FO: Dawn Doll Dresses

Yes, I admit that I'm a dress designer...for dolls. :(

I did once dream of designing clothing but never imagined this to be the course. Still, I do find it a fun challenge and am glad to have customers.

Did you know there was a doll called Dawn, from the 70s? She was, I understand, quite popular and many people now reminisce at a yearly convention. I know a woman who parties with some fellow doll-lovers, in honor of the yearly event. So, for the third time I get to design an outfit to go with the yearly theme.

This year is a masquerade ball and I designed the following (the one on the left is the prototype and the right is the, hopefully, finished design).

If approved I'll be knitting fifteen tiny dresses (Dawn is a thin, six-inch gal) and accessorizing with fifteen different masks. I can't wait to play with the options. I have a bag of feathers and glittery foam and the crafting bug.

FO: Plum Perfect Hat

*Sigh!* I took a picture of this hat as a WIP and fully intended to take some time and write about the process.

I have a dear friend who after seeing my slacker hat commented that she'd love to commission one in a deep purple. I found some wonderful, variegated purple wool in my stash and started to knit an idea I have. I just wasn't sure if she'd like the variations in color or the extra special care, so instead we went off to the store and I picked up a skein of Caron Simply Soft in Plum Perfect. I know I've written about it a lot, but I love to work with this yarn. It is especially easy on my rough hands this time of year. Plus, I think I may have a minor wool allergy. I find that I'm extra stuffy when working with it. Mohair is even worse. :(

I cabled at will and let the hat tell me what it wanted to be. Then, on Sunday I was able to put the finishing touches on it. I'm hoping my friend won't mind that I tried it on. I have to mail it to her, so I didn't want to send it off without knowing for sure that it was long enough to cover her ears.

I'm pleased with this one and hope she'll send a photos when it arrives. I think the color will compliment her complexion and she's the kind of soul that will appreciate the love in every stitch. HUGS, KR!

FO: 80s Calling

This doll sweater was another inspired by my friend's "subtle" hints noting she had fabric that is black with hot pink dots. I knit this using a hot pink Bernet Baby yarn and a black suede as the accents. The pullover is my basic pattern but I did a more square neck and crocheted all the edges for a finished look and to further accent with the black.

FO: Seeing Red Doll Ensemble

Finally I was motivated to seam up the sweater I had blocked. I pulled out dozens of pins and read the directions step by step. Then, I sighed as I realized I had set the first sleeve in wrong. It looked good enough, and now I know what I should do next time. Instead of trying to pull it all out I repeated the "mistake" on the other sleeve. I guess I'm not great at reading and understanding directions these days.

I designed, knit, and blocked the hat and the scarf to match. Now, I've got to send my friend the photos and hope she's equally as happy with the finished product. I used Caron Simply Soft yarn which I love for its sheen, softness, and the fact that it is fully washable and dryable.

The sweater pattern can be found in the 18" Doll Sweaters: Collection Three. It is really cute and functional, but seems a lot of effort for a doll. The back has a placket covering hook-and-loop tape which makes it look great, fit great, and is easy for kids to get on and off. The blocking, for me, was too much. However, it would not have looked even remotely like this without the blocking. Maybe I need to become more committed to the process. We'll see.

FO: Baby Hat for a Cause

I've taken to reading a bunch of blogs and have found inspiration in many forms. I've learned new skills and realized my faults and challenges are common and I've even been encouraged toward new endeavors.

The other day I was reading Nutmeg Knitter and was encouraged to try this wonderful charity project. The hats are being collected no later than the end of this month so I had to hurry. I went to my trusty favorite yarn, Caron Simply Soft, and grabbed my favorite color (dark sage). It was a quick knit with just a few quirky changes here and there. I made up the pattern, following the size guidelines on the website.

If you can knit or crochet this is a good, quick way to contribute to a good cause.

FO: Fuzzy Doll Sweater for 18" Doll

My friend wrote an email saying she had pink fuzzy boots and could I do something to match. Sure!

I wish the colors in the photo came out better because this is truly cute and the yarn made it striped. I knit this pull over using two strands of Paton's Cha Cha yarn. I think next time I'd use only one as it came out quite thick for a doll item. Still, cute and fuzzy and lots of pink and other pastels.

FO: Baby Set #2

I am so far behind with posts, but at least I'm trying to capture photos of everything with the hopes that I'll catch up on writing at some time.

Here is the second baby set I made for my co-worker:

I knit this set on size 11 needles using Lion Brand Homespun Baby in a pastel multi color (didn't write down the name). It was fun to work on this as the hat is just a rectangle seamed together in a unique way. I love how simple shapes can come alive if we just think in a different way.

WIP: Dad's Hat

I tried, I really did. Still, after all these years learning to knit and after measuring a hat he had adjusted to his head...I still failed to make the "perfect" hat for my Dad. It looked ok off the needles and waiting to be wrapped, but once on his head it was too tight at the band, not tall enough, and too poofy at the top. *Sigh!*

This time, at least, I got him to hand it over for a re-take. When I cast on I had crocheted a chain then knit into is, presumably so I'd get the perfect circumference. When faced with froggin, I was anticipating being able to snip the chain and pick up some live stitches. Much to my surprise, when I snipped and pulled gently I found that instead it left a "cast on" row of knitting, not live stitches at all.

Bad photo, yes, but I do need some visual "proof" of me frogging the edge of the hat.

I sat and painstakingly pulled out all the stitches very gently, using a tiny crochet hook, then picked up and knit stitches around. It is looking ok, but I can see where the new section begins and that bugs me. I'm not really a perfectionist when it comes to my knitting, but this is bugging me majorly.

I love my Dad and years ago I knit him a hat that promptly became a long running joke with him and my Uncle Jim...it was huge. The ribbing stretched and could've fit about two grown men in it. I have, for these past dozen or so years, wanted to fix that mistake and make him a good one. My Dad is a constant support, even purchasing my first item sold on Etsy (a knit and felted hat) and proudly displaying it at his work still to this day. He's the kind of Dad who used to have every school photo of me (and some earlier) in his wallet.

Well, I guess I'd better get back to working on the "almost right" one and keep wishing for "the one to equal my love"...maybe for his birthday in November.