Category Archives: Crochet

It’s Twofer Thursday!

Alas the week is nearly over… already, and I haven’t gotten either of these new ensembles for the Little Darlings available yet. So, I’m offering them both at the same time. Yippie!

First up is “My Favorite Roses”, a lilac sweater dress ensemble. I picked my favorite pastel colors to embroider these roses. Aren’t they yummy? Both Lucy and Gina are here to model this sweater dress ensemble for you.

Bamboo sweater dresses are the perfect knits for warmer weather which we all are having, or wishing for at this time of the year. This is the fourth bamboo sweater dress that I’ve made for the Little Darlings. Last year I made one in natural, pink, and white. If you want to reminisce about those sweater dresses you can click on the names of the colors.

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Next up, is “Spring Beauty”. I love this little cardigan so much better now. I feel that all of the motifs are well balanced with each other and each one is a nicely composed bouquet. Yay! If you want to see how it used to look go here. This sweater is knit with lace weight baby alpaca/silk yarn. It is VERY soft! I made the neckline a bit wider with a lace pattern edge.

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Gina is modeling “Spring Beauty” for you. I took advantage of our beautiful pink magnolia bush in bloom for a few photos with Gina.

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“My Favorite Roses” and “Spring Beauty” will be available Thursday, April 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm CST. Check the “Shop What’s New” page at cindyricedesigns.com.

“Daisy Chain” Garlands

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Did you make daisy chain garland crowns when you were young? I remember daisies growing prolifically in the fields and along the sides of roads, but never did turn them into a garland. Those were the days before (way before) Google, so I never knew how. Here’s a Wikihow tutorial that I found. It looks pretty easy. Maybe this is the year to try it…

Gina’s new ensemble features a cotton print filled with daisies. The colors are casual with a feeling of being out in the country.

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Of course my original idea was to make Gina a daisy chain garland for her hair, but the daisies were too large and over powering for this delicate miss, so I went with a single daisy and ribbon to make a hair tie. I like this look much better.

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I found this speckled porcelain sprinkling can at a thrift store and snatched it up. It is the perfect accessory for this ensemble, don’t you think?

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Gina can also hold her bouquet of daisies separately.

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I found the charm for Gina’s necklace in my stash–a little sprinkling can with a heart! Seriously, how perfect is this charm for this ensemble!

I knit Gina’s “light as a feather” mohair cardigan to fall slightly below the waistline of her drop-waist styled dress. I picked up the colorful pastels in the dress print to embroider a set of mirrored image floral motifs on the bottom corners of the sweater.

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Gina’s “Daisy Chain” ensemble will be available tonight, March 30, 2016 at 7:00 pm, CST. Check the “Shop What’s New” page at cindyricedesigns.com.

“A Party in the Rose Garden”

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I know it will be at least a couple of months before there are any rose gardens in bloom here in northern Illinois, but I know there are places where roses are in bloom. BTW, I am so jealous.

While creating Gracie’s new ensemble I let my mind wander… imagining rose gardens where picnics, leisurely walks, and garden parties are going on underneath the blue spring sky. Doesn’t that sound lovely?

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Before I had Kaye Wiggs Gracie and Talyssa dolls, I would have had to pass on this fabric because the scale seemed too big for the smaller dolls. I find the most colorful prints are usually too large for the Little Darling sized dolls. This fabric reminds me of a vintage pillowcase; it is so soft and colorful, in a pastel kind of way. I wanted to make use of all of the pretty pastels, not just the pink, so I picked out the mint green, yellow, and blue by adding ribbon, charms to the bracelet, and a selection of blossoms for a bouquet to this ensemble.

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Shrugs, by design, are nice because they allow the entire dress to remain the focal point. Gracie is wearing my “fun to knit” lace shrug. I’ve made this shrug often enough to have memorized the lace pattern and notice when I forget a yarn over or to make a PSSO, so now I can say it is fun.

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Gracie’s crocheted hat is perfect for wearing in the garden. The brim can be worn a variety of ways–one side up, one side up and the other one down, etc. I used the dress fabric to make a band around the crown and knit a rose and leaf for further embellishment; I also added a tulle bow.

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I’ve made Gracie a delicate little pendant out of very fine silver-toned chain and a glass pearl drop. She loves her whimsical and fun charm bracelet adorning her delicate wrist.

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Gracie’s “A Party in the Rose Garden” ensemble will be available tonight (March 29, 2016) at 7:00 pm, CST. Go to the “Shop What’s New” page at cindyricedesigns.com.