About 35 years ago I started making soft sculpture dolls. It was the beginning of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, and I thought I could do a better job — so I bought a pattern for Miss Martha’s (?) “Little Sonshine Baby.” It was a 14″ doll.
Pattern pieces transfer to graph paper
Not being satisfied with that size only I graphed the pattern and enlarged it, first to 18″ and finally to a 24″ doll.
Pattern enlarged
I took orders to make and sell these dolls. Friends, family, and strangers ordered dolls with varying skin, eye and hair colours, hair styles (or bald), freckles or not, some dressed, some not. These order sheets represent over 60 dolls that I made.
Order sheets
I made only two 24″ dolls, for my own kids.
My daughter on her 5th birthday with her new 24″ doll, Randi.
I take great joy and satisfaction knowing that at least some of these dolls are still being played with by another generation.
Randi, sitting on my granddaughter’s bed, 2018My niece’s and nephew’s dolls, now played with by their childrenSammy, 24″ doll made for my son; Baby, 14″ doll made for my granddaughter in 2011 (brought home for repairs); my first ever 18″ doll.
My granddaughter loves dolls, and probably has more than she can accurately count. She decided she wanted an “American Girl,” but she is, of course, Canadian though she lives in California. So her Mom made a deal with her: if she sold some of her current toys she could use the money to buy a Maplelea doll. (A good deal, what with the low loonie!)
I picked up the parcel from the post office.
Consequently, Mina ordered (and Grandma received – it was shipped to my house) a Maplelea friend. Mina decided her name should be Chrissy Burkard Gehiere Bacon, because of Aunt Chrissy and “I likes bacon.” But when Uncle Simon complained that she didn’t name her doll after him, she added “Uncle Simmie” to the end!
After I picked the doll up from the post office Mina allowed me to unbox her. Definitely a pretty doll, but not dressed for winter. So I found some suitable yarn and made her an outfit. I think she is pretty well off now. (Mitt pattern follows)
All ready for cold weather
Chrissy’s Mitts
Start at fingertips and worked in the round toward wrist. I used Caron’s Simply Soft with 4mm crochet hook. If using different yarn and hook adjust accordingly.
Chain 5
Round 1: Sc in second chain from hook, and in next 2 chains, 3 sc in end, working up the opposite side, sc in next 2 chains, 2 sc in beginning chain. (12 stitches)
Round 2 – 6: Sc in each stitch (12 stitches); chain 3
Round 7- 9: Sc in each stitch, including the 3 chains (15 stitches)
Round 10: Sc, one decrease, 5 sc, one decrease, 5 sc to end. Join.
Thumb:
Row 1: Joint yarn. Sc in each chain and in the body of the mitt. join
Row 2: Sc in each stitch, end. Use end to close the thumb.
(These mitts are not very easy to put on due to the style of the doll’s hands.)
After finishing Mina’s afghan I had a request to make Kwazii for Volker. Kwazii is a former pirate in the show The Octonauts. I bought a pattern from Etsy and started. But I didn’t get it finished before leaving for California. I dutifully packed all the necessary parts into my carry-on luggage, intending to work on it on the plane.
First thing I discovered – I’d brought the wrong crochet hook! I have previously travelled with my case of crochet hooks, but I also almost lost them in security at the airport, or it felt like I almost lost them. Some of my hooks came from my Grandma Roth and I do not want to lose them, so I don’t take them anymore. So no crocheting on the plane.
Trina did not have a 4mm hook, so I had to buy a new hook. In the US Amazon is really amazing; I decided to buy a set of hooks, 2mm – 6mm, for less than $10 with the exchange! a really good deal.
Once I had the right hook, it didn’t take me long to finish Kwazii. I redid his whiskers as I didn’t like the first set. Volker was pleased. Mina wanted a toy too. So I crocheted another character from a pattern book that Trina had purchased. This is Tweak: Then Trina decided to try crocheting a toy while I was there to help. She chose a Vegimal, Tunip (also from the Octonauts), to start. She caught on quickly and decided to make more. Volker is quite in love with the Vegimals.It’s hard to hang onto all your friends and climb around on the playground equipment too!
Mina also wanted a Vegimal, so I made one with a different yarn and smaller hookThis is the size difference, my Codish and Trina’s Tunip:And here are my two favourite children
Back in September 1980 I took a pattern from Woman’s Day magazine to make dolls for my kids. I made Jeremy for Simon and David for Trina.
An original doll (Trina’s David) looking a little worse for its 30 years.
Initially I thought, with that pattern, I could use a photo transfer of Volker’s face to make a grampa doll. That did not work well. Then, inspired by Alicia’s dolls (The Blind Stitch) it occurred to me how I might make a doll that would, with some imagination, look like Volker. Here are some pictures of my work in progress.
Next week I will post pictures of giving little Volker this doll for his first birthday.
