Wednesday 19 July 2017

A CUTE LITTLE CANDY DOLL

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A CUTE LITTLE CANDY DOLL

I started making a few teddy bears for a charity drive and that has started me on my toys / amigurumis and more fun.  I am not going to think about where these little dolls are head – but they are sure going to make one little kid happy and spread a few smiles.

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I found a free pattern for this cute little doll right here at https://amigurumibb.com/2013/11/22/bb-candy-dolls/
These are my notes for the crafters (mainly us Indians) who are using a similar yarn, as well as for the little changes I’d made.  These are the cute inspirational photographs (designers) that got me started on this journey.


Materials used : Today I’ve used some of our lovely Indian Oswal 4-ply yarn with a 3 mm crochet hook ; a little embroidery thread ; embroidery needle fabric glue to seal ends ; crochet stitch markers ; poly-fill stuffing ; stocking net ; safety eyes ; beads n   more ; satin ribbon

For Indians You could use Anchor , Red rose , 4-ply knitting cotton , or unbranded knitting cotton or White Rose or bamboo knitting cotton , Milk cotton ; Silk yarns as well as Vardhaman acrylic yarns ; Baby soft acrylic yarn , Ganga Spectrum as well

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.
You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.
     
International yarns :  Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn , Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

Size : She stands at 10.5” tall

Skill level :  Intermediate.  

Stitches used :
Starting slip knot :   https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw 

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot :   https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs


Magic circle :  https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc :  https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA 

Half Double Crochet : Hdc :  yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ; 
yo, draw through all 3 lps.  One hdc made.  
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8 

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] twice.  One dc made.  Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Whipstitch to join : https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join :  https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI


Abbreviations used :
lp(s) : Loop(s)                  sc : Single crochet
dc : Double crochet         sp : Space                                           
sl-st : Slip stitch               ch : Chain
st(s) : Stitch(es)               hk : Hook
yo : Yarn Over
                                                           
                                   
Instructions : (Using U.S terminology)
Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.
Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.     

This pattern is cute and well written.  Here are my notes for the mild confusion that I’d had in the pattern, and what I’ve done.

So there are small bits and pieces here and there, and then the shoes that I’ve made a little differently – all in my notes here.  Enjoy.

Stuffing : Make stocking net balls to stuff toys and amigurumi.  
To make a stocking net ball, wrap a bit of stuffing in a piece of stocking net and then the top of the net.  The stuffing not only stays inside the ball and does not creep out of the gaps in our stitching, but also adds to preventing allergies.  Use similar colored stocking net as your yarn if you can - to keep colors from showing through

This is what my stocking net ball looks like



Head & Body : Clarification


 Head sideways view

Head front view

I’m not sure if you would have worried (even if for just a second till you scroll down the designer’s notes), but when I completed the instructions, I only had a head.. and wondered if I’d gone wrong somewhere.  The body instructions follow after the legs. 
The head has a cute little chin that sticks out forward (thanks to the increases in Round 14) and that looks a little odd (well, to me) but it works out superbly eventually.  Kudos to the designer in this thought process & head / face design !


Legs : Clarification
Round 9 : The designer has said work 4 sc, fold and then work 4 sc. 
So the *fold* here then becomes the heel & back of foot and you will then work the 4 sc on top, and then pick up the remaining 8 sc along the sides and bottom to complete the round.  Once you have your 12 sc all around, you will work upwards to form the leg.

Joining 4 sc


Body : Clarification
Round 2 : The designer has said “sc1, Inc2 over 2chain stitches previous round”. 
So what I’ve done is work 2 sc in the 2 sc from one end between legs, go around the 1st leg and then work 2 more sc in that same ‘ch’ from the other end. 
I am not sure if this is what the designer meant in the first place, but I got the total of 30 sts as required – so I guess that’s what’s most important

Legs joining

Hair weaving ideas
The designer has given a link for hair weaving. In my amigurumi and toy making before, I  have tried (successfully) two types of weaving – one is making a little cap that you weave into and then attach that cap onto the head, and the second is weaving directly onto the head we’ve made.  I’ve used this second way of weaving for this project here.

So for this, start with the first round of 5 sc, and weave in a folded yarn in each of these sts. Hold a length of yarn from the top of the head to the point you want it along the back of the body, and then double that.  This is the yarn you will use for this section of the head.
If you want all the hair one length, the you will need to measure the yarn every few rows as the length will decrease as you start weaving lower and lower on the head (obviously).  If you keep one yarn length, then you will get a nice layered look for the hair – so use these ideas to get different hair styles.

For the actual weaving : Put your hook into 1 st and bring it out of the hole right next to it ; loop the folded yarn onto the hk and pull through ; Pass one half of the folded yarn through this lp and pull tight.  You have woven your first bit of hair in.  I have tied a knot at the scalp just to ensure that if your little kid decides to comb the hair, it does not come off onto her comb ;)
Weave hair all around working one hair into each st for the 1st few rounds.

After working the crown of the head, run a marker around the sides and bottom of the head so you get a hair line marked. 

 Mark hair line with embroidery needle
 Place hook in
 Yarn over
 Pull yarn through
 Yarn over (loop up)
 Yarn pulled through
Knot up.  One  hair strand woven in

Every few rounds, please flip the hair back and check how thick it is and how it is falling.  After the first few rounds, you could opt to work a weave every alternate stitch and every alternate row, depending on 
(a) how thick you want your doll’s hair ; 
and (b) how thick your yarn is.

Right then, let’s get our hair on .. literally :)

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Dress Yoke : I used Anchor knitting cotton for the dress.  
I started with fsc (as usual), so started with 25 fsc as against 27 ch.
We start the dress / shirt from the neck down, and are working in rows from the back, around the front and to the back again. So the opening will be along the back. 

There is a small typo after R 5.  The designer says Repeat R 5 till the length needed.  What is meant is not the skip any stitches but to work in the stitches that remain.  When we skipped the sts in R 5, we have made the sleeves / armhole openings, so what we continue now to work on is the across front and across back of our little shirt / top of dress till we decide how long we want this.  I am sure you get what I mean :)

Dress Skirt : Here’s what I’ve done
I worked a multiple of 3 + 2 in the last row before I finished off with the yoke of my dress.  The designer has suggested that you work in rows for a bit and then start working in rounds.  So before you join your ends, ensure that the opening is wide enough for her head and hair to go through easily enough for a child to work it.

I’ve started numbering from R 1 (which could be Row or Round)

R 1 : dc in the 1st 2 dc ; 
(dc ; ch 1, dc) all in the next dc ;
*dc in the next 2 dc , rep (to) in the next dc* ;
rep *to* till end.  
Turn (or join with a sl-st if working in round)

R 2 : dc in the 1st 2 dc ; sk next dc, 
(dc ; ch 1, dc) all in the next ch-1 sp ;
*sk next dc, dc in the next 2 dc ; sk next dc,  
rep (to) in the next ch-1 sp* ;
rep *to* till end.  
Turn (or join with a sl-st if working in round)

In our following row / round, we’ll use a “V”-st which is (2 dc ; ch 1, 2 dc) all in the same ch-1 sp.

R 3 : dc in the 1st 2 dc ; sk next dc, “V”-st in the next ch-1 sp ;
*sk next dc, dc in the next 2 dc ; 
sk next dc,  “V”-st in the next ch-1 sp* ;
rep *to* till end.  
Turn (or join with a sl-st if working in round)

Rep R 3 till your dress is of the length needed.
Note : Our pattern is a rep of 2 dc followed by a “V”-st.  
So for all following rows, you will be actually sk the next 2 dc (of the “V”-st) and only working your “V”-sts in the ch-1 sp of the earlier “V”-st.. but you did get that, didn’t you :)

For finishing – follow what the lovely designer has suggested and run a round of sc all around the neckline, back placket and armholes.  For fun, run this round in the contrast thread that you’ve used for the skirt.


Slip-On Shoes :
The designer has made a cute lil elf shoe. 
Here’s what I’ve done though.

Start : with a magic circle and 5 sc in the circle.  
Join with a sl-st to the 1st sc.

Round 1 : 2 sc in the 1st sc and in each sc till end.
Join with a sl-st to the 1st sc. (10 sc)

Round 2 : 2 sc in the 1st sc ; sc in the next sc ;
*2 sc in the next sc ; sc in the next sc* ;
rep *to* all around 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.  (15 sc)

Round 3 : 2 sc in the 1st 2 sc ; sc in the next sc ;
*2 sc in the next 2 sc ; sc in the next sc* ;
rep *to* once ; 
sc in all the sc till end, 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.  (18 sc)

Round 4 : sc in the 1st sc and in each sc all around. 
Join with a sl-st to the 1st sc. (18 sc)

Rounds 5 - 8 : Rep Round 4.

We will now work in rows for the next few rows, working on the sides and back of our shoe.

Row 9 : sc in the 1st sc and in the next 13 sc.  Turn.   (14 sc)

Rows 10 - 15 : Rep Row 9.

In the last row of the shoe, we’re going to fold our row in half and attach the 9 sc down the back to make the back of the shoe.
To attach the shoe, we will be working in both the folded halves.
Use one of the several ideas given above (top of blog) for joining.

Row 16 : Fold the shoe in half, and work 9 sc through both halves of the shoe. 
Fasten off and weave in ends.
One shoe complete.  
Repeat instructions for the second shoe as well.

Tweak : Using the contrast colour of the dress, run a round of sc or sl-st all around the top of the shoe.

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I have a few toys / amigurumi already made, and just in case you want a dekho at those free patterns … here you go 


































and some home use / miscellaneous free patterns ...