Knitting Like a Madwoman

I've been busy cranking out the Christmas knits this week and weekend. Booga #3 and Sophie #3 are both off the needles and felted. I sewed the handles onto Sophie and she still needs a flower which I'm debating because of the extra handles.

And the doll clothes are in full swing production. Since Thanksgiving I've finished 4 more sweaters, a hat and a scarf. Each item I make gets progressively better than the one before and I now have a great understanding of the top down raglan construction.

I made the grey sweater first (to match Spammy's and be a little more boyish for the boy doll). The neck is a little wide even with a button on the back to cinch it in some, but it can either be pulled up from the bottom or pulled over the doll's head. This one was constructed in two pieces, seamed together and the neck-line and sleeves knit on after.

The other three sweaters are all top down raglans. The orange/pink/yellow one was the first one. It's out of a handspun hand-dyed yarn I got months ago on ebay, and I'm a little disappointed in it. The person who spun it got a few dark fibers spun into it that didn't take the dye, so there are some dark spots that look like dirt in the top.

Next up I made the striped raglan. This is my favorite of them all so far. It fits the doll great, I was able to line up the colors on the sleeves, and play a little with the different colored buttons. The doll's are supposed to be preschool/kindergarden aged and it seems appropriate for that age group. Not that I wouldn't mind finding the yarns to mimick it in something my size either. It's the leftover sock yarn from mom's socks and I almost think she'll like it better in this application than as the socks.

I love the striped one the best, but I'm proudest of the navy and white cardigan. It's the last one I made this weekend (just cast off the last sleeve less than an hour ago) and it is my first ever forray into the world of stranded colorwork. Was a simple short border pattern I pulled out of a book and about halfway through the technique made sense and sort of clicked. I made a few mistakes, but I'm downright giddy in how well it came out.

The hat and scarf were quick knits last weekend. The hat out of the same yarn as the navy sweater, and the scarf out of a thin-guage rayon chennile that was stranded with a green mohair that I got from KimiK as an extra mini-skein with the yarn I bought from her. I may do something else doll scale with the mohair too.

Also this weekend I finished the second dishcloth for my aunt, this one is a coffee cup pattern in an off-white yarn. No photos, but I'll be sure to get pics of it being gifted.

I've still got grand plans for more doll clothes. Maybe a couple more raglans, another dress or two, and at least one more hat and scarf. I've got appropriately sized hangers arriving soon, and I still need to find a scale size doll armoire or trunk to fill up with everything. With my brother and his wife spending Christmas with her family this year, I'll get an extra week to work on mom's stuff since we'll do our immediate family Christmas at New Years instead, so I've got a great start and will keep churning out the doll knits until the bitter end.

If only it were this easy to knit for humans.