Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Spring Set

If you read yesterday's blog entry you'll know this was my second attempt at this dress for the 2024 donation. The first one while useable didn't exactly follow the pattern. This one came out as expected and I finished it off with the sweater.

This is made using Amy Carrico's Spring Dress set pattern which she is sadly not currently selling.

Notes:

Baby Bernat Sport Yarn

Size B hook for the top of the dress C for the skirt and the rest of the accessories. As I mentioned yesterday it might be time to try the b hook for the panties as the waist is larger than it should be for the doll, but I'm torn because the legs fit well and could become tight if the hook gets smaller.

I feel like I'm getting a better balance between outfits and accessories at the start of this donation run.

On another note thanks to a wonderful Barbie blogger I got a heads up about Dollar Tree items for Barbie.

I found clothes that will fit the smaller Chelsea doll. I've been moving towards a more outdoors theme for the Barbie donation and found Jet Ski's and kyaks for the dolls. I also was able to find simple Barbie versions of a kiddie pool for all the dolls. There are supposed to be some career outfits that will fit Barbie but I've not seen them at my local Dollar Trees. It's often hard to find accessories for Barbie that aren't complete kits with another doll. While I occasionally see Barbie clothes sold in Walmart, I've never seen clothes for Chelsea. I plan to continue to make clothes but it is nice to know I have a starter set because the Barbie dolls are often the most neglected as they are the hardest to fit.

I did find shoes and some clothes for Ken at Walmart for the 2023 donation and bought a second set for the 2024 donation at a reasonable price. I mention this because Ken is hard to find stuff for and many of the patterns I have for Ken have to be adapted significantly to fit the modern Ken. If I hadn't made clothes when my nieces were younger with the older Ken models I would completely claim responsiblity for my funky guage but the patterns I made for their dolls don't fit now.

I was able to add tubs for the two smaller baby dolls. While I've made accessories for the smaller baby dolls from time to time I rarely see much available for them. The Dollar Tree tubs come with a Rubber Ducky and soap so it makes for a cute set.

Not sure how long any of this will last but it give a little extra play fun for Christmas day. If you are interested in finding the Dollar Tree stuff realize they don't all have the same inventory despite being the same chain. I've hunted across my local area to find specific items I know will add play value for my annual donation over the course of the year.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Spring Dress

Sometimes you make a mistake on a crochet project and there is really no fixing it. You either pull it back to where the mistake began or you dump the project. However, every so often you find a use for the project that doesn't require such drastic measures.

This is Amy Caricco's Spring Dress set that I've made for both this doll and the Lil Cutesies doll. While I've made this dress on a number of occasions for some reason I had the directions mixed up with a different pattern and as a result the outcome was not what I'd expected. When I surveyed the results I realized while not the outfit I intended to make it would provide an extra outfit for the doll donation.

I finished the shoes, undies, and I made up a hat pattern. I didn't make the sweater for this outfit as the dress is a bit puffier than the pattern and I was afraid the sweater just might not be a good fit. I alternated making these final pieces while starting on the actual pattern in a different shade of Bernat Baby Sport. I just need to finish the shoes for that outfit and it to will be ready to add to my donation stash.

Not all mistakes are disasters. Sometimes they are just a bonus outfit for a baby doll.

Sadly this pattern is not currently available.

Notes:

I use Baby Bernat Sport yarn for this pattern.

The top requires a C hook and the skirt a B hook. The rest of the pieces use the C hook although I'm considering using a B hook after the second set for the panties.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Thread Dress with Short Jacket

This is one of Char's patterns that you can purchase here not specifically designed for the Lots to Love 8 inch Baby doll.

I am used to patterns not being specific to the doll I'm working with so when the original directions were to small I started working on adaptations as I liked the look of the dress and thought it would be a nice addition to the doll's donation wardrobe.

Notes:

One of the first things I realized after playing with hook size and crochet thread size 10 was that I would need to change thread size to get the outfit to fit. I had purchased a supply of size 3 and I decided on Thread Art's Light Pink and Aunt Lydia's White.

Dress:

I used my Tulip Etimo 2.2 mm thread hook for rows 1-5, changing to my 1.75mm hook for rows 6-15. This made the dress slide on over the body of the doll. Even with the bigger thread size the doll is rounder in certain areas than the target doll perhaps?

Bottoms:

1.8mm Hook

Hat:

1.5mm hook

Booties:

1.5 mm hook

Reminder to myself these booties are formed differently than most. They start at toe not from bottom. They work up fine but this confused me when I started and I add this note so when I approach this project again I remember what I did and how it worked.

Jacket: 1.8mm Hook

I used a sc trim around the neck. I think do to the size difference in the dolls I couldn't get the trim to work with the neck of the doll I had.

Reminder to myself to order more 4mm pearl buttons.