I was reading a very interesting post by @crosheille on an activity using STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). You can visit her post here for more details.
The doll and clothes rack reminded me of my knitting, crocheting and sewing outfits for my (3) daughters’ dolls and teddies. I rescued unearthed some and, fortunately, @jen0revision found one of the surviving dolls.
It's a bit shocking for me to think that these dresses must now be well over 10 years old. I don’t have, therefore, a step by step photo tutorial of how I made them.
At the time I tried very hard to find suitable outfits that were easy to use by boisterous children. I also wanted to improve my skills as part of the making process.
I always used 4-ply (thin yarn) and for the raglan sleeve / top down dark green cardigan above I used size 2mm needles (may be size 0 in the US). It was an extremely challenging cardigan to make because of the dark colour I foolishly chose. The pattern was hard to understand too so I realise it's not perfect, but I was proud of my ‘nano’ knitting at the time. I never found small enough buttons to finish it properly, but it was a toy anyway ...
The crocheted cardigan that you see in the first photo was made using a size 2 to 2.5mm crochet hook. That was a really fast project that was also ‘top down’.
Three things were always great when knitting, crocheting or sewing outfits for dolls :
- It was really fast to complete a ‘whole outfit’
- The outfits always fitted the dolls (and no zippers were ever needed)
- The children were always grateful to get new things for the dolls. This was always the point too : to encourage their own creativity by seeing me making and measuring things, and finding ways of ‘making do’ with what we had.
I also knitted companions for their dolls. Actually the little dog below is one of the last doll-related things I’ve made - so it is much more recent dating back to 2011 and here's the pattern.
The dog is supposed to be a Pembroke Welsh corgi, but the ears keep turning forward.
Anyhow, thanks to @crosheille for hosting #needleworkmonday !
all photos by @cryptocariad
Beautiful project. Great thing to do for kids - making something for them, giving them your time and modeling creative, DIY behavior :)
Thank you @steven-patrick... It was very enjoyable and I personally learnt a lot along the way :D
I always admire such small size projects. I would have neither the patience nor the precision for that though I work my socks on 2mm needles ;)
I thought you'd need really fine needles for comfy socks @muscara... Nothing wrong with bigger needles though 😊
Aaawww.. they are so so so so cute @cryptocariad!! And to be able to knit and crochet such tiny garments for the dolls! But it is a cool idea to learn knitting or crochet and be able to see a finished product (if done correctly that is) in a much shorter amount of time :) Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, @marblely... It was really satisfying to finish outfits so quickly 😊
What a fun idea. I was planning to sew some dolls clothes but now might add a cute crocheted cardigan to my list. That dog is so cute though ❤ is it much more challenging than the clothes?
Thank you @thriftymum... The dog was more challenging for sure. The instructions required making and then sewing the legs separately. The finishing was, therefore, the 'fiddly' part :D
Yes, the finishing is hardest on tiny projects. I can still do fine work as long as the colors are not too dark. A bright Ott-Lite lamp helps, too.
oh... yes... I've got a 'day-light' bulb but I love working by the window with natural light... Also I find myself working in the car a lot @fiberfrau :D
It does sound fiddly, but the end product is so fun I think worth it.
Hope you don't have to wear glasses with this project..
Have a nice day !
You too have a nice day @giosou... I actually wear glasses for close work now - age catches up with you... I also have astigmatism 😎
Oh. I have read thet blueburries are helping cure eye diseases . They were used by RAF pilots in WWII.
Thanks, @giosou. I really like blueberries and have a few bushes on our land :D
Lucky you. We have to buy them...
wow! you have a whole wardrobe of small clothes :) I especially liked the dog!
Thank you @tali72... it does look cute, doesn't it? Remember to check the pattern I linked to. You can then see what it should look like :D
the template is just the direction in which we move. otherwise we can improvise :)
Very true @tali72 :D
I absolutely love your doll outfits! They really look cute, especially on the doll.
I've heard people sell handmade doll clothes and make quite a bit of money, something to think about maybe? :-)
Thank you for your comments @vliet... I had not thought about selling outfits. I will investigate that idea; money = more wool :D
:DDDD
Oh My the little green dress on the roll matches mine from todays blog 👍👍👍 so great and keep it the folks are timeless!
I did notice the colour was very similar, @brittandjosie; we clearly have great taste 😊 !
Guuaaaooo... so cute your work, there it is much delicacy requary
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you very much for your visit and your comment @tahiaarq 😊
😊😊😊 Qué cuchi! Ropita pequeña. Me parece que es un trabajo de mucha paciencia por las dimensiones de las piezas, cuando mencionas que fue realmente rápido completar, yo creo que tardaría... Me gustó mucho el perrito. Saludos.
Muchas gracias @jicrochet. Claro, el chaleco verde oscuro tomó mucho más tiempo que el vestido o el chaleco a crochet... pero estoy segura que con tu destreza podrías hacerlos 😊
Thank you... I agree the dark colour cardigan took a lot more time than the dress or the crocheted cardigan... but I'm sure that with you skills you'd be able to make them
They are so awesome! You dressed those dolls so fancy :-)
😊 thank you @icybc... We also made dresses by cutting socks and using a bit of everything we could find really... :D
These are lovely. I have an ancient baby doll, I think it was a Christmas present when I was about seven and I have dragged him around with me since then. At the moment he is sitting in the garage waiting for a wash and brush up - perhaps I should make him some new outfits. That would be perfect for using up odds and ends of wool.
Thank you, @shanibeer, and it's lovely that you still have that baby doll.
You could look into the 'vintage' type of patterns to recreate something for your doll or just go with a more up-to-date version. I hope that if you have the chance and get the time, you can share photos of your work 😊
I discovered the other day that my ancient teddy was a Steiff - I inherited him from one of my father's cousins, so he must be getting on a bit. Perhaps he deserves an outfit too :)
I have heard about that brand @shanibeer. My only query is whether if you make an outfit for a toy like whether the fur would 'suffer' and would get squashed too much... I think you'd need to check how people preserve them (being an old textile with inherent value...)
Mm, my poor teddy is nearly bald and has a wobbly neck.
I was never allowed to have him as a child. He and his companion, another toy made by one of my great-aunts, had to stay with my grandmother and, for as long as I can remember, were kept on the big double bed in the spare room. Every child that stayed there played with these two toys, so they have been very loved 😊. They went with my grandmother when she moved into residential care and stayed on her bed. I only have them now because they were rescued by my mother after my grandmother died.
When one of my nieces stayed with me for the first time, she woke up one night missing her mum (she was only five). I asked her if she would like my special teddy with the wobbly neck to comfort her while she went back to sleep. She thought that was a good idea 😊.
It's lovely to hear how toys are passed down and kept because of all the memories @shanibeer. @pennsif has still got his teddy which I think was second hand when he got it as a child... I will try to unearth it and then you will see how 'bare' (that poor bear) it is now. ...
Perhaps in the autumn we could have a teddy bear contest? Stories and outfits?
I think he might be nearly eighty years old. I will look up about preservation, though - thank you 🌸
This is soooooo cute - the dog <3<3<3 I cannot imagine to make something so small, I probably would kill myself with the needles while doing it. And the outfits you created are perfect. I think I want the jacket with the moss stitch... but a tad bigger :-DDD
I remember my grandmother sewing little dresses for my dolls and my mother loved to make soft dolls for me (I do not know how they are named in English) Sadly as a child/teen I was not interested in learning all those things. But I loved to play with them.
Do you already know if you also infected you daughters with your creativity? (my mother had to wait some time :-D)
Thank you very much for your comments @neumannsalva.
I was a bit of a sickly child so my mum found ways to keep me amused when ill in bed : drawing, reading and making things... This mainly included making stuffed dolls made with scrap materials. I was allowed needles and scissors in bed ! I think my mum was a bit desperate with me 😂.
My daughters lean towards the arts really : the eldest, @mivstar, will be doing film and editing at uni; the second, @tinygalaxy, will be doing illustration at uni and the third one, @jen0revision is still unsure...
I have never pushed them; I just make sure they see me making things and I invite them... They don't always want to join in my many experiments :D
Hello @cryptocariad, thank you for sharing this creative work! We just stopped by to say that you've been upvoted by the @creativecrypto magazine. The Creative Crypto is all about art on the blockchain and learning from creatives like you. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon. Steem on!
Thank you very much for your visit to my blog and for your support @creativecrypto. I appreciate it.
Soooo precious!!!
I used to make my Barbie doll clothes when I was younger. Love this! 💜
Oh, thank you @mrscwin 😍 ... Did you keep any of the things you made ?
😲😲😲 This has got to be one of the cutest posts I have seen from you! Oh my I am in love with these. I want each of these outfits in my size LOL...especially the pink dress and green outfit with cardi!!
The top-down cardi reminds me of @neumannsalva and her methods of constructions I just read...it’s so stinkin cute! I love the way the outfits fit the doll.
I think it’s wonderful that you are inspiring your girls to be creative and to make their own things. This just motivated me even more to get out the sewing machine and work with my daughter. She wants to sew some Barbie clothing. She is in the process of learning how to crochet but she gets too frustrated with it at the moment. I am hoping she still wants to continue to learn.
Thanks for sharing~ 😊 Resteemed!
Thank you so much, @crosheille : for the comment, the resteem and for hosting this wonderful community. It is really encouraging for me to receive the positive feedback 😊
It would actually be an interesting project to make the doll outfits in proper adult sizes... it would take a while longer :D As you say, they really follow the same construction shapes that @neumannsalva has been discussing and showing in her posts so they are the building blocks for any size :D
I do my best with the girls; they're not so young now, and really about to fly the nest, but I will create the
opportunities. I think crochet takes a time... my youngest picks up the knitting needles; learns a bit; then abandons them. Last year she did some wonderful crochet so 'timing' and 'readiness' are the key ...
You are so welcome! I am always glad to hear when others are encouraged. 😊
Yes I agree an adult size would make an interesting project. It would definitely take more time but it’s possible.
Thank you for that. That is encouraging to hear because I really want her to continue learning. But you’re right timing and readiness is the key. I will give her some space and time and hopefully she will let me know when she’s ready :)