BB Candy Dolls

It is busy time of year for many of us. Had hands full with christmas ornaments but wasn’t stopped making-creating something new.

I just loooooove making dolls! BB Candy dolls that would like to share with you today, took me the longest time to create from any other doll made so far. It is not doll to be made within few hours. And those that will try will see themselves. When picture of this doll popped out in my head, didn’t sleep until the doll was not done. I am more than happy with the final outcome and am really proud to share them with you.

Here is a little photo of three of them finished so far (have several more I am working on-making clothes take time to design and create)!

Doll in the middle is little different. She is made in fine thread instead of yarn and is  completely different stitch count from the other two dolls and the pattern I will share with you today. She is my first “lace doll” and such dolls will go to my shop. She is in the photo because the shape of the body is very similar to ones on sides, and cloths fits all dolls the same way.

Here is one more photo of lace doll alone

Like mentioned earlier, pattern that am sharing with you today, requires a little bit more work than BB Dolls or miniature Karla doll. These dolls are 21-22 cm tall and are more doll companions, treasure dolls than one to stick in the bag and carry around. At least I feel for them this way. They are really darlings and whoever will try making one will understand what I’m talking about now.

Will give you two different options to make a doll. One with all five fingers on, or fingerless doll that is for the most, easier way to work. Here is the photo of two unfinished dolls that are made with fingerless arms. Fingerless dolls are made in DK, No.3 yarn weight, or light weight. These particular two were made in RedHeart FinaDK (100% New wool), with 2,5 mm hook. 

Dolls you have seen on group photo (side ones), Summer girl and Holiday one, were made in Lace type of yarn. Made them using SchachenmayrSMC Suavel in very light peach. Head and body were made with two strands of yarn and 2,5 mm hook, while the fingers and hand were done with just one strand and 1,75 mm hook (arm was then continued and worked with two strands and 2,5 hook).

One more photo of Holiday Doll and let us move to pattern.

Materials used:

No.0 or No.3 yarn of your choice for the dolls head and body.

2,5 mm crochet hook

No5 cotton yarn (thread) for knitting (this is what my label sys. it is very fine yarn, thread looking) + 2 mm crochet hook to make the cloths

Stuffing

Any kind of natural fibers yarn for hair (gives you better results than acrylic yarns)

buttons, ribbons, glue… anything else you would like for decorating the doll

Abbreviations:

ch – chain

sc – single crochet

inc – increase (2 stitches in same stitch)

dec – decrease (decrease two stitches, or 2 stitches together; I like to use invisible decrease)

** – repeat what between stars

sl st – slip stitch

st(s) – stitches

R – round or row count (depending if working in rounds or rows)

If something is missed and you have problems reading the pattern, feel free to write and ask; will be glad to help.

Time for our pattern!

Dolls Head & Body

Head

Sc6 in magic ring

R1 inc6 (12 sts)

R2 *inc1, sc1* x6 (18 sts)

R3 *inc1, sc2* x6 (24 sts)

R4 *inc1 sc3* x6 (30 sts)

R5 *inc1, sc4* x6 (36 sts)

R6 *inc1, sc5* x6 (42 sts)

R7-R13 sc42

R14 inc12, sc30 (54 sts)

R15-R17 sc54

R18 *dec1, sc7* x6 (48 sts)

R19 sc48

R20 *dec1, sc4* x8 (40 sts)

R21 *dec1, sc2* x10 (30 sts)

R22 *dec1, sc1* x10 (20 sts)

Stuff the head nice and firm. Take your time stuffing the head so it remains with nice shape.

R23 dec8, sc4 (12 sts)

Legs x2

Sc5 in magic ring

R1 Inc5 (10)

R2-R6 Sc10

R7 ch1, turn, sc8

R8 ch1, turn, sc8

R9 ch1, turn sc4, ch1 fold the last row in half and sc4 (from bottom to the edge)

R10 ch1 sc12 (stitch the corners as well)

Stuff the foot nice and firm. Continue stuffing the legs as you go (don’t stuff to hard).

R11-R30 sc12

Body

Bring legs together. Starting from right leg forward left, sl st to stitch that is closes (right to left) sc in same stitch, ch2 and continue with R1

R1 sc to next leg (on your left working side), sc next11 sts, sc2 over chain, sc next 11 sts (first leg-right side working leg) (28 sts)

R2 sc1, Inc2 over 2chain stitches previousround, sc25 (30 sts)

R3 Inc4, sc8, inc1, sc8, inc1,sc8   (36 sts)

R4-R10 sc36

R11 *dec1, sc7* x4 (32 sts)

R12-R13 sc32

R14 *dec1, sc6* x4 (28 sts)

R15-R16 sc28

R17 *dec1, sc5* x4 (24 sts)

R18-R19 sc24

R20  *dec, sc4* x4 (20 sts)

R21 sc20

Begin stuffing the body

R22 *dec1, sc3* x4 (16 sts)

R23 *dec1, sc2* x4 (12 sts)

R24 sc12

Finish stuffing the body. Will add more stuffing when sewing head and body parts together.

Arms

Fingerless hands

Sc5 in magic ring

R1 Inc5 (10 sts)

R2-R4 Sc10

R5 1popcorn stitch (with 3hds), sc9 (10 sts)

R6 Sc10

R7 *dec1, sc3* x2 (8 sts)

R8 *inc1, sc3* x2 (10 sts)

R9-R26 Sc10

Hands with fingers

fingers x4

sc4in magic ring

R1-R4 sc4

little finger

sc4 inmagic ring

R1-R3 sc4

R1 (of hand making) With little finger as working one, continue joining other fingers.

join fingers x3

over 2 sc each, last finger stitch across and continue (16 sts)

R2 right hand – dec2, sc12 (14 sts)

left hand – sc12, dec2 (14 sts)

R3 rigt hand – dec2, sc10 (12 sts)

left hand – sc10, dec2 (12 sts)

R4 right hand – sc2, attach thumb over2sts, sc8

left hand – sc6, sc2 over thumb, sc4

R5 right hand – sc2, sc2 on thumb only, sc8

left hand – sc6, sc2 thumb, sc4

R6 sc12

R7 *dec1,sc4* x2 (10 sts)

change hook

R8-R25 sc10

Sew all parts together.

We can make hair and eyes in order to finish doll completely and prepare her for dressing up.

Hair

These dolls are made with wigs. There are two ways doing it. You can attach hair directly to head, waving through the stitches on the head, or, you can make wig separately, and wave the hairs on the wig. It really depends on what one prefers. My dolls are done both ways. Some have hairs woven directly on the head (white haired doll in holiday suit and yellow hair doll with pigtails), or making wig (red haired doll with fingerless hands and white haired doll in blue and white dress). You can wave the hairs just on top of the head (i waved it in only at first 6 rows of the head), and wigs that were made, were made same size (fitting the head like this, on top), or you can wave the hairs all around, filling top and back of the head. I can advise you to be careful what yarn you are working with. Not only to use natural fiber yarns, but also spare on yarn as well. Stitching and waving to every stitch will make hair looking huge and to big for your doll. If the yarn is thick, use it on every second or third stitch. Experiment a little. For the time being I don’t have tutorial on how this is done, but will try to make one while I will work on my future dolls. For starters I can advise you to look at tutorial by Beth Webber. It is completely in photos and very well described. You can find it here http://byhookbyhand.blogspot.com/search/label/Wig%20Making

On this blog you will find all different kinds of wig making. For now it is best I can offer, and Beth Webber is wonderful doll designer.

Eyes – crochet

As you could see on the photos, eyes on Candy dolls are crochet as well. To make them you will need embroidery thread in black, white and eye color of your choice and 1,25 steel crochet hook

Start with black

sc5 in magic ring

R1 increase5 (10 sts)

R2 change color to eye color to eye, BLO sl st to next stitch, sc, 2hdc, sc, sl st – ctu the yarn and pul it out from the loop

change color to white

R3 Return to 1 sl st of eye color worked R2 and working in Blo, pull out white thread. sc, hdc, sc, sl st (cut thread and pul it out from the loop)

cut all threads to 5 mm length and glue them on the back of the eye. Let it all dry. You can glue the eyes on the face or you can sew them on with floss thread (so called invisible thread).

If you like to add eyelashes, cut six pieces of black thread of about 2 cm long, and wave them to three sided loops on each eye (black part). glue the back of loops so eye lashes don’t fall out when cut short.

Once dried, cut the eyelashes to 2-3 mm length and curl hem towards forward, over eye.

I added white eye sparks with textile paint (because the eyes were very tiny and hard, difficult to sew white over the black).

You can always use safety eyes, or you can paint the eyes. Place them right after R14 leaving at least 4-5 stitches between them.

Nose is sewed on (embroidered) with same yarn dolls head and body was worked with. Embroider it in the middle of R14 and R15.

Use some powder blush to make cheeks rosy. If you like you can add lips embroidering them as well.

Dolls Outfit!

Will give you details on how to make Holiday outfit (Elf doll you can see in the photo as well as how to make a dress out of the shirt she is wearing). Will try to add more clothes these days. Hats, shoes, different dresses….

Overalls

Ch20 sl st last to first and continue in rounds

R1 Sc20

R2 *inc1, sc3* x5 (25 sts)

R3 *inc1, sc4* x5 (30 sts)

R4 *inc1, sc5* x5 (35 sts)

R5-R10 Sc35

R11 Connect and stitch around both legs (70 sts)

R12-R23 Sc70

R24 *Dec1, sc1* around

R25 Ch3, skip 1, dc1, *ch1, skip1 dc1* around – sl st last ot first chain made

Use bow at this row. Tie it in front.

R26 ch1, sc2 over ch made, between each dc, sl st last to first and tie off

Top of the pants.

R1Count 12 sc centered front, sl st last and sc12, ch1, turn

R2-R6 sc12 (making rows, ch1, turn each row)

R7 dec1, sc8, dec1 (10 sts)

R8 dec1, sc6, dec1 (8 sts)

Sl st to the 12^th stitch from the last one stitched of the front upper part made. (count to your left) We are making straps here, starting them from back.

R1 Sc2,ch1, turn

R2-R18 Sc2, ch6, sl st to next st (button holder made), tie off

Now count 13 sts on the other side of the first row front upper part made (count to your right).

R1 Sc2, ch1, turn

R2-R18 Sc2, ch6, sl st to next st, tie off

Sew buttons in corners of upper pants part

Shirt/dress

note: V stitch indicated in the pattern you will make: 2dc-ch-2dc in one stitch, or under the chain in every row  after 1st one.

Ch 27, dc in 4th ch from the hook

R1 ch3, turn, dc3, V st, dc4, V st, dc6, V st,  dc4, V st, dc3

R2 ch3 turn, dc5, V st, dc8, V st, dc10, V st, dc8, V st, dc5

R3 ch3, turn, dc7, V st, dc12, V st, dc14, V st, dc12, V st, dc7

R4 ch3, turn, dc9, V st, dc16, V st, dc18, V st, dc16, V st, dc9

basic top is done here!

R5 back loops only – ch3, turn dc11, skip20, dc22, skip20, dc11

Continue repeating R5 for desired length.

After done, sc all around shirt making holes for buttons on one sides edge. Do this simple way, as shown in the overalls example.

To make dress out of this top, proceed with R6 written bellow and follow further instructions

R6 *inc1, sc1* around

work in rows for at least 1 cm length (for easier clothing the doll later). After this 1cm is finished, connect ends and continue working in rounds.

After R6 is made, you can decide if will work in single crochet, double, or use any other pattern of your choice.

Same way decide of the length of the dress you will make.

With this pattern tried to show you the basic square start when making dresses or shirts.

Soon will show you how to start with round shape around neck and make shrt-dress different way.

Elf Slippers

Sc4 in magic ring

R1 sl st1, hdc3

R2 hdc1, sl st1, hdc2

R3 hdc1, sl st1, hdc2

R4 *inc, sc1* x2 (6 sts)

R5 *inc1, sc2* x2  (8 sts)

R6 *inc1, sc3* x2 (10 sts)

R7 *inc1, sc4* x2 (12 sts)

R8 *inc1, sc5* x2 (14 sts)

R9 *inc1, sc6* x2 (16 sts)

R10 *inc1, sc7* x2 (18 sts)

R11 *inc1, sc8* x2 (20 sts)

R12-R14 sc20

R13 ch1, turn, sc15

R14-R19 sc15 (making rows, ch1, turn each row)

R20 ch1, turn, sc7 – fold the end of slipper you are currently working on in half. Skip one stitch and sc7 over two opposite stitches (of the same row).

Change color to white

R21 sc around edge and 5 stitches left of round 14, making 20 stitch count

R22 FLO, *ch2, sc to next st* repeat around

Tie of hide ends

sew tinny jungle bells on top of the shoes, or make tiny pom-poms instead

Candy cane hair band

Start with either white or red, work in rows

R1 Ch7, starting from the second st from the hook, sc6

R2 Ch1, turn, sc6

R3 Don’t ch, skip one, sc4, inc1 (6)

R4 Ch1, turn sc6

R5 Don’t ch, skip one, sc4, inc1

Change color

Repeat the pattern for desired length

One reached desired length, connect beginning and end row to form a band.

With yarn of your choice make the border (edging)

*ch2, skip one, sl st* work this pattern on both sides

And that is all for now. I hope you like my new Candy dolls design. Hope you will enjoy making them as well. For any questions you might have, or any mistakes in the pattern you might find, please let me know so can help you or make corrections immediately.

One last photo before we finish for today is….one tiny angel…Agel with attitude. Mad this time because we didn’t talk about her today 😀

Wishing you all wonderful Friday and blessed weekend full of fun and joy!

Love,

Vanja