For me dressing a doll is a bit like eating icecream - I find it difficult to stop. Fortunately time has set the rules here as dolly had to be ready by this coming week. Here she is with her layette. I was lucky enough to find a piece of knit fabric in our op-shop that will serve as a blanket and bound with some taffeta cut into bias binding strips it looks the part. After all these years I still have trouble getting bias binding right. Note to self: its stretched on the inward curve and eased on the outward curve. I think I've got it at last.
Unless it's especially required, I never bother with fiddly set-in sleeves as I find the maygar style bodice pleases children just as well and is actually easier to put on the doll. So long as it looks pretty children are easy to please - and much though I dislike it I have used Velcro for the closers as press-studs or buttons could present a choking problem for small children. The pink hat is actually a bit big so I am making another a little smaller. The doll is 40cms long so both the bootees and hats are a suitable size for a prem baby - if you're interested in the bootee pattern, here it is:
I knit loosely, so if you don't you may want to use a bigger size of needles but I used size 3.25mm (old size 10) with 3 ply yarn at 15 sts over 5cms.

Cast on 25 stitches - First row: Knit twice into the first stitch, knit 10, knit twice into the next stitch, Knit 1, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 9, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 1.
Second and all alternate rows: knit.
Third row: Knit twice into the first stitch, knit 12, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 1, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 11, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 1.
Fifth row: Knit twice into the first stitch, knit 14, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 1, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 13, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 1.
Seventh row: Knit twice into the first stitch, knit 16, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 1, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 15, knit twice into the next stitch, knit 1. (41 sts. on needle.)
Knit 5 rows garter stitch. (Knit every row)
To turn toe: Knit to the last 18 stitches, knit two together, turn work.
Next row: Slip the first stitch knitways, knit 5, knit two together, turn work.
Repeat the last row until 27 stitches remain. Knit to the end of the row.
Next row: Knit increasing into the first and last stitch to make 29 stitches.
Next row make ribbon holes: Knit 1 (bring yarn forward, knit 2 together), repeat instructions in brackets all along the row.
Finish bootee by knitting rib of l plain, l purl for 2 cms or desired length. 4cms makes a fold down top.
If you don't like rib just knit the same length in garter stitch.
To make up: Sew up back and foot seam (I use over sew to make a flat seam.) If you're making a fold down cuff, reverse the seam for the first 2 cms so that it will not show on the outside.
I crochet a cord about 40cms long using the yarn double and a size 4mm hook, to thread through the ribbon holes but for the doll I just use some narrow elastic.
I hope you have fun making them if you decide to have a try. Bye for now until next time.

Note: I have edited this post since yesterday in the hope of making these instructions easier to follow. Cheers :)

Any Excuse

A friend is collecting together a barrow load of goodies for a fund raising effort that he's running and so I jumped at the chance to dress this baby doll for him. (I never did grow out of dolls) Here she is (yes she's a girl) in her singlet & nappy waiting for the rest of her clothes to be finished. I love to make several pieces of clothing so that the new little owner can change the baby, so there are a couple of dresses, jackets, jammies, bootees & hats coming up. Almost done except for a few finishing touches. I can't knit the jackets for this doll because those fingers will get caught in the knit and drive a poor child into screams of frustration. The best kind of hands for a play doll to have are little fists - so much easier for a child to dress. I wish manufacturers would realise that. Anyway I've made the jackets out of some stretch towelling - courtesy of our lovely op-shop's fabric odments box and I think they'll be satisfactory. Gotta go, hand sewing to be done. Bye for now until next time.

New Visitor

Just as I hoped, there is another baby magpie on the scene. Here he is waiting for Mum or Dad to feed him. If only his parents would come and gather up some of the snails I come across when I weed my garden. I could provide the poshest French cuisine just from my pot plants alone. But no, they dig up my lovely worms - big fat ones - and I wince every time I see another one being dragged from it's comfy hole. I used to make myself late for school when I was little, rescuing drowning worms from rain puddles (you could walk to school in those days) or picking them off hot pavement and popping them into grassy spots. Never mind, little magpies have to eat. Spent the morning weeding the pots (and feeding the mosquitoes) which only showed up how much re-potting I should be doing. Its all go, isn't it?
Must go now, Penny needs a walk. Hope your week- end was a good one. Bye for now, until next time.

Some strange washing?

It's not every day you see furniture hanging from a clothes line but this is how the toymakers at our woodworking club cope with the problem of getting our painted toys dry. There's never enough room in the painting shed and many's the time I've backed into wet paint and come off second best. Then someone came up with this bright idea and it works. They're dolls beds and little helicopters hanging up and some doll's cradles in the background. It's all go, at the moment, to get all the toys finished for the end-of-year giveaway event. Back at home I've still got to get the flower decorations on the doll's prams. Really must get my act together.
Bye for now, until next time.

Finished at last.

Both of my grandsons have grown past the stage of wearing Nana's knits. Though they'd never say so they are much too cool for knitted sweaters. Even their woolly caps are a special kind. The last time I made a jumper for them, one had Thomas the Tank Engine on it and the other a teddy bear flying an aeroplane. (they were 3 yrs old) So these days I spend my time knitting blankets for whichever needy cause is most prominent at the time. I must say I enjoy making blankets as they don't require much mental effort - shaping etc. and as I'm probably the most lazy knitter I know, I dodge sewing up too. I usually pick up stitches along the edge of one square and knit the end of each row into the adjacent square as I go. Sometimes I do the diagonal decrease in the centre of each alternate row that turns straight knitting into a square. I'm lucky to have a really good op-shop near home where I am able to pick up odments of wool at good prices. I try to use wool wherever possible as some countries cook on open fires and wool is the safer option. I've learned to recognise wool in two ways - one is the smell when the yarn is washed (quite distinctive) and the other is to pass the end of a strand of the yarn through the flame of a candle, quickly extinguishing the burning end and allowing it to cool. Burnt wool will crumble to ash and leave the yarn clean whereas acrylic or nylon will form a hard blob where it was burnt.
Anyway, this one's finished at last and I think I might start on some baby knitteds next, one of our neighbours is to have a baby in a few weeks. Also I have another doll to knit for. Better get cracking. Bye for now until next time.

Penny's visit

Since our dear, much loved Kelpie cross died many years ago we haven't had the heart to own another dog but I get my doggy fix every now and again by dog-sitting Penny & Pepper. Pepper you've already met, Penny is a border collie that is owned by a friend of ours who is off for a week on the South coast of NSW. Penny is very patient with me - puts up with all my soppy doggy talk and hugs and allows me to throw a ball around the back garden for her. She's a funny thing, I can't take her for a walk on my own, she gets very distressed if the man of the house doesn't come too. Once, after her repeated attempts to turn back for home, I actually had to take her right back into the house so that she could see for herself that the man of the house was not there. She was OK after that. Penny is very obedient and well behaved, she just has this thing about leaving one of us at home. She won't go without me either and keeps checking to make sure we're all together when we take her for a walk. Pepper, on the other hand, couldn't care two hoots, so long as he gets his walk. Just like humans, they're all different.
Anyway it's time for that walk so off we go. Bye for now until next time.

New Baby

The baby magpie has come to visit at last. All round and fluffy and gripping the branch in a very wobbly fashion. He doesn't know I won't hurt him so without a better camera I can't get any closer than this. That's him - that little blob of grey and white up there among the leaves. There will be another along soon as I can still hear squeaking from the nest and they usually produce more than one baby per season. Without interference he/she can be expected to live for about 20 years.
All the crocheting that is happening at present has got me inspired. Ferreting about in my old books today I have found a pattern from the seventies for a granny square hat. (I love my mess) I think I'll try it out. Watch this space.
Bye for now until next time.