Cindy Rice

About Cindy Rice

My wonderful husband, my beautiful daughter, and I live in northeastern Illinois with our two sweet chihuahua boys. For as long as I can remember I have loved dolls and making things. I got my first Barbie when I was only three years old! My mom sewed for my Barbie dolls and taught me how to use her sewing machine when I was only seven. I cannot believe she let me near that needle, but she did. Not having enough money for my clothes habit in high school and college led me to start sewing all of my own clothes. There were so many fabric stores around back then and fabric was so inexpensive. I would wait for the 99 cent pattern sale and go crazy. Sewing for myself continued well into my 30’s. (I even made my wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses.) Shortly after I got married I left my full time graphic design position and started designing cross stitch patterns. I called my company “The Lilac Studio” and sold my botanical patterns at trade shows, through distributors which sold to retail shops, and mail order. My most popular pattern, “A Bouquet of Pansies” sold 5000 copies and won a J&P Coats Golden Needle Award! I was also featured in various cross stitch magazines and designed special projects for the magazines. When my daughter was born I didn’t have the time needed to cross stitch and design patterns all day long so I let my pattern design business slip away. And then I started discovering dolls again and I now had an excuse to start buying them. The only problem was that they were for my daughter and not for me. I soon discovered all of the adult collectors out there and decided I would be one of them. I started small at first, collecting Mattel Kelly dolls. Soon I collected over 100 Kelly dolls! After Kelly, I discovered Helen Kish’s Riley and Tonner’s Ann Estelle. I have since learned to knit doll sweaters and love an excuse to knit so most of my doll outfits include a sweater and/or hat. I love creating miniature outfits for dolls and enjoy sharing them with others. Currently I create doll ensembles for Ruby Red Fashion Friends, Kish Bethany, Dianna Effner's Little Darlings, Wilde Imagination's teeny tiny Amelia, Kaye Wiggs BJD, Boneka 10", Linda Macario's Penny.

Here is the first of my winter white sweater dresses. Sugar wanted to go first, so I told her that would be fine if it was okay with the others, and it was.

Sugar’s dress is hand knit with off white merino lace yarn. The “fur” trim is knit with mohair/silk lace. Her little embroidered Christmas motif is of holly and greens placed asymmetrically at the waistline.

Sugar is wearing white lace tights too.

What a ham she is!

Sugar says, “Thanks for stopping by!”

For more information on Sugar’s “Puki’s White Christmas” ensemble, please visit my “Shop What’s New” page at cindyricedesigns.com.

Here is the group shot again of my four winter white ensembles.

Here is my Patsy modeling her first ever Christmas ensemble made for her by me! This Christmas ensemble will also fit 10″ Ann Estelle and her friends.

Patsy is wearing a long sleeved mohair/silk hand knit sweater in a warm white. Six hand embroidered motifs decorate the sweater with the right and left sides mirroring each other.

The dress is made out of a bright red and green festive yet delicate pin dot cotton. A bright red hand embroidered organza ribbon ties around the waistline with a row of fine English cotton Cluny lace slid underneath a tuck on the skirt.