Weds I got to the border of the blanket and I was about halfway up the foot of the second sock. My intention was to get past the heel of the sock on Thursday and then on Friday at knitting group, get on with the blanket border and then, if I finished that, carry on with the sock.
However......
Weds late afternoon a certain nine-year-old child of my close acquaintance appeared at my side when I was sitting on the sofa happily knitting away on the sock to get a few more rounds done before I had to start cooking dinner. In one hand she had some pink yarn leftovers and in her other hand she had a crochet hook. I got eye contact with her and she said "Mummy to knitting Barbie dress" and thrust the yarn and hook at me. "Oh well" I thought, put the sock away and crocheted up a simple tube dress, thinking that would appease her. The new dress adorning Barbie's shape (which is, quite honestly, very odd), children fed and dinner for hubby and I simmering away on the hob, I picked up the sock again, then looked up as a familiar form again stood in front of me. "Mummy to knitting another Barbie dress" I was instructed. This time, she had crochet hook and the leftovers from the orange Charade socks I finished the other week. I looked on Ravelry and found a website that had lots of free knitting patterns for Barbie things. "This shouldn't take too long" I (mistakenly) thought as I got out my 2mm needle and cast on. Thursday was spent mostly knitting this flipping dress, but it was finished not long after she got home from school. Barbie did look rather smart in her dress and was taken to school wearing it on Friday.
However.......
Friday morning after we'd got home from taking DD1 to the station, with about 30 mins before DD2's school taxi arrived, I was presented with a crochet hook and some magenta/dark purple Colinette Jitterbug (a while ago I bought one of those grab bags that Colinette do, thinking I could use it in the sock yarn blanket). This time, the instruction was "Mummy to knit Barbie dress. To the knees, long sleeves." Excellent speech, considering DD2's difficulties in that area.
Friday morning at knitting group was spent knitting a purple Barbie dress, knee length (I took another Barbie-type doll with me so I could check the fit!). By the time I got home at lunchtime, I was close to finishing the bodice. Friday afternoon I fiddled around picking up 14 stitches around the armhole and knitting down 20 rows to make sleeves. One piece of advice I'd give if making doll clothes (other than 'don't'!!) is to make them a bit on the big side for the doll, especially if they have to go over the head as if the child can't get them on easily, it can lead to frustration and temper......
So far today, I haven't had any further requests for Barbie clothes, but I have taken the box of sock yarn back upstairs, out of someone's eyesight.
I'm now on the last round of the blanket - crab stitch, which I have to do slowly and the socks are at this point:
I would have taken a photo of the orange Barbie dress as well, but that doesn't seem to have made it home from school yesterday....... Hopefully it's in DD2's tray so can be found. If not, well I suppose in the great scheme of things it doesn't really matter that much.
Hubby's now said he'll look on eBay to see if he can find a listing of Barbie clothes as (and he does have a point), spending three or four hours knitting one dress is not something I really want to have to do.
Oh my goodness, I think you've created a monster!! But Barbie's dress is fantastic. When I was a child I remember knitting my Sindy a white dress, and sewed a red "S" on it. I seem to recall being very proud of it!
ReplyDeleteYou must have the patience of a saint Christine, but if your wee girl is happy then it's more than worth it!
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