My Little Darling, Gina, and I had our photo shoot for this ensemble outside in the garden. It was a very breezy, but beautiful day. This tiny little butterfly seemed quite taken with Gina. It flitted and fluttered and tickled her nose.
The little butterfly perches on the bench while Gina poses for this one.
For more information on this 8-piece ensemble for Dianna Effner’s Little Darlings please go to cindyricedesigns.com
Gina is back to modeling for me and is as happy as can be. I’ve been working for a while now on this very involved 8-piece ensemble for the beautifully sweet Little Darlings.
I am so happy with how this mohair/silk lace hand knit sweater turned out. It is knit from the top down, then I added lace edgings with a 3 needle bind off. I wanted the scalloped edge of the lace edging, but still wanted to make the sweater from the top down so this was my solution. Lots of math involved as the lace had a specific number for the pattern and then the sleeves and body had to be the exact same number of stitches as the edging that would go with it. Yikes, I could feel the burn as my brain worked on this one!
I encircled the eyelet neckline with lots of delicate hand embroidery; roses in pinks, some blue and yellow golden flower clusters, and pretty green for the meandering stems and leaves.
After I completed the sweater I was able to see the kind of dress that I thought would be pretty with it. I found this very soft washed blue cotton chambray in my fabric collection. I added some tucks to the skirt along with a rose bouquet motif and white tulle that barely peeks out from underneath the skirt. I repeated a smaller rose bouquet motif on the bodice just under the strap on the opposite side to balance the embroidered motifs. The entire dress is lined in white cotton lawn with all of the seams enclosed to make the dress beautiful inside.
A low back and angled straps show off these dolls graceful arms, pretty back, and slightly sloping shoulders so well. I love how Dianna sculpted the body of these dolls, so graceful and elegant.
I added a crocheted drawstring purse with a cotton voile hankie (embroidered with the L.D.’s initials), some crocheted ballet slippers, a bracelet, bow headband, and panties and the ensemble was complete.
For more information on this ensemble please visit my website, cindyricedesigns.com.
I have been wanting to knit and embroider a dress for one of my larger dolls for quite some time. My Little Darling, Gina, was the recipient of this very special dress. I made it just for her which has made her so happy!
I decorated the high waistline with pink and lavender bullion stitched roses and rosebuds. The embroidery goes all the way around to the back of the dress. I dyed silk ribbon and fine English cotton cluny lace in shades of pink. Silk bows decorate the sleeves and back of the dress. More ribbon is woven through the eyelet at the hemline. Underneath the hemline is the pink lace and gathered soft lavender tulle.
Tiny very pale pink glass pearls buttons march all the way down the back of the dress and easily pass through the tiny buttonholes.
Gina says that this dress makes her think of spring time and flower gardens.
I used the same size needles for this dress that I use on Amelia Thimble’s dresses. I didn’t want the dress to be too airy and it’s not. It is very substantial, no see through. I quickly counted the number of stitches it took to make this dress because I was knitting for a few days and I was curious. Any guesses?
There are about 13,000 stitches that make up this dress!
Cindy Rice Designs 