This gal is sort of Winx but in pink and with a ruffled tutu instead of a kitty dress. Her hair is just a hoot. I might have gone a little crazy with the curls.
Wee Wonderfuls in the Land of Nod catalog
This might be my most favorite game ever, hunting for Wee Wonderfuls dolls in the gorgeous Land of Nod catalogs. I can’t even tell you what a kick I get out of seeing the dolls in these gorgeous, adorable, sweet kids’ rooms set ups. I’ve been obsessed with the Land of Nod catalog since they switched over from a more straight-forward catalog shoot to this brilliant new format with the lived in, awesomely messy, real life looking styled kids rooms. (request a catalog here if you’re not getting it) I pore through this catalog like it’s the latest edition of Milk magazine. Like it’s one of those Paumes lifestyle books. It’s so so good. And now my toys are in there in the mix!
February’s catalog
I just love photos of kids playing with my toys. Those were my favorite shots in my book too. Like this 🙂
Winx hanging out in background
These baskets!! I need to go order one right now. And ha! Look what it just reminded me of.. I tried to make something like this and it was a flop. Now I can buy this super cool one. yay!
Fern again
And there are no w.w. here but I just love this photo. My kids so used to do this all the time. Line up all their toys. Cute!
doll hair how-to : loopy yarn hair
Boucle is a great yarn to use if you want your doll to have curly hair. And sewing it down in loops makes for a very fun full head of yarn hair. To do this hairdo, first I pinned and sewed short bags and a base of hair around her head.
Then I wrapped the yarn around cardstock and sewed down the middle. I try my best to keep it evenly spaced but it inevitably bunches up. It doesn’t make much of a difference.
Then I fold a bunch of times on the stitch line, tear apart the cardstock and remove and I have a strings of yarn loops to sew to my doll’s head for curls.
I pinned them in place, wrapping around the crown of the head. Now I need to go sew them down.
tiny hat
This hat started out for me, and then maybe for Phoebe, but too small even for her! Passing down to 2 yo Simon. Is that pom too big for a boy?
Here’s the pattern, very cute but my scale didn’t turn out like theirs at all. Check out the pattern on ravelry to see other knitters’ notes!
civil war era dress research
I’m not a huge stickler for getting details exactly right. I feel it kind of gets in the way of improvising, using what you have on hand, having fun, but I did want to try to at least get in the right ballpark for my Little Women dolls dresses. I’m having lots of fun looking up inspiration!
I found these gorgeous Little Women paper dolls by Donald Hendrinks on this fun website, Gabi’s Paper dolls.
Amy March
this gal’s pinterest board was super helpful. lots of links to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s costume collection.
here’s the dress June Allyson wore as Jo
More paper doll inspiration
knitting a tiny hat with a cool cuff
Did you hear me last night? I was cursing the crap out of that provisional cast on. I wish I’d taken pictures of it, dangit. You crochet on  your cast on stitches. This is the video. It was easy to make, not so easy to unmake. While “carefully unraveling” the provisional cast on I was muttering and swearing and going on to anyone who would listen (nobody) how it was so much trouble and taking forever and couldn’t possibly be worth it. But, I have to say in the end, it was worth it! Look how neat and tidy the folded under cuff of this hat is.. I love it! Once it was on the two sets of circular needles and I was knitting them together I could see it was going to work but it turned out so cool, like knitting magic. The hat however looks like it’s not going to fit me. Or Phoebe even? Maybe one of the dolls. We’ll see.
I started another hat because there was a delay in shipping in the yarn I’d ordered for the Little Women dolls I’m working on. I’m bummed that project hit such a speed bump. I’ve had Jo almost done since before Christmas but I I have a few things I don’t want to finish on her until I see how the other sisters are going to go. I’ll post some in progress/inspiration, pics soon.
Hope you’re enjoying your weekend! Ours is sports free for one last week. I kinda love the dead of Winter.
Pippi!
I made a Pippi Longstocking doll for Phoebe. (see notes below and in comments) I thought she’d get a kick out of her poseable braids – instant updo! She’s in Phoebe’s room right now, playing around, waiting for her to come home. I really want to knit her something. Some sort of wonky uneven sweater. I don’t have the right yarn though. We’ll see if I can get my hands on some before the March sisters hair yarn arrives.
notes: I used the Elise/Elsa pattern but added full head of yarn hair instead of just bangs. Also she has bent button joint arms instead of the straight arms. Body is wool felt and vintage heavyweight cotton fabric. Legs are quilting cotton fabrics, hair is this yarn. I used floral wire through the braids to make them bendable.
