Small projects - a mask, a hat and a dress for a favourite doll

Under the guise of helping and supporting my sister-in-law, I have been indulging in what some in this house have described as  'more than my fair share' of baby-gazing, baby-cuddling and sniffing-of-baby-head over the past couple of weeks.  I drop the children at school, hop on the bus, and head over to Hackney to help out with my newest nephew.  The children are not impressed that I get to baby gaze while they have to do spelling tests.  Can't say I blame them really.  I mean just look what a poppet he is in those lovely Auntie-knitted booties!

He is very happy with the kicking bag and booties I made for him, but what he really needs is a matching hat.  And I need something to knit on the bus over to Hackney.  So a small beanie hat is now on the needles.

My last attempt at a beanie hat was too small even for O's smallest doll, so I found a different pattern and cast on more stitches than I was supposed to.  It's looking just about right so far.

Today I left my sister-in-law and nephew alone and got two small sewing projects done which have been at the back of my mind for a while.  O always appreciates more dolls' clothes, and when she asks me to make something for a particular doll, I don't even try to resist.

This is Molly Dolly.  Named by C when O was born.  C was adamant that his new sister should be called Molly, but we had already chosen a name (and anyway I wasn't about to let a three year old chose the name - look what happened when Fifi Geldof was allowed to name her younger sisters).  So we persuaded C that naming his sister's first doll, which she was given by my mother on the day she was born, was much more important.  Being three he fell for that, and so we have Molly Dolly.

Molly Dolly normally wears a slightly tired looking fleece top, and O thought she should have a dress.  Quite right - nobody should have to wear a tired-looking fleece top.  O picked the fabric, and three pink buttons (yet to be sewn on in the picture above) and I made a quick a-line dress (based roughly on the Clothkits Poppy dress).  And yes, the fabric is left over from making O's Christmas house trousers, so she matches her doll now!

The other thing I made today was a quilted eye mask. 

The pattern is from Amy Butler's In Stitches book.  Making the scarf two weeks ago reminded me of all the tempting patterns in the book, and this eye mask was another straightforward project, started and finished in just one morning.

The pattern calls for two lengths of ribbon to fasten the eye mask, but I can't imagine how having a ribbon tied in a bow at the back of your head is conducive to a good night's sleep, so I knew I would have to try something else. 

Tory from Funky & Delightful used elastic in a casing when she made this mask.  I love the way this adaptation looks; ruffled and yet neat.  But I was still worried it might be too tight or too loose, so I plumped for a long length of velcro instead, for ultimate adjustability.

The mask is quilted on the front and plain on the back and it is padded with a layer of quilt wadding.  The fabric is another house trouser remnant - this time the beautiful WIlliam Morris fabric I used for G's Christmas house trousers.  William Morris always looks good I think, and will add an air of gentle Victoriana to bedtimes.

~~~~~~~~~~

For those of you reading on Google Reader or similar, I have given the blog a small spring clean.  There is a new February banner, an updated cast list and an updated list of favourite blogs.