Vintage Dolly Knitting Pattern

One of the first dolls I remember having was a Tiny Tears, and one of the best thing about Tiny Tears, apart from her doing a wee when you gave her a bottle, was that you could dress her up. I had this dress in several different colours, and knitted pants too! (can you imagine how itchy they would be?!)
But don't worry if you don't have a Tiny Tears, this outfit is to fit any doll that's about 14 inches high with an 11 1/2 inch chest. Or thereabouts.

 

Materials:

150g double knitting yarn (this is a guess, as the pattern simply says "3 balls" without saying how large the balls are! I reckon it would probably take less than 100g but admittedly I haven't made this pattern for ages)

2 x 4mm (no.8) and 2 x 3 1/4mm (no.10) knitting needles

4mm crochet hook

3 buttons

length of ribbon

 

Abbreviations:

K - Knit; P - Purl; sts - stitches; st,st. - stocking stitch; yfwd - yarn forward; sl.1 - slip one; tog - together;  dec - decrease; inc - increase; psso - pass slip stitch over; g.st - garter stitch; rept - repeat; beg - beginning; alt - alternate; dc - double crochet; ch - chain; cm - centimetre; ins - inches.

Tension:

12sts to 5cm (2ins) on 4mm (no.8) needles.

 

Back

Using 3 1/4mm (no.10) needles, cast on 69 sts. work 4 rows in g.st.

Change to 4mm (no.8) needles and pattern

1st Row: K1, *yfwd, sl.1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, K5, rept from * to last 4 sts, yfwd, sl.1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, K1.

2nd and Alt rows: Purl.

3rd Row: As 1st Row.

5th Row: K4, * yfwd, sl.1, K1, psso, K1, K2tog, yfwd, K3, rept from * to last st, K1.

7th Row: K1, *yfwd, sl.1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, K1, rept from * to end.

8th Row: Purl

These 8 rows form the pattern.

Continue in pattern until the 7th row of the 5th pattern has been worked.

Dec. row: * (P2tog) 4 times, P3tog (P2tog) 5 times, P3 tog, rept from * to last 21 sts, (P2tog) 4 times, P3tog, (P2tog) 5 times. (32) sts.

Change to 3 1/4mm (no.10) needles.

Work 2 rows g.st.

Next Row: * K1, yfwd, K2tog, K1, rept from * to end.

Work 2 rows g.st.

Change to 4mm (no.8) needles. Purl 1 row.

Shape Armhole and Divide for Back

Cast off, K13 (including st on needle) turn.

Purl 1 row.

Continue in st.st, dec 1 st at armhole edge on following 2 rows. (11sts)

Continue without further dec. until armhole measures 6cm (2 1/2 ins) finishing on a purl row.

Cast off.

Rejoin yarn to remaining sts. Work to correspond with other side reversing all shapings.

Front

Work exactly as instructions for Back to shape armholes.

Shape Armholes

Continue in st.st. Cast off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st at each end of the needle on the next 2 rows (22sts). Continue without further dec until work measures 5 rows less than Back to Shoulder finishing on a right side row.

Shape Neck

P7, cast off 8, P7.

Next Row: K to last 2 sts, K2tog

Next Row: Purl

Rept last 2 rows once more. Cast off remaining sts.

Rejoin yarn at neck edge to remaining sts and work to correspond with other side reversing all shapings.

Sleeves (Both Alike)

Using 3 1/4 (no 10) needles, cast on 20 sts. Knit 2 rows.

Next Row: *K1, inc in next st, rept from * to last 2 sts, K2 (29 sts)

Change to 4mm (no 8) needles. Work 8 rows in pattern as given for Skirt of Dress.

Shape Top

Keeping pattern correct, cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows.

Dec 1 st at each end of the needle on the next 6 rows.

Cast off.

To Make Up

Join shoulder, side and sleeve seams. Sew in sleeves.

Using 3 1/4 (no 10) needles and with right side facing, K6 sts from left back neck, pick up and K5 sts down side of neck, 8 sts across front neck, pick up and K5 sts up side of neck and K6 sts from right back neck.

Work 3 rows in g.st. Cast off.

Work 1 row of dc round back opening, working 3 small loops for buttonholes.

Sew on buttons to correspond with buttonholes.

Thread ribbon through holes at waist.

 

 

I hope you have fun making this dress for your little girl's dollies. If you would like to make the whole outfit, please contact me with your email address and I will happily send you a pdf of the instructions.

 

 

 



Let me tell you a secret



My yarn stash is waaaaay to big. Frankly, it's getting ridiculous. I have a big ali baba style laundry basket full of odds and bobs, as well as a large chest of drawers stuffed with packs of yarn, and bag upon bag of half-finished projects and experiments. And yet I still can't walk away from a bargain!

 

Today I'm going to share with you a super cheap way of buying yarn that I have used several times in the past ~ scarves on sale. Our local Primark often sells off fabulously chunky scarves for only a pound or two at the end of the season, and some of these things are huge! Today I bought two relatively soft chunky cowls, reduced from £5 each to £2.

 

 

I love variegated yarns, and was especially drawn by the short splashes of colour in this one. All you have to do is sit down with a cup of tea (and maybe a little box of chocs, why not!) and unpick the scarf, winding it into balls as you go. I was surprised to see this unwind into one variegated and one cream ball, but it's still perfect for what I have planned.

 

 

The cowls I bought yielded 180 grammes of yarn each, but Primark was selling off some lovely cobalt blue cowls, twice the size of these, for only £1 each! You could never buy such lovely soft yarn in the shops for that price.

 

So next time you're browsing the sales, have a think about what you could remake from some of the bargains.

Planning ahead?!

I've been thinking about what kind of things I want to be blogging about in the coming year. (get me, thinking ahead and all!) It's still going to be the regular mix of recipes, crafts, and cultural outings, but it occurred to me t'other day that some of you may not know anything much about me. I have no idea if anyone really wants to know, but I'm feeling positive today so I'm going to assume that you do ;)
So as well as the usual, I decided to blog a little about who I am, where I come from, and where on earth I think I'm going (just kidding on that last one ~ as if I have a clue!) I'm going to drop in some posts about where I was born, where I grew up, and where I live now, as well as favourite recipes and patterns from my childhood.

In the meantime, I'm knitting. And this lovely lemony piece is destined to be one of the most gloriously kitsch things I have ever created.

I'm planning on adding some hand knitted items to my Etsy shop this year. Some, like the picture above, are going to be a while in the making, but I hope to list some super snuggly hand knitted cushions in the next couple of days. As usual, it's getting the photos that holds me up. sigh. Then over the next couple of months I hope to add some crocheted cushions and restock my owl cuddle cushions too. And there are a couple of other new little bits and bobs which are still in the experimental stage at the moment.

If there's anything you'd like me to blog about, please do let me know in the comments, or send me a message (Kathy, Karen, I haven't forgotten your requests, I swear I'm getting a couple of tutorials together especially for you guys!)

The Fruits of my Labour

I've always been a bit contrary. Not on purpose! I just never seem to fit into the world's way of doing things. So I guess it is perfectly natural for me to 'hibernate' during the summer months, and spring into action in the autumn. Part of this is the massive change in routine that having the kids out of school causes, part of it is the heat ~ who wants to be rushing around when it's sweltery hot?! And I guess part of the kick start is the thought that there are only 111 days until Christmas!

So now the kids are back at school (well, mine doesn't start back until tomorrow) and the weather is on the turn (well, it will be by the weekend) I feel spurred on to create. I have managed to finish my first Christmas gift (I know it sounds early, but you can't leave homemade gifts until the last minute. Unless it's cookies) and now I've launched a new range in my Etsy shop . . .

Fruity Baby Hats!

 

I may need to make a Satsuma for myself! What flavours would you like to see?

There are more fruity hats on the way, but for now you can buy these (and other awesome things!) in my Etsy shop

A Really Good Friday ~ Part Two



After a cup of  Earl Grey and a gooey chocolate brownie to recover from the cultural whirlwind of the Bowie exhibition, my friend and I went across town to the Fashion and Textile Museum, to an exhibition of Kaffe Fassett's work.

 

Kaffe Fassett is an American artist and textile designer who has lived in London since the 60's. He started out as a painter, but after a trip to Scotland was inspired by the colours and textures of the yarns he saw in a local shop and persuaded a fellow train passenger to teach him to knit on the journey home. This was the result:

 

 

Not bad for a first attempt, eh!

 

His use of colour is fabulous, matching tones and textures perfectly. 

 

This is a quilt made from men's shirts:

We so often see heirloom quilts that are feminine, what a fabulous keepsake to make for a son!

This quilt blew me away:

Again, the tones are perfect. But what struck me most with this was how the circular quilting on top of the hexagonal patchwork changed the look of the quilt.

Here you can see how his needlepoint designs have been influenced by blue china:

and by the natural world:

 

Kaffe Fassett - A Life in Colour runs until 29th of June. As well as the knitting, quilting and needlepoint mentioned above, there are also examples of his printed fabric designs (and if Cath Kidston wasn't heavily influenced by this guy then I'll eat my embroidery hoop!) and documentary footage of him discussing his work and sources of inspiration.

 

If you love any kind of stitching, I can guarantee you will come away from this exhibition with a head full of ideas, and I recommend you do like Kaffe and take some yarn for the train ride home!

Knitty Bits

I do love browsing Etsy. I don't get as much time to do it as I'd like, but I had a lovely mooch through the stores last night, looking for gifts for knitters. This is the Treasury I made:

 

Just click on the photos and you they should magically whisk you to the page they are sold on! (how techno am I getting?!)

 

 

 

This mug from Kelly Connor Designs made me giggle.



 

I love these knitting needle bracelets from Yellow Bear Wares.

 

 

 

I secretly feel I ought to wear a cape and mask while knitting, like the hero girl in Jam Fancy's print.

 



 

And Tangerine 8's badge is spot on ~ what knitter doesn't wish they had a Tardis to store their stash in! 

I hope you enjoyed these knitty treats.