Primrose joins the Lily Gang :-)

If you think these dolls are fun to make, you're right!  They will make delightful Christmas gifts for the little girls on my list.  Primrose is the latest of the Lily Gang, with her move-able head and nifty knee joints.  Tutorials for both of these techniques are on the blog; look for 'Tutorials,' and 'Tutorials by Joyce.'  The basic doll pattern can be found on the Lily Sugar&Cream website:

Lilly Yarnspiration doll

Enjoy the crochet!

Pepper!

Pepper is another doll created from the free Lily Sugar&Cream pattern, with some modifications :-)  She has Joyce's great knee joints, and her head is move-able.  You can find both of these techniques on the blog...look along the left sidebar for "Tutorials," and "Tutorials by Joyce."

I used Vanna's Choice yarn in beige for most of her body.  I really like the way this yarn works up for crochet (and knit) dolls.  Her lower legs and her clothing are Sugar&Cream yarn.  Her hair is a dreamy tencel/wool blend from Berroco called Lustra.  It made heavenly ringlets :-)

Enjoy the crochet!

Petunia, another Lily Sugar&Cream doll

Petunia says welcome to summer!  Even though summer is still a week away, it is hot and dry like a perfect summer day.

Petunia is another doll based on the free Lily Sugar&Cream pattern, with jointed neck, and jointed legs courtesy of Joyce (aka Dutzie).  The vivid magenta and lime green of my petunias and sweet-potato vine suggested the colors, and the mis-matched style was inspired by a doll I recently saw (at Michaels) called Little MissMatch. 

There is nothing easier or sweeter than to sit down with a ball of yarn and a hook, and find that a few hours later you've created a companion of your very own. 

Inspiration

Larry and I were riding our bicycles in the park a few days ago, and I saw the cutest little girl, on her way to the library (which shares space in our local park).  Her skin was the color of dark chocolate, and her hair was braided into two French braid pigtails.  She was about five, so someone took a loving amount of time to carefully braid the hair of an active and no doubt fidgety little girl :-)

I really wanted to capture this child in a doll!  My creative muse has been on an extended vacation, and I've been a bit aimless without it.  Seeing this child was the spark I've been waiting for, apparently.  That, and a look through Joyce's (that's Dutzie to those of you in the Flickrverse) Lily dolls.  She has taken this free pattern offered by Lily Sugar&Cream and created the most wonderful crochet dolls.  Take a look here:

Joyce's Lily Doll photostream

Thus Kenya was born, from a child glimpsed in the park and the inspiration of a friend.  Kenya has a jointed head, based on this tutorial:

Simple Move-able Neck Jointing

And knee joints based on this tutorial by Joyce:

Ball Jointed Arms and Legs

The basic body is from the Lily Sugar&Cream site, which requires you to register, but this is free.

Lilly Yarnspiration doll

Kenya is a nice size, just under 12 inches tall, and the Lily site has a number of outfits for this doll, crocheted from Lily Sugar&Cream cotton yarn.  I used Vanna's Choice in chocolate for the doll, and Sugar&Cream for her dress and sweater.

You can see what a sweet handful she is, and how pose-able :-)

Enjoy the day, and enjoy the crochet!

Magdalena's secret

This adorable little amigurumi (about nine inches tall) is from a free pattern offered by Owlishly, which you can get here:

5-23-20203  Sadly this seller is no longer in business

But Magdalena has a secret!  I've been wondering if the same head-jointing technique used in cloth doll making would work for a crochet doll, and the answer is YES!

As you can see from the pictures above, Magdalena can move her head around, and this joint is super-easy.  No need for buttons, acrylic eyes, or teddy bear joints, just a very firmly crocheted and stuffed head and a slight modification to the body in the neck area, and you have it made :-)

Start by making your doll with a separate head.  Leave the bottom of the head open, about the size of a dime, instead of closing it.  Crochet the head very tightly, and stuff very firmly.  This is key to making this technique work.

Make the body starting at the neck, and work two or three narrow rounds that will fit tightly into the head opening when the neck is stuffed.  I start from the neck so that I can stuff it very firmly.  The rest of the body you can follow whatever instructions you have.

Thread a very long dollmaking needle with a double strand of your body yarn.  Starting at the top of the head, insert the needle straight through and come out at the hole in the bottom of the head.  Insert the needle through the neck, and back into the hole at the bottom of the head and exit out the top of the head.

Pull the yarn ends at the top of the head evenly and gently and draw the neck stub into the head opening.  Pull tightly and seat the head firmly on the neck, then tie the yarn ends in a double knot.  Bury the ends in the head.

And now you have a simple, move-able head for your amigurumi!

A more detailed picture tutorial is here:

Simple move-able neck jointing for your Amigurumi

Magdalena says 'Hi!'

For more patterns by Owlishly, visit her Etsy store here:

Owlishly

A link to her store is also on the left sidbar of this blog under 'Links I Love.'

Enjoy the crochet!

Manga Sweater and Pants

To round out your wardrobe of Manga Spirit outfits, here is a collection of pants and tops in both knit and crochet.  Knit pullovers in worsted weight yarn; a crochet Aran sweater with mock cables in sportweight, two pair of pants that can also be made up as shorts, and a crochet top with sleeves, or not, of your choice.

Crochet Aran Sweater

Crochet Tops

Crochet and Knit Pants

Knit Pullover Sweater

I have surely enjoyed making these big-eyes sweethearts and their various outfits.  I hope you enjoy them as well :-)

A Fun Tutorial from Joyce

Joyce makes the most delightful crochet dolls!  This is Sammy, a heavily modified Lily doll, from the Lily Sugar and Cream website.  The pattern is free on the Lily website, but you do need to become a member (also free).  Joyce has made many dolls from this pattern, each one very uniquely a creation of Joyce's.  See her set of Lily dolls here.

Joyce is happy to share her quick and easy tutorial for making Sammy's bobble hair style:

Bobble Hair Tutorial by Joyce

The bobbles are made individually, then sewn to the dolls head.  Add little bows of yarn or ribbon to sweeten the look :-)

Here are some of Joyce's thoughts on modifying a pattern, in this case the Lily doll pattern.  Joyce also jointed the limbs; she has a tutorial for this technique as well.  Look on the left side of the blog page for 'Tutorials by Joyce.'

"Here is a little lesson on how you can take a pattern and make it your own.

This doll was made using “components” of the Lily Sugar n Cream doll pattern.

As you can see, I changed her head substantially and some other body parts. She came out to be exactly 13” tall using Vanna’s Choice acrylic Size 4 medium worsted yarn. Hooks E and G.

Here’s what I changed:

It called for joining the rounds and I opted to not join and used continuous rounds and a marker. I don’t like the seam that joining rounds produces when creating dolls.
      * Her facial features; made a wig; added ears.
      * Lengthened her arms to 24 rows; used a bobble for her thumbs.
      * After I made the legs, I used Beth Webber’s method of crocheting the legs and continuing with the body rather than closing the body cavity and sewing the legs on.
      * For the head attachment, I used a Darice 30mm doll joint (AC Moore), which is an awesome joint for attaching larger doll heads. I highly recommend this joint as it has a larger, thinner washer and the doll head and body sit on top of a nice flat dishlike surface (about the size of a quarter) rather than a small button. Those of you who use joints for attaching body parts will love this. Or, you can sew everything together as the patterns calls for.
      *
I really tried to follow the pattern trail and for the most part I did; like the body, feet, legs. The main changes were to the head and in the way the body parts were sewn or attached to complete the doll.

This is a fun easy doll, with a wonderful result."

Thank you so much, Joyce, for sharing your tutorial and your inspiration with all of us who love making dolls.

Reconstructive Surgery

Kellan was the first knit Manga Spirit that I made.  I love her impish smile and green hair, but wasn't happy with the neck spacer, so the pattern was tweaked, and the knit Manga Spirits now have a smaller neck spacer.

But here was Kellan, wanting to be a real doll too!  So, I took off her head, removed the spacer, and ladder stitched the head back on.  It doesn't move, but she doesn't mind, and we are both happier with the way she looks.

Very cute in parti-colored rompers, don't you think :-)

Manga Spirit Sweaters to crochet and knit

To keep the chill off on these early spring days, here is a sweater to crochet or knit for your Manga Spirit.  Click Manga Spirit Sweaters to access the download for this sweater.

The sweaters are made from sportweight yarn, using a D hook for the crochet sweater, or size 4 (3.5mm) single point needles for the knit sweater.

Enjoy!