Category Archives: knitting

Jan2

The Rainbow Dress

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The Rainbow Dress

The rainbow dress Vivi requested is finished, almost. I am not particularly pleased with it. It needs blocking, but I’m afraid of melting the shiny (polyamide?) fibers in the yarn.

I followed pattern #45 from Sticka till Barbie, but I made lots of mistakes. Luckily, this nubby yarn (Lion Brand Bon Bons in Celebrate) is fairly forgiving. I used the colors leftover from my other Barbie projects, so hopefully Vivi will be forgiving, too.

Barbie doesn’t look thrilled either. Maybe, it’s the burgundy backdrop she’s eyeing. Could be it’s the Christmas tree still up and lit on Jan. 2. I keep mine on until the Epiphany.

Dec27

What a Diva!

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What a Diva!

I can hear her singing Mariah Carey, can’t you?

This bodacious boa is an easy knit. The yarn is Lion Brand Fun Fur in red. Cast on 100 stitches on size 1 needles. Garter stitch for 4cm. Cast off, and fluff with your fingers! It’s that easy. The original instructions are from  Sticka till Barbie, #752 by Margaret Smith.

Dec25

My own pattern!

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My own pattern!

Remember this old girl, Fashion Queen Barbie? She came in an Egyptian-looking bathing suit with a head scarf and 3 wigs! Only this blond one has survived at my house.


She’s my latest model since Hispanic Barbie is visiting with Vivien. I was looking for a simple knitted dress pattern, but the one I found was not simple at all. So, I came up with my own. It needs some tweaking before I share it. 

I’ll try again, after I have a go at the “rainbow dress” Vivi has requested. I’m also going to try a Fun Fur wrap!

Dec17

A Green One, too!

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A Green One, too!

Barbie might get invited to two parties, so I knit her a green sparkly outfit. I didn’t follow the pattern, this time, either. This is a K2P2 rib on the skirt and the yoke of the top.

This yarn is nubbier than the red and harder to  work with. I’m happy with it, but my eyes hurt. I feel very fluish, anyway.

Dec10

Barb’s New Outfit! 

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Barb’s New Outfit! 

Barbies’s all set for a Christmas party in her new sweater and skirt!

It’s knit from the same Lions Brand Bon Bon Yarn in red. The pattern became my own. I started with the skirt and messed up on the second row. The whole skirt was supposed to be knit in K1P1 rib, but I knit in my purls and purled in my knits. That makes a seed stitch. Instead of ripping it out and starting over, I kept going, at least for about 6 rows. I’m not crazy about seed stitch, so I changed to stockinette. I knit the length of the skirt and finished it with a few toes of seed stitch. The top called for stockinette, but I finished it in matching seed stitch, too!

I haven’t sewn the back of the top yet. I’m afraid I won’t be able to get it back on the Doll. I may opt for hooks or snaps. I don’t like the Velcro used on most doll clothes, today.

The sweater set is based on number 39 from www.stickatillbarbie.se. Barbie has a new outfit and I’m afraid I may have a new obsession.

Dec6

Barbie’s Scarf

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Barbie’s Scarf

It’s getting chilly, so I made Barbie a scarf. It was the perfect starter pattern because it let me gauge my gauge! (? knitting humor) This is my favorite Barbie, but she has a high forehead and thinning hair. I think I’ll try to knit the matching cap.The yarn is from Lion Brand’s Bon Bons, the Celebrate collection. The pattern is a simple K1P1 rib knit across 10 stitches on size 0 needles. It’s 10 inches long, bound off in the rib pattern.

Dec1

Vivi’s Leg Warmers

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Vivi’s Leg Warmers

My granddaughter spotted this yarn in my knitting box and wanted leg warmers. They’re finished! They look very narrow, but that K2P2 rib stitch is very stretchy.

If you are using a self-striping yarn, take note in the beginning the place (color) in the pattern where you start casting on. Choose the same place (color) to start casting on when you knit the second one. They’ll match!

Nov25

Knitted Barbie Clothes

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Knitted Barbie Clothes

I have found the most amazing website! A dear Swedish lady has designed over 1000 knitted outfits for Mattel’s Barbie and Ken Dolls! This is number 1,134!

I am fond of this cape, number 1,023:

The collection even includes miniature versions of the costumes of the Swedish pop singers,  ABBA, worn during the 70’s!

The instructions are available in 6-8 different languages, but always include English.

Outfits often include knitted accessories.

I don’t know if I have the patience or eyesight for these tiny knitted garments. I plan to start simple, with a scarf or a skirt.

I also plan to find the name of the creator of these patterns, share it, and thank her profusely!

The cost of all these instructions? They’re free! Visit this amazing collection at http://stickatillbarbie.se/

Mar10

Knitted Beaded Bracelets

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Knitted Beaded Bracelets

knitted bracelet

The day that my granddaughter, Vivien, was born, I attended the annual Needle Arts Extravaganza in Statesville, NC. There I discovered, “Friends and Fiberworks,” yarn vendors from Candler, NC (near Asheville.) I bought a kit for this knitted bracelet from them. The design is by Beth Todd and you can buy her pattern on Craftsy, or a kit from Friends and Fiberworks.

knitted bracelet 2

The kit came with yarn, beads, clasp and instructions. It knit up fairly quickly, and I enjoyed bringing a bead up with every stitch. I even enjoyed pre-stringing the beads.

knitted bracelet 3

The only thing that was difficult was making myself knit in the back of the stitch.

I enjoyed it so much that I bought other colors of thread and beads and made another.

knitted bracelet 4

After I finished the pink one, I went a little nuts buying #6 seed beads and matching threads. I had a teal colored bracelet all but finished, dropped it, and it unraveled almost to the beginning. After that, I lost interest and turned my attention to my next obsession, glass gems!

knitted bracelet 5