Welcome, Spring!

An early Spring snowstorm dumped over eight inches of the white stuff on us.  My husband declared a snow day and we walked to the park that is 1/2 mile from our home.  It looked beautiful in it's blanket of white, before anyone else had trod on it.

Another embroidery project

A simple embroidery project inspired by the Forget-Me-Knot kids.  The motifs are my own, with the exception of the bunny and the stump, which came from the book Doodle Stitching.  This is a fun book, full of very simple line drawings of just about everything under the sun that you might want to embroider.

I used very simple stitches:  stem stitch, lazy daisy, French knots, and satin stitch.  It is fun to color in the larger areas with colored pencil, an idea from Shelly at Gingermelon dolls. 

Now all I need to do is finish the project...any suggestions?

From Doodle to Embroidery

I wanted to create a little logo for my Forget-Me-Knot kids, and one thing led to another, and it became a small embroidery project.  On the left is my original drawing, and the right is the same rendered in simple embroidery stitches.

The coloring of the little girl was done with colored pencils, an idea I borrowed from Shelly at Gingermelon dolls.   Shelly has used this technique to lovely effect on some of her sweet embroideries.  It is a great idea if you don't want to fill the open space with embroidery stitches :-)

Here is a collage with some closeups of the embroidery.  Nothing but stem stitches, lazy daisies, and French knots.

I have a little knit pullover sweater for the Forget-Me-Knot kids to share as well:

Knit Pullover Sweater

The sweater is knit from DK weight yarn (I used Berrocco Comfort DK) and size 1 single point knitting needles.   Her blue jeans are just the panties pattern, lengthened to pants length.









Enjoy the day, and enjoy the crochet :-)

Tiny Trousseau

From a basic underwear pattern, you can make just about any outfit you like for your little Forget-Me-Knot or Nancy Ann doll.   Krystal, in the middle, is modeling the undies which are a simple camisole and panties. 

Nancy Ann on the left is wearing a pretty lavender dress based on the camisole, with a very full skirt and puff sleeves.  Cherry, on the right, is wearing deep red rompers with gold trim, a melding of the camisole and panties pattern.

All of the outfits are crocheted with size 8 perle thread and a size 9 steel hook.  All of them button up the back.

Basic Forget Me Knot Undies

Enjoy the crochet!

Six years on, Nancy Ann and the dolls she inspired

About six years ago, I was smitten by the little doll above.  She is a Nancy Ann Storybook doll.  These dolls were produced from the mid 1930's through the 1950's, and transitioned from all bisque to hard plastic in the 1948 time frame.  The little girl above is a hard plastic Nancy Ann, with move-able head and legs, and sleep eyes.  She is 5 1/2 inches tall, and free standing.

I purchased this book at the time; it is a wonderful reference book for the bisque Nancy Ann doll, and is chock full of pictures, especially comparison shots of the undressed dolls and their dimensions.  A dream book for a dollmaker :-)







The summer of 2007 found me making many, many little crochet cousins of this dear little doll.  I wrote down some rudimentary instructions, dressed them in international costumes, then walked away from them...for six years!

So, this post is more about inspiration than instructions, although I do have instructions for you to make your own little doll, that I call Forget Me Knot Kids

I'm afraid there are no instructions for the outfits above; sometimes it is just fun to sit down with thread and hook and create, without writing down every step of the way.  However, I did record a basic bodice and underwear; every outfit I ever make springs from these simple patterns.

Here is my updated doll, free standing and with a move-able head and leg joints:

And the pattern:  Forget-Me-Knot Kids.

A great source of costume inspiration is Dover Publications.  I used a paper doll sticker book for the International costumes above; I think this book is still in publications.  Paper doll books are inexpensive, colorful, and simply fun :-)

Coming soon: basic clothing patterns.  They can be the start of a creative journey; enjoy the crochet!

Edwardian outfit for crochet Bleuette

With a basic crochet pattern you can do just about anything.  The Edwardian dress being modeled by Kittie Bleuette and Ruby Grace is based on the Simple Bleuette dresses you can find on this blog and right here:

Simple Bleuette Dresses

I made the drop waist dress, added long sleeves with a puffed cap, and altered the color scheme.  I needed to add an additional four rows to the bodice, which just goes to show you need to fit check whenever you crochet; or, at least I do :-)

The hat is from an Annies Attic collection of designer shoes, hats, and bags that I've had for years; Annies Miniature Shoe Society.   It is out of print, but if you do a Google search, you may be able to find a used copy.

The boots are based on crochet Bleuette's Mary Jane shoe pattern.  I added several rows to the top of the shoe, using two colors to make the boot.

See what fun you can have using the basic patterns and creating your own amazing fashions.  Enjoy the crochet!

Are you Sher-Locked?

So the question is, are you Sher-Locked??  I know I am :-)  I've fallen in love with the BBC's latest incarnation of that unparalleled detective intellect, Sherlock Holmes.

But this isn't an advert for the show (even though it sounds like one), but a sharing of my interpretation of Sherlock, in crochet and knit. 

Crochet Sherlock

I used the crochet Bleuette pattern for the basic doll, modifying it just slightly:  two extra rows in the torso, one extra row in the thigh, and remove two stitches from the buttocks.  I chose Vanna's Choice Baby in lamb for his pale skin, and purchased a wig from Antina's Doll Supply. 

Sherlock's shirt and pants are crocheted in size 10 crochet cotton, his scarf is knit in size 10 Cebelia #931 (steel blue).  His overcoat is knit in Vanna's Choice dark grey heather, and the shoes are crochet in size 3 crochet cotton.

I painted his acrylic eyes metallic silver, but left the mouth unstitched (no way to capture those amazing lips).   I like the drape that knitting gives his coat, and it was quite simple, just squares and the smallest  bit of shaping.

Heartstring goodness

One of my favorite ways to make outfits for dolls is to crochet a bodice, then attach a fabric skirt.  Here are three dresses, using a basic crochet bodice.  The fabric skirt is cut 12 inches by 3 3/4 inches.  Narrow zig-zag around all four edges.  Press under 1/4 inch on the short sides and 1/2 inch on one long edge for the hem.  A good trick:  dampen the fabric before pressing and your pressed edges will be nice and sharp.

Sew two rows of gathering stitches on the other long side and pull up to match the bottom edge of the bodice.  Hand stitch the bodice to the skirt using a loose backstitch in the bodice color.  I finish the hem by blanket stitching along the bottom, then crochet a decorative border into the blanket stitches.  This is a nice way to showcase a lovely piece of fabric, and I find crochet bodices a LOT easier to make for a small doll than a sewn one.  In fact, the fabric on the far left was a gift from Victoria, and made up into a lovely princess frock :-)

I very slightly modified my Riley knit cardigan sweater for my Heartstring Mari.  This one is knit from size 10 crochet cotton on size 1 needles; about a small as I want to get :-)

Heartstring knit cardigan

It is a cold and snowy day here; perfect for a bit of knit or crochet; enjoy!

Dainty Doll Undies

My Christmas gift to myself this year was this adorable, affordable, collectible doll sculpted by Dianna Effner.

Her name is Mari, and she is 8 1/4 inches tall.  She is quality vinyl with a beautifully painted face and lovely  body shape.  Mari had been borrowing outfits from my Kish dolls, but now I've made her her very own undies!   Here is the pattern, for camisole, long pantaloons, and shorter undies:

Heartstring Undies

The camisole top would make a wonderful bodice for a dress, with either a crochet or fabric skirt (my next project!), and the camisole could be attached to the pantaloons to make a romper type outfit.  The pantaloons could be lengthened for pants, shortened for capris; there really is a lot you can do with this simple pattern and your imagination.

Jo has just announced her 2013 dolls, which are just outstanding.  I am seriously challenged to not buy them all!

Have a lovely day, and as always, enjoy the crochet :-)