Lil Cutesies Nightgown

With this outfit complete the two smallest baby dolls are ready to be boxed!!! It feels amazing to be getting things organized a bit earlier this year. We are getting some help with delivering to the school this year so we decided getting the stuff boxed so we had some idea how much stuff we actually had to move would be useful.

I looked back at my notes and for some reason have decided Darski's BBL pattern is a better fit than her Sweetly pattern for the Lil Cutesies doll. It could also be that when I made this proclamation I was tired of repeating patterns. However, once I've made the choice I'm sticking with it for now because it seems to work.

This is Darksi's free BBL pattern for the Lots to Love 10 inch Baby Doll found here.

Notes:

I used an f hook for this project with the Lion Brand Ice Cream Yarn Tutti Frutti. I made a note to consider an e hook for next year.

This one has you crochet until row 8 and then make it as long as you want. I stopped a row before the length I wanted and did a sc skip a stitch 5 dc in the next stitch shell to finish the bottom. When complete I finished the back before chaining 30 for the neck closure and doing a sc chain 3 sc in next for the neck. It makes it a little more decorative.

I also decreased and finished the arms with sc and then added an additional row of sc chain 3 skip one around for a better arm fit and a little decoration.

Lil Cutesies Swim Suit 2025

Next up on the 2025 swim suit challenge is the Lil Cutesie doll.

This was made using on of Char's patterns that can be purchased here. It has directions for both the Lil Cutesie and Lots to Love 8 inch dolls.

I used size 10 Thread Art for the main color and Artiste for the contrast. I opted to use the contrast color for the visor and shoes.

Just a note for myself the visor for the 8 inch baby doll is not the same as the Little Cutesie doll. The directions for the Lil Cutesie make a larger visor. I had to frog my first one as it was too small for the Lil Cutesie after following the wrong directions.

Notes:

I used a 1.75 mm hook for this outfit.

In Row 16 of the bottoms part B I use hdc not sc.

Ruffle I hdc in row 17 not 16. For my own notes row 17 is worked around the complete doll in the back loops. This is the row the ruffle will be added to around the doll.

I do a sc around the legs.

The back is finished with sc as part of the chain process. I mention this because I had forgotten from making this last year. I usually will finish a back even when not in the pattern.

I chained 50 for the ties.

I had to play with the visor this year for some reason to get it to fit. I also failed to note previously that the second round of chains for the shoe opening is missing and has to be added to make the shoes fit.

Lil Cutesies Sailor Dress

I've been playing around a bit this year with altering patterns for one doll to fit a different sized doll. I've done this in the past using patterns made for the 5 inch Baby dolls to make clothes for the Lots to Love 8 inch and Lil Cutesies dolls, especially for holiday outfits. I have several 8 inch baby doll dressed for the holidays for my own personal decorations. As I revisted the AG mini patterns for the fashion dolls I wondered about trying some of the designers 5 inch doll patterns for the slightly larger baby dolls.

I've been making the sailor dress for the larger dolls quite a bit this year so being familiar with the general pattern it seemed like a good starting point. You can purchase the 5 inch Sailor Doll pattern here. As I was searching through my doll binders I realized I actually already had the pattern as it also appeared in one of the Crochet Calendars along with the Sailor Boy for anyone who might have the calendars and want to check to see if they already have the pattern.

Notes:

I had thought I might be able to use size 3 thread for the outfit but I ended up with Bernat Baby Sport for the White with an I hook. It was a little roomy for the Lots to Love 8 inch doll so I think I'd try an H hook for that doll. I'd also use a smaller hook for both dolls for the hat. I have navy on order in sport worsted so I used a heavier navy for the trim but I did skip the shoes this time around. Hopefully the navy will have arrived before I try this for the Lots to Love 8 inch doll.

There is a diaper pattern for this outfit but I couldn't get it to transfer well to the larger doll. At some point if I do decide on diapers for these dolls I think I will have to downsize one of the patterns I currently use for the larger dolls, perhaps in thread.

Unlike the larger dolls, this pattern does have sleeves. I did try them but increasing this pattern to a larger doll the sleeves, like the diaper didn't work well so I left the dress like the original 18 inch pattern, sleeveless. It also makes it slightly easier for small hands to get on and off as tight long sleeves can be hard to get on and off these dolls.

Lil Cutesies Dress, Shorts, Hairband and Booties

I've been working with Petite Designs patterns for the smaller dolls for a while now but I've always been slightly concerned that even using baby yarn the items sometimes seem bulky. This time even decreasing the yarn to baby yarn with the suggested hook size the item was too large. I tried size 3 crochet thread before moving to size 10 but keeping the B crochet hook. For the first time I had the detail and lacked the bulkiness I wanted for her designs.

I credit this completely to my gauge issues and not her designs. I'm just glad I found a workable solution. I'm looking forward to trying this on some of her other small doll patterns I own.

Notes:

As mentioned this is one of Petite Creative Designs Patterns that can be purchased here.

I used Thread Art's size 10 Bright Green for the Lil Cutesie outfit. I'm hoping to make a second for the Lots to Love 8 inch doll.

In recent years I've been branching out to find different thread providers as Aunt Lydia's color and size availability has become more limited. I find it a helpful reminder as I post these projects to post which brand I used when I know so I can go back and find it later.

The flower is made from Hobby Lobby's Artiste size 10 threads. A while back I got a boxed of multi-colored hand died threads from them. They are small but they are perfect for small projects to add multi-colored options to a project. It can be hard to find these options sold as individual items. I am starting to use this box for some of my Calico Critter projects as well.

One change I've made to all of these style of patterns is I join all rows. I find the outfit slides on and off the doll and it is a cleaner option for me.

While the stitch count works on the dress moving to thread the pants did not and I had to move to a chain of 64 to get the pants to fit. I eventually reduced it to 62 as I progressed making each leg count 31.

The bottom of the pants are supposed to have a picot trim. It was late at night I read the directions incorrectly and the pants have a sc chain 3 trim. I've added note on the pattern to avoid a future mistake and I'm noting it here to hopefully make the reminder stick.

Booties worked as written with the thread and fit fine.

Headband read row 3 for directions that provide texture to the headband. I clearly missed this and hope to catch it for the Lots to Love 8 inch Baby doll.

Lil Cutesies Snuggle Sack

With this project complete for the Lil Cutesies Doll it leaves me with just the three larger baby doll sleep sacks to finish for the 2025 donation. It means this pattern can return to my small baby doll binder for the season. You can find the pattern here.

Notes:

I used a G hook with what I believe to be Red Heart Ombres Sea Coral Yarn that was in my stash. I've been trying to use up yarn on hand for these projects.

I've moved yarn and hook into my travel bag to start the Lots to Love 14 Inch Baby Doll Sack. It would be nice to have the last three finished before Spring.

Lil Cutesies Dress, Headband and Shoes

This has become one of my go to patterns for the yearly doll donation for the Lil Cutesies doll. It works up quickly and is not too demanding. You can purchase Petite Designs Pattern here.

Notes:

I used a B hook for the entire pattern. In the future the only change I'd make is a larger hook for the flower.

I would love to try this with size 3 thread at some point to see if I could make the panties fit better. They are still big for this outfit.

I join the back rather than using a tie. The doll slides in easily enough.

This is made with Bernat Baby Sport in White, Pink, and Lavendar.

I missed this direction this year and had to pull it out. I leave a row off of the knickers that is added back in when I start to work on the bodice. The pants are long as it is and this helps decrease how long they sag. This let me use the actual first row of the bodice to crochet the row in back loops to allow me to use the front loops later for my my skirt row. Others may not find this necessary but I found it was much easier to get an even starter row for the skirt all around.

I've made notes for years about reading the directions that the first and second skirt directions are different. Oddly this year I followed that direction without an issue. I'll keep it here because each year what I miss is different.

Last year I made the two flowers this year I followed the directions making just one flower. I rather like the two flower look and would consider returning to it in the future.

The shoes continue to be a work in progress. Her feet never change but my crocheting clearly does and each year where I break to add the strap changes and adapts as somehow the shoe isn't fitting. I actually frogged the second shoe and remade it still fiddling with the pattern but I made it work.

Lil Cutesies Moses Basket

I've been trying to squeeze in those yearly items as I work on other projects and it was time to make the Lil Cutesies Moses basket for the 2025 donation.

I've been focusing on using up yarn on hand where possible and when I opened up last year's project blog I realized I'd used the same yarn for the basket Homespun Aster. I have a stash I'm finishing off and this project has been one great way to avoid multiple yarn skeins for this project. The blanket is made with Lion Brand Ice Cream Yarn Parfait.

The pattern for the Moses basket is Annie Potter's Sweet Baby Layette. I listed a link to a company that was supposed to be representing her but I'm not comfortable doing it after clicking on the link and getting lost this time so I will give you the pattern title and leave you to decide how you wish to find it.

The blanket is made using Darski's free BBL pattern set found here.

Notes:

I used an H hook for the basket and added rows to the bottom and sides to make it fit the doll. I found it to be narrow as written and I make it higher than a traditional Moses basket so the doll doesn't roll out while the child is carrying the doll around.

I used a G hook for the blanket and added a row before the final row so the end and starting row would be on the same side before I added a row of sc around the edge.

For those who are interested there are two sizes of Lil Cutesies dolls. There is the larger doll that falls between the 8 and 10 inch Lots to Love Dolls I donate. I know every so often I discover in doll forums people are discussing the smaller Lil Cutesie which I ocassionally see but is not practical for this donation.