WHEW!!! This is the most involved, detailed doll I think I've ever made. And it took me the longest time to make her but in all fairness, I did work on another doll at the same time. I had to take a break from all this detail. I also tried to stick pretty close to the pattern. I made all the pockets and stuff to go inside them. I also made a few extra rat heads to decorate her hat.
The pattern is tedious. It's knit in small stitches on a number 2 needle to get the right gauge. I got tired of working on that dress. I thought it would never end. So I did not duplicate the skirt to make her a slip. I thought it would make the doll too heavy and I wasn't going to torture myself with it.
I absolutely loved working on those rats heads. It was the highlight of the whole project for me. I also loved working on the hat. That hat was just amazing. I did crochet a circle to cover the inside stuffing which was not included in the pattern but I felt necessary. Although later I did decide to sew it on her head.
The hair was fun also. I used a fiber that resembled the angora called for in the pattern. I could not find angora anywhere locally. What I used was Joann's Buttercream Luxe Craft Angelhair in white. Then I added a navy eyelash fiber to it to make color streaks in the hair.
I did not like the scarf shown in the picture so I cut a knitted scarf out of some sequined sweater material that would not unravel. And I sewed on a little cape to it. I love the sparkly stuff. I also used a strip of it as her hat band.
I opted to make her a tulle slip with a ribbon tie but after I got all the stuff sewn onto the bottom edge of the skirt I realized that it really doesn't need a slip at all. The edge has the volume to expand the dress skirt without one. The shoes are a little big so I might have to sew them on. I had to stuff the toe with cotton. I just smile every time I see those little rats heads!
I loved making this but I probably won't make another one at least for a while, if ever. Too much detail for me and those flowers are a killer work up on needles! I don't know how you would make them without getting the stitches too tight, It's a lot of increases in such a short number of rows, even though they do look pretty when done.
