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Sara, Lara and Sophie dolls

These three dolls were one of my first attempts when started crocheting dolls. Experimented a lot with different head shapes, hair styles. BB dolls came out of these little ones.

SaraSophieLaraHave ben asked recently more than just few times for the pattern on how to make these dolls. Instead of writing separate mails and sending them, decided to share the pattern for all and make it available as all of my patterns so far.

This one is really easy and fast to do. For those that have tried making BB dolls will see that only the shape of the head and hair is different. 

Suggest you work with fine cotton yarns (DK to be the maximum weight to use), together with 2-2,5 mm hook (depending what yarn you will work with).

Dolls are small, only 5 inches (12 cm) tall, and were created as pocket or girl back pack/bag  dolls. Ones girls can carry all around.  

I don’t have all the photos made to show you all of dolls I have made in such way, but they turn out when crazy colors are used for hair; like green, pink, purple. It gives them this bright and cheerful appearance that girls like very much.

Let us start with the pattern (so you can get started making them )!

Abbreviations  (US terms):

R – round

ch – chain

sl st – slip stitch

sc – single crochet

st(s) – stitch (stitches)

inc – increase (two stitches in one stitch)

dec – decrease (invisible decrease or two stitches together – I used invisible decrease making these dolls)

**  – repeat what you find between

HEADhead

Ch6

R1 Sc4, 3sc in one stitch, continue working around chain – sc3, 2scin one stitch (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 *inc1, sc6* x6 (48 sts)

R8 sc48 sts

R9 *inc1, sc7* x6 (54 sts)

R10-R13 sc54 sts

R14 *dec1, sc7* x6 (48 sts)

R15 sc48 sts

R16 *dec1, sc6* x6 (42 sts)

R17 *dec1, sc5* x6 (36 sts)

R18 *dec1, sc4* x6 (30 sts)

R19 *dec1, sc3* x6 (24 sts)

R20 *dec1, sc2* x6 (18 sts)

start stuffing the head at this point.

R21 *dec1, sc1* x6 (12 sts)

Tie off, finish stuffing the head nice and firm

HAIR

In the photos below, I made sample of two same size hair pieces, placing them evenly on each side of the head. You can play and make them differently. You can make one bigger, the second one smaller making hair look as combed on side. You can make one big one on top of the head with pony tails on each side or just one on top of it. It is really up to your wishes, likes and desires.

Here is just a sample on how it goes for you to understand on how to play later.

head with hair prepared1head with hair prepared

 Hair is done out of two “discs” and two tessels.

Discs (make2):

Ch6

R1 sc4, 3sc in one st,  continue working around chain, sc3, 2sc in one st (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)

Tie off leaving long end for sewing the hair piece on the head later.

Tassels

Proceed shown on the photos.

I used an old embroidery thread cardboard, that was about 3 cm wide (1,3 inches) to make a tassels. So before everything cut a piece of cardboard of desired length to use to make tassel.

in inchesin cm

Once you prepare the cardboard or anything you can wrap your yarn over, wrap the yarn over the “tassel maker” 30 times (less or more… depends on how thin or thick your yarn is or how you want your tassel to look). I wrapped 30 times.tassel ready

Cut the yarn leaving long end and thread the needle (as seen in photo above).

Now what you have to do is push the needle through the middle of wrapped yarn (close to cardboard you go). Once gone through, make a knot you will tighten when pulling the yarn.tassel ready for tying uptassel wrapped - first knot madetassel tied on cardboard

Now take the tassel of the cardboard and make few more knots like this, pushing through the middle of the tassel, making knot and pulling.

Once done, you will see your tassel becoming firm at the end where you have sewed. Now try to push the needle through the yarn on top of the tassel (one you sewed while making knots). make three-four knots on top of it.tassel off the cardboardFinished tasselYour tassel is finished and ready to be sewed on head now. 

If you will find it difficult to follow (because I am very bad describing and specially bad taking photos) please try to google on how to make tassel in order to find instructions for your better understanding.

 Once done with all four pieces, pin them all on the head the way you like and sew all around.

In order to make one big piece of “disc” on top of the head, start making the disc as described in above pattern but increase evenly every round by 6,until you make 54 stitches total count. You can add two more rows 54 to finish the piece and make it fit nicely the head.

For one bigger one smaller; start as described in the pattern above, bigger disc make with last round stitch count 48, and the smaller counting 24 or 30 stitches.

LEGS & BODYfinished body

Make legs first, then join them together and continue making body.

Leg1:

Start with shoe color of your choice

6 Sc in magic ring (6 sts)

R1 2 sc in each st around (12 sts)

R2  *2sc in one st, sc1* x6 (18 sts)

R3 sc18

R4  dec6, sc6 (12 sts)

R5  dec3, sc6 (9sts)

Stuff the bottom of the leg.

Change color of the thread and continue with R7.

R6-R15: sc9

Tie off; stuff the leg.

Repeat the same for Leg2

Body

At this point stuff the leg and bring both legs together. Fingers/heals pointing same directions.

R16  Stitch all around making 18 stitches around.

R17-24 sc18

R25 *dec1, sc1* x6 (12 sts)

R26-28: sc12

Tie off leaving long end for sewing the body to the head.

Stuff the body nice and firm.

ARMS X2

Sc6 in magic ring

R1-R5 sc6

Change color

R6-R9 sc6

Tie of and leave long end for sewing the arms to the body.

DRESS

R1  Sc18 in magic ring (don’t close the ring completely) or stitch over piece of bow or yarn you can tie in front later

R2-R3 18 sc

R4: *inc1, sc2* x6 (24)

R5-R6: 24 sc

R7: *inc1, sc3* x6 (30)

R8-R9: 30 sc

R10: *inc1, sc4* x6 (36)

R11: 36 sc

Change color

R12: *ch2, skip one, sl st* repeat all around

Tie off and hide ends.

Assembling the pieces together

assembling the doll

Put the dress over the body and sew head-body parts together. Add some stuffing between head, body so the head doesn’t flop around. Sew on the arms.  When done with body, you can start sewing the hair pieces together. Place and pin discs on top of the head. Sew them nicely all around. Place and pin tassels the way you want them to be and sew them nicely. 

Designing the face:

Embroider the eyes or if you are using safety ones place them in between rows 9-10 (embroider over round 10).

Embroider mouth right below round 12.

Your new doll is done! Quick and easy, isn’t it!?

I hope you will enjoy making her and your daughters and granddaughters will love playing with her.

Thank you for staying with me!

 

Wishing you all wonderful weekend.

Hugs to all,

Vanja

Posted on 45 Comments

BB Boys

 

Finally we have got the BB Boys!!!BB Boys1

Two best friends enjoying to play together! 🙂

This is the second one of my promises made last week. Still have one more to finish to be done with them all (Oopsie doll’s new outfit to make) 😉

if it wasn’t for Millylyly, who knows when these two would be created. I am glad she asked me to design boy’s hair. For starters made these two versions. Curly and strait, which are the two most common. Made in different colors, playing a little bit with length (if one likes) will give quite several hair styles for your dolls.

Boys are called BB Boys, because the head and the body (together with legs) are done the same way as BB Dolls.  Differences made were at arms length; where these two have total count of 10 rows (by 6 stitches in each row), and instead of dress these two are wearing trousers; and off course HAIR!

For the time being don’t have the pattern for the trousers I trust would make good results each time made. Darker blue trousers were done with 1,75 mm needle and finer yarn and those look good and fit good. The the second ones (lighter blue) I made with same weight yarn I used for dolls, changed the row/stitch count to fit the body, but am not satisfied with result.

This week will work on the trousers pattern and will have it for you next.

Have to be honest that was afraid how to get this “boy’s” face expression using 4 mm black, wooden beads as I used for BB dolls, and after all using same pattern that was created for girl dolls in mind.

As you can see, boy’s eyes I placed closer. Instead of leaving 8 stitches space between them, they have only 4. Added embroidered nose, but this is optional.

One more photo of boys playing before we continue on hair pattern.

BB Boys

For both of the hair bases, classic oval shape of 30 stitches count needs to be done. I have made mine this way.

For both hairs is the same! Oval shape, 30 stitches count row before making the stylish hair cut!

ch6

R1 sc4, 3sc in one st, continue around the chain, sc3, 2 sc in one st (12 sts)

R2 inc1, sc3, inc3, sc3, inc2 (18 sts)

R3 inc1, sc4, inc1, sc1, inc1, sc1, inc1, sc4, inc1, sc1, inc1 sc1 (24 sts)

R4 sc1, inc1, sc5, inc1, sc2, inc1, sc2, inc1, sc5, inc1,sc2, inc1, sc1 (30 sts)

 

Brown hair boy:

You will be making hairs out of each stitch of all 30 stitches row count.

Hairs are done our usual way, chain and slip stitches  return. Once done with the base of the hair (30 stitches oval reached) continue the hairs following this chain(s) count

make:

12 x ch11 (those will make back of the head hairs) – starting from second stitch from the hook slip stitch following 10 stitches, reaching the end, slip stitch to next stitch on the base row and ch11 (repeat this for all of 12 stitches ch11, before continuing to ch10…..)

2 x ch10 -side hairs

2 x ch9 – side hairs

2 x ch8 – front hairs

2 x ch7  – front hairs

2 x ch8 – front hairs

2 x ch9 – side hairs

2 x ch10 – side hairs

4 x ch11 – back hairs

Finish off! Leave long end for sewing the hair to the head. You have made 30 hairs!

For the yellow hair style – curly one;

Once the base of the hair is made (as per the pattern on how to make the base and oval shape, above),

continue making curls in every second stitch of the base row.

here is how to do that. As you finish R4, slip stitch to the first stitch of R5,

ch16, starting at second stitch fro the hook inc15.

Once you reach the “base” slip stitch 2 following stitches, ch16 and repeat inc15

Here is the hair “length” count you have to do in order to get the right shape.

7 x ch16

6 x ch11

2 x ch16

Finish off leaving long end for sewing the hair to head.

Once done, sew the base of the hair to the head. Arrange the hairs the way you would like them to be/stay and sew or glue them. I didn’t sew the hairs! I used hot glue to fix them on the head.

If you will have problems understanding how the hair is made, let me know and will try to help. The procedure is very easy, but somehow I always make it sooooo complicated 😀

I am here to help you out, so do not hesitate to ask!

BBBoys2

Wishing you all great end of the week and wonderful weekend to come!

 

Regards,

Vanja

Posted on 291 Comments

BB Dolls

BBDolls - 3This week wanted to talk about amigurumi doll’s hair making. If you ask me, it is the hardest part of finishing the doll and making her look the way we imagine. At least it is for me.

Tried so many different versions of hairs to be done on the doll, and hardly ever was satisfied with the final outcome. Those tapestry way, with wool and pulling out hair by hair; works fine I guess. Eats a lot of wool, but what you can do with it is either freaking out looking doll or to make it look “decent” is pony-tail(s) or braids.

Then there is a wig making. Sorry to say, but for that am complete idiot. Tried it several times, but each and every doll looked so sad with this helmet looking wig on.

Crocheting “discs” as I call them (small round pieces) and placing one or two on top of the head, as you can see at some of my doll photos in the gallery, worked fine. Liked the results. Making tassels to go with them or braids, and placing them on sides or top of the head….. yes, many possibilities and are easy to make, and at the end doll looks nice. Cute and “dolly”.

I wanted more out of hair! That kept me busy thinking and trying.

I am sure I didn’t invent anything new; specially to those that are in amigurumi world for quite some time, but it is new to me.

For today I made one new pattern that I called BB Dolls. Made few different hair styles so you can see the possibilities that can be done. Encourage all of you to give it a try and play with it for a while. Specially to ones that love dolls as much as I do. Hair making this way is fun! Really is! 😉

The pattern for entire doll I tried to make simplest possible. For some problem might be making legs and body in one peace, but if so, just make two legs and body separated, counting the stitches used in the pattern.

For any questions you might have, I am here, and will be glad to help you.

So here we go with the BB Doll pattern

Abbreviations:

Sc: Single crochet

ch: Chain

St: Stitch

inv.dec: invisible decrease

Materials you will need:

2 mm crochet hook

8 ply cotton yarn in various colors

4,5 mm round, black, wooden beads for eyes

stuffing of your choice

needle for sewing up the body parts together

embroidery thread if you will want to sew on the eyelashes to the doll’s eyes

BBDolls - 6HEAD

CH 6

R1: Starting from second chain from hook, Sc 4. 3 2sc in last st. Turn Continue your work stitching around the other side,  Sc 4, 2sc in last st.   (12 sts)

R2: *Sc 1, 2 sc in next st*, rep 6 times. (18 sts)

R3: *Sc 2, 2 sc in next st*, rep 6 times. (24 sts)

R4: *Sc 3, 2 sc in next st*, rep 6 times (30 sts)

R5: *Sc 4, 2 sc in next st*, rep 6 times (36 sts)

R6-10: Sc 36

If you are using safety eyes, place them between row 10 and 11, leaving 6 stitches between them.

R11: *Sc 2, 2 sc in next st*, rep 12 times (48 sts)

R12: *Sc 7, 2 sc in next st*, rep 6 times (54 sts)

R13-R17: Sc 54

R18: *Sc 7, inv.dec 1*, rep 6 times (48 sts)

R19: *Sc 6, inv.dec 1*, rep 6 times (42 sts)

R20: *Sc 5, inv.dec 1*, rep 6 times (36 sts)

R21: *Sc 4, inv.dec 1*, rep 6 times (30 sts)

R22: *Sc 3, inv.dec 1*, rep 6 times (24 sts)

R23: *Sc 2, inv.dec 1*, rep 6 times (18 sts)

R24: *Sc 1, inv.dec 1*, rep 6 times (12 sts)

Fasten off and stuff head firmly. Stuff little by little and form so you shape the head nicely.

HAIR

R1: stitch 4sc in magic ring ch1 turn around

(Do not close the ring, chain one and continue stitching backwards, as you would with the flat peace. We will be crocheting the rows here. Every row finish with the chain1, turn around,  and continue stitching in the second stitch from the hook.)

R2: 2sc in each st (8 sts) ch1 turn around

R3: *Sc 1, 2 sc in next st*, rep 4 times. (12sts) ch1 turn around

R4: *Sc 2, 2 sc in next st*, rep 4 times (16 sts)

R5: *Sc 3, 2 sc in next st*, rep 4 times (20 sts)

R6: *Sc 4, 2 sc in next st*, rep 4 times (24 sts)

R7: *Sc 5, 2 sc in next st*, rep 4 times (28 sts)

R8-13: Sc 28

R14: *Sc 2, 2 sc in next st*, rep 8 times (36 sts)

R15: Sc 36

Ch1 and begin single crochet stitching to the side, toward the top of the head, where magic ring and first row is started.

Reaching the magic ring we will start making bangs.

Slip stitch 1 in the magic ring, chain 10, and return back slip stitching 9 at each stitch on the chain.

Slip stitch again to the magic ring, ch 10, return back slip stitching to 9 stitches on the chain, slip stitch to the magic ring, and repeat 3 more times, or until you create desired number of the bangs. (in my case there are 5).

Finishing last peace of hair, single crochet to the working side of the hair, and continue sc into each last row stitch (14 sts).

Reaching the end, tie off and leave long end for sewing the hair on the head.

Here are few samples of what you can do. Some you could see at presentations photo on the start of this post. Would have been to much if I tried to write down each and every pattern for different hair styles I’ve done; but as I said, if you will need any help, feel free to contact me and ask. Will be glad to help you.

Hair we are making in this pattern is the one shown on the first photo published here; look at the last doll in the line. One with light brown hair (yellow and blue dress).

BBDolls - 7

BBDolls - 2BBDolls - 1

LEGS & BODY

Leg1:

R1: 6 Sc in magic ring (6)

R2: 2 sc in each st around (12)

R3:  *2sc in one st, sc1* x6 (18)

R4: 18 sc

R5: Inv.dec6, sc6 (12)

R6: Inv.dec3, sc6 (9)

Stuff the bottom of the leg.

Change color of the thread and continue with R7.

R7-R16: 9 sc

Tie off and leave long end for sewing later. Stuff the leg.

Leg2:

R1: 6 Sc in magic ring (6)

R2: 2 sc in each st around (12)

R3:  *2sc in one st, sc1* x6 (18)

R4: 18 sc

R5: Inv.dec6, sc6 (12)

R6: Inv.dec3, sc6 (9)

Stuff the bottom of the leg.

Change color of the thread and continue with R7.

R7-R16: 9 sc

At this point stuff the leg and bring both legs together.

R17: ch1, sc to the second last stitch on the next leg, sc7, ch1, sc to next leg, leaving one stitch free. Sc8. (18)

Pull out the yarn from the first leg you left for sewing later, through the gap between the legs. So it doesn’t come to your way while crocheting. You will use this yarn to sew this gap after body is done and stuffed.

R18-25: 18 sc

R26: *Inv.dec.1, sc1* x6 (12)

R27-29: 12 sc

Tie off leaving long end for sewing the body to the head.

Stuff the body as firm as you can.

Now take the sewing needle and the yarn there is between the legs (one you left from finishing the first leg) and sew the gap nicely.

ARMS X2

R1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)

R2-6: 6 sc

Change color

R7-R9: 6sc

Tie of and leave long end for sewing the arms to the body.

DRESS

R1: 18 Sc in magic ring (18) (don’t close the ring completely)

R2-R3: 18 sc

R4: *2sc in one st, sc next 2* x6 (24)

R5-R6: 24 sc

R7: *2sc in one st, sc next 3sts* x6 (30)

R8-R9: 30 sc

R10: *2sc in one st, sc next 4 sts* x6 (36)

R11: 36 sc

Change color

R12: *ch3, sc in next st* repeat all around

Tie off and hide ends.

Put the dress over the body and sew the body on the head.

Sew on the hair, and finally place and sew the arms (I find it best if you leave 6 stitches looking in front of the dress, between each arm). I also suggest to sew the arms on the dress only. Not only it is easier, but gives you space to sew and hide ends nicely.

And you own BB Doll is done.

I hope you have enjoyed making it, and the hair you have learned will open up a whole new possibilities. Experiment and try different styles. Share what you have learned and teach us something new as well.

Looking forward to see and hear you experiences in making BB Doll. Thank you for staying with me and reading this post. Thank you for following and all kind and sweet comments you always leave behind. Thank you 🙂

BBDolls - 6