My First Knitted Doll

FO

As you can see, I have finished the Belinda Jane Doll by Flutterby Patch.  I think she is just darling.  I have packed her up already and sent her off to Arizona for my niece's birthday this weekend.

I learned so much making this doll.

I paid for the pattern, because the dolls on the Flutterby Patch site are just wonderful.  And the pattern is fine, but it is all knitted flat and then seamed together.

I just could not do that.  So, for the first time, other than adding stitches to socks for size, I altered the pattern, and knit everything in the round.  Head and body were very easy to do.  as were the arms and the leg parts of the shoe/sock/leg pieces.  But I really had to think to change the shoes from flat to in the round..

I did follow the pattern directions for the face.  So often when I try to make a toy the face just never looks right.  Mine is not exactly like the pattern, but I appreciated her advice on how to place the eyes, and mouth.  The nose I did myself.

The skirt is just like the pattern except,..... yes, it is supposed to be knitted flat and I changed it to the round.  That was an easy change.

I could not figure out how to alter the panties pattern from flat to the round, so I just made up my own.

And, once I had mastered the panties, I just made up my own top for her.

I still need to make her a cardigan (which I will make in purple like the bottom stripe on the skirt).  This, too, is supposed to be knit flat with a raglan sleeve.  But I was looking at the pieces, and I think I can figure out how to knit it in the round also, and STEEK!   I have never tried steeking, but Jasmine, of the KnitMoreGirls says it is easy, so I'm going to try it.

The hair was a tough one.  The directions for this were not very clear, and there were a few photos, but not enough for me.  I think I figured out a reasonable method, and I think the hair came out pretty nice.

I packed her in a box with Coco the Cat.

I decided that I didn't like the way Coco's dress fit, so I made her another one.

Then I mailed them both off.


Where in the World is f1bercat?

I had energy this morning, so I knitted 6 miles, and walked another .52.


I've stopped just South of Portland.


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The walking went really well today.  I am starting to be cautiously optimistic about getting in good enough shape to go to New Zealand with Moogie.

Stay safe and well.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with the beginning of my own "designing."

Two Feet

Salmon and Orange Chinese Poppies

Hello!

After my big FO Friday, I was all set to do a Cast On Monday.  But it was Memorial Day in the USA, so I went to the movies with my husband and youngest son, L, instead.  We saw Men in Black III, and enjoyed it quite a bit.  Not as good at MIB I but definitely better than MIB II.

WIP's

I have cast on and am already about 2/3 finished with a hat for the Sharing Our Gifts  Group on Ravelry.  We are making chemo hats this month.  I bought some super soft yarn at The Knittery, in a rather dark brown, darker than I like to knit, but I know they need hats for men, as well as women, so I thought I would make a guy's hat.

The yarn is Plymouth Yarn's Dream Baby DK and I am using size 3.5mm (US 4) needles with a 16" cable.

This color is close to the true color.  The photos of the hat in progress, are a bit washed out, and make it look more gray than brown.

I have finished the brim and the first part of the pattern.  I am now on the upper chart.  This hat, Brennius Hat by Orna Ferenz, is a really nice guy hat, with a bit of a slouch to it.

The second new project is a doll for my husband's god daughter, M.  I have already made her the Coco the Cat doll,

but, I was looking through the wonderful blog, Flutterby Patch, and the delightful doll and animal patterns for sale there, and at her Etsy store Dollytime, when I saw a doll that looked just like M!  I had to get the pattern.  The doll I am making is called, Belinda Jane,  has curly copper colored hair.  My niece, M, is a definite ginger, and her hair is curly, too.

The doll patterns for sale on this site have such wonderful expressions.  I hope I can come close to making my doll look like them.

Of course, I have changed the pattern a bit.  It calls for a lot of knitting flat and then sewing up.  So I decided to knit what I could in the round and save my self some sewing.  This seemed to work ok for the head and the body.  But when I got to the feet and legs I ran into some interesting ... well,

For the first foot/leg combination, the pattern starts with the shoe, adds the sock then the leg.  The shoe is knitted flat, the sock and leg continue on up, then the whole thing is sewn together and stuffed.

back of shoe sewn closed

  I wasn't sure how the shoe was going to come together, so I knitted it flat, but when I got to the sock, I connected the sides, and proceeded in the round with 4 double pointed needles for the sock and leg.  The leg looked ok, but the shoe was HUGE.

Having figured out how the shoe comes together, for the second shoe/sock/leg, I decided to knit the entire thing in the round, stuffing as I go.  I started with Judy's Magic Cast On, as though I were making a toe-up sock, and knit up the shoe.  I didn't really think about the tension, other than trying to keep everything tight, so that when I stuff it, you won't be able to see the stuffing.  But, I am a rather loose knitter, and this is especially true for my purling.  So, when knitting in the round, I am able to keep my tension much tighter.  This meant that the second shoe is quite a bit smaller than the first, though the socks/legs are about the same.

I like the size of the smaller shoe much better than the big one, even though there is a bit of a ridge where I did a 3-needle bind off.  I will have to frog the first shoe/sock/leg and reknit it.

If I don't, this poor dolly will have a bit of a limp.

Where in the World is f1bercat?

I managed to knit 5.35 miles today.  I told myself to just knit for 25 minutes, and don't worry about the distance, but I got caught up in the knitting (I am working on my Spa Wash Cloths, from the Liz Marino Gift Knits Club design) and went a bit over.  Then, I got on a treadmill, and walked for another 1/4 mile.  I don't really like walking on the treadmill because I can't knit while I do it, but I need to get in better walking shape for the summer.

The 5.35 miles puts me at a total of 206.53 miles knitted.  I am still outside Portland.


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and not very close to any Yarn Shops.  I have about 12 more miles until I reach my daughter, S, at Portland State University.  I should be there by Friday.  I can't wait to see her, if only virtually.

Good night everyone.  Stay safe and well.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet two mismatched feet at a time

Coco The Cat and her Tent Dress

2012.05.07

Coco The Cat

I am making this crocheted cat, Coco The Cat, from the most recent issue (Spring?) of Crochet Today Magazine,   I checked the gauge, even though it is a toy, because the mice I made were a bit mutant in size.  I was getting close to the correct stitches/in., but not the rows/in. or height.  Oh well, it doesn't really matter, does it?  It's a toy.

So the cat came out pretty cute, though a bit short.  I am making it for my god-daughter, M, who will be 4 years old this month.  The idea in the magazine is that you make the cat, with the current clothes, and every issue for I don't know how long, there will be more clothes.

I did not buy eyes, just used French Dots.  I'm not sure I made the right choice there.  M is going to be 4 and she is the youngest of 3 kids, I doubt there will be more, so is there a chance of choking?  Probably not.  I used different yarn for the body and the clothes, though, and it shows.  I didn't have red in the same Vanna Yarn as I used for the body, so I used the One Pound of acrylic I am using to make my sons' afghans.  Bad choice.  First the gauge was a bit off, so the clothes are kind of .. Large.

I had to add a few rows where I tightened up the waistband of the bloomers so they didn't just fall down, even with the cute hole for the tail.

She was swimming in them.  They look ok now, I think.  Note the bit of lace on the bottoms of the legs.

The dress, however, is a disaster, and I will remake it.  It is super stiff (single crocheted, so too dense, and bigger yarn, so just giant size)

I think I will leave the beret (I need to add some elastic as a chin strap), and the scarf is fine.  Otherwise, I like this little cat.

There is a small bag for this outfit that I might crochet if I have time.

Where in the World is f1bercat?

Well, after last week's triumphant failure, just rode once, I am a bit more cautious.  I am writing this blog Tuesday morning, but I actually rode yesterday.  I am hoping to get to the Y MWF this week, and do 20 min. of knitting on the bike.  I think I can handle that.

However, I did ride, and it was a mere 3.68 miles in 20 minutes.   I brought the Fish Hat I am knitting for my nephew A as a wedding present, since that is simple stockinette in the round.  The wedding is at the end of June.  I have a hate/love relationship with knitting to a deadline.  I like the push, or stuff has a tendency to languish on the needles (can anyone say Great American Aran Afghan?  or poor Tony's Sweater - more on that tomorrow).  But then, OMG, I have to get the knitting finished by a certain date.  So I actually added up the inches for the hat, and figured that if I do 1 inch each day, I will be finished with the main hat knitting in 25 days.  That gives me 3 weeks to make the fins, tail and eyes,  block and weave in ends.  In my dreams, I want to have it all finished before the end of June.  So I will try to do more than 1 inch every day, and when I hit the end, rather than let it all sit, I hope I can crank out those fins.  I will feel no pressure as the wedding approaches, knowing I have finished both of the gifts in good time.

I am getting close to Portland State University.  When I get there, I will "visit" my Darling Daughter, S, and let her send me to a few of her favorite hangouts.  Unfortunately, S does not knit or crochet, though she proudly wears the Glass Slipper Socks that I made for her,








and has one of my afghans on her dorm bed.  Obviously, I love my daughter a lot.  This can be seen by the full sized afghan I made.








So, she will not be recommending any LYS's.  I will have to find those on my own.  Portland is supposed to have some wonderful yarn shops.



Before I got sick, I had knitted a total of 175.95 miles.  With the new 3.68 from yesterday I am at 179.63 miles which puts me here:


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stuck on the side of the road.  I thought I was closer to Portland... Maybe I should either knit longer tomorrow, or, get to the Y on Thursday, also.  I just don't want to jinx my riding by trying to do too much.

This is what the trip looks like so far with all of the stops:

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And here is the big map showing my progress as I head to Southern California:


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Sigh.  California is a very long state.  Oregon seems long, also.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet one cat at a time.

2012.05.07

Pay it Forward with Crafting!

2012.05.04

(Warning!  Spoiler Alert!  If you are doing the SKA Mock for May by Rose Hiver, and don't want to see it in advance, there is a photo of the cuffs at the bottom of this post)

1.  Pay it Forward

Yet another thing to give me a reason to craft - as if I needed one! I saw this post at Kara's blog {lbk creations} , and knew I had to participate, and I think I am her first commenter, so I hope I get to be one of her three! I've copied this from her:

If you’re interested in participating here’s the info:

I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post. The gift will be handmade by me. It will be sent sometime in the next 365 days. A year seems like a long time, but that’s what makes it a surprise gift. We all love getting surprises in the mail, right?

1. In your comment, tell me your favorite color or colors.
2. To sign up and receive a gift, you must play along, too. Pay it Forward on your blog, by promising to make a surprise for the first three people who comment on your blog post.
3. You must have a blog.
4. After commenting here, you must re-post this or something similar to your blog in 48 hours. If not, I choose the next person who comments.

Please leave me a way to get in touch with you - an email, Facebook, or Ravelry ID. Something. I will send to anywhere, so don't hesitate to join in!

2. New Follower

Hello to my newest follower, Barbara!  So happy to have you officially following.

3. Finished Objects

Yes!  I have actually finished my Liz Marino Gift Knits Club Snuggly Socks (Better than French Vanilla - or for short, French Vanilla Socks).

Over last weekend, I cast off these socks and my Squash Blossom Lyra's Socks.

I HAVE to finish the fish hat I am making for my nephew, A, for his wedding.

I HAVE to finish the placemats for my sister K's, housewarming gift.

I HAVE to finish the Coco the Cat (and her clothes) I am making for my niece, and god daughter, M's birthday.











I HAVE to finish the RED HOT SWEATER for Tony!  (no photo as I have not been working on that)!

I love these so much, .

 I immediately cast on another pair

and, another pair of socks for SKA/SolidSocks May challenge.

 At one point, as I was counting the cast on stitches (why can't I count to 36?), I actually thought that I need some one to be my Interventionist and say to me, DON'T DO IT!  But, well, I really want these socks.  The SKA/SolidSocks ones are a Mock (mystery sock) by Rose Hiver (Love her designs) in Cascade Heritage Socks Turquoise, and are for ME.  The French Vanilla Socks are in some Cascade Heritage Hand Painted sock yarn that I bought last year at Churchmouse Yarn and Teas.  They will be for my son, J.

Addicted to socks.

4. Top Photo

As the blossoms are just about finished on my Fuji Cherry for the year, I will be switching my top photo to my Chinese Poppies and Black Bart Irises.  I am not sure if I will alternate the two plants, or exactly how I will show their progress from bud to flower.  Probably I will do the poppies first, as they are just about ready to bloom, and the Black Barts are a bit behind.  I need to find something to show the scale of these flowers.  I'm thinking...

but here they both are today:

Chinese Poppy

Black Bart Iris

 Stay safe and well.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet sock after sock after sock after sock