The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Fun with Fabric => Dolls and Toys => Topic started by: Acorn on January 11, 2019, 12:28:15 PM
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This is Dolly:
(https://asset1.marksandspencer.com/is/image/mands/SD_04_T79_5653_ZZ_X_EC_0?wid=670&fmt=pjpeg&qlt=45&$SRP_PRODUCT_IMAGE$)
She has a 22cm/9in chest, and long thin arms and legs. She is about 14in tall. I have just discovered how difficult it is to find dolls' clothes patterns that give anything other than the height. I just don't know whether a pattern labelled as for a 14 inch doll will be the right width - and I am quite particular about fit! I have been looking at knitting patterns, but I am interested in sewing as well.
Does anyone have any sources that give enough information, or any nuggets of advice?
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This looks very similar to my granddaughter's favorite doll. Her's is also very big in the bum, so that she can sit easily. Makes it a bear to fit. I finally decided that the simplest thing would be to buy a single (very overpriced!) clothing item off Amazon and take it apart to draw a pattern. I haven't done it yet, but that's the plan.
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I have the Luna Lapins friends book, which gives patterns for a selection of dolls and their clothing. If you would like specific measurements I can have a look for you.
For example, the Clementine Cat had a dress bodice pattern piece about 10.5 cm shoulder to waist and approx 28 cm round the chest. Should give you enough information to see if they are worth your buying.
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Could you use the dress she is wearing as a starting point and 'clone' it?
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Yes - that's the one plan I have!
@fajita - are all the Luna Lapins creatures the same size? Clementine's clothes would be a bit too big, but not by very much. Dolly's measurements are 22cm, 22cm, 23cm and I'm quite happy to adjust lengths.
At the moment I really want to make her a cardigan to match the one I've made for our new goddaughter (Dolly's clothes are destined for the doll belonging to the new goddaughter's older sister).
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If you like the designs for a 14" doll, you could alter the patterns to fit her measurements, as you would for a person. One good thing, her weight will not go up and down !
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Yes, the ones I have are all similar sized. I have seen on the Facebook Luna lapin page where some people print out larger/smaller printouts to ring the changes.
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https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/14-inch-doll-one-button-cardigan (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/14-inch-doll-one-button-cardigan) is a free download knitting pattern for a cardi to fit a 14" doll with a 9" chest.
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Ooh - thank you @BrendaP.
I found some pdf patterns on Etsy which were cheap enough to buy on spec. I reckon that if I knit the back piece I should be able to tell whether the size is going to be OK without wasting too much time.
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The guage given is 7 sts = 1 inch. The cardi back and fronts require 63 sts which should = 9 inches.
If you start with that and get the right tension, or possibly a smidge looser, it should fit and adjust the length to suit your dolly.
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Yes - I'm sure that one will be OK, but it will have to wait, because it's 4 ply and I only have DK at the moment.
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I've just found a pattern on Ravelry that is designed for 16 inch dolls with a 9 inch chest - Dolly is 14 inches with a 9 inch chest, so that should be fine. The patterns says it is designed for 'Waldorf style dolls' so it looks as though there is a type out there for me to look for. :)
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Acorn, how are you coming along in your knitting and sewing for Dolly? Have you been able to find patterns that suit her?
Dawn
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I'm ashamed to say that she only has one cardi at the moment!
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Her little girl was delighted with it though, because it matches a cardigan I knitted for her baby sister. She doesn't seem to be playing with Dolly very much at the moment, and I have been making clothes for the two girls, but I really must find some other things. For one she really needs some sort of bloomers/leggings/trousers, because that skirt never sits where it should!
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Thanks for sharing the cute photo and don't be ashamed. That cardigan fits perfectly, so you now have at least one tnt pattern for the doll. Leggings are going to be hard to fit because the doll's feet are big. I might go with bloomers. The elastic can stretch over the foot if you don't make it too tight.