Giving a doll to a child (girl or boy) is essential. A real educational tool and pedagogical support, this toy actively participates in their sensory, emotional and social development. Indeed, it allows him to stimulate his imagination, to express his emotions, to improve his fine motor skills… These are not the good reasons that fail to give this gift to your toddler! But for the benefits to be really noticeable, it is also essential that this doll be accompanied by accessories and outfits to enrich the game. But be careful not to make a mistake.
1. PLAN TO KNIT ONLY ONE DOLL’S CLOTHES
Full of goodwill, you let your child choose his favorite outfit from among different knitting patterns to dress his doll. This way, you are sure to make him happy… But we must be clear: if you want to see him play, a single outfit will not be enough!
Indeed, so that your child can put his doll in a situation according to his imagination and make him live different adventures, he must have at his disposal several doll clothes.
Knit a doll’s outfit for each month of the year with occasional accessories. It’s a good solution! He will be able to change it according to his desires, the weather it really is or the one he imagined in his invented story…
And then, when you love (knitting), you don’t count (the number of doll clothes knitted)!
2. KNIT DOLL CLOTHES WITHOUT FOLLOWING A PATTERN
A knitting expert, you have already knitted a mountain of clothes and accessories for all your loved ones. Once you’ve reached this peak, you’re sure of yourself: knitting doll clothes is a hoot! You can therefore embark on this project with your eyes closed (or almost).
But beware, a doll’s sweater has very specific characteristics:
- The clothes are small.
- Dolls are not as flexible as humans! You have to have a certain ease. They will not be able to contort themselves to fit into the knitted garment…
To knit “by feeling” is to take the risk of knitting a doll’s garment that is difficult for a child to put on. The game could quickly become nerve-wracking if, each time you put it on, your daughter or son had to scramble to put the knitted outfit on her doll.
Better to comply with the explanations of a specific model. The designer has previously carried out tests. Indeed, she made sure that once knitted, the doll’s outfit can be put on, taken off, put on again and taken off very easily by the clumsy little fingers of a child!
Good to know: the principle is the same in sewing. As we explained in one of our previous articles, it is essential to sew doll clothes that are easy to put on . Otherwise, you risk discouraging the child from playing with it…
3. BELIEVING THIS KNITTING PROJECT IS FOR EXPERT KNITTERS ONLY
You think: “Knitting doll outfits is not for me”. You are wrong !
Making doll clothes yourself is easy as long as you know the basics of knitting and… follow precise knitting patterns! It was just to see if you were following (if not go to point #2 of this article 😊).
There is no particular technical difficulty. If you know how to cast on stitches and perform the basic stitches (knit stitch, purl stitch, yarn over, increases, decreases, etc.), embark on this type of creative project without fear. It is completely within your reach.
Even if you’re just starting out, you’ll get there easily! For example, you just need to:
- Choose a knitting book that explains the technique and offers simple but beautifully rendered knitting patterns.
- Watch tutorials to learn how to knit the basic stitches.
4. DO NOT KNIT SAMPLES
This is a fairly common idea, especially among beginner knitters. However, there again, it is a mistake not to commit!
It ensures that your way of knitting (more or less loose) corresponds to the chosen pattern. Otherwise, you risk ending up with a dress that is too high cut for your doll or a sweater that is too small!
But doll clothes are so small that it can be difficult for the designer to give an accurate sample. The solution is to knit the sample given by the yarn-maker to see if your sample is similar or not. If this is not the case, take larger (or smaller) needles to best approach the data provided by the yarn manufacturer. Small precision which is important: by convention, on the ball, the sample is always knitted in jersey.
For doll clothes, there may be 1 or 2 stitches difference, it doesn’t matter. But the gap should not go beyond that.
Good to know: how to make a sample correctly?
Look at what is indicated on the given sample. Knit it by adding a few stitches and a few extra rows (because the cast-on row and the sides are always a little stiffer and should not be taken into account or you risk distorting the result). Then pin a 10 x 10 cm square in the center (placing pins at each corner). Count the number of stitches and the number of rows to get this square. Finally, compare it with the base one. If your sample is too small, then start again with larger needles. Conversely, if it is too large, start again with finer needles.
5. WANTING PERFECTION AND DEPRIVING YOURSELF OF THE PLEASURE OF KNITTING
Don’t put pressure on yourself! Unlike an outfit for a child, it’s not a disaster if the garment does not fit perfectly . The doll is not likely to remonstrate with you…
The most important thing is to have fun handling the knitting needles, choosing the colors of the balls… Take advantage of this project to give yourself a little creative freedom. In short: be indulgent. Are you making a small mistake? Don’t undo all your work: it won’t show on the doll!
And be sure that, despite the few small imperfections, your child will be amazed by your powers as a super knitter