Boxing Day 2024 - share any charity!

[babypoohsmom]

I guess the first time you try a pattern, adjustments are needed. I did the right amount of rows for the flat part of the shirt, but it’s clearly too short. I had to compensate with extra rows of the ruffle. I used Just Yarn from the dollar tree but it was too soft and the shirt is just too flimsy. But I tried something new. 

[babypoohsmom]

This is what happens when you work from home and can just let you tube run in the background. Now I need to find some tulle so I can make a ballet dress! 

[Bailey4]

Crazy busy morning but all good stuff.

Today's I bring you something for the Glitter Girl the Wellie Wisher's cheaper model.

Glitter Girl Easter Morning Dress

[babypoohsmom]

Hi, me again. I made my trusty dress pattern but for some reason it is super tight. Of course not all yarns are the same, but this is very noticeable. I was going to do the whole dress in the variegated yarn but thought it would be too busy. 
For those of you who do 18” dolls, do you pull dresses on from over head or up from the legs? I’d hesitate to donate this dress because I don’t want kids to be frustrated. (Unless you think it would fit a smaller doll) 
Also Chris - just so I understand…do you buy several of the same Barbie all at once (like 20 of the same type at the same time) so that you can make clothes without checking fit instead of getting new ones every year and wondering what changes they made to dimensions? 

 

[Bailey4]

I'm finding the thickness of acrylic brand yarns is diminishing.  I was using a Red Heart yellow I've used for years and I ended up having to use two strands because it was just too thin.  It was actually about the thickness of some now no longer available Red Heart Sport 3 yarn I had for the smaller dolls that I'm slowly using up.

So it's not even trying new brands my old tried and true brands aren't what they used to be so I find myself increasing hook sizes until it become an issue with being see through or adding another strain, sometime of a lighter yarn if it gets too thick with two of the same weight.

That might have been the issue with your shirt.  I know I made an outfit I've made countless times and ended up adding rows because it was short and I can only think its the yarn weight.  I do love the ruffle though.  It makes for a cute finish.

I tend to dress bottom up rather than head down.  I just find it hard to move outfits over the hair, shoulders, arms, etc. before getting to the fit.

As humans we tend to have more flexibility in our upper torso when putting on clothing than a doll does so it is the logical manner to put on clothing.  It is also the reason we have more outfits that don't require snaps/buttons in the back because we can move our bodies through the clothing in ways it is really hard to move a doll. 

As far as buying dolls, I tend to go maximum of 5 years out for storage and cost.  At a certain point I don't have room for all the dolls and accessories beyond that point. 

Also some of the dolls start to become dated and I want the kids to feel like they are getting something new.  With some dolls it is less of an issue.  Some of the baby dolls haven't changed a look since I started using them. However the 18 inch dolls, Glitter Girls, and Barbies do get retired.

I've noticed recently when the Barbies go on sale they will limit how many you can buy.  So I've decided camper Barbie is my next go to doll.  I was only able to get 3 when they were on sale at Amazon but I had ordered two from Target when they were on sale.  Leaving one for my model, I currently have donations for 4 years starting in 2025. I'm currently just about at max capacity for doll storage and 4 years seems a decent supply.

[Bailey4]

Ken Ski Outfit

It always seems like the two boy dolls are the most neglected when I start packing up their bags for the donation boxes.  This year I'm making an effort to include them more regularly in my crochet rotations.

[Bailey4]

16 Inch Baby Doll Nightgown

This is one of  Darski's patterns that isn't on Crochetville.  I might have originally got it from her Yahoo Dora group.  I don't remember. 

I need to make one more for the second baby doll.

Just FYI if any of you like me bought Mary Maxim digital patterns and lost one and went back to download another copy only to find you can't do it anymore all hope is not lost.  You can get them to send you a link to download the patterns.

For some reason I had only downloaded, printed, and saved some of the baby doll out of print patterns I'd purchased as digital patterns.  I only realized it when I found I'd lost one of the patterns.  They sent me a link and this time I was careful to download and label all the patterns so I could find them in my baby doll folder.  I had a few previously saved in that folder but now they are all labeled as Mary Maxim so I know where to find them.

[Bailey4]

Our Generation Boy Hockey Uniform

I think this is DH favorite outfit to date. 

Thanks to all of you for suggestions of what to make for him.  This is adapted from Darski's Detroit Bunnies pattern which was one of the suggested items.  I found Hockey skates at CR Crafts.

DH became so enchanted with the project he ordered a wooden hockey craft stick to go with the outfit.

[bgs]

4 hours ago, Bailey4 said:

Our Generation Boy Hockey Uniform

I think this is DH favorite outfit to date. 

Thanks to all of you for suggestions of what to make for him.  This is adapted from Darski's Detroit Bunnies pattern which was one of the suggested items.  I found Hockey skates at CR Crafts.

DH became so enchanted with the project he ordered a wooden hockey craft stick to go with the outfit.

You did a great job with it!

[Bailey4]

While I've been trying to rotate through the dolls the 8" baby doll has been sadly neglected so it is time to start putting some time into her donation.

Lots to Love 8" Baby Doll Playtime Romper

[bgs]

 

Prayer shawls turned in today.

[babypoohsmom]

Chris, love the hockey clothes. I have literally done nothing but watch hockey after work since the playoffs started. I like the Bruins pretty much but that little Marchand is just so easy to dislike! 🏒 🥅 Of course I could just be a bit annoyed that the Capitals didn’t make it past the first round….again. Anyway, love it and you did a great job with the colors.

And Brenda, your hook doesn’t seem to ever hold still. Love that you make a nice variety. I might have asked you this before, but do people get to pick their shawl? The white with the colored border is very pretty, but I always seem to like the scrappy ones. 
 

[Tampa Doll]

Love the hockey outfit.  Go Bruins.  That turned out so cool.

I have to get back to working on the donations.  Been lax lately.

All the outfits look great.

Brenda, love the prayer shawls.

 

[Bailey4]

Brenda the prayer shawls are beautiful.

Mary Jo you have plenty on your hands.

As for today a while back I got an Etsy coupon from a designer who makes patterns for the Wellie Wisher dolls that happen to fit the cheaper Glitter Girl doll.  I've slowly been making my way through them.  I love that they use the baby yarn because I have plenty of it in stock and it is usually available at my local Walmart.

Glitter Girl Fun in the Sun

[bgs]

10 hours ago, babypoohsmom said:

Chris, love the hockey clothes. I have literally done nothing but watch hockey after work since the playoffs started. I like the Bruins pretty much but that little Marchand is just so easy to dislike! 🏒 🥅 Of course I could just be a bit annoyed that the Capitals didn’t make it past the first round….again. Anyway, love it and you did a great job with the colors.

And Brenda, your hook doesn’t seem to ever hold still. Love that you make a nice variety. I might have asked you this before, but do people get to pick their shawl? The white with the colored border is very pretty, but I always seem to like the scrappy ones. 
 

For a long time I never knew how it works out on the giving end.  We make them and leave them in the room and they disappear.  I think it might depend on who is handing them out.  Right now one of the resident volunteers that hands then out also comes to prayer shawl and makes them too so we are getting a lot more feedback.  She likes  to let people choose between two or three.  Since she started they go fast but we finally have more help making them. Before I moved in they had a lady chaplain that helped start the program and was good to hand them out.  It seemed like the guys either forgot or didnt want to fool with them because we would wind up with so many made that we lost people to make them.

[babypoohsmom]

So I tried the ruffle top again, this time with a very sturdy yarn and several extra rows before the ruffle started. I like it a lot better. 

And because I had a cat on my lap and a hockey game on TV, I made some pants with the same yarn.  I “finished” them just before the game ended. Apparently I was in too big of a rush to finish them because….

I did go back and add the two rows so they would match. 

Brenda, glad that you at least know a little more about the program now. It’s always nice to know that the people you are trying to comfort are actually getting them. 

Edited Thursday at 02:16 AM by babypoohsmom

[Tampa Doll]

Everything looks so pretty.

I need to do something, besides sit in the chair in the room.

Keep it up.

You are going to have on heck of a donation this year.

Keep up the good work everyone.

[Bailey4]

Today's project: What to do with those test pieces.

I needed a test sweater to work out the hockey outfit.  I put it aside to finish when I was done with the hockey uniform and decided to put it together with some pants to add to his bag.

Our Generation Boy Hockey Sweater with Pants

[bgs]

Denise and Chris your outfits are great.  

[Bailey4]

21 hours ago, babypoohsmom said:

So I tried the ruffle top again, this time with a very sturdy yarn and several extra rows before the ruffle started. I like it a lot better. 

And because I had a cat on my lap and a hockey game on TV, I made some pants with the same yarn.  I “finished” them just before the game ended. Apparently I was in too big of a rush to finish them because….

I did go back and add the two rows so they would match. 

Brenda, glad that you at least know a little more about the program now. It’s always nice to know that the people you are trying to comfort are actually getting them. 

Looks great.  I can't tell you how many times I've ended up having to add rows. 

[Bailey4]

Ken shorts and shirt

I'm getting my mileage out of my old vintage patterns.  Also trying to make sure Ken isn't completed neglected this year.

[babypoohsmom]

I think somehow the Flamenco dress is contagious. Here is one another friend of mine made for the donation. The 18” dolls are going to have a dress for every occasion! 

[babypoohsmom]

I bought a new skein of yarn (new from Joann’s, not second hand) and love the dress. 
I think I can get a 2nd one from what I have left. 

Edited 41 minutes ago by babypoohsmom