Lots to Love 8 Inch Doll Patriotic Outfit

Back at Easter I started making holiday outfits for the 8 inch dolls for my own decorations. While I know the Memorial Day and July 4th celebrations may be some what quieter this year, I wanted something new to add to my own decorations to make sure the days didn't pass without recognition. So, I made myself the July 4th outfit from Annie Potter's Holiday Babies pattern booklet available for purchase here or digitally at Etsy here.

I started looking for appropriate yarn to make the July 4th outfit hoping to have it for Memorial Day. I ran across a clearance sale of Red Heart Sport yarn at Mary Maxim. This was important because baby yarn is often the best weight for these projects but the colors are quite limited. You can find sport yarn but not always in larger quantities for the non-baby colors. The only challenge for this was I couldn't get navy which the pattern called for but I still like it with the lighter blue. I also prefer the darker red to the red in the pattern.

For my own notes I made the bodice longer than the pattern called for and while I would do that again perhaps not quite as long. I added length to the skirt as I reduced the stitches to match the number of stitches on the bodice to make stitching the 2 together easier. As a result I could have made the bodice shorter. These panties are a really easy pattern for the 8 inch doll and would be worth making for some of the other doll patterns where needed. The booties also fit well without having to make adjustments. I used an e hook for this project although it called for a 0.

Lots to Love 8 Inch Sun Suit

I recently discovered that a series of doll patterns from Annie Potter presents that I had thought were out of print and unavailable are actually available through the publisher's website. She is also selling some of the digital patterns on Etsy. I wanted the printed leaflets so I ordered them from her website.

This sun suit is part of the Sweet Baby Doll Layette leaflet and can be purchased here. I was particularly pleased to locate this one, I had seen a used one advertised, because it not only has patterns for clothes to fit the 8 inch baby dolls but also accessory items like a Moses bed and a diaper bag.

If you follow my blog you know that I do try to include accessories for the bigger baby dolls in my donations, this will allow me to do so for the smaller dolls, too. Finding a leaflet that included these items for the smaller dolls which likely can also be adapted to the 10 inch dolls was a find.

I now have 2 outfits ready to donate for this doll so I'm making progress.

Notes:

I used baby yarn for the main part of the outfit and the hat. The pink yarn is a no longer available brand of sport yarn from AC Moore. It took an e hook to get the outfit to fit.