Happy faces

After I opened my Dollytime Etsy shop in September 2009 I was thrilled when I sold my first pattern after only two days. I never imagined for one moment that my little dollies would prove popular with knitters around the world so a very big thank you to all of you who have purchased a pattern from my Etsy shop over the past 18 months.

Living in the UK I've always felt guilty that buyers from my own country have been required to purchase patterns in American dollars. Happily I'm able to tell you that I have created a little shop where my PDF email patterns are available for purchase in Pounds Sterling for anyone with a Paypal account.

To view the patterns and purchase them in Pounds Sterling (GBP) please go to http://dollytime.blogspot.com/ where you will find this little dolly waiting to welcome you.

So, what else have I been doing this week?......... I hadn't planned to design any more patterns for a while but the weather here in northern England has been so dark and dismal that I couldn't resist playing around with pretty fabrics and brightly coloured yarn from my stash.

And here is the result.... a collection of little cuties with enormous smiles, each dressed in a different colour. I admit that in their bald state they don't look very promising but I'm hoping to give them hair later in the week when their clothes are finished. Don't you just love bright colours when skies are grey?

Hoping you have all had an enjoyable weekend, wherever you are.

First snowdrops

I love to think

That long ago,

There fell to earth

Some flakes of snow

Which loved this cold,

Grey world of ours

So much, they stayed

As snowdrop flowers.

Isn't that just the sweetest poem. It was written by Mary Vivian.

 Thank goodness these brave little blooms will thrive in freezing conditions.

Alice in Wonderland

Greetings friends. I've been enjoying enforced hibernation for a couple of weeks as my computer decided enough was enough and simply refused to turn on. I now have a brand new one so am up and running again.

Before I tell you what I've been making I'd like to tell you about a blogging chum of mine who had never picked up a pair of knitting needles until a couple of months ago and now she is knitting little dollies. All her dolls have real character and at the moment she's working on a grandma. You'll find her at Space Within. And just look at that giant cup of tea she's enjoying.

You'll be pleased to know I haven't been wasting my time and have produced two new characters for my Etsy shop. My Alice in Wonderland dolly was nearing completion when I decided she must have a White Rabbit as a companion. And so, after several weeks of frantic knitting I have two new rascals to show you.

If you are familiar with Lewis Carroll's story you may remember that when Alice fell down the rabbit hole she found a tiny key that fitted a tiny door behind a curtain. When the door was opened a beautiful garden was revealed. So, just in case Alice decides to pop back down the rabbit hole she has the little key on a ribbon round her neck.

And as for the White Rabbit? Well, he is invariably late and so I have given him a pocket watch for his waistcoat pocket.

I'm sorry I haven't been able to pop in and see you all recently. It looks like I have a lot of catching up to do.

Until next time

Little Dolly update

I've given many of my dolls a companion and this little lady was feeling left out as she didn't have one. And so I made her a tiny Baby Bunting doll to cuddle.

I hope you're enjoying your weekend. We are having continuous wind and rain here in the UK but thankfully it is snug and warm indoors and I'm looking at gardening books!!

Little Dolly

Greetings friends. It's been a while since I fluttered by and I confess not a great deal has been happening here at the 'patch'. As it's horribly dull and wet today, and taking photos would be impossible, I thought I'd show you the dolly I've just finished making. But first, a little verse that I'm rather fond of.

Tabitha Meg has a head like an egg,

And her body is short and squat.

Though her legs are thin and her hair is straight

She's the beautif'lest dolly I've got.

She's a kind-of-a, sort-of-a homemade doll,

And a birthday gift for me,

For my Granny is clever at things like that,

And 'Tab' is her work, you see.

I shall always love my Tabitha Meg,

And when I am old and grey,

I shall keep her safe in a cardboard box,

And give her a cuddle each day.

Whilst creating new characters I like to imagine the many knitters around the world all putting a great deal of love into making little dollies for children.

Inspiration for my latest little girl came from the drawings my daughter did when she was very small, and so I made her with tiny tots in mind. She's very easy to knit and extremely huggable with a 'soft as a pillow' body. Her arms, legs, hat, hair and eyes are all firmly stitched on. Should she enjoy plenty of jammy kisses and falls from the baby buggy then she would be washable (with care) in warm soapy water. The knitting pattern for her is now in my Dollytime Etsy shop.

The very last thing I add to a dolly is cheek colour (in this case done with a beeswax crayon). I thought I'd show you pictures of before and after rosie cheek treatment. Just look at the difference it makes.

Dolly has now taken on her own personality and this little girl is very definitely a rascal. See what happened when she found my box of coloured pencils.

Thank you for dropping by today. Over the past few weeks I've watched on TV the many disasters and weather events that have occurred around the world and I sincerely hope you have not been badly affected by any of them. Wishing you the Very Best for 2011.