The Bold Doll shows you how
Here’s a contemporary take on that most traditional of crafts. Check your tension before you start. If you miss out this step you could easily end up with a maxi dress for the fuller figure when a knee-length petite was required. Or a knicker-revealing shocker when you’d really wanted a demure cover-up. If your sample is too big, try switching to a size smaller needles and if too small… well you get the idea.
HEAD HUNTER HAT
by Terence Oldham
For Mini Super Dollfie, or MSD, dolls about 42 cm tall.
Abbreviations: dp: double pointed; rep: repeat;
sl-k2tog-psso: slip 1 st knitwise, k2tog, pass slipped st over last st; slwyif: bring yarn to front, slip 1 st purlwise;
ssk: slip, slip, knit; ssp: slip 2 sts knitwise, separately, transfer sts back to left needle, p2tog through the back loop; tog: together; st: stitch; sts: stitches; st/st: stockinette.
Materials: Fingering wt. about ½ oz. for hat, 4 yards for teeth. Use #1 straight and #1 dp needles for hat and #0 for teeth. Adjust needle size as needed to obtain gauge.
Gauge in st/st: 9 sts = 1″, 11 rows = 1″,
fits 7-8″ head with wig on.
Hat: Using #1 straight needles, cast on 90 sts leaving about 7″ tail to sew short back seam.
Rows 1 & 2: work in rib, k1, p1.
Row 3: work onto 3 dp needles, 30 stitches on each needle.Row 4: join and work in rib, 30 stitches on each needle.
Row 5: work in st/st, 30 stitches on each needle.
Continue to work in st/st until work = 1 ½” from edge.
Begin decrease for crown shaping.
*K7, k2tog, rep from * to end of round. 80 sts on needle.
K 1 round.
*K6, k2tog, rep from * to end of round. 70 sts on needle.
K 1 round.
*K5, k2tog, rep from * to end of round. 60 sts on needle.
K 1 round.
*K4, k2tog, rep from * to end of round. 50 sts on needle.
K 1 round.
*K3, k2tog, rep from * to end of round. 40 sts on needle.
*K2, k2tog, rep from * to end of round. 30 sts on needle.
*K1, k2tog, rep from * to end of round. 20 sts on needle.
K2tog to end of round. 10 sts on needle.
K2tog to end of round. 5 sts on needle.
Cut yarn and draw tail through remaining 5 sts, pull tightly
to close hole.
Teeth: For the teeth, you’ll be picking up sts along the edge of the bottom ribbing, at the rate of about 3 tooth sts to 2 hat sts. Pick up 2 normally and the 3rd from inside the v of the knit sts. Leave as little space as possible between teeth. The two middle teeth will be large teeth, and the two outside teeth will be small teeth. The teeth shouldn’t curl, but may have a tendency to flip outwards at first; blocking the hat will fix that.
Large tooth: Pick up 11 sts.
P 1 row.
K1, slwyif, k7, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p5, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
K1, slwyif, k2, sl-k2tog-psso, k2, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p3, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
K1, slwyif, k1, sl-k2tog-psso, k1, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p1, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
K1, slwyif, sl-k2tog-psso, slwyif, k1.
P2tog, p1, ssp.
Slwyif, k2tog-psso.
Cut yarn and draw through remaining st, pull tightly.
Small tooth: Pick up 9 sts.
P 1 row.
K1, slwyif, k5, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p3, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
K1, slwyif, k1, sl-k2tog-psso, k1, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p1, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
K1, slwyif, sl-k2tog-psso, slwyif, k1.
P2tog, p1, ssp.
Slwyif, k2tog-psso.
Cut yarn and draw through remaining st, pull tightly.
Earflaps and Ties: Earflaps should be positioned as close to the teeth as possible. This time, pick up stitches at the normal rate of 1 earflap st to 1 hat st. Make two.
Pick up 21 sts.
P 1 row.
K1, slwyif, k to 2 sts before end, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p to 3 sts before end, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
K1, slwyif, k to 2 sts before end, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p to 3 sts before end, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
K1, slwyif, k1, ssk, k to 5 sts before end, k2tog, k1, slwyif, k1.
Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p to 3 sts before end, slwyif, k1, slwyif.
Repeat previous two rows until you’ve decreased down to 9 sts. K1, slwyif, k1, sl-k2tog-psso, k1, slwyif, k1. Slwyif, k1, slwyif, p1, slwyif, k1, slwyif. K1, slwyif, sl-k2tog-psso, slwyif, k1. P2tog, p1, ssp.
At this point you’ll have 3 sts on the needle and can begin your i-cord ties.
Knit 3 sts i-cord until you have about 2 ½” of cord, or to desired length. Cut yarn, leaving a 2 ½” tail, but keep sts on needle.
Cut 4 lengths of yarn, each about 4″ long. Thread your yarn tail and these 4 lengths of yarn through the remaining 3 sts on your needle. Fold the 4 lengths of yarn in half, then tie a knot with the whole mess of i-cord and yarn, positioning the actual knot right over the spot where you threaded yarn through your 3 sts. Including the yarn tail, you should now have a tassel with 9 pieces of yarn. Trim ends of tassel to desired length.
Repeat for second earflap.
Eyes: If you’ve obtained Googly eyes with a built-in backing, ignore this section. Otherwise: get buttons and glue. You’ll need buttons with a flat front and a loop backing that you can thread yarn through later. Glue buttons to the backs of Googly eyes. Make sure that the loops are positioned so yarn threaded through them will be horizontal, not vertical.
Set eyes aside to attach them after blocking.
Finishing: Weave in ends and block. Thread a length of yarn through an eye-button-loop, and then thread each end of the yarn through the hat, wherever you want the eye to go. Knot the ends together tightly, and clip any extra yarn. Repeat for second eye, unless you want a cyclops.
MEN’S SLEEVELESS VEST
For male fashion dolls about 12″ tall. You’ll need ¼ oz 3-ply fingering yarn and a set of #1 (2.25 mm) double-pointed needles. Alter the length of the vest by increasing or decreasing the number of rows knitted where the pattern says to “knit each rnd until piece measures approximately 2¼””, use your doll as a guide. Working to a tension of 9 sts x 13 rows gives a 1″ square.
Note: Ribbing is k 1, p 1. Stockinette stitch means knit one row, purl one row; Seed stitch is * k 1, p 1, rpt from* across, on the next row k the p sts and p the k sts; and “inc” means “increase in next stitch”.
Vest: Begin at bottom, cast on 39 sts & rib in k 1, p 1 for 4 rows. Divide on 3 needles as follows: With 1st needle, k 21 sts; 2nd needle, k 9 sts; 3rd needle, k 9 sts. With yarn end left from casting on, sew ribbing together to form circle. Knit 10 rounds. 11th rnd: Inc in 1st st, k 19, inc in next 2 sts, k 19, inc in next st. Now knit each rnd until piece measures approximately 2¼” from bottom, ending with needle with 9 sts on it.
Back: Work 1st needle (23 sts) as follows:
Row 1: P 2 tog, k to last 2 sts, p 2 tog. Row 2: Purl. (The p st on the right side forms a ribbing effect along armhole.)
Row 3: P 1, k to last st, p 1. Row 4: Purl.
Rpt rows 3 & 4 six times.
Shape Shoulders: Bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Then bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Bind off remaining 7 sts.
Left Front: Attach yarn & work 2nd needle (10 sts) as follows:
Row 1: P 2 tog, k to end of row. Row 2: K 3, p across.
Row 3: P 1, k to last 5 sts, k 2 tog, k 3. Row 4: K 3, p across.
Row 5: P 1, knit across. Row 6: K 3, p across.
Row 7; P 1, k to last 5 sts, k 2 tog, k 3. Row 8: K 3, p across.
Rpt rows 5 & 6 four times on 7 remaining sts.
Shape Shoulder: Bind off 4 sts, k across; K 6 rows on these 3 sts and bind off.
Right Front: Work 3rd needle (10 sts) as follows:
Work as for left front on 10 sts, reversing shaping. To dec on 3rd & 7th rows, use “sl 1, k 1, psso” instead of “k 2 tog.”
Finishing: Sew shoulder seams & sew border together at back of neck & sew to neck edge. Pin flat, steam lightly and let dry, you might put the vest over a tube during drying to hold the shape.
BASIC BLACK WIDE NECKED SWEATER
by Deanna Marconi
Fits 15 ½ to 16 inch dolls, sample made with KnitPicks Palette Bittersweet Heather. Needles size 0 (2 mm) and 1 (2 ¼ mm).
Gauge: 8 stitches to 1″.
Abbreviations: m1, make one stitch; BO, bind off; ssk, slip two stitches knitwise and then knit them together to make a left-leaning decrease; CO, cast off.
Using size 0 needles, cast on 51 stitches, leaving a long tail – it will be used later for the button band.
Purl across.
Switch to bigger needles and k6, m1, k1, m1, k11, m1, k1, m1, k13, m1, k1, m1, k11, m1, k1, m1, k6. (59 sts.)
Purl across.
K7, m1, k1, m1, k13, m1, k1, m1, k15, m1, k1, m1, k13, m1, k1, m1, k7. (67 sts.)
Purl across.
K8, m1, k1, m1, k15, m1, k1, m1, k17, m1, k1, m1, k15, m1, k1, m1, k8. (75 sts.)
P9, BO18, p21, BO18, p9.
K8, k2tog, k19, k2tog, k8.
Purl across.
Knit across.
Purl across.
K7, ssk, k4, ssk, k9, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k7.
Purl across.
Knit across.
Purl across.
To 22. Work k1, p1 ribbing for 7 rows.
- Bind off in ribbing leaving the last stitch on the needle.
- Turn work and pick up 12 stitches along edge for button band.
- Work p1, k1 ribbing for one row.
- P1, k1, BO2, p1, k1, p1, k1, BO2, p1, k1.
- P1, k1, CO2, p1, k1, p1, k1, CO2, p1, k1.
- Bind off in p1, k1 ribbing.
- Use long tail left from the beginning and pick up 12 stitches along the edge.
- Work 3 rows of p1, k1 ribbing. Bind off.
Finishing: Block piece and sew in loose ends. Sew 2 buttons onto the band.
CURVY SHEATH DRESS
For fashion dolls about 11″-12″ tall. You’ll need ¼ oz 3-ply fingering yarn and a set of #1 (2.25 mm) needles. Working to a tension of 9 sts x 13 rows gives a 1″ square.
Note: Ribbing is k 1, p 1; stockinette stitch means knit one row, purl one row; seed stitch is * k 1, p 1, rpt from* across; on the next row k the p sts and p the k sts; and “inc” means “increase in next stitch”; “dec” means “decrease by knitting two stitches together”. This dress is knitted in 2 pieces – front and back, both are the same.
Front: Beginning at top, cast on 24 sts & rib for 6 rows, binding off 3 sts (in ribbing) at beg of 6th row. Bind off 3 sts (in ribbing) at beg of next row & k remaining st.
Work 9 rows in stockinette st. Next row: k 4, k 2 tog, k 6, k 2 tog, k 4 (16 sts). P back. K 4, k 2 tog, k 4, k 2 tog, k 4 (14 sts). P back. Work 6 rows in stockinette st.
Row 1: K 4, inc, k 4, inc, k 4 (16 sts).
Row 2: & all even rows: P.
Row 3: K 4, inc, k 6, inc, k 4 (18 sts).
Row 5: K 4, inc, k 8, inc, k 4 (20 sts).
Row 7: K 4, inc, k 10, inc, k 4 (22 sts).
Row 9: K 4, inc, k 12, inc, k 4 (24 sts).
Work in stockinette st until piece measures 1¼” from Row 1.
Then decrease reversing rows 9 to 1, so where it reads “inc”, “dec” instead, until there are 16 sts. Continue on these 16 sts in stockinette st until piece measure 6¼“. Work 2 rows in seed st & bind off loosely in seed st.
Back: Repeat as for front, making sure skirt has same number of rows as front.
Finishing: Sew ribbing at shoulders together & sew sides seams to within ½” of ribbing. Steam lightly and let dry, you might put the skirt over a tube during drying to hold the shape.
This feature first appeared in Fashion Doll Quarterly magazine, 2012.