Hand knit Baby Set Finished

I am so pleased with how the set turned out! The kimono, hat and booties were knit using Caron Simply Soft in Sunshine and the blanket was knit using Caron Simply Soft in off white.

Patterns used are Berroco's "Pie" and "Ruffles for Kate", both of which are free patterns.

The kimono sweater was a lot of fun to do. Here's a post with assembly photos: Kimono Progress

The blanket is a simple but not plain looking design. I didn't measure it but I think it is about 36x32 and drapes so nicely. Definitely snuggle quality!

Save up to 31% on all items in ArtFire

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Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend - save 25% on all items in my ArtFire Shop! ArtFire Patrons save an additional 5% and anyone leaving a comment receives an additional 1% discount. No coupons or codes needed! New items will be listed throughout the weekend.
http://HollysDollies.ArtFire.com
Sale ends Tuesday morning when I remove the sale module.Custom orders can be placed and receive discounts!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

To all those celebrating today, I hope it is filled with loved ones and lots of yummies!

Being as it is only the 3 of us (all our family is in the midwest), we like to do off the wall non-traditional things on holidays. We swim against the flow and teach our son that being a little different is totally fine.

This year we voted on having Sweet And Sour Pork Chops, baked potatoes, apple pie and pumpkin pie.

R, C and I did a little day out in the forest tradition that we normally do on T-Giving Day, but I need to catch up on hoof trimming today, and trim one hoof. This morning, C, Sis and I will go for quick 1 hour hike in the forest.

Then I want to get some doll dresses sewn this afternoon. Got the fabrics and patterns selected. And there's the giveaway project I am working on. Would love to get the giveaway started this coming weekend!

Wishing everyone a safe drive to and from wherever you go.

Ideal Crissy Doll Clothes

The girls have been busy modeling new clothes!
Crissy and Velvet are going to a lot of fun to sew, knit and crochet for!
One Crissy is wearing a long sleeve blouse with green batik pants and handknit black shoes.

And the other is wearing a pretty green textured floral print summer dress.

 

Baby kimono set progress

Working on a custom order baby layette. It is taking longer than anticipated with so many distractions around the house. I lock myself in the studio at times.

I am always intrigued with this particular customer's color choices. She leans towards the non-traditional colors. Colors I would not usually select. And I (and she) have been well pleased with the results! The recipients have always been happy as well.

The pattern is Berroco's Free Pattern Pie. We're doing the sweater/kimono of this set and a pair of booties and hat from a different pattern called Ruffles For Kate. The booties won't have the ruffles.

The kimono is knit using Caron Simply Soft in Sunshine. The hat and booties will also be knit in this color. The blanket will be knit using Off White.

Will be working on the ties in Off White for the kimono. The closures are snaps and the ties are merely decoration.

I can't believe my first baby sweater was knitted in 2006. Less than a year after teaching myself how to knit.

The first photo shows the color the most accurately.

So, what colors would you consider???? I'd love to hear what colors you would choose and why.

Pieces ready for assembly.....

Shoulder and sleeve seams sewn......

All seams sewn, ready for snaps and ties....

Ideal Crissy and Velvet have arrived!

I am so pleased! I've wanted to add some of the Ideal Crissy Family Dolls to my collection (under the ruse that I can't make clothes to sell if I am not sure they'll fit)!
I ended up purchasing two Crissies! I thought the payment fell through to the one seller after trying to send it 3 times, I gave up. And moved on to another. The first payment finally went through! Oh well!
And the seller of the second Crissy was so sweet. The gown that was supposed to come with her had been misplaced. Crissy was dressed in another gown and I had agreed to send a little extra ASAP and she would include a Velvet doll as well.
Well, of all surprises, I got the Velvet free. I felt bad and that wasn't a fair deal.

Here is Velvet dressed in a candy corn Halloween Dress. Got it finished with one day to spare! So will hang on to it and offer it next October. With hand knit slippers and white panties.

Crissy has a cute top and pants ready for modelling. Photo shoot in a day or two.

Video Tutorial - Loopy yarn hair style for cloth dolls

I have been working on some video tutorials for cloth dolls. The first, parts 1 and 2, are tutorials on Loopy Hair styles for cloth dolls.

Other videos coming soon include painting raggedy faces

Soft Sculpture Cloth Cat - Calico

Miss Nosey is finished!
She is a soft sculpture cloth cat made of muslin and hand painted with white, black and orange acrylic paint. And threaded button joints. Her eyes are green. I see her expression is a bit sour. Maybe she ate a mouse that tasted icky!
She is a kitty created from a pattern shared a challenge at Cloth Doll Artistry. We were given the pattern with no pictures or instructions.
The kitties that others have made are increbible. I loved seeing the variations created.

Hand crocheted Barbie Bed Doll French Bedoir

Completed another Barbie bed doll gown. This one is a french Bedoir nightgown and robe. The repetitive stitch on the robe just about did my left wrist in. I've developed a lump just below my thumb. Wearing a wrist brace is helping immensely.

April, a wonderful lady who is keeping me very busy with crocheting Barbie gowns, received the gown and is pleased with the results. Next on the list is "Ruby Queen". Having a hard time finding the beads needed.

DinkyBaby Chloe makeover

Baby Chloe has been given a makeover. Her eyes are now hand painted using non toxic acrylic paints. And her new outfit includes hand sewn top and diaper and hand knitted hat and booties. I love her new facial expression. The change in eyes from the embroidered dots has been a dramatic improvement. I've been frightened and intimidated in thinking about making changes in completed dolls. But I am wanting to learn and improve with each new doll and am now brave enough to play with finished dolls to work on improving them as well. Here is a before pic of Chloe and a couple afters.... let me know what you think.

Next is learning to use buttons for jointing arms and legs.

8 Inch Berenguer Lots to Love chubby babies

These are such adorable baby dolls. I have so fallen in love with all the faces and all the sizes!
I started with the 8 inch smiling baby. His/her smile is so similar to a picture of "The Painter Boy" photo I have of my son at 3 months old.
I love knitting and crocheting outfits for this baby. I am not really happy with him having to pose with both gender of clothing, so I will simply need to get another one to be a girlie model.
I just purchased a 5 inch Itty Bitty pouty face baby. I have an outfit already crocheted for her. So tiny and cute! I can't wait till she arrives.
In the meantime, I have a new set finished for Little Charlie. A sweater, hat, pants and booties. Done in soft baby blue acrylic yarn and a beautiful cable/waffle stitch pattern.
8 Inch Berenguer Lots to Love sweater set 

I would love to trade this set for a 8 inch Lots to Love baby, would even consider the one with large eyes. Those are really cute!

New cloth doll finished

Purchased a new pattern for a cloth baby doll. I am very pleased with the results. This baby is suitable for a little one to play with.

She is approximately 14 inches tall.

Her yarn hair has been hand sewn on individually to prevent coming out. 

Her arms and legs are thread jointed (fishing line) so this will make it easy for little ones to dress their baby doll.

She has hand embroidered eyes, nose and lips. And sculpted bottom!

The flower headband is removable.

Crocheted Round Ripple Baby Blanket in Pink

Finished this round ripple baby blanket this morning. It ended up being just over 40 inches across from point to point. For this blanket I chose two shades of pink, one that is light and another that is more eye-popping.
Plans are start another one in shades of purple and white while on our way to Phoenix. I am going to be taking along some cotton yarn in case I decide to work on dishcloths instead.

The blanket is available at my ArtFire Shop , http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/4700028. 

The Liebster Award!!

I was thrilled this morning to pop onto my blog to see that I have been awarded The Liebster Award! Awarded by Deb from,http://debthehappystitcher.blogspot.com/ , who has been so encouraging of my beginning attempts at cross-stitching.

Liebster is german for favorite and was created to bring attention to new and upcoming stitchers blogs with 200 or less followers.
There are a few things to do, so when awarded the Liebster Blog Award:
1. Choose 5 up and coming blogs with 200 or less followers. Be sure to let them all know they've been given an award!
Here is my list of 5:
http://kaingahappenings.blogspot.com/     An Australian Stitcher wife and mother of four children. I love gardening and craft, reading and enjoy looking in op shops.

http://crossstitchdramaqueen.blogspot.com/  a SAHM to 4 kids, 2 animals, and 1 husband. I find my sanity through cross stitching and quilting.

http://giraffexing.blogspot.com/  Theresa loves gardening and nature and have totally fallen in love with world of cross stitching.

http://stitchylion.blogspot.com/ striving to do well and keep up with all of her hobbies.always loved to cross stitch, still fairly new to scrapbooking and I'm just starting to get into baking.

http://fabulousfrogger.blogspot.com/  work full-time by day, and I try to fit in some stitching or crafting by night

2. The next requirement is to post the link back to the blogger who gifted the award. I would like to thank Deb for such an honor. http://debthehappystitcher.blogspot.com/ 
3. Post the award on your blog!
4. Share 5 random facts people may not know about you
    1. I ride my stationary bike and knit at the same time.
    2. I enjoy houseplants (but they don't enjoy me)
    3. I treasure privacy (is this also called paranoia? LOL)
    4. I do some web designing (shhhhh keep this a secret... I am not for hire)
    5. I love watching Dog The Bounty Hunter (only my boys know this....until now!)

Thanks again, Deb! This was fun. And a wonderful challenge. I hope this brings more stitchers together in friendship.

Counted cross-stitch raccoon progress (or lack thereof)

Feeling a little frustrated with the raccoon project. I've chosen yet another one that is above my experience level. Will I ever learn??

So, I sat down this morning and did a quick thread graph to use as a guide. And have hopes of maybe getting the lower right quarter finished tonight. It surely isn't that much to do, I just feel lost in the pattern. Quiet time in the studio to get my bearings and it will work out.

I did select another project (much to a friend's chagrin - she INSISTS that there never be two of the same type of project going at once). I happily and whole-heartedly disagree!!! The more projects of ANY type, the merrier!

I will take a pic or two of the raccoon progress tomorrow. Here is the snowman and bunny project.

White and Pink Crocheted Barbie Bed Doll completed

This was a custom order from a really sweet gal who purchased the lavender Barbie Bed Doll gown. She selected Miss March of the Centennial Collection as a white gown with pink accent. Unfortunately with all of the doctors appointments and hospital visits between hubby and myself, this gown took a lot longer than anticipated to complete.

I am so grateful for April's patience. I am certain she will feel the wait was worth it. She has also commissioned me to do two additional gowns that shouldn't take 2 months to finish!

Barbie Doll Diorama Box

Started to create a new room for Barbie and Fashion Doll Photo shoots. The idea for this is to use a foldable cardboard box for easy storage but provide an interesting background for taking photos of Barbie and her friends.

Here are photos of the progress. Items used printable dollhouse wallpapers, calender photos for outside window scene (interchangeable!).

 

This is planned out to be a living room setting. Furniture coming soon! Printing out wood flooring on cardstock. If I can hide this in the closet to prevent hubby from crabbing about more "stuff" in the studio, I would like to make this a little more permanent.

Drop Spindle Spinning - Success at Last!

Success at last! 
For about 2 years I have been trying to learn how to do hand spinning on a drop spindle. A lady gave me a bottom whorl version and it just would not talk to me. No matter how many videos I watched or how many people tried to help me learn, it would not click.

I watched a video or two or three of folks using a top whorl drop spindle and decided to order one. While waiting for that one to arrive, I converted my bottom whorl to a top whorl and gave it another go. Ta-Da! Success. Not professional quality to be sure, but it is a start!

This is a portion of 4oz colonial roving that I pre-drafted and the spindle with my new handspun yarn! The plan is to finish this roving up, set the twist, and either ply silk yarn or purchase some roving that will blend and add a nice contrast when plied. 

I received my new spindle and love it! I even started spinning silk hankies.