Hard to believe, but this blog will be one year old in ten days! I started with crochet, and am delighted to be returning to it, with a new 'twist' on the little Mini Free Spirit. This is a new pattern, and she has a movable head! Either a 12mm animal eye, or two two-hole buttons are used to make her little head fully movable. With pipe cleaners in her arms and legs, she is very posable :-)These little dolls are crocheted with light worsted weight (or heavy sportweight) yarn, designated '3.' I used Patons Astra, which was delightful to crochet with and comes in a luscious variety of skin tones. The hair is Nashua Kid Mohair, and makes beautiful hair.
The pattern for the doll is here:
Pocket Spirit Doll pattern
And a photo tutorial for making the doll is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29184580@N04/sets/72157624341290075/
Clothing for this little doll can be made from the Mini Free Spirit patterns, using size 20 crochet cotton and a size 8 hook.
I was greatly inspired by the tiny BJD's to make this doll. I love the posability of the BJD's, but I also truly love making dolls.
Enjoy the crochet!
And a photo tutorial for making the doll is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29184580@N04/sets/72157624341290075/
Clothing for this little doll can be made from the Mini Free Spirit patterns, using size 20 crochet cotton and a size 8 hook.
I was greatly inspired by the tiny BJD's to make this doll. I love the posability of the BJD's, but I also truly love making dolls.
Enjoy the crochet!
I LOVE them! Once I figure out the two-button method, I'm definitely making several new friends. (Also, thanks for the link to the photos in the pdf! One less bookmark to misplace for me~)
ReplyDeletehi beth
ReplyDeletei just had to check out your site again. everytime i come to see what is new, I am amazed at what i see each time. you are so talented, god has done a great job of giving you so much talent, it is almost unbelieveable. what is even more awesome is you share your talent with everyone. that is a blessing for us. i just what to say thank you for sharing your talent with all of us. i do have a question for you beth. iam working on your mini fs dolls, i got my first one done, now i have to make her some outfits. but i can't find any shoes for her. in my area could you tell me where you got your little shoes. do you know of a site on the net where i might can order them. the store's here in arkansas is micheals, hobby lobby, and neighter of them carry any shoes. i hope you can help me, or anyone that reads this comment can help if they want to. thanks for your time and your help. i am totaley greatful to you all. take care, be happy and safe.
your friend
patricia h.
Too adorable!
ReplyDeleteI love your little people. I made your basic doll pattern. My friends want me to teach them. I'm still having problems with the hair, but I'm learning.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing.
Hugz, D'Ann
Beth, I never cease to be amazed at your inventiveness and creativity! I can't believe you made the head moveable.
ReplyDeleteAnd Happy Birthday!
Thank you all so much for your kind comments :-) Dollmaking and crocheting are my two most favorite things to do...how cool when they can both be done at the same time!
ReplyDeleteDoll shoes: here is a link to a site that has the tiny doll shoes that should fit the Mini Free Spirits:
http://www.dollsupply.com/shop/index.php?cPath=59&sort=2a&page=4
You might also find some at CR's crafts (http://www.crscraft.com/), but they are dreadful at backorders, and will hold up your entire order if one item is not in stock, so make sure whatever you order is in stock.
Beth
Beth
They are so adorabel, that I can´t find words in English. And you are so kind to share all you patterns too.
ReplyDeleteThanks =O)
Pia
Oh my gosh, Beth.. WHY I am not a follower of your blog already, I DON'T KNOW! I LOVE dolls of all kinds, and I love making them too! I'm having oodles of fun looking through all your dollies and all their clothes, and all the patterns you share too!.. Well, nice to meet you, and I'm a follower now! ~tina
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness, you have NO idea how much this excites me! I've fallen headfirst into the love of dollmaking, and I was getting a bit frustrated with the lack of head mobility. Eeee! This is so amazing! Thank you SO much for offering these patterns for free. =)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteJust found your site last week and am very impressed. I am a professional pattern designer of knit toys. I have been at it for years and thought I knew all the tricks, but your idea for hair blew me away. I have been making wig caps for ages but never thought to add strands of yarn for ponytails etc. I just knit long curls and sewed them on in the appropriate spot. I am working on a new doll and am currently knitting the wig cap. I am then going to try your idea. She is a toddler so a perky ponytail and bangs should be cute. Thanks so much for sharing.
Oh, if you want to see some of my stuff you can go to www.yvonneknits.etsy.com
Thank-you so much for your kind words, Pia, Tina, Rachel Marie and Yvonne :-)
ReplyDeleteTina, I'm happy you are a follower; and Rachel Marie, the movable head adds a neat dimension to a crochet doll :-)
Yvonne, your knit dolls are totally cute!! I especially liked the Country Girls, and the Guinea Pig (so nice to have one that you don't have to clean up after!)
Beth
Wow this pattern is wonderful!! It's so sweet I want to crochet it right away.
ReplyDeleteDef
Definitely will post about it next time!
Hi Beth,
ReplyDeleteI don't think this is the place to ask a question unrelated to a post, but I didn't know of any other way to contact you. I have free patterns on my blog which knitters can print out and use. I have wanted for some time to have PDFs which could be downloaded. I see you are doing that, and from the URL I am assuming you are storing them with Google. Which Google site does that for you, Google Documents?
Hi Yvonne,
ReplyDeleteI used Google Sites, which actually creates a web site. The only thing I use my 'web' site for is storing the PDF's of the patterns I create for this blog. It is free, and must have been pretty easy to do, for me to do it :-) There are probably other ways to do this, but this is the one I tried first, and it worked.
Good luck with this!
Beth
Thanks for the input. You are not only generous with your creativity but with your time. I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteFantastic, Beth. I look forward to adding some of these to my formidable army of dolls. Thanks so much!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for starting this blog. It is one of my most favorites places to visit and become inspired. I too like you love to play with dolls and sew outfit for them. When I feel down or sad, I go to your blog and it lift my spirits up and give me lots of inspiration. Please keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteGoD's Blessings to you.
Megan, enjoy making the dolls!
ReplyDeleteRebecca, your words are like sunshine; thank-you so much :-)
Beth
hi I visited your blog is very nice .come visit me at my blog (terradeduendes.blogspot.com) hugs
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the directions for your wig cap I saw no reason why the same thing couldn't be done in knit, so I did. I put the instructions for the knit version in my latest design. I plan to give you credit saying something like, "The original idea came from Beth at By Hook, By Hand." Is this all right with you? Here is a picture of my doll with ponytail. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22900023@N03/4822363597/
ReplyDeleteYvonne,
ReplyDeleteYour knitted wig for your dear doll is absolutely great! I'm delighted to have been an 'inspiration,' and thank-you for the credit, though I think the credit is yours for figuring out how to do this in knit :-)
Beth
OM Goodness you ar eamazing, I was just thinking about making more of you lovely dolls, for my cmas list! These will be perfect! I love you patterns and have made lots of your dolls... I have them all posted on my facebook... If you have one I would truly enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteAngel3rd@yahoo.com
Hi Beth
ReplyDeleteThese dolls are absolutely beautiful, as all the things you make. Thank you for sharing your patterns. I have made a couple of your dolls. I have posted some of them on my blog: http://themeaningoflife-bente.blogspot.com/search/label/Amigurami.
I was just wondering: where do you get the small grey stands you put your dolls in? If you could provide a link on your blog (along with all your other very useful links), I would be absolutely delighted.
Yours sincerely,
Bente Halvorsen
Bente,
ReplyDeleteYour Free Spirit dolls are simply awesome! Such beautiful faces and wonderful hair :-) You have given them a uniquely-you look.
Your other work is impressive as well; the shawls are divine! Thank-you for sharing your work, and I'm so glad you enjoy making the Free Spirit dolls!
I believe I got the tiny doll stands from CR's Crafts, here in the US:
http://www.crscraft.com/Lobby.asp
Check to make sure they have what you want in stock, because they are dreadful about backorders.
You can also make a stand from a small wooden plaque and a couple of 1/4" dowel rods, especially if you are using the elastic ponytail holders for your dolls underwear. Measure the height for the doll rods from the plaque to just past your dolls waist, and add in the thickness of the plaque. Cut two rods this length, and drill two holes into the plaque about one inch apart. Insert the dowel rods into the holes with a little glue, let it dry. When finished, you run the dowel rods up inside your dolls underwear or pantaloons and let the elastic ponytail holder keep the dowels in place.
Here is a picture of this from my flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29184580@N04/4075534164/
I hope this helps!
Beth
I loved the pattern made my first little spirit
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/53557993@N05/4951615288/
She's is beautiful, Araceliz :-)
ReplyDeleteBeth
I'm working on my first mini sprit doll. Lots of fun I must say!! When I'm done I'll post her on flickr
ReplyDeleteYay Hgoodbrad! If you post her on Flickr, you could also add her to this group:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/groups/freespiritamidolls/
for doll made with any of my Free Spirit patterns. So glad you are enjoying the crochet :-)
Beth
love your patterns, they are wonderful. i was wondering when you make the cat ears on your doll you add the ears right on top of the head, but if you do that do you not use a wig cap when making the hair or do you add the ears to the wig cap instead of on the head it self?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteActually, I crochet the cat ears right to the head. Then, when I make the wig cap I work a few rounds, try it on the head, then make a couple of openings for the ears to fit through. To do this, chain three and skip three stitches, sc in the next three or four (depends on your ear spacing), chain three, skip three stitches, then sc the rest of the way around. For the next round, work three sc in each of the chain three spaces. Continue to work your wig cap until it covers the head to your satisfaction.
Beth
oh ok thank you very much. i will give that a try when i make the cat ears.
ReplyDelete