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I am ridiculously excited about knitting dolls clothes

(31 Posts)
Flossieturner Fri 06-Sep-19 08:26:26

I have 8 GC, 4 boys and 4 girls, with a 22 year gap between the eldest and youngest. I enjoy knitting, but none of the parents like hand knitted children’s clothes. None of the girls have ever been interested in dolls. But now the littlest one who is nearly 4 has made my day. I made her a knitted doll with some clothes and it is her favourite toy when she visits. We recently chose together a dolls clothes patterns and I am eagerly waiting for the wool to arrive.

I was a bit surprised at the expense of the patterns and the wool, but I think I will get as much pleasure making them as she will playing with them.

Ilovecheese Fri 06-Sep-19 08:41:20

I know exactly what you mean!

lovebeigecardigans1955 Fri 06-Sep-19 08:44:48

It's always good to create things, it gives you a warm glow, doesn't it?

I got a cheap Sindy type doll from the supermarket for £1 and I've made dresses etc for her. I've always liked sewing.

leyla Fri 06-Sep-19 09:11:39

I would have loved you if you were my grandma!

harrigran Fri 06-Sep-19 09:19:36

I used to knit clothes for Sindy and, strangely, for Action man.
My DC looked after their toys and they were still in good condition when GC first started to play. The last time I looked Action man's karate suit was spoilt, only jacket remains as the trousers, hairband and all the different coloured belts have been disposed of. Sindy is naked and one of each pair of shoes gone confused

NanaandGrampy Fri 06-Sep-19 09:28:36

One of my most cherished memories was receiving a shoe box filled with beautifully knitted Sindy doll clothes from my Gran. Each one was perfect , even down to a little silver and white wedding dress trimmed with tiny seed pearls.

I did the same for my granddaughter and she loved it, so I can totally understand your excitement Flossie , enjoy!!

Witzend Fri 06-Sep-19 09:37:42

Ditto, Flossie - I've knitted quite a few things for old baby dolls of a dd, which Gdd (4) spends ages playing with when she's here.
Last week she wanted 'shoes' for one of them, and chose these (all in one shoes and socks) from one of my stash of patterns. Not nearly as fiddly as they look!

The first doll's outfit I knitted for her used up some of the pastel multicoloured yarn that was supposed to make a cardigan for a dd over 30 years ago! Don't know why I never finished it - there must have been some too-fiddly bits.

More of it has since made a couple of doll's pram blankets - she loves putting her 'babies' to bed - just st st with a garter st. border all round.

M0nica Fri 06-Sep-19 09:41:29

I love doing it. DD and I bonded over making clothes for her dolls. She sewing and me knitting. Now she makes clothes for me!

I have done the same with DGD, exactly the same, I have taught her to sew and bought her a sewing machina and again, she sews, I knit.

Farmor15 Fri 06-Sep-19 11:32:48

I still have a few clothes knitted for my dolls by my granny, more than 60 years ago. I didn't see her very often, as she lived in England and I was in Ireland, but I have lovely memories of her sitting in a rocking chair, knitting.

mcem Fri 06-Sep-19 12:27:02

I have knitting phases but prefer an aran sweater to little things which I do find fiddly.
My sister is the opposite and loves tiny knitting!
She provided lovely sets of clothes for her DGDs (x3) then showed some pic's to my DGD who admired them .
A week later she presented her with 2 lovely outfits including knitted knickers trimmed with broderie anglaise!

(Predictive text changed that to groceries anglaise!)

Parsley3 Fri 06-Sep-19 12:31:36

I know what you mean. I am thrilled to bits to have been asked to knit a ballet shrug for my granddaughter.
?

Flossieturner Fri 06-Sep-19 12:44:16

What lovely responses, Happy knitters and sewers. This is what I bought

Witzend Fri 06-Sep-19 14:26:07

I've got that pattern, Flossie! I made the dress (bottom right and left ) in a pastel multicolour, and a matching hat.
Happy knitting!

Dawn22 Wed 11-Sep-19 17:38:39

If only you had been my mother in law. flowers

Oldandverygrey Wed 11-Sep-19 18:07:20

Flossie - if its wool you are after and you are near any Charity Shops, pop in, I do and have purchased some real wool bargains. I also knit dolls clothes as well, just finished a mermaid.

Gonegirl Wed 11-Sep-19 18:28:42

Love the picture Witzend posted. The pink outfit. That is just like the Tiny Tears doll my daughter had.

Don't think my two grandsons would be appreciative.sad

petra Wed 11-Sep-19 18:39:22

Flossie
Re the charity shop wool. If you use a charity shop regularly ask the staff to put this by for you. We do it for our regulars with all sorts of donations.

M0nica Wed 11-Sep-19 19:15:42

A lot of shops like Poundland and Wilkinsons also sell wool and even proper knitting shops usually have a bin of odd balls, going cheap.

Lilypops Wed 11-Sep-19 20:58:33

My daughters (now 44years old) twins , had Tiny Tears dolls, I still have them , I knitted all their outfits, then the dolls were passed down to my Granddaughters and I made more clothes for them , Now my GD , s are too old to play with the dolls but I still have them and when I feel bored I will still knit dolls outfits, I can't part with Tiny Tears !

Witzend Wed 11-Sep-19 21:01:18

Local big garden centre has yarn, too. I found there the brownish tweedy type I wanted for one of my Nativity shepherds. Very cheap, too.

Lilypops Wed 11-Sep-19 21:03:21

Flossie , Witzend , that is a lovely pattern , may I ask the make and pattern number, I would love that ,

Witzend Thu 12-Sep-19 10:33:42

Lilypops, that one is King Cole 5000, but it only comes in one size, to fit an 18 inch doll.

The pink one with the 'shoes' I posted above comes in sizes 12-22 inches - Sirdar 3119.

I also have this (pic) Sirdar, 12 - 22 inches, no. 3123.

Witzend Thu 12-Sep-19 10:37:56

Oh, and this, also Sirdar 12-22 inches, no. 3124.
I found the pattern much too fiddly for me, so just did it in a simple moss st IIRC, turned out fine.

Oldandverygrey Thu 12-Sep-19 15:34:59

Witzend I remember your Nativity shepherds, are you going to knit any more this year?

Davida1968 Thu 12-Sep-19 15:46:57

Flossieturner, I was similarly excited when my DGD had a baby doll and it needed clothes. I hadn't knitted for over 30 years but I happily knitted all sorts of items, which were very well-received. A few years later I was less thrilled when DGD acquired a Barbie doll ( a birthday gift from her friend). But as I have mentioned elsewhere on GN, I made it my mission to "de-sluttify" Barbie, and by the time I finished (despite the challenge of using using fine needles and 4-ply) she was outfitted like Jackie Kennedy - complete with pill-box hat!
Wishing you happiness with these baby-doll-knitting years - they fly so fast....