Too many items

[Megananne3]

I need a suggestion as to what to do with unneeded, probably unwanted, items. I have 100's of doll dresses I have crocheted, over the years, for Cabbage Patch, American Girl, and Dora dolls [ when the manufacturer of Dora, down-sized the doll, all the dresses I had made were too big]. Now I have several plastic bins of dresses with nowhere to go. Thanks!

[Granny Square]

Adorable!  I don't know of any charities beyond Good Will, Salvation Army, and St. Vincent de Paul to donate them to, but I can't imagine them taking in hundreds of doll dresses.  I'd add a tie-on tag that could easily be removed that says 'Fits Dora pre- or post-xxxx (year they downsized her)', for example.

Do you know a church or organization that has fundraising sales at holiday times?  They might appreciate a donation--but I'm not sure about HUNDREDS.  Maybe if you found a pattern to make baby dolls that fit the dresses...

I just looked up Cabbage Patch dolls and didn't know that they came in different sizes over the years; I don't have kids but my neighbor bought herself a couple of dolls, and gave me a boy and girl doll when they first came out in the 1980s; I imagine the size I have might fit little humans. 

Google "Baby Clothes Size Chart" and you will find a bunch that you can compare your larger clothes to, the Cabbage Patch clothes will possibly come close to a baby size.  I just unearthed  my ancient Cabbage patch boy doll, he has an 18" chest which seems to be close to a 6 to 9 month size.

 

Edited Sunday at 08:07 PM by Granny Square

[Lacycrochet]

If you are looking to donate, maybe reach out to Baily4.  She does big donations of dolls and I think doll dresses.  I know some of the ladies on here make them to send to her for her charity.

Edited Sunday at 09:43 PM by Lacycrochet

[bgs]

Those are beautiful.  Yes some of us make doll clothes and doll blankets to send to Bailey4.  She sends them to a tech high school in her area for its holiday drive called Aztec Wishes.  Copying this explanation from her post in the 2023 boxing day thread.

 

"Basically the Business Program of the local tech high school has to write a business plan to meet the needs of a local charity and it gets approved by the head of the vocational/technical programs.  They get a list of needs of local families in the area and then they have to find a way to get what the families need working with the school and the community."

Link to 2024 thread below and I pm'd Bailey4 to direct her to this thread.

 

 

 

[bgs]

So these donations are doing two good things.  Its helping the students and then their community.

Edited Monday at 02:14 AM by bgs

[Bailey4]

Thanks Brenda I was out most of the weekend so I did miss the post.  The 18" doll clothes would work best for the donation. 

I know I've used some Dora and Cabbage patch patterns for the rag doll and the other baby dolls but I've always had to adapt them so not sure I'd want to take something if I couldn't be sure it would fit.  I'm happy to talk with you about trying a few if you are interested before taking on more if that would be something you'd want to try.

If you are interested in donating them to a unique project where the high school students run a project working with a local social service agency to make sure kids have basic needs and toys met each holiday season then this is a great option.  There are a few of us who buy and dress dolls.  Others just make doll clothes or blankets for the donation.  It is greatly appreciated by the students and the families who get the donations.

I have no idea how much stuff you have to donate or if you need to donate it all at once.  I store my stuff here and donate it once a year so space is an issue.  Again if you are interested it is likely best we start a conversation.  Feel free to message me.