Boxing Day 2024 - share any charity!

[bgs]

Nice hats Denise!  I pretty much always have to use 2 strands on hats because I make them on my knifty knitter loom.  Its always fun to watch how the colors mix and it makes them nice and thick.

[cshort]

Denise, your hats look great.

[Bailey4]

Barbie Peach Gown

Ventured into Barbie world with a heavier weight easier pattern to get one in the bag for the season.

[babypoohsmom]

Brenda…I am kind of addicted to the 2 strand hats. I think mostly because they work up so quickly. I really do like trying different colors with variegated yarn.  I’m going to search my stash for more. I haven’t seen the big skeins of the house brand at Michael’s for several years, so that says something about how long it’s been waiting to be used. 
 

Bailey…just to clarify… I have an old (4 years) My Life doll that I use for fitting. Will my clothes eventually not fit the new dolls? And do you not donate your fitting dolls because they are not in the box? 

[Bailey4]

I have kept with my My Life Doll that Darski gave me years ago as my model doll.  I haven't noticed the sizes have changed according to their measurements.  When I couldn't get the Springfield dolls anymore and moved to My Life Darski offered me the model doll.  I just recently gave some doll clothes to a friend's little ones for Christmas for their dolls they had received in 2023 and the clothes I modeled on the old doll fit the new dolls well so it was a confirmation I'm not looking to upgrade my models.

Who can say if the dolls will change at some point but I was pleased to discover the clothing fit the new dolls the same as the old dolls this Christmas.

When I was making clothes for my now adult nieces dolls I noticed her Our Generation dolls didn't fit quite the same as the Springfield doll I was using at the time and I had to make some adjustments.  Since I started donating a boy and girl I picked up one of each as models.  While the girl is no longer available I haven't upgraded to a new doll.

Barbie on the other hand fluctuates constantly which is why I do buy new model dolls, because one doll never seems to be the same size as the next.  The current model I'm finishing off this year is smaller than the model I bought to replace her.  I realized that before I bought her as the product size descriptions indicated the difference.  I'm secretly glad as my old patterns fit the new model better than the old one. 

As for what happens to the old models it depends on their condition.  My poor Springfield doll had over a decade of hard life.  I'm not a doll collector despite the fact my house might argue otherwise.  My models have a tough life.  The Springfield doll was almost bald in a few places when I got the My Life doll and her joints were not great.  I'm sad to say she was something any child would wish to play with and Springfields are not dolls most people look to pick up and remake so I had to let her go. 

However, I have given away old Barbies and baby dolls that are still in play condition when I can no longer buy the duplicate dolls to donate. I had a random 18" doll that I had used for a bit but wasn't really a great help once I moved to the My Life and Our Generation dolls and a smaller Rag Doll that I gave up when I was able to get the larger one so those found a new homes too. Some were given to people I know with kids others went to a our Church's free clothing boutique where they have a small section for children's books and toys.  I had planned on giving them to the Church down the street for their annual sale but this came up first and it was our own Church so it worked out.

I tend to give/donate my old dolls to places that are looking for used items and don't expect "new" or almost new which is why my models don't go into the doll donation.

[Bailey4]

Lots to Love 10" Baby Doll Dress w/Full Skirt

I love a project that I can make with stuff on hand.

[bgs]

Chris another time a few years ago when you were talking about how messed up the hair on the models get I wanted to find a way to protect the hair on the doll I use.  I put a sandwich bag on her head, pulled tight across forehead close to hairline.  I put another over her ponytail and used hair elastics in 3 places up the ponytail.  Then I used a rubber band where the two bags meet.  I got it on there before the hair started getting very messy and its been on there about 4 years now.

 

[Bailey4]

Glitter Girl has entered the donation game.  This is a new pattern for her and required a bit of adaptation but I will make it again as I like the look.

 

Glitter Girl Linda Dress

[bgs]

I turned these in today.

[RecycleCindy]

Brenda, those prayer shawls are all so beautiful! What a blessing those are going to be for the people who receive them.

[Bailey4]

What beautiful gifts

[babypoohsmom]

Brenda, those shawls are so pretty. I love the first one with all of the different colors.

There is a Michael’s next to the Petsmart where I do a volunteer shift every Wednesday. Their yarn department is small and they never get a great assortment of new yarns, so I don’t drop in very often. But I stopped by last week and found a few skeins of yarn on clearance for $3, so I got three. Two of the darker and one of the lighter. Last week I made this hat and just weaved in the ends after the sad Packer loss to the 49ers. 🏈 😖

Edited January 21 by babypoohsmom

[babypoohsmom]

I bought WAY too much yarn in 2023, so I am trying to dig in to my stash and enjoy what I have. I made some hats with the black/grey/white variegated yarn held with black, grey, white and tonight I made one with red. I can’t think of any other color I could do with it, so I guess I’ll put it aside for now. The skein is in that annoying stage where it is hard to store because it’s floppy but too much to cake. Anyway here they all are posing for a picture…

[bgs]

9 hours ago, babypoohsmom said:

I bought WAY too much yarn in 2023, so I am trying to dig in to my stash and enjoy what I have. I made some hats with the black/grey/white variegated yarn held with black, grey, white and tonight I made one with red. I can’t think of any other color I could do with it, so I guess I’ll put it aside for now. The skein is in that annoying stage where it is hard to store because it’s floppy but too much to cake. Anyway here they all are posing for a picture…

Dont overthink the color combos.  Just grab and go with it.  I found that yarn like your black gray white went well with any color.  It will look good with greens, blues, orange, yellow, pink, that gold yarn you just bought.  It also works well to pair it with multiple left over balls of yarn.

[Bailey4]

Every so often I search for patterns for the various dolls to see if something easy, engaging, or fun has arrived to try.  While I have binders of patterns sometimes I've done them over and over or they are just challenging to adapt so having something just quick and easy is such a blessing.

Found a couple Ken and Barbie patterns recently that seemed worth trying.  First up:

Barbie Mermaid

I want to see if I can get this to fit Skipper as well.

[Bailey4]

Ken Shorts and Tank Top

This puts the first outfit in Ken's bag for the year.  I found a free pattern that fits the new Ken quite nicely.

[RecycleCindy]

On 1/20/2024 at 9:43 PM, babypoohsmom said:

I bought WAY too much yarn in 2023, so I am trying to dig in to my stash and enjoy what I have. I made some hats with the black/grey/white variegated yarn held with black, grey, white and tonight I made one with red. I can’t think of any other color I could do with it, so I guess I’ll put it aside for now. The skein is in that annoying stage where it is hard to store because it’s floppy but too much to cake. Anyway here they all are posing for a picture…

I love all of your hats!!

[RecycleCindy]

3 hours ago, Bailey4 said:

Ken Shorts and Tank Top

This puts the first outfit in Ken's bag for the year.  I found a free pattern that fits the new Ken quite nicely.

Ken looks cool in his tank and shorts!

[RecycleCindy]

Here is my second granny lovey I crocheted and added a Dollar Store bear. It does lay flat but not for the photo with the bear in the middle. This is going to the local hospital to use in the nursery or for a young child in the hospital.

[Bailey4]

The face on that bear is amazing.  The crocheting is obviously beautiful.  However, I want to hug that bear and snuggle with the lovey it is so cute.  Great find!!!!

[babypoohsmom]

Barbie mermaid is adorable. Glad you got to try a new pattern. And Cindy, those lovies with get addicting! The bear is very sweet.

I am getting through the end of football season with some more hats. And of course, you ladies were right, I tried purple and loved it. (This one didn’t get the nice brim because I was playing yarn chicken and that takes up more yarn. I barely won without the brim)  Now I will probably run out of that yarn before I run out of ideas for colors to go with it! 

[Bailey4]

Lots to Love 14" Baby Doll Sweet Little Romper

Slowly working my way through all the dolls to make sure each starts the year with an outfit.

[TATS]

On 1/18/2024 at 2:07 PM, bgs said:

I turned these in today.

Beautiful!

 

[Bailey4]

Chelsea Variegated Dress

This is a quick easy dress for Chelsea but she has one in the donation bag for the year.

[Bailey4]

Skipper Easy Dress

I started searching for new doll patterns this year and found some new easy fashion doll patterns for the Barbie line.  Skipper and Barbie can sometimes share a pattern as there are few patterns written specifically for Skipper.I will often try making something for Barbie,which is what happened in this case and find I have an outfit that fits Skipper instead.