Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Alice in Wonderland

I started an experiment last year that I never got to continue for the donation of trying to translate some of Sweet Silver Creation's 5" doll patterns to fit the Lots to Love 8" baby doll. My first attempt actually was a better fit for the Lil Cutesies doll.

It is a bitter sweet attempt this year as the remaining 8 inch baby dolls I do have will be finished off for Operation Shoebox unless I can find a viable substitute for this discontinued doll. I don't have a huge amount of room for these more detailed outfits so I'm likely going to have to see if these outfits will fit the Lil Cutesies doll to use these projects in the future.

You can purchase the original 5" Baby doll pattern here.

Notes:

Having made the sailor dress last year and finding it was too big for the 8" doll I followed my notes to experiment with the Alice dress.

I calcualated making these dresses for the 8" doll during my last purchase of Premier Basix DK yarn. However, I forgot about black for the shoes so I used Hobby Lobby Sport from my stash. The original pattern for the smaller doll uses size 10 thread so this was all based on experiments from the sailor doll.

I had suggested I try an H hook but I found it was too small for the upper part of the dress so the first three rows are made with an I hook and after making the arm holes I switched to an H hook for the remainder of the dress.

Do to the different size of dolls and fiber I believe I only needed 11 rows for the skirt before working row 17.

I was able to follow the directions for the apron as written.

I used an e hook for the Apron sleeves and played a little with the location.

The back and collar were finished as written but I used a snap to close the back.

The headband required an e hook as well. With the heavier yarn the bow required a little bit of play to get it to form.

This is the first set of tights I've made with shoes for this size doll so I added a picture. I did have to play just a little with the joining to make the final stitch count but I found they worked well. Again these are designed for a smaller doll made with lighter fiber but I was pleased with the outcome.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Moses Basket

My goal is to complete all the bassinet/moses basket projects by the end of summer. I have two more to complete and that goal will be achieved.

This basket is made using Annie Potter Presents Sweet Baby Doll Layette. I haven't been able to find an active link for her patterns for a while now so I've stopped trying. Her pattern site pops up and then disappears. It is different from Annie's. The blanket is from Darski's BBL free pattern found here.

Notes:

The basket is made with Premier Puzzle Yarn and the blanket is part of my project to identify yarns that have been here a bit and need to become an actual project, Lion Brand Baby Soft dusty lilac. I like the texture of the yarn but a bit pale if I were thinking of buying it again.

The basket requires a H hook and the blanket a g.

I still have more of this shade of Premier but I found some green that also needs to go for the Lil Cutesie basket. I'm going to be starting it up for my travel bag and even trying to alternate some work on it in between other projects as I really want these done early in August.

Operation Christmas Child Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Moses Basket

As I've been researching what to put in my shoebox this year one of the suggestions was an 8 inch baby doll. I decided to dedicate the last of my stash after this year to the shoeboxes as I can't get this doll any longer. There is plenty of room in the basket to store other items being shipped in the box.

This is Annie Potter Presents Sweet Baby Doll Layette for the Moses Basket and Darski's BBL free pattern for the blanket. I have been chasing Annie's Potter's pattern sites for years and I stop now. This is a wonderful pattern set that I rely on for the baby doll beds but I have no idea who has control over her patterns and I won't risk spam sites to try to help people find her patterns any longer. Darski's free BBL pattern is found here.

I've been using up some Premier Puzzle yarn I bought a while back so most of these are going to be the same color until I finish off my supply. The blanket for this is different as it was made with Herrschners' size 3 baby yarn in Thistle.



Notes:

The basket requires a H hook and the blanket a g.

With this one done I need still need three. I will need one for the Aztec Lots to Love 8" Baby doll, the Lil Cutesies doll and the Lots to Love 10 inch baby doll.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Swimsuit

This was made using a free Amy Carrico Fun in the Sun pattern found on Ravelry here.

Notes:

I only found last year's yarn when I finished the project so I stuck with Herrschner's 2 Baby yarn but used the Castle color.

My guage has been all over the place lately so I needed a C hook to get this to fit where I've previously made it work with a B and this yarn.

For my own notes when checking gauge on this project make the bottoms first as this was the quickest way to determine if the yarn hook balance had been reached. When the shorts fit the halter top fit.

The sandals and the visor always have to be fiddled with to get them to work for me. I never write this and then think I must be having a bad year but it came to me as I was working this year that this has always been the case.

I wrote a note to increase the ties as they are tight. I increased to 40 and I'd go to 50 the next time as they are still short.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Playtime Romper

I love the look of this pattern but I've struggled both times I've made the top and can't help but think I'm reading the directions wrong.

I caught one mistake and that helped but I'm still finding myself in a Goldilock's dilema that the shirt is either too big or too small. Too small makes it impossible for a child to dress the doll so I opted for slightly large instead of abandoning the project.

I used an E hook until I reached the second row after the arm holes changing to a D. The directions at the top where the outfit is tight are pretty straight forward. I tried adjusting both hook and yarn. I did purchased some additional hooks recently that are between some of my smaller hook sizes and I'm hopeful this might give me some ability to make an item larger without making it too large.

I did realize there is an additional dc I had not realized when I first read through the directions in row 6. This is a reminder to myself to read the directions carefully.

The sleeves were made with a D hook. I tried a smaller hook but it made it difficult to get the arms through. The arms need to be shorter.

I struggled with the hat the last time I made this outfit but this time it worked as written.

The pants required an additional row before splitting for crotch as they were short but I used the suggest B hook.

The booties also were made with the b hook as written.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Cuddle Up Romper Kits for Kids

I wasn't sure this outfit was going to make it into Kits for Kids. It is the last item for the donation but due to some challenges I've not been crocheting much the last week of the donation push. However the Friday before I made a push to finish the last bits for this outfit.

This is one of Amy Carrico's patterns that is currently listed for sale on Ravelry here.

As the Lots to Love 8 inch dolls are no longer being made and my supply is diminishing I've been considering my options.

I will continue to use the doll for Aztec Wishes and Operation Shoebox for 2027 since I've already started my Aztec projects.

However, going forward I think I'm going to double up on my Lots to Love 10 inch dolls for Aztec Wishes and use a Lots to Love 10 inch Doll for Kits for Kids. This will allow me to stretch my supply of Lots to Love 8 inch dolls for the shoeboxes as size is most critical there. I've been looking for a substitute but so far nothing compares to this doll. Hopefully, I will find something before my Shoebox supply runs out.

Likely do to some health issues I was having my guage was all over the place on this project and I was constantly adjusting hook sizes.

Notes:

The yarn was Baby Bernat Big Ball yarn in yellow and pink.

While I normally use a C for the main part of the shirt and a b for the arms this time I needed an e and a d hook to get it large enough to fit the doll.

The pants continued to require a B hook.

The headband went up to a D hook.

Next month I will get to see how these projects work for the intended donation and hopefully get a better feel for what to work on for next year.

Kits for Kids Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Snuggle Sack

Notes:

I finished this and the nightgown for Kits for Kids on the same day and am preposting them as they fit on the blog. I am past the deadline as I prepost but I am hopeful I met it. If not these will go right to 2027.

You can find the free pattern for this project here. This was made with Herrschnerrs Worsted 8 Baby Stripes Sweetie Pie.

I need an F hook to fit this doll.

A reminder traditional worsted is too large. I thankfully continued with the skein I used from the last sack so this wasn't an issue but these are my page notes for these projects so it is wise to keep the reminders posted.

I posted on the last snuggle sack for this year and then I found out this project had a more aggressive timeline than I'd realized so no more predictions that I won't need more for someone else.

Kits for Kids 8 Inch Baby Doll Nightgown

Still in the middle of March as I continue to prepost but that April deadline is looming. Trying to see just what I can finish in a short period of time. What doesn't make it into this year's donation will go into 2027.

This is a simpler version of the donation I make for Aztec wishes as I know the space for this donation is more limited.

Since liquid isn't an issue for this donation I do hope to get the smaller baby bottles at Hobby Lobby before the due date. If not I will slide another out of the bigger kits as I did for the shoebox donation and plan better for 2027.

I have the snuggle sack to post and I'd like to get at least one other outfit made. The doll does come with a simple onesie so it does come dressed. I hesitate to add too much as space is an issue.

Notes:

This is from Darski's Sweetly pattern that you can find here.

The original pattern is designed for a 10" baby doll so some adaptations are required for the smaller doll.

This is made with Bernat Baby yarn.

I use a C hook for this doll.

I followed rows 1-17 then completed rows 33-37.

I finished the back and then did the ties as suggested making mine 30 chains.

I decreased the stitch count on the arms and finished with a chain 3 skip to make it more decorative.

To keep things fun I did a sc chain 3 around the neck as well. I need 3 this year so it pays to keep things fresh.

Kits for Kids Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Moses Basket

Still busily preposting in March as my April deadline looms ever closer.

I wanted to include a baby doll in Kits for Kids. Not sure how much I'll be able to finish for the doll or practically what is best to include as the child will be carrying what they need to take with them but for now the doll has a bed and that is good.

This is Annie Potter Presents Sweet Baby Doll Layette for the Moses Basket and Darski's BBL free pattern for the blanket. I have been chasing Annie's Potter's pattern sites for years and I stop now. This is a wonderful pattern set that I rely on for the baby doll beds but I have no idea who has control over her patterns and I won't risk spam sites to try to help people find her patterns any longer. Darski's free BBL pattern is found here.

As I pulled another doll from my inventory I decided it was time to consider stocking up and sadly came to realize the last place I could get the Lots to Love 8 inch Baby dolls is no longer selling them. This is disappointing and thankfully as a donation hoarder I am not desparate for a replacement just yet but I do need to find one as these dolls are an ideal size. There are sadly some families these dolls go to that don't have a ton of space and a small baby doll is the right choice.

I had just found an accessory kit that was sized close to them which I hadn't been able to find in years of searching. It will still work for the Lil Cutesies doll and the Lots to Love 10 inch doll which are still available but this size doll is one I need to find a replacement for before my hoarded stash is depleted.

Notes:

This is made with Premier Puzzle Yarn for the basket and old Red Heart Sport for the blanket. I used an H hook for the basket and a g hook for the blanket. I still need 2 more of these for the Lots to Love 8 inch dolls, one for the Lil Cutesies doll, and one for the Lots to Love 10 inch baby doll.

Operation Christmas Child 8 Inch Baby Doll Snuggle Sack

After I finished scrambling to complete last year's donation I joined a few online groups and started to think about how I could blend what I was already doing for Aztec Wishes with what I wanted to offer for Operation Christmas Child.

One of the suggestions for the younger girls is a baby doll and I have a supply of Lots to Love 8 inch dolls for my Aztec Wishes donation so this seemed like a start for a younger girl box. I have experience with dressing the doll so it will be a matter of what I can fit into the box.

For my own notes this year while shopping for Operation Christmas Child at Hobby Lobby I found dipaer bag kits that would work for the smaller baby dolls for Aztec Wishes. There are lots of accessories and I removed one bottle for this donation. There are additional bottles for the bag going to Aztec Wishes so the one missing bottle shouldn't be an issue but it does solve my issue of finding a bottle for this size doll that has no liquid.

This is a free pattern found here.

Notes:

This was made with Herrschnerrs Worsted 8 Baby Stripes Sweetie Pie.

I need an F hook to fit this doll.

A reminder traditional worsted is too large. I had just brought home so very pretty striped yarn and wasn't thinking when I started this only to realize it wasn't going to work. I frogged it and pulled out the Baby Stripes and had no issue.

This is the last of the snuggle sacks I need for 2026. I'm hoping to add a bassinet to the shoebox donation after I finish the ones I need for Aztec Wishes.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Valentine Dress

This is one of Char Caywood's patterns that fits both the Lots to Love 8 inch Baby Doll and the Little Cutesies dolls. She includes directions for both in her pattern that you can purchase here. She also has color suggestions.

I made this outfit 3 years ago and coming back to it found I needed some hook adjustments. My tension changes over time so I try to note stuff for future projects.

Notes: I continued with the 1.75 mm hook and size 10 cotton for the dress.

For some reason I remember having to reduce the panties so I tried a 1.5mm hook and they fit better this time with no adjustments needed.

I'd made a note previously about the shoes being too small with a 1.25mm hook but this time that was the ideal size. The 1.5mm shoe was falling off.

Hat:

I tried the directions for the Lil Cutesies hat first and thought I just made the wrong hat as it was huge. I started again with the directions for this doll and still found it large so I made some changes.

I used a 1.25mm hook for the hat and stopped at row 9.

I crocheted in front loops for trim.

This year I used ties instead of snaps for closure. Think I'll go back to snaps but it seemed like an idea to try pattern as written for once. This created problem in finishing collar.

I'm hoping to get this finished for the Lil Cutesies doll as well.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Christmas Dress

This outfit was created adapting Amy Carrico's Springs Set for the 8 inch Baby doll and playing with Darsk's free hat pattern from Baby's first Christmas pattern found here.

Amy Carrico's pattern used to be available on Etsy but is still listed as being available for purchase on Ravelry here.

Notes:

After making the Spring outfit for the 2026 donation I decided to try this with size 3 thread as the red sport yarn I had was too heavy when I tried it.

Dress:

I followed the hook suggestions I used with the yarn and I found this worked for the thread. The first 2 rows with a C hook and finish with a B hook.

For this outfit I chose to continue to turn even after joining as I wanted a different look than the Spring dress.

Panties:

I'm continuing to play with the panties to get them to fit this doll as I find they are either too big or too small. So still a work in progress.

Shoes:

I used a C hook with the shoes and followed the pattern as written. Shoes fit well with thread.

Hat:

I used the brim from Darski's hat pattern. I may try to enlarge the Barbie pattern for the Lil Cutesies doll when I make her Christmas outfit. This wasn't quite the look I was hoping to make.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Nightgown

I am determined not to spend the fall scrambling to make my challenge projects like the nightgowns and bathing suits. So I've been trying to work them in like the baby doll accessories as I work on larger projects.

This nightgown comes from Darski's free Sweetly pattern found here that is designed for the larger 10 inch baby doll. With a little adjustment it works well for the smaller 8 inch doll and the Lil Cutesies doll.

Notes:

I don't tend to buy a great deal of Lion Brand yarn as it is more expensive than my other options. However, occasionally there are sales and items find there way into my stash. For my own reference this is Lion Brand's Baby Soft Pastel Print. If I find it on sale I'd buy it again. It worked up nicely for this project.

I used a C hook to get this to fit the smaller doll.

I needed to change the rows to get it to fit the smaller doll.

I followed rows 1-17 then completed rows 33-37.

I finished the back and then did the ties as suggested making mine 30 chains.

I decreased the stitch count on the arms and finished with a chain 3 skip to make it more decorative.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Snuggle Sack

I found myself at the end of last year rushing to finish the sleeping bags and challenge projects so this year I'm trying to weave them in as I go so I finish clothing and accessories in a bit more of a balanced manner. So don't be surprised to see some of the end of last year's projects popping up at the start of the 2026 donation project. I don't want to see them at the end of 2026. I'd rather be adding more fun clothing items.

Suzie's Stuff blog has been my go to for the sleep or snuggle sacks for the baby dolls and the sleeping bags for the other dolls. The free patterns make great accessory items for the dolls. You can find this pattern here.

Notes:

I used an F hook to make this for the smaller 8" doll.

I used Herrschners Worsted Baby Yarn color Tiara.

My notes from last year indicated I needed more Herrchners yarn and thankfully I was able to stock up on yarn and by accident it is the same color as last year. I tend to grab a skein and go as these are my travel projects.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Baby Doll Spring Set

Every year I try to bring back patterns I didn't get to the previous year. This one has many little pieces to it so often if it isn't one of the early patterns I make in the year I don't always get to it.

This is Amy Carrico's Spring Set. It is currently shown on Ravelry as buy here but I bought it years ago from her Etsy shop so I don't know if the link is still valid. You can find it here.

Notes:

I alternate between a b and c crochet hooks for this outfit.

The yarn is Bernat Big Baby Sport Lavender and White.

The bodice of the dress is made with a C hook changing to a b for the skirt as it gets wide quickly.

Not sure if it was the b or the c for the jacket I thought I'd made a note but I did not. I am thinking it was a c to fit over the dress.

I used a b for the panties as I made a note the c made them too big. I also used a b for the headband adding 10 stitches to the starting chain. It tends to be big width wise for the head and this is a better version.

I needed a c hook for the shoes a b was too small.