Category Archives: Crochet

Bella is “Ready for Roses”

Ah, and I am ready for the roses to bloom, too! Hello there. How are you?

It is the last week of winter here in the northern hemisphere. Yay!!! We got about 6 inches of snow last week and it just started melting yesterday. When the snow melted off of the garden beds I checked on the little crocuses which were blooming before the snowfall and they still are. I don’t know how those delicate blooms can withstand 6 inches of icy snow weighing down on them for days, but they held up fine. They sure are little troopers.

Last fall my husband and I planted quite a few different varieties of bulbs and we are eagerly awaiting their arrival. The early ones have started showing, but no buds yet.

My Ruby Red Fashion Friend Bella is a bit impatient this year and has skipped right past the start of spring to late spring when the roses will start to bloom. She really cannot wait!

Bella wears a rose print cotton dress with two different styles of cotton lace adorning the skirt. A rosy pink ribbon sash ties around her waist. Faux pearl buttons decorate the bodice’s back.

Bella’s elbow length cardigan sweater is hand knit with merino wool that has been hand dyed and the rosy mauve color custom mixed to coordinate with the dress. I embroidered bullion stitch pink roses at the neckline. The cardigan can be worn open or will close with rosy pink glass pearl bead buttons.

Bella wears a crocheted cap in white bamboo thread. A wool felt blossom and knitted leaf decorate her cap. Her drawstring bag matches the cap in materials and decoration. So that she would have something to put in her bag I made her a tiny hanky in cotton lawn. (This is how I used to fold and iron my grandma’s hankies when I would help her out with her chores.) Bella’s bracelet features a rosebud charm and pearly heart to show that I made this just for her with love.

Bella would like to know if you’re excited for the rose gardens to come into bloom. I cannot believe spring starts next week, can you? Those rose gardens will be glorious in no time!

I hope you enjoy the rest of the week and the upcoming weekend! Thank you for stopping by and visiting with me. ❤️🤗

Patience Has Been Patient

10 Replies

My poor little Patience. She has been overlooked by my other girls for months now. However, she is now finally getting her chance to show you her new spring ensemble.

I asked her what her favorite part of her new ensemble is and she said it’s “all the roses”. Fair enough… this is an ensemble filled with rose motifs and rosy hues. There’s also a touch of the palest of blues in the dress print, which I love. I brought out more of that color with her ribbon tie, bow on her headband, braided basket handle, and in the cardigan’s embroidery.

Patience’s cardigan is knit out of lace weight merino/silk yarn in a rosy berry-ish color. It’s a little bluer than what appears on my screen. I embroidered rose motifs in coordinating colors on the yoke. She can wear it open or buttoned. The buttons are glass pearl beads in a cream color.

Patience’s rose print dress features a multitude of rosy hues with touches of pale blue. Around her waist is a rayon ribbon in blue. The full skirt has a tuck near the hemline– underneath the tuck is a row of delicate English cotton Cluny lace in a warm white color.

The pearl headband is crocheted with faux pearls in cream. It ties at the back, so is fully adjustable. A matching ribbon bow adds extra sweetness.

Patience has already picked a few blossoms for her crocheted flower basket. (They can be arranged and rearranged.) It is made with natural colored bamboo thread. The handle is braided with the bamboo thread and the blue ribbon.

Patience’s pretty bracelet is made with genuine freshwater pearls and garnet beads. The mother-of-pearl heart dangle shows Patience that this set was made with love, just for her.

Her rosy rayon knit tights complete her new spring look.

As you can see Patience is all ready for spring! We are starting to enjoy some warmer days mixed in with the yet cooler days. I am enjoying frequent walks to check on what is newly blooming. 💐 I don’t want to miss anything! I LOVE this time of year!

I hope you are enjoying spring (or autumn). Have a wonderful weekend (& Easter if you celebrate) wherever you call home. Sending hugs from my sewing room… and my sunny front porch. 🤗💖

Rose is Hoping Spring Arrives Soon

4 Replies

Hello! I hope you are doing okay even though… well, you know. Things going on in the world are very sad right now. Every day I pray for peace… I keep in my heart all those who need comfort and courage right now. ❤️

I want to show you what I finished for Rose in February. Rose is a 10″ Boneka Monday’s Child doll sculpted by Dianna Effner.

Rose loves her new springtime ensemble. I chose a beautiful pink/lilac tiny floral print for her dress. The full skirt is edged with white cotton lace; a bright pink grosgrain ribbon ties around the waist. Her hand knit cardigan is knit with a lilac tonal hand dyed merino yarn. It is embroidered with random rose/floral motifs in coordinating colors. Her spring hat is crocheted with cotton and bamboo threads. The hat band is made with matching dress fabric and ribbon. In my stash I found Rose a white teddy bear and embellished the foot pads with embroidery, made a matching bow, and gave Theodora a lilac colored blossom.

Rose is very happy with her new ensemble, but a wee bit sad as we’ve had cold weather return again here in northern Illinois. (I know it’s early March but in my mind feels like it should be April!) She is wishing the warm weather from last week would return so that she can stroll through the gardens and see what is starting to grow. Who can blame her! I am ready for spring too!

I whispered in her ear that next week is looking to be warm again; that seemed to put a little smile on her face. For now Rose has a teddy bear to cuddle and stay warm with.

Here are my ‘lilac ladies’ all eagerly awaiting springtime: Rose, Alice, Sophie, Gina, and Lucy. The taller ladies are my Little Darlings. The little red haired girl is Ann Estelle’s friend Sophie (Tonner’s Mary Engelbreit dolls). And you know about Rose. The other ensembles were previously made for past spring times and are being worn with love once again.