Just got to do the stitch up!

I have finished knitting my next doll, I just have to sew up the seams and stitch on the limbs, hands and feet. I found this all pretty quick to knit this time, as I'm getting the hang of how to hold the needles and keep count. 

Next it's on to the hair, this involves doing loop stitch which I'm very slow at. I'm also using a textured wool that is also a bit thinner than double knitting wool, so I'm trying my luck a bit, but hopefully it will work.

I'm still making the petal dress in sea colours- I'm enjoying this as it is shaping up nicely.

I'm also finding that knitting is really relaxing, perfect for de-stressing at the end of the day...

Until next time

Gillian

Starting something new

My favourite book of the moment

Time for a new project. I'm going to make a Sea Fairy doll based on the Daisy Livingstone Doll in Annette Hefford's book Knitted Pirates, Princesses, Witches, Wizards and Fairies. 

The legs so far...

I'm adapting the pattern so that the dolls body has a colour change so that she looks as if she is already wearing leggings and I'm thinking of also doing the same to make an integral strapless cami type undertop.


I've started the dress before finishing the body so I have two different elements going at the same time, one (the body) I can do while watching TV or talking, the other (the dress) requires lots of careful counting so I have to do it when I have no distractions... it might take a while therefore!

The first two petal panels of the dress.

The fairy will be dressed in pale sea greens and blues and will have a floaty petal panelled dress and jacket. There will be twelve panels altogether in the dress in varying tonal shades from sage to turqoise to pale green to a light lilac blue which sounds a bit weird but really matches well. The pattern is not overwhelmingly difficult, but is complicated simply because it is tricky to keep your place with several repeats that are different according to the panel you are on- a friend helped with this last week by just telling me to keep a record of exactly where I was in a pattern by writing it in a notebook- the simplest of advice, but I hadn't thought of it!!!!

It's going to be fun doing this one...

So until next time

Gillian

Finished!

I've finished my first Annette Hefford doll. Hooray!!! I have to find a name for her and I think Sarah suits, so this is Sarah!


My first ever knitted project finished- not as originally planned, but then that is the way I do things, they go in the direction that feels right.


So instead of a long skirt I had planned, the underpants have become shorts which I combined with a jumper that is a variation of the witches jumper pattern from the book (Knitted Pirates, Princesses, Witches, Wizards and Fairies). I also made a tie belt and shoes to match. 

I've learnt a lot making this doll and feel pleased with the result- that's not to say it's perfect and I suppose that's why I want to move on to a new doll which I will be able to do better now I know some of the basics of knitting.


I read some of the reviews of Annette's book the other day and whilst everyone has given it 5 stars (as I did), one said it was for intermediate and advanced knitters and not for beginners- well I proved that wrong!  I believe that you can do anything you put your mind to; though I also think that the more you practice something, the better you get.


I'm pretty sure in the future I may make more clothes for Sarah but now I'm planning the next doll, which will also be from Annette Heffords wonderful book.










So until next time
Gillian

More knitting

My knitting has slowed down this weekend. A combination of being out geocaching a lot and hayfever giving me puffy blurry eyes... it might seem obvious that I would be better off indoors but I do love going out walking and strangely I usually am not too bad in woodland- I think it is May Tree (hawthorn) blossom that affects me most so that my hayfever is worse in towns and parks where it is more common.

Anyhow here is my latest from the Annette Hefford doll clothes. The first leg of the underpants is done and I'm most of the way up the next.

I was knitting at 6.00am this morning as I work up a bit early and I didn't want to waste the time! - when I wake up I don't always want to even try to go back to sleep if I want to do something...





....some people might think I'm a bit batty!!!

.... or a bit dotty!!!!





OK that's a lame link in order to show off two of my home made sewn softies that my family say are pretty cool. The bat is made from fleece and of course the monkey is a sock monkey. I made them both last year when I was just getting used to making toys again after a bit of a break...

...so many hobbies, never enough time...

Until next time
Gillian

Knitted doll update

I had a rethink on the dolls hair last night. The bulky look of the loops didn't look right so I cut the loops to make a straighter look. I then decided to trim it so it looked properly layered. (I cut my husband's and boys hair so hairdressing isn't completely new to me... I just haven't cut a doll's hair before!) The hair is still pretty full but now looks a lot better.

 This is the start of the underpants. They ended up purple, not the green I planned- the green just didn't suit the doll... perhaps I'm overthinking this but I have to get everything just right.

I've found it harder to do the clothes as I'm now more aware of the need to get a more consistent tension so the clothes fit the doll. I'm also finding it hard to decide what to make first, I want to do so much... it will probably take a lot longer to do all the clothes than it did to do the doll's body. Plus I want to do another doll so that I can make it better next time....

Oh well, one thing at a time...

Until next time
Gillian

Knitting - body and hair complete!

Update on Annette Hefford pattern doll- from Knitted Pirates, Princesses, Witches, Wizards and Fairies book.


The doll's body and hair are now finished, and the face is sewn. I know an experienced knitter can probably spot all my many mistakes but I'm quite pleased with the result as it is the first thing I have ever knitted.

I made the hair/wig using loop stitch which was tricky. I found that there were different ways of making the stitch depending on the source and, being inexperienced, went with the one that I could work out easiest. I do wonder if there isn't a bit too much hair now... it all looks a bit seventies perm!

 The overall doll is tall at 45cm, and went together well. I particularly like that the hands have five fingers that actually look like fingers!

I've started the clothes too, starting with the underwear- I started the same piece several times last night, learning moss stitch this time- I kept losing track though and didn't like my tension so I kept unpicking it. I really like to get it totally right- I'm not usually such a perfectionist but this matters to me. I even changed colour three times- I've ended up with a dark purple- so much for the green I was going to use a few days ago...


Until next time
Gillian

Knitting - progress update

A quick update...


1. Body sewn up and stuffed. Feet sewn, stuffed and attached.

2. Hair/wig started. Slow going as I've had to learn loop stitch and this is a slow and fiddly stitch anyway.

 3. Right hand knitted.

4. Left hand sewn up and stuffed. Quite pleased with this one. Surprised it actually looks like a hand!

5. Arms knitted


I'm hoping to do some more this evening. I feel the doll is close to completion so I'm feeling really pleased. I've started thinking about the clothes I want to make, but so far all I know is I'm probably going to make lots of green clothes- perhaps all the walking we've been doing has influenced me so I'm choosing colours associated with nature...


... no promises though as I've also got some wool in pretty pinks and corals.


Until next time
Gillian

Knitting update 2

Here's some photos of my knitted work in progress.

This is the top half of the body and the head with the arms either side.











This is the lower part of the legs and one foot.


I've still to finish knitting the second foot and both hands. This look really fiddly, with five fingers on each there is going to be lots of casting on, casting off, increases and decreases in a really small piece of work.


I'm currently putting off sewing up the seams, but will have to tackle them soon... I have sewn and unsewn the head seam twice already because I didn't like the way it looked- my invisible seam was very visible! Today I bought a hands free magnifying glass to see if that helps- it should make it easier to see what I am doing at least. 


I want to spend the evening tonight trying to do either hands or seams, I haven't decided which yet...


Until next time
Gillian

Knitting update

The knitting is going quite well- hence no time for blogging yesterday- I really wanted to make some progress and somehow when I looked up it was about when I usually go upstairs to read before bed...

I've now done the legs, body and head, plus both arms. That only leaves the feet and hands to do. I've left them until last as they use a much finer needle and look very fiddly. Oh, and I have to sew it all up. Invisible seams look tricky and I keep scouring 'you tube' for tutorials... So some difficult bits to conquer yet... but so far this week I have learnt to cast on, knit, purl, increase, decrease, pick up dropped stitches, untwist stitches and cast off- all curtosy of other peoples help tutorials. I particularly like an app I've downloaded called KnittingHelp.com. So thank you if you ever do tutorials, there may well be someone like me benefiting from them!

I can now see the end in sight.... then it will be onto the fun bit of making the clothes- I found some gorgeous wool in shades of green yesterday so of course got them straight away so that has decided my theme colour. Now I just have to get on with it...

Until next time
Gillian

Knitting!

I am loving knitting at the moment. The legs and bottom of the fantasy doll are done and I'm working up towards the waist. The only bit I'm really finding tricky is the tension. I think I'm mostly keeping it too tight but I don't want to see the stuffing when the doll is done.


I'm getting a little faster but it is not natural yet. This afternoon I suddenly couldn't remember how to purl, yet I've done 80 rows of it! 


I'll take another photo in a couple of days to show my progress then.


Until next time
Gillian

Knitting!

I can't knit. I can crochet- and I find that easy- but I've never got the hang of knitting. I've learnt the basic stitches a few times but have never managed to put it all together to make anything. It just doesn't feel natural to me.

The other day I was in Waterstones looking at the craft books when I saw this amazing book 'Knitted Pirates, Princesses,  Witches, Wizards and Fairies' by Annette Hefford, publisher Search Press. I loved the fantasy doll designs, they are a step up from anything I've ever seen before. I showed my husband the book and he kindly bought it for me. So I considered trying to convert the designs into crochet- OK that's not realistic!!!  So now I've decided the time has come for me to conquer knitting...

No more "I can't knit", now I will learn. I may have to keep looking up each new technique on the internet but I will learn. (Notice the 'I will learn' - I'm going to keep repeating that to myself so that I convince myself!).

My first 4 rows are shown in the photo. 54 stitches completed successfully in stockin stitch. This may take some time but I will learn!

This morning I saw the most beautiful moon at dawn... stunning!

Until next time
Gillian