattern.

Sweater:

I use an I hook for the sweater. For some reason I had to play with the collar a few times as it wasn't sitting correctly.

Scarf:

I chain 100 and then mark the end stitches as the pattern is different for these and extend the count for the middle stitches to account for the longer chain. I used an I hook for the scarf.

Shoes:

I've discovered I need an E hook to get these shoes to fit.

My Life Claret

This is the second pattern in Darski's free Harriet pattern set found here

Notes:

My local Walmart did finally have Red Heart Claret so I decided to try it out. This feels more maroon than claret but each year I do try to get there.

This is a really quick and easy formal gown for the 18 inch dolls.

I use an I hook for the dress and follow the directions as written other than I added a few extra rows to get the length I wanted for the gown this year.

I've been experimenting with the trim that Darski calls the Flimmery bits. I've tried soley on the top as she suggests but I prefer front armpit to back armpit.

The shoes are from Sweet Silver Creations School Uniform that can be purchased here. I moved to an e hook for the pattern and they fit mcuh better.

The back gives directions for button formation as you are creating the dress and I almost started additional button holes after finishing the dress as this is something almost every dress does after completion. I rather liked this method as it was neat and clean.

Working on the Harriet pattern from this set for my next outfit.

My Life Sleeping Bag

I am in the home stretch for the 2025 donation. This is one of the last two sleeping bags I need for the donation. After the sleeping bags both My Life Dolls and the Our Generation Doll, and the Rag Doll need nightgowns. Thankfully I've started all of them. Then one My Life Doll and the Our Generation Doll need Swimsuits and the 2025 donation will come to an end as I take a break for some family stuff I need to do and then ramp up for the start of the 2026 donation.

This is a free pattern found on Suzie's Stuff Blog here.

Notes:

I use a K hook for the larger sleeping bag pattern.

This is a heavier weight Big Twist Yarn that I bought ages ago and never was able to use up. It is a bit scratchy and sheds. I am determined to use it all up rather than waste it so this was a great way to eat a bit of yarn. It still didn't finish it off.

My Life Rivulets

I finished three projects in September and while I got the pictures taken and they are in the correct donation bags I never wrote up the projects. I consider this process to be important because I go back to these posts each year to see what I completed and looking for notes on the completion.

What I noted as I was getting this post ready is in my rush to just get the pictures taken and printed for the donation I listed the wrong pattern. This makes it hard to trace my notes for future patterns leading me back to why I try really hard to go back and post projects even after the fact because it reminds me what I did and how.

I had a push going on through the summer to alternate between Darksi's free 18 inch doll patterns and Adoring Doll's paid patterns. They each add variety to the donation and different fun for my crochet life. I misidentified this as Darski's Madison pattern in my picture save but it is actually her Rivulets free pattern that you can find here.

Notes:

As with last year I went with Caron Super Saver for this outfit. I've been working on finishing off a skein and as per last year's notes the thicker yarn works better to create this outfit. I used Bernat Baby for the shawl and trim.

Follow length as written when adding trim. I added additional rows thinking it was short and the trim doesn't work as well.

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.