Knitted Miniature Dress = Frustration!

My first attempt to knit one of the patterns I bought at the recent Doll/Bear Show has proved very frustrating but I am DETERMINED it will not beat me. I spent the entire day yesterday to perfectly knit just a few cms of the edging to go around the collar. The next step is to sew it on - should be fun! In the meantime I've grafted the shoulders, sewn in one sleeve and am in the process of sewing in the other sleeve.

Latest Finished Project

I've called this bear/doll dress pattern Gretel and this is the smaller version. The skirt pattern is an adaptation of another I've used - I simply removed 2 rows of garter stitch and it took on a completely different appearance. Some time back at a doll and bear show I bought a small girl porcelain doll because I loved the beautifully knitted cotton dress she was wearing and the pattern on Gretel is the same one as that dress. Gretel is knitted in Rubi & Lana 100% wool. The label says it's 2ply but it knits up more like a 1ply. It's beautifully soft and a dream to use. I knit it on size 18 needles. Sadly, I hear, the Rubi & Lana store at Gordon has closed. If anybody hears of them popping up elsewhere I'd very much like to know.

Back At Work

Today was my first back on the reception desk since January - a shock to the system having to get up at a reasonable hour and get the grey matter into gear. I'm only doing 3 days per week over the next 3 weeks while somebody is on leave, then I'll be free to travel again.

Recent completed projects

Les Bears Sophie wearing a jacket Les cleverly created by using a collar I'd handknitted which she handdyed. She is waiting patiently for her new Mum to come along and adopt her.


Goffered collar knit with 80 cotton on size 18 needles from a Furze Hewitt pattern. I absolutely love working in these fine threads. The projects are so portable too - this one was done aboard Dawn Princess while floating across the Pacific towards San Francisco with daughter Tanya.



A Baby Cot Blanket knit from yarn supplied by Knitting For Brisbane's Needy Co-Ordinator, Karen Croke. The stitch pattern came from friend Gwenda who inspired me with her multi-colored version done as an afghan rug.




Another of Les Bears creations (sorry I can't remember her name) wearing one of my handknitted jackets and waiting for somebody to adopt her.

This is my "Helston" collar finished Friday night in time to take to the Bear and Doll Show. If anybody's bear would like to be seen wearing this they just need to contact my friend Les at Les Bears.

The "goodies" I bought at the Doll and Bear Show. I'm planning on trying out the patterns as soon as as I finish this "blogging" session.

Doll & Bear Show at Blacktown, Sydney

Les Stipanov of Les Bears had a stand at the Show and I kept her company on Saturday. Disastrous for my budget because I found several "must have" items - 1ply, 2ply, silk yarn, stainless steel .75 needles, Heidi Ott dolls, miniature knitting patterns and a DVD on miniature knitting. So much for not adding to my already over-stocked stash.