Sweater girls and mohair

A work-in-progress purple mohair re-root is my first attempt at covering a Blythe scalp from Cool Cat. Nothing like jumping in head first! Meanwhile, some of the girlz show off their sweaters, in the 90-degree June heat. Oh, to be a Blythe!

At top Virginia shows off her sweater by DeeBear, knitted just for us, and complemented by a crocheted bubble hat by her daughter MandyLynn. I had the pleasure of meeting these two talented Canadian ladies a couple years ago in Michigan. Check out the crocs I found on Ebay! They had Minnie Mouse heads on them, which popped right off, just like real Croc decorations. The knitted wool socks are by Dolly Dress Up. All can be found on Etsy and the crocs by Leo Toy on Ebay.

Also on Etsy are the darling sweaters with felt appliques and felt mascots, like Hello Kitty (seen on Charlotte) and Paul Frank's Julius (seen on Abby). The are made in Brazil by nanistore. And lastly, Cookie wears a crocheted halter top, granny square wrap skirt and headscarf by an unknown maker.

Sock monkeys: A sick obsession or a sock obsession?

Jane models the sock monkey hat I made for her last night, after making several previously for "my humans." I also made the baby afghan pictured. The patterns are from Debbie Stoller's The Happy Hooker: Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet, probably my all-time fave crochet book. Jane also holds another sock monkey motif which I made, hoping to attach it to an off-white, red and brown scarf I am knitting for myself. Trying to learn to knit, that is. Spring is just around the corner, and summer will probably be here before I have anything remotely long enough to serve as a scarf. But, at least the sock monkey applique is ready and waiting.

Fashionistas in fabric and lambswool, circles and stripes

Lilly is looking all that (she thinks) in a darling sleeveless shift by Pistachio Libby on Etsy from some fabric I picked, actually dress shapes cut out first by My Own Little World, also on Etsy. I had the great idea to learn to sew, and thought the pre-cut fashions would give and my five thumbs a head start.

Suffice to say, when the sewing instructor referred to my machine as "a toy" and snubbed me, she really wasn't all that far off. It is a Singer Pixie Plus, but at the time I requested it from Santa, I didn't even realize there were different kinds of sewing needles, stitches or that I might need a free arm or a buttonhole maker.

I still don't need those things because I've somewhat abandoned sewing, except for a straight or zig zag stitch for altered arts and papercrafts. Libby is my go-to girl for fashion design and sewing. Her work is as fine as any tailor, and twice as detailed and challenging since it is so tiny. Check her out. She welcomes custom requests and collaborations. When I first saw her Etsy, her whimsical Hostess cupcake dresses and Snoopy holiday prints got me right away, and I haven't looked back. The girlz will be doing an entire Libby line fashion show on here very soon. We'll be showing ready-to-wear dresses as well as some snooze-worthy pjs.

Meanwhile, Bunny is wearing a sweater I finished last night. This is the second doll sweater I have ever crocheted, and I enjoyed using some very fine rainbow yarn, actually lambswool and angora called Childsplay by Lorna's Angel. This is a great pattern I've blogged about before from Crochet Today! magazine and adapted from a 1960s Barbie project kit. I ran out of yarn at the end, so all Bunny got was a matching cap, and barely that, instead of a hat. I'm happy with how my sweater turned out; the back even has a button and loop closure and these sleeves fit even better than the first sweater I made. So I must have learned something.

Still Crocheting Away

Hats I made this weekend, modeled by Jane, who is also showing off some of her new Cool Cat eye chips. I may put the hats in my Etsy shop when I get a chance.

More Tiny Knitting and Crocheting

Inspired by Alice's Megipupu sweater (top) and Daisy's green mohair sweater jacket by DollyDressUp, I have been trying to learn to knit. Had a second lesson yesterday, in fact. Although I had crocheted for many years, knitting is a totally different process.

During the past week when I was supposed to be doing my knitting homework, though, I squeezed in some crochet time, making the sweater for Alice (third from top) and another tiny Momoko hat.

Not only was I pretty pleased with my first tiny sweater effort, although it is a bit bulky, but I was practically shocked when it actually started resembling a sweater. It was crocheted in four squares: front, back and two sleeves and then attached by crocheting the yoke around all four. It was a mess for a minute but the, suddenly, it was a butterfly.

Batty for Hats and Hooks vs. Needles

I am just so crazy about the knitted hats and sweaters directly above by Megan a.k.a. Megipupu from Finland. She is just so talented, has a huge international following, and sells out of stock in her Etsy shop faster than you can click "commit to buy." Literally. Bunny models the green set I was able to get second-hand on Plastic Paradise. Yes, it has come to this. Blythe clothing is a hot commodity in tiny, virtual re-sale shops.

I like to crochet hats, like the fuzzy lavender one Alice is wearing. I added the store-bought felted wool flower for a jaunty look. But my hats are always sort of big and floppy as opposed to detailed and tight like Megan's. I knew I'd have to take up knitting if I wanted to achieve that look.

The mint green hat on Barbie is still crochet, but I started working with finer yarn and smaller hooks after seeing Theo's Momoko hats, boots and mittens at our recent Blythe meet. This pattern is from Crochet Today! magazine, January-February 2010, and was adapted from a 1964 pattern for Barbie.

But beyond the reduction in size, I have also started a knitting class and have my second session this weekend. I learned to knit once, the same time I learned to crochet, early in college, and haven't knitted since. At the first class it was clear I remembered nothing. And, learning to use two hands and two needles and moving the yarn with one's dominant hand is a lot different than one hook, one hand, and using one's other hand primarily. I felt like a duck out of water, but I'm enjoying our homework so far. We'll see what creations develop.

Hats Off for Friday Fashion Finds

I finally crocheted a bunch of hats for Blythe to put in my Etsy shop, something I've been planning to do for ages. But every time I'd make a couple, I'd either want to keep them or give them away.

It was also way past time to photograph Charlotte, the newest addition, an Urban Cowgirl with slight changes. She has one new set of eye chips (eggplant) and has been slightly sanded. Her hair is gorgeous, a brunette version of Star Dancer, nice and silky.

And we're way behind in trying on goodies that we've acquired from sundries sales on Plastic Paradise and other similar spots. Plus, we've got to gear up for a mini-Blythe meet Sunday (photos to come) by making some treats and dressing everyone just so. Stay tuned!

Rainbow Girls to the rescue

Didn't realize until I saw it on Flickr that there are 10" 25th anniversary Rainbow Brite dolls whose boots and shoes fit Blythe so smashingly I had to dash to Target in search of and then crochet a rainbow hat to go along. The mohair girls, Zena and Alice Snow, model.

Knit vs. Crochet

Daisy in a sweater by nanistore on Etsy and Zena in an earflap hat by me. Mine is a Barbie pattern from the current issue of Crochet Today magazine. I simply enlarged it. Nanistore or Nanipatch makes darling felt mascots and knitted dolls items and toys.

A Breath of Spring on a Wintry Day

Zena, Maggy and Lilly couldn't stand it one more minute. They insisted upon putting on spring clothes, even if there was snow and sleet outside here in Indiana and temperature below 32F. They've apparently had it with winter, and so have I! While there may only be three weeks left until spring, it hardly seems near. There have been no premature robin sightings or peeking of crocuses from the ground. No buds spotted on trees. No young men's fancies turning to love. But definitely a bad case of spring fever. Definitely!

Tiny Needle Mad Skills

Aren't the tiny mittens and sweaters adorable? I admire anyone who can knit or crochet in the small. I made the hat above, and although the photo is tiny, the work is not. I'm usually happiest with about a G to K hook. I cannot imagine the tiny needles or hook necessary to make the mittens especially. Or the patience!

I got the mittens from Felicity (Flissy) on This is Blythe or etsy. They are straight from the U.K. She makes them in a gazillion colors, with or without the string. And, she takes custom orders and has some pretty cute hats on Etsy right now.

The sweaters are from Brazil in a trade with Nanipatch on Flickr. She also has an Etsy shop, Nani's Store and adorable pictures of her stuffed felt items on Flickr. The Blythe-size felted bag is from Lusitania on Etsy. She also has great people-sized felted items, too.

A post about Blythe knitting and crocheting would not be complete without mentioning the talented Zoe Aarden, author of GrrrlieDesigns, available from Blurb (and edited by Moi!). She's busy getting her master' thesis published right now, but she has great items on Etsy also. And finally, the lovely Rima of Willy-Nilly Waterlily has darling Blythe crochet and sewing and also amigurumi on Etsy.

Please check out my sweet Blythe friends for your holiday shopping!

Cool crisp fall weather means new fashions and a closet clean-out sale!

Maggy and Lilly model some of their new fall clothes as well as some of things mom is selling for them. You can find some of these fashions and more on the This is Blythe.com forum under the sundries section and my user name: Gina2424. A link to my sale is here. You can also see more things we have for sale in my Flickr set: fall cleaning here. Things were getting a little out of hand at Blythe Manor, so it was time for a little sale. Any questions, you can contact me through comments here or on Flickr or TIB.

Blythe, Art & Vintage

I'm always trying to tie these three together: Blythe, art and vintage. From the looks of the framed print above, you can see someone has done it with much more talent and style. Miss Surprise on etsy http://www.misssurprise.etsy.com often sketches out outfits for the ultra cool Eurotrash of Finland http://www.eurotrash.etsy.com before she goes about making the clothes and helmets she sells. I have no idea why American Blythe collectors call knitted hats "helmets," but it makes us feel ultra cool, too.

Eurotrash is so of-the-moment and hard-to-get that her audiences around the globe check the international time converter and set alarm clocks for wee hours just to try to bid. She loads her etsy store about once a month, and I last saw about two dozen (not cheap) outfits and hats sell in less than three minutes.

I didn't even know about Miss Surprise or her role in the fashion process, but I accidentally found a set of three of her prints on etsy and promptly snatched them up. I chose the frame and mats above for the print I kept, and I gifted the other two to Miss Vicky http://www.cutitup.com, Re-ment habit supplier and to Angela http://www.geminiangelart.com. The scene above is the lavender and sage setting atop the armoire in my office. The girl on canvas and the single cat on the easel were both painted by me.

Speaking of etsy, the crocheted throw pillows pictured above on the lovely green faux leather (plastic) couch were made by me for my etsy shop http://www.hpsgsmith.etsy.com. I got the idea from crochet-covered focal beads or buttons used (usually just one) to close a shawl, stole, cape, wrap, etc. They're the perfect size for Blythe-looks like something they might have purchased at "Pottery Blythe"- you know, that cool store.

I even shared a tutorial for making my little pillows (so much for making my own cool million) on ZNE Dollz http://www.znedolls.com at http://chelise.typepad.com/zne_dollz/2008/02/groovy-little-p.html. Now everyone can have tons of tiny pillows, but why make them when you can get them from me on etsy http://www.hpsgsmith.etsy.com? It's the American way.

The top photo is just Olivia (GR) in her $1 vintage dress and a Supergirl comic, courtesy of the US Postal Service, back when stamps were 39 cents.

What We Did on our 4th

The girls changed clothes, which was a big accomplishment for a holiday weekend. Gwynyth remains ever the glamour-puss, continuing to rock vintage Skipper until the money runs out. Lilly, Jolene, Maggy and Violet went cas, hoping for a good fireworks display or perhaps to be hat models for my upcoming crochet run. I hope to have my etsy store http://www.hpsgsmith.etsy.com stocked with some Blythe goodies by the end of July. I thinking crocheted hats and throw pillows. I just loaded it with some 'real people' stuff, in case you're interested.