Birth Announcement

ITS A GIRL!!!

It is our pleasure to announce that on July 2, 2008 at 11:13 pm a beautiful healthy baby was born to Ava's Dolly.

Weighing .3 oz, and measuring 5 inches

After a few days in the hospital, Ava's Doll is so happy to be home enjoying her new baby...

I decided to make a baby for the doll because my daughter is obsessed with playing "babies" right now. She is always walking around rocking her dolls and giving them bottles. She has been have a blast pretending with this little baby too.

To make the baby:

(I made up this pattern based on the adult size doll pattern out of the book "Knitted Babes")

Use size 2 needles and a small amount of dk weight yarn. (The book calls for a fingering weight but I found the perfect flesh color in a dk and also it knits up to a tighter firmer fabric so that no stuffing shows through.)

BODY:

(Make 2)

Cast on 12 sts, purl first row. Work 19 rows total in stockinette stitch.

ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2 tog (10 sts)

p2tog, p to last 2 sts, p2tog (8 sts)

mark first and last sts for underarm placement with safety pins.

ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2 tog (6 sts)

purl 1 row

kfb, k to last st, kfb (8 sts)

purl 1 row

repeat last 2 rows until there are 16 sts.

work 5 rows in stockinette stitch

k2tog across row (8 sts)

purl 1 row

k2tog across row (4 sts)

bind off purlwise, leave a long tail for sewing up the doll.

Arms:

(Make 2)

Cast on 3 sts, work a 3 st I-cord for 13 rows, bind off.

Legs:

(Make 2)

Cast on 4 sts, work a 4 st I-cord for 15 rows, bind off.

I embroidered her face as directed in the Knitted Babes book using tiny pieces of felt. I cut the felt eyes and lips to a smaller scale to fit the baby's face.

I made the bellybutton with a french knot using the same flesh toned yarn.

I seamed the doll with a darning needle and yarn tails, carefully placing arms and legs as I went.

Dont forget to stuff your doll at the same time!!! The book recommends doll stuffing, but I used small bits of wool roving. I think that it gives it a more natural feel.

(Oh yea...Dont completely sew up the head before you stuff it, that neck is so tiny, its impossible to stuff the head through that small opening!)

I added hair as directed in the book using a crochet hook. I did it the same way you would add fringe to a scarf then clipped the hair to a desired length.

Weave in your ends!

To make the diaper:

Use fingering weight yarn and size 2 needles.

cast on 15 sts

purl first row

knit 1 row

purl 1 row

decrease row- ssk, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog (13 sts)

repeat last 2 rows once more

work only decrease row one more time (9 sts)

p2tog, p to last st, p2tog (7 sts)

knit 1 row

purl 1 row

knit 1 row

pfb, p to last st, pfb (9 sts)

increase row-kfb k to last st, kfb (11 sts)

purl 1 row

repeat last 2 rows once more (13 sts)

(to make the diaper tabs)

work increase row again and cast on 3 sts at end of row using backwards loop cast on (18 sts)

purl across row, casting on 3 sts at end of row using backwards loop cast on. (21 sts)

knit 1 row

purl 1 row

bind off knitwise.

Try the diaper on the baby, fold tabs from the back of the diaper to overlap the diaper front. Adjust to fit your baby, pin into place. Remove diaper from the doll and stitch down diaper tabs to diaper front.

Weave in ends.

To make the blanket:

Use size 3 needles and fingering weight yarn.

Cast on 45 sts

(basketweave pattern)

1- k3, p3, repeat across row

2- p3, k3, repeat across row

3- k3, p3, repeat across row

4- k3, p3, repeat across row

5- p3, k3 repeat across row

6- k3, p3, repeat across row

repeat the last 6 rows, 8 times more

cast off sts in set ribbed pattern

With a contrasting color, sc around blanket, working one sc for every stitch on the blanket bottom and top, and 2 sc for every 3 rows on the blanket sides. Work 2 sc in each corner.

Work one more complete round of sc around blanket.

Shell border: *ch1, sk 1 sc, (2 dc, ch1, 2 dc) in next sc. ch 1, sk 1 sc, sc in next sc

repeat from * around entire blanket.

Weave in ends.

The doll will now be so happy to have a fresh diaper and a warm cozy blanket.

Dolly is getting used to being a mommy and is getting a lot of practice changing diapers...

She is also sleeping when the baby sleeps....