Knitted Babes The pleasure is all yours! Published September, 2005 Knitted Babes by Clare Garland is an invitation to a modish doll party. Bring your eccentric yarns and retro fabric scraps. This is the place for orange and pink marshmallow creations. Knit up the Babes then outfit them as you choose -- surfer girl or glitzy diva, whoever takes your fancy. Make a Babe, and you'll want more. Here are my variations for fervent fingers: The Babes: Dot Pebbles surf chick; Flo Tilly delicate dancer; DD Diva in desirable Deco; Rudy Ranch red-haired Western wild country girl; Bunny Bright caf bar star. 1. The arms and legs can be worked in i-cord, though the original knitted strips are softer if your doll is to be love-squashed by a little one. Finish the i-cord with four rows of straight stocking stitch to enable flat stitching to body shape. 2. Experienced knitters may prefer to knit the body/head piece in the round. Cast on with waste yarn (or crochet a scrap chain a few more chains than required, then knit up stitches into back bumps of chain. Release chain later when sliding stitches onto needle for cast off.). When doll is completed, leave final stitches for head on a yarn holder, turn inside out, working a 3-needle cast (bind) off across base. Pull through to right side. Stuff doll through small head opening and finish ends. 3. The book instructions are for 4ply yarn, but that's only the beginning. Dye natural wool with flowers, leaves or packaged colour. Perhaps handspun or tweed wool; or since only a 50g ball is required, use a luxury fibre (silk, alpaca, cashmere) for a chic Babe. 4. After making a few Retro Babes, you might want to add to your collection with Vintage Babes. Style her wardrobe, adding highlights of violet, pearl, mauve, rosebud, pansy and spring greens. Freshwater pearls (where jewellery packs are sold) make sweet necklaces strung on a length of crochet perle cotton. Cocktail hats can be fashioned from felt, netting, feathers, beads and miniature silk flowers. Sift through broken brooches, bracelets, earrings and necklaces for deft jewels and metal filigree. 5. The clothing patterns given in the book are knitted or sewn. Imagine designing crochet creations for her as well. Begin with an evening shawl or textured blanket for Ruby cowgirl. Diva Babe will thank you for snips of pure silk satin, cotton net and silk georgette. 6. Observe the safety rules if the doll is a gift for a small child. If this is your Babe try out jewellery-making on a manageable scale or accentuate clothing and hats with glass beads. Excite yourself with a new craft, letting Babe model your embroidery, cross-stitch or millinery techniques. Fabric shops are now stocking up on retro and vintage prints. Dive in! Full graphics version here |
