Heads Up!

I've been wanting to play around with faces on dolls, so I made up several heads to work with.  For me, on crochet, the simplest faces seem to work the best.  I wasn't real happy with the face on the peach head (the one with the dark red curls) so I picked out the embroidery and reworked it.

Don't be afraid to rework your doll; they are really quite patient and both of you will be happier :-)

All of the heads were crocheted with Vanna's Choice yarn with the exception of the peach complexion, which is Red Heart Classic in light peach.

I worked up the dark toffee colored doll first, as a little cat girl with Lionbrand Fun Fur for hair.  She has furry underwear that her tail is attached to, and little ears peeking out of her shaggy hair.  I love this rich colored skin tone, and gave her gold eyes, the better to see in the dark :-)

This is Mehitabel.  If you recognize the name, can you tell me who her best friend is? 

Here is the pattern for her Simple Knit Sweater.

Something simple

I felt like working on something simple last week, so I made this shrug for my sister for Christmas.  Nothing like the good old single crochet, worked in back loops only :-)  The pattern for this shrug is available free on the Lionbrand website.  I think you have to register, but registration is free, and Lionbrand's free pattern library is awesome!  This shrug is called the Sequoia Shrug and it was simple and looks great (there is a MUCH better picture of this with the pattern).

Thank you all for your warm thoughts and comfort over the last few days.  Here is a poem from the funeral service that I want to share with you all:

God has not promised
  Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways,
  All our lives through.
God has not promised
  Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
  Peace without pain.

But God has promised
  Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
  Light for the way;
Grace for the trials,
  Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy
  Undying love.

Again, thank you.
 

Grief

It has been a tough week.  I lost a friend today to cancer.

The final days were long, and hard. On my friend, on her family, and on all who cared for and loved her.  Finally, she is free of the prison of her body; and whether she is in the arms of God, or sweet oblivion, she is free of pain.

And we are free to grieve.

Obituary

Neil Armstrong: 1930-2012

 photo courtesy NASA

Neil Armstrong; the first person to walk on a planet other than our own.  A Navy fighter pilot in the Korean War, an engineer, an astronaut, a professor, a father, a husband.  A man that every child of my generation watched in breathless wonder as he took those first steps on the moon, that hot July night in 1969.

He has inspired generations of children to dream beyond their horizons.  "Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon." - Paul Brandt

Godspeed, Neil Armstrong.

Crochet Mock Smocked bodice and Mary Jane shoes for Bleuette

I love the look of smocking, but I've never been very good at it.  Too cheap to buy a pleater, and too impatient to mark all those little dots on the fabric :-)  As W.C. Fields put it so eloquently "A thing worth having is worth cheating for!"  So here is a crochet version of smocking, that I call mock smocking.  It is achieved with triple crochet post stitches and a bit of embroidery after the crochet is complete.

Mock Smocked Bodice

Here is what the smocking looks like before and after embroidering:

You could also use this pattern to make an Aran sweater in crochet.  Post stitches are extremely versatile, and add wonderful texture to your crochet pieces.  They are not hard to do, just a bit different and take a little practice.

I also have a pair of shoes for you to crochet for Bleuette.  They are made with size 3 crochet cotton and a size C crochet hook.  They fit over the crochet socks.  The pattern is for Mary Janes, but once you have the right fit for the foot, you can modify them for boots, slip-ons, and embellish them as you wish.

Crochet Mary Jane Shoes

Enjoy making these new patterns for your Bleuette or Crochet Bleuette!

Simple Wigs, and other Bleuette goodness

Making wigs and hair for my dolls is my favorite part of the dollmaking process.  Once the doll has a wig, that is when her (or his) personality comes alive.

Simple Bleuette Wigs

These four wigs are very simple to make, based on the basic crochet wig cap.  In this instance, the wig cap is also part of the hair.  By using mohair yarn, you don't really need to cover the wig cap with strands of yarn.  This saves on yarn, saves on time, and is great for a play-able doll for a child.  These wigs will fit any doll with a seven inch circumference head, and can be adapted to fit any doll at all.

You can make these wigs with any yarn, really; but the fuzzier it is (higher mohair content) the more it will look like those pictured above.  Brushed nylon will also work, and the many 'fun fur' eyelash yarns as well.

The only drawback to these yarns is that the stitches can be hard to see.  So, if you are just beginning, I would suggest making light colored wigs at first: blond, gold, peach and light shades.  Also, crochet with a piece of white paper in your lap...it helps to see the stitches.  Don't worry too much about mistakes or missed stitches...they become invisible in this kind of yarn :-)

A couple of other goodies to share:

A Mostly Knit Shrug for Bleuette!  The shrug is knit as a rectangle nine inches long and three inches wide.  Fold it lengthwise and sew up  two and a half inches on either end for the sleeves, then crochet a border around the rest of it.  I like the knit for the body as it gives a soft hand to the fabric, and the crochet edging adds crispness around the edges.

And a Link Stitch Bodice.  This bodice is worked from the neckline down, so you can easily make it any length you want.  It starts with a series of 18 links.  I like working into links better than working into chain stitches; it is easier to get a neat border, and gives a sweet eyelet look to the neckline.

Enjoy the day, and enjoy the crochet!

Love Knot Nightgown for Bleuette

 

This nightgown pattern was created several years ago, when I was first bitten by the Bleuette bug.  I'm posting the pattern here, but it may be a bit rough.

Love Knot Nightgown

It will fit both Reproduction and crocheted Bleuette.  If you are not familiar with the Love Knot stitch, I recommend looking it up in a good crochet stitch dictionary, or Google it for instructions.  I can do the stitch, but I'm not the best person to try to explain it!

Enjoy the day, and enjoy the crochet :-)

 

Pretty dresses for Bleuette

Here are a couple of very simple dresses you can make for your Bleuette or crochet Bleuette, using the basic camisole as the bodice.  The drop waist dress has a crocheted skirt, and the short waist dress has a fabric skirt.

Simple Dresses for Bleuette

With this bodice, you can make any number of outfits for Bleuette.  Shorten it a bit more, add a long fabric skirt, and you have a sweet nightgown.  Or, pair the long waisted bodice with the pantaloons to make cute rompers.  These are some of my favorite outfits to make for dolls.  They are simple, and look sweet :-)

Enjoy the day, and enjoy the crochet!

Basic Crochet Undergarment for Bleuette

I love dolls in dainty undergarments.  Undergarments are the first thing I make for a new doll.  Not only does it get her decent quickly, but it also lets me figure out the basic garment construction; how many stitches around the waist, how long the bodice needs to be, how large to make the armhole openings.

Basic Bleuette Undies

So now your Bleuette, or your crochet Bleuette, can have a camisole, pantaloons, and socks.  The camisole pattern makes a lovely bodice for a sundress, a drop-waist dress or rompers, and the pantaloons can give you a good beginning for shorts or pants.

Enjoy outfitting your Bleuette...more to follow :-)