Puppy Love

My Free Spirit girls wanted some pets, so I decided to apply hook and yarn to making them some puppy companions. So far there is a German Shepherd, Border Collie, Beagle, Labrador, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. They all have the same basic body and legs. The puppy heart and soul is in the face...ears, eyes, and muzzle.

Here are the patterns to share with all of you. These would also be fun gifts or stocking stuffers, for both boys and girls.

Enjoy the crochet!

Beagle Pattern: 

Border Collie Pattern: 

Cavalier King Charles Pattern: 

German Shepherd Pattern: 

Labrador Pattern:

 



You can see the girls are enjoying their new companions. Of course, now they are clamoring for some kitties....

Latest Steam Punk Free Spirit

My latest Steam Punk Free Spirit is Samarkand Artemis Lewis, younger sister of Istanbul Athena. She is dressed in a split skirt for bicycle riding, and standing next to her beloved bicycle. Her dream is to circumnavigate the globe by bike, and in the process hopefully find her Mother; lost in Africa these last 10 years.


Closeup of Samarkand's jewelry and facial embroidery. More pictures on my flickr site.

Steam Punk Free Spirit

Meet Istanbul Athena Lewis, a steam punk Free Spirit :-) To make her, I modified her body slightly by giving her a bit of a bosom and more almond shaped eyes (see my flickr photostream for Free Spirit Steam Punk Variations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29184580@N04/sets/72157622509269234/ for some instructions on the modifications)

I used the side-to-side basic bodice for her corset dress bodice, and simply crocheted a full skirt to the bottom of the bodice, using a stitch pattern from "The Harmony Guides, 220 More Crochet Stitches." I was curious if hammered-on eyelets would work with crochet, for the lacing of her bodice, and they do!

I purchased inexpensive charms from Michaels for her punky jewely and the charms on her gauntlets. Her earrings and necklace are removable.


Closeup of the bodice; I also did a little bead crochet work here, which gives a neat effect, and you can also get a close look at her earrings and her right gauntlet.

If you are interested in finding inspiration for this fashion statement, try this flickr photosite:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/steampunkfashion/

Enjoy the crochet!

Comparisons and new work

So, today I received my first Blythe! And like most little girls that get a new doll, I had to undress her :-) Of course, I couldn't resist a photo comparison of Blythe and the crochet doll that she inspired, Free spirit, so here they are.

This Free Spirit is a slight variation on the basic doll pattern. This doll is my Steam Punk variation, and for her I wanted a more adult figure. So I nipped in her waist by one stitch, and added a more developed bosom. She isn't of Barbie proportion, but her soon to be made corset dress should look very sexy on her :-)

I also modified the eyewhites to try to give a more almond shape, instead of the 'Blythe' look to her eyes. I have a new set on my flickr photostream for the Steam Punk variation, where I will put the directions for the new eye whites and modified body.

How Many?

Well, I was curious how many different outfits I could make from one basic Edwardian dress pattern. As of today, my count stands at five (the latest is the cranberry red dress on the right, and on Emily below). Not to mention several pair of bloomers, three collars, and two nightgowns. These outfits have been a lot of fun to dream up, and to share with you.

Now I want to try something different with Free Spirit. For some reason I got the idea of Steam Punk in my head, so I'm going to give this a try. With Steam Punk, think over-the-top Victorians achieving our level of technology with...steam engines!

Sherlock Holmes, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells would have all been comfortable in this reality :-)

I've enjoyed the Edwardians, and hope you have too.

Crochet

Silver hook in hand;
A web of lace takes shape
Beneath flashing fingers.

Edwardian Nightgowns

Well, the Edwardian Free Spirit's trousseau is almost complete. The girls now have their choice of nightgowns. The nightgown on the left is done with a love knot stitch. Once you get the hang of it, it isn't difficult, but it can be a bit tough to visualize. If you want to try this stitch, I recommend heading to Crochet Pattern Central to their stitch dictionary and take a look at the stitch there. Their site is listed in 'Links I Love.'

The nightgown on the right is done with a chain and picot stitch. Easy stitches, and gives a nice, lacy effect. Both of these nightgowns were stitched with Aunt Lydia's Bamboo Crochet Thread. It was the first time I had used this thread, and it is lovely. It has a matte finish and a wonderful drape.

The patterns for the nightgowns can be found here:

Edwardian Nightgown

Or on the left hand side of the blog page under Free Spirit Patterns.


Now we can snuggle in to bed in our cozy nightgowns :-) Enjoy the stitching!

Another Edwardian Variation

I have two new patterns to share, plus a new girl to model them! Emily is another Edwardian Free Spirit. She has peachy skin (Red Heart Classic light peach) and blond streaked hair (Lionbrand Imagine, which they discontinued...drat them! and a laceweight mohair). She also has gold Suncatcher eyes.

Her dress is another variation of the basic Edwardian dress, this time with a lower neckline and puffed upper sleeves that gather into tight fitting lower sleeves. This way, she can wear a variety of collars that are detachable and button in the back. The pattern for the dress is here:

Low Neck Edwardian Dress

And the collar patterns are here:

Detachable Edwardian Collars

Also, they are listed on the left hand side of the blog page under Free Spirit Patterns.

I hope you enjoy making these as much as I have :-)

Edwardian Variations

One of my favorite places to find inspiration when designing vintage clothing is from Dover Publications. Above are three of the resource books I have from them, one of which is a paper doll book! (the one on the right). Dover easily has hundreds of paper doll books and other books, including books of old photographs, that are perfect for jump-starting the creative juices.

I based the 'basic' Edwardian dress on several of the styles from 'Childrens Fashions 1860-1912.' The pattern is now available here:

Basic Edwardian Dress

Included are instructions for both the bretelles (fancy shoulder straps) and a deep bodice collar. Two sleeve variations, and two different pattern stitches for the skirt. The basic bodice is simply the side-to-side bodice.

So please, have fun making these outfits, and coming up with variations of your own!

The Edwardians

For several weeks I have been wanting to make an Edwardian Free Spirit. The Edwardian era can be loosely defined as the period of time from the death of Queen Victoria (1901) through the end of WWI (1918).

It is an historically interesting time period, especially for women. Crinolines, hoops, and bustles were gone, and corsets began to loosen up. Women were just beginning to experience more freedom in their lives, from transportation via bicycle to entry into the workplace. And by 1920 they had achieved the right to vote in America.

Children also benefited. They were no longer being dressed as miniature versions of their mothers. The clothing they now wore actually allowed them to play, and some of them even had the leisure to do so.



Both of my Grandmothers were born in the Edwardian period; my Mother's mother in 1903 (she is the one at the top of the page), and my Father's mother in 1904 (here to the right). Imagine the incredible changes these women saw in the course of their very long lives, both of them living into the 21st century. My great-grandfather delivered dry good via horse and carriage; my Grandmothers saw men walk on the moon.




So for me, making a doll to represent the Edwardian period is like very lightly touching my own family history. Gabrielle and Caroline, my Edwardian Free Spirits, are meant to represent two young girls, around 12 or so, of this era. My Mother's mother taught me to crochet, and my Father's mother was an artistic needlewoman. Thanks in a large part to them I am able to create the dolls I do, and happily share them with you.

Coming soon; a basic Edwardian dress pattern for Free Spirit, and some embellishment ideas.



Gabrielle, in the curls, and Caroline, with the French Braid. The lovely fabric covered box, for their Edwardian finery, is from my dear friend Bev.