A Doll Making Recipe

The Two Most Recent Dolls, with their Friend!

The body of the doll on the left, and a finished doll on the right

I have had requests for my knitted dolls dressed as princesses, and since I have been in a doll making state of mind, I took up the challenge. My first action was to see what patterns are available for this, and I was able to find a few crochet patterns, which varied widely in price. I very much prefer the dolls I make to be knit rather than crochet. I just like the knit surface better for this. So, I decided I would make up my own knit pattern once I discovered there were none that really suited my needs. So, I offer my pattern here for you, if you are inclined to try one yourself. I have written patterns for myself before but have not published any, so please bear that in mind if you jump in! This is more of a recipe, if you will. Change the yarn colour where necessary for the doll you are making. I am making the dolls from one of the current movies, which you will probably recognize, for my directions but the basic doll can be made to resemble any of the princesses, or perhaps your own little princess!

First step, study pictures of the desired dolls. There are certainly many of these available! Next step, round up the appropriate yarn colours.

To make this doll, I used 2 shades of blue, both quite soft in colour, for the dress and shoes. Of course, I also needed skin colour, hair colour and something for the cloak. You do not need much of any yarn colour, which makes these dolls wonderful scrap busters! Small bits of embroidery thread are needed for the facial features. Some of the yarn I used was Caron simply soft, some was Pound of Love, and some was Waverly. You will also need some stuffing for the doll. I use poly fill myself. I will eventually remember to weigh the yarn before I begin so I can be more exact with how much you will need, but for now, I just know it is not very much!

If you find any mistakes, please let me know and I will edit the pattern to correct it. I would also love to see your finished dolls if you make one! Please do not claim this pattern as your own, but feel free to make as many dolls as you like with it and share it with friends who are interested in making one. I have made so many toys from so many different designers and patterns that I have picked up bits from many different sources, but putting them together for this doll is my own. It is a small gesture of giving back to the many many crafters that have inspired me in my hobby.

I use 3 3/4 mm needles with worsted weight yarn, which gives a nice surface and does not let the stuffing show through. Gauge is not important at all for this project. The doll and the clothing is all knit flat, then seamed. The clothes are knit as part of the doll. These directions are specifically for the light blue princess doll, Elsa. The next blog posting gives directions on how to modify the pattern for her sister doll.

Main doll body (shoes, legs, torso, neck and head)

see the picture above for this section once it is completed.

This is all knit as one piece, then seamed up the back.
Starting with the shoes, cast on 6 stitches. (I work both legs and arms at the same time but that is just my personal preference) For this doll, the palest blue is the shoe colour.
Row 1    purl
Row 2   kfb in each stitch (12 stitches)
Row 3   purl
Row 4   knit 6, increase in next 2 stitches, k 4 (14 stitches) *Reverse this for the alternate shoe (k4, inc in next 2, k6)
Rows 5-7  work in st st
Row 8   k6 k2tog k2tog k4 (12 stitches) *reverse for alternate foot (k4 k2tog k2tog k6)
Row 9   Shoe is finished! Change to colour needed for legs. Purl
Row 10 k7 k2tog k3 (11 st) *reverse for other foot (k3 k2tog k7)
Rows 11 - 27 Work in st st.
If you are working the legs one at a time, place the stitches on a holder and make the other leg now. Then put both legs on the same needle, ready to do a knit row.

Change to the colour needed for the blouse of the doll. This is the other shade of blue, for my doll it is slightly darker.
Row 28 cast on 1 stitch, k11, cast on 2, k11 (25 stitches)
Row 29 cast on 1 stitch, p 25 (26 stitches)
Rows 30-39 work in st st
Row 40 (decrease for waist shaping) k6 k2tog k2tog k6 k2tog k2tog k6 (22 stitches)
Rows 41-51 work in st st
Row 52   Change to skin colour k5 k2tog k2tog k4 k2tog k2tog k5 (18 st)
Rows 53-55 st st
Row 56  Neck decrease  (k3 k2tog)x3 k3 (15 st)
Row 57 purl
Row 58 (k1 kfb) across row (22 stitches)
Row 59 Purl
Row 60 k6  ( kfb k1) x 5 k6 (27 st)
Rows 61-75 work in st st
Row 76 ( k1 k2tog) for row (18 st)
Row 77 purl
Row 78  (k2 tog) across row (9 st)
Row 79  p1 ( p2 tog) across row (6 st)
Break yarn, thread through stitches and pull tight.

Starting at the shoes, mattress stitch the seams closed, doing one foot and leg, then the other. Stuff the legs lightly, then sew the torso seam and stuff the body. Do not over stuff, you should be able to see the waistline after it is stuffed. Sew part of the head, stuff, then finish closing the seam. The seam on the back of the head will be covered with hair so do not worry about keeping it really neat. Do not worry about all the yarn ends. You will use some of them in the seaming and the others you just leave tucked inside the doll. Use one of the skin coloured threads to run a gathering stitch around the lowest row of head increases and pull to shape the neck. Wind the yarn around the neck once or twice and secure with a knot at the back of the head. Sew the opening in the crotch area closed where you cast on the 2 stitches. Now the body is done!

Arms  Make 2 the same

With skin colour, cast on 4 stitches.
row 1 purl
row 2 inc 1 st each end of row, knit (6 st)
row 3 purl
row 4 inc 1 st each end of row, knit (8 st)
row 5 purl
change to colour for sleeves .... for this doll, that is the pale blue, same colour as the shoes.
row 6 inc 1 st each end of row, knit (10 st)
row 7 purl
Work 16 rows in st st.
Change to skin colour again.
(k1 k2tog) x 3  (7 st)
Work 4 rows st st.
Break yarn and thread needle with yarn. Thread through stitches and pull tight to gather.
Use mattress stitch to sew sleeve and arm closed from the hand to the top of the sleeve colour, leaving the top open to attach to doll. Push any yarn ends into the sleeve to hide them. You may or may not need to use stuffing for the arms. I find the seam of the mattress stitch and extra yarns tucked inside are often enough body.
Position the open top of the arm to the shoulder area, right under the neck and secure to the doll to make her shoulders.

Fitted Skirt

Using the same colour as the body, and beginning at the waist
Cast on 24 stitches
Purl one row.
row 2 k1 m1 k to last stitch m1 k1 (26 st)
row 3 purl
repeat rows 2 and 3 until there are 34 stitches on the needle, ending with a purl row.
Work 10 rows in st st.
Next row (should be a k row, if it is not, do the purl row so you are ready to knit) k1 k2tog k to last 3 stitches, k2tog k1
Next row k1 purl to last stitch k1
Repeat these 2 rows until you have 24 stitches on the needle (should be 5 repeats)
Work 4 rows of seed stitch (k1 p1 for the entire row, and next row alternating the k and p stitches)
Cast off loosely in pattern.
Beginning at the waist, use mattress stitch to sew the seam closed to the end of the st st section (stop at the same place the decreases start )
Put the skirt on the doll so the slit opening is in front of one leg. Sew the skirt to the doll at the same row as the waist shaping. Hide the yarn ends inside the doll.

Belt
With lighter blue, cast on 26 stitches.
Work 2 rows in st st.
Next row, cast off 12 stitches. k3 turn work. p1 p2tog. turn work. slip 1st st to right hand needle, k1, psso. Continue to knit and cast off the rest of the stitches. Leave a long tail at the end to fasten the belt to the doll.
Sew a seam to close the belt, then position the belt so the V is at the centre front. Secure the belt using a whip stitch along both the top and bottom edges.

Cloak
Use a light weight, airy yarn, or perhaps even crochet cotton (I will try this on the next doll). I have some lace mohair with a strand of shiny nylon in it that I thought would make a light looking cloak, so that is what I used this time. It took only 5 gm of yarn to make my cloak. I used 8 mm wooden needles for this part.

Cast on 26 stitches. Work 6 rows in st st.
row 7, bind off 10 stitches, knit to end.(16 st)
row 8 bind off 10 stitches in purl, purl to end (6 st)
Work in st st, using the following pattern until you have 26 stitches on the needle.
k1 kfb k to last 2 st kfb k1 (8 st)
purl
Once you have 26 stitches, work another 8 rows in st st with no further increases.
Bind off loosely.

Fold the top of the cloak (the cast on edge) in half lengthwise and whip stitch the edge together. Place 1 of the short edges of this part of the garment at the centre front of the top of the dress and whip stitch it in place. /Continue across the top of the shoulders, where the skin and sleeve meet, across the back, over the other shoulder and then the other side of the front. You have a bit of a collar effect at the front and the cloak drapes down the back. I used a stitch to gather the collar at the back where the arm and back meet.

(If you have some tulle, that would also make a nice cloak if you are not inclined to knit it.)

Hair
I have 2 ways that I use to make this style of hair. I will describe one here, and the other way when I write the modifications to make the sister doll. This style took 26 gm of SuperSaver yarn to make the entire hair style.
Start by making a hair cap.

Cast on 30 stitches. Work in garter stitch for 16 rows.
next row ( k1 k2tog) for row (20 st)
knit row
k2tog across row (10 st)
knit row
k2tog across row (5 st)
Cut yarn, thread through stitches and pull tight to gather. Use the yarn tail to sew the edges together.
Sew the hair cap to the doll along the edges to make the hairline.
Cut about 60 lengths of yarn, about 40 cm long. Use a crochet hook or your tapestry needle to knot each cut strand along the hairline. Fold each strand in half, pull through the cap and knot. Work around the hairline and fill in any spots that show through when you gently pull the hair into a loose pony tail. I do the front part of the hair in 2 rows to keep the hair cap from showing through.
Gently pull the hair into a ponytail and braid it off to one side. Tie the end of the braid and cut the yarn.

Finishing

Use skin tone to make a nose in the centre of the face.
Make ears just in front of the hair about the same height as the nose.
Use hair colour to embroider some bangs.
Switch to embroidery thread to make the eyes and mouth.
Use a red coloured pencil to give a little colour to the cheeks.

Tutorial on embroidering the face is here!

And your princess is done!

Abbrviations used:
kfb knit in front and back of stitch to increase a stitch
psso pass slipped stitch over
k2tog decrease a stitch by knitting 2 stitches together
m1 increase 1 stitch by picking up the horizontal yarn just before the stitch you are going to knit and knit into the new stitch through the back

The Hamsters of Harmony Street -- A Winter Adventure

Another short story, illustrated and inspired by my knitted toys!

Winston, Veronica, and Molly decided to celebrate the lovely sunny day by getting dressed up in their snow suits so they could go outside to play in the snow. Mother Hamster told them to keep their hoods over their heads and to keep their mittens and boots done up so they would stay warm and dry while they played.

The hamster trio climbed a snow bank and tried to decide what to do now that they were outside in the snow.Winston wanted to build a snow fort, Veronica wanted to make snow angels, and Molly thought that a walk would suit her just fine. With the plans in place, the hamsters set about the task of making large snow balls to put together for a fort.

They discovered the snow was too dry and far to difficult to roll into the necessary size for a fort, so that plan was abandoned in favour of making snow angels. Veronica made the first angel while the others offered directions in how to make it just the right shape. After each of the hamsters had a try at the snow angel making, they climbed off the snow bank to start their walk around the property.


                                     

They discovered a perfect place to sled not too far away, so they changed plans to take advantage of some sledding fun! It was hard to climb all the way to the top of the hill, and once they got there, they took a few minutes to enjoy the view and to catch their breath! Then, onto the sled and down the hill they went, taking turns of course.

Molly reminded Winston and Veronica that she really hoped they would still be able to go for a walk around the human house so, the hamsters stopped sledding and walked down the sidewalk for a bit. Winston found some interesting tracks in the snow and called the girls over to examine them with him. They decided the tracks looked like a cat had been there, so they knew they had to be on guard in case it came back.

A little further up the sidewalk, they found some other tracks. These were from a different animal, and there were many of these, going in both directions. They decided these tracks must be from a rabbit, no worries there about being chased.

All of the little hamsters were getting tired and a little cold by now, so they went back inside the house. It was nice to get inside again after all that fresh air! As they came up the stairs, Maggie the cat was there to welcome them back and check that all was well with her little house friends. Winston asked her to bend over so he could tell her about the tracks they saw outside. Maggie was glad he shared that information about another cat close to the house and she promised she would be on the lookout for the unknown cat visitor.

The snow suits were taken off and left in the sun to dry. The hamsters enjoyed a taste of cookie. Daphne, another cat friend in the house, wanted to join the cookie party! The hamsters did not mind sharing with her. Then everyone, hamsters and cats, laid down for a well deserved afternoon nap!

The making of the hamsters
I did not set out to make the even smaller hamsters, but I made a mistake while making a set of heads for the  hamsters I am making. For some reason, I forget to do one of the increase rows. These heads were way too small to use for the intended hamsters, so I set them aside, planning on using them for a smaller version. There is no pattern for these as such. The heads were a mistake from the altered Alan Dart hamster pattern, so it is a modification of a modification of the Hippie Hamster pattern. The ears are totally my own doing and are crochet. Basically, they are a magic loop of 6 stitches which is not pulled or joined into a circle but left as a semi-circle.  The bodies are a modified version of another pattern for a mouse and they would be just as cute if you actually made the mouse to start with rather than make them into hamsters, but, well, I already had hamster heads so ... This is the pattern for the mouse and it is free so that is a bonus! Mouse pattern is here! And other wonderful patterns for toys as well, I modified the pattern a little by making it a few stitches wider and also did extra rows of st st. The tails are my own -- just a twisted cord that is sewn on. The clothing, snow suits for this adventure, just came out of my head as I was knitting them. They are getting a little more fitted! The small hamster just has bobbles for arms and legs, so the clothing has its own arms and legs attached to it. It would make it very easy for a little one to dress and undress this way. I think I will make some other outfits and adventures for this little trio in the next few months. No hurry though, as I am now onto making 2 KAL's in a few groups in Ravelry, and I have some other projects to finish for the wedding.

I hope you enjoyed my little tale of the hamsters! Just something a little different for you!

The Hamster Party

Something a little different for this blog .... a mini story!

Martha and Max were getting weary of the long winter, being cooped up inside. As they spent yet another day looking outside at the snow, they decided it was time to spice things up a bit. Martha called her friend Athena to invite her and her husband Apollo to an impromptu dinner party that night. Athena's cousin Cassie and her husband, Cooper, were visiting from Paris so Martha was thrilled to invite them as well .... the more the merrier!

Martha and Max

Athena and Apollo

Cassie and Cooper

Martha wanted to make it a very lively gathering, and she knew her sister, Margie spoke French so she would be able to talk with Cassie and Cooper as well, so she picked up the phone to extend the invitation to her and her husband George.

Margie and George

Hamsters are very small animals, so Martha knew many more friends could be entertained comfortably, and they had plentiful supplies stored, more than enough for a gala celebration. Michelle and Morris would be happy to come, as would Barb and Dennis.

Martha was smiling from ear to ear at the thought of having her friends over for the evening!

Michelle and Morris

Barb and Dennis

At last it was time for the party, and all the guests arrived in their evening attire!

Martha ushered everyone into the living room for a group photo before the sun went down. 

The men gathered together to discuss the exercise wheel and how to improve it, while the ladies found it more interesting to discuss the bits of world news they were able to pick up from reading pieces of newspaper that lined their nesting area. 

After a wonderful meal of dried corn, fresh carrot slices and crackers, the men decided to entertain the ladies with a lively rendition of "At the Hop". The ladies were very appreciative of the song!

And that is the short story of Martha and Max and the Hamster Party!

The hamsters were all made based on the Alan Dart Hippie Hamster pattern, however I modified the pattern to make it smaller, and I incorporated other changes, such as making the feet using an I-cord, and using crochet for the ears and some of the clothing. All of the clothing is my own design. I am quite pleased with the tiny suits on the men and the fancy dresses on the ladies! 

Mouse Power!

Now that I have a good handle on the crochet bunnies, I switched to mice. A dozen little mice are now ready to go, all dressed up for the wedding! This is the same pattern as the other little mice I made, which is actually called Christmas Mice by Celia Webb.The Mouse pattern on Ravelry I am having a most enjoyable time designing their clothing!

Bride and Groom and 6 Wedding Guests

Bride and Groom with the Attendants

The groom appears to be enjoying the sun in these pictures! :D

Individual Mice Couples

And of course, the bride and groom! 

Penguins perhaps

Another possibility to be considered for the wedding favours ...... PENGUINS!

I started with a crochet amigurumi pattern for a penguin, which turned out very cute, but also very large. This is a Lion Brand free pattern.  Penguin pattern here I did not make the hat and scarf but may go back and do so at a later date. Back to the pattern searching for me ....

I found a pattern for tiny knit penguins that looked like a good possibility. Except, they really were very small - about the size of an adult finger.  Small very cute knit penguin pattern

The first penguin is in the back but you can barely see him even though he is huge compared to the others! :D

Second Couple I made

First Couple I made

A double wedding I guess! :D

Using this pattern as a base, I cast on 20 stitches and followed the colour sequence given in the pattern to knit a rectangle. ( They actual pattern had no shaping at all but I increased 2 stitches at the side for the body so it is a little chubbier than the pattern gives. The rectangle is sewn together and gathered at the top to make the head and body, and a gathering thread is used to define the neck. Then the back and wings are made by knitting another rectangle. I altered the given pattern once again by decreasing the last few rows that would attach to the back of the neck so I did not have to gather it when sewing it on. I crocheted the eyes, beak, and feet. To make them a bride and groom, the lady got a bouquet to carry and a tulle veil, and the man got a bow tie, boutonniere and top hat. It is hard to dress a penguin, I discovered, so they did not get any clothes!

The weather here continues to be definitely wintery so making penguins was not at all out of line. The wedding is in Sept though so perhaps the penguins would not appreciate the warmth of that season! :D

My goal for the Ravellinic Games is to make 1 of the little creations every day of the Olympics. I am on track so far, but it is only the second day of the Olympics! :D

The Bunny Wedding

 This is a Lion Brand free pattern for a cake topper, really, that I adapted to make a wedding party of bunnies! The bride and groom are made exactly from the pattern, but the yarn was perhaps a lighter weight than the others so they are a little smaller than the attendants and wedding guests.  Now that I have a good feel for the pattern, I will make another bride and groom and also some additional wedding guests in more colours.

I need to give credit (or blame!) for the bunny overload to my son and future daughter in law! I am having such fun making these little guys and gals! 

I think I may also make a wedding party of penguins, and mice. Time will tell!

Other things I have been busy making include my matching cowl, beret and fingerless mitts, and a large polar bear complete with snow suit. And another cake topper designed by Alan Dart that might merit its own post ...