American Girl Doll Slippers

I've been experimenting with slipper patterns for my American Girl doll this week. These are the results. Both were made from the same pattern but with a couple of variations.
For the grey slippers, I was trying to recreate the slippers that go with Kirsten's nightgown and robe. I knit the pattern as written using a size 3 needle and added 4 more rows of garter stitch at the top before binding off. I used a two ply shetland wool and ran it through the washer with a full load on hot. I did this twice to get the desired size, not to mention getting my laundry hamper emptied.
For the white slippers, I was trying to recreate the slippers that go with Samantha's nightgown and robe. I used the same pattern on size one needles but reduced the number of stitches. I used a discontinued yarn, Bucilla Perlette, which is a fingerling size.
The pattern I found on Knitting on the Net listed as baby slippers designed by Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer

Kirsten and her treasures

I figured it was time to add a new entry to my blog. I have been in a knitting and thrifting slump lately. I did start getting interested in my American Girl doll collection again. I love creating historical clothing and finding just the right scale accessories for them.
Kirsten is playing with her special treasures, a porcelain doll from Sweden, a tiny china tea set and her wooden treasure box that was made and painted by her grandfather. All three of these treasures came from a thrift store at different times. Even her dress fabric was a thrift store find.
It's amazing what you can get searching through those little baggies they have on the wall at Value Village.

Lots of lovely yarn

I've been having a great month finding lots of lovely yarn and other goodies at my favorite thrift store. In addition to all the yarn goodness, I found a lovely dresser scarf in 1930's green with a hand appliqued butterfly and some vintage crochet hooks including a bone hook. I love variegated yarn and the two in the following pictures are ones that I am looking forward to using. Now if I could only give up sleeping to have more time to knit...

Embroidered Linen Handkerchiefs

I love embroidered handkerchiefs and buy them whenever I see them at the thrift stores. Here are a few of the ones I've bought recently. Both of the plain ones have hand-tatted edges. My local Value Village has these usually for $.69. They remind me of growing up in the 1950's and my mother sending us off to Sunday school with our offering tied in the corner of a hanky.
My Grandmother Lizzie, whom I was named after, would give us a crocheted edge handkerchief occasionally as a birthday gift. It was a dear gift as she had fingers twisted with rheumatoid arthritis and I am sure it was painful to crochet. My grandparents grew up on neighboring farms in the Willamette Valley. Between my mother's 4 sisters and l brother, I had dozens of cousins and every holiday was spent on the farm that my great grandfather homesteaded.

Finds of the week!

I found a lot of goodies at the thrifts this last week. This is a huge amount of old buttons I got from 5 bags at $3.99 each. There are multiples of some cards, many from the 1940's to the 1960's and some newer. I love finding any kind of old sewing notions. I can't wait to find a good use for these.

I found these pattern books and transfers while in Yakima, Washington. I love old knitting baby pamphlets. Two of these I had back in the mid 1970's when my daughter was born. I look forward to trying out a few patterns to donate to one of the baby charities. I also collect old embroidery transfers. Here is one of monograms and the other is animals for a baby quilt. Can you see a trend here?

Last but not least is a bunch of yarn from some grab bags. One and a half skeins of Noro, some Vanna White, three skeins of sock yarn and some assorted orphan skeins. I make a lot of hats and scarves to donate, both to homeless teens and adults. I really like taking forgotten and abandoned yarns, and knitting them into useful objects. To me it is all about being creative and finding something beautiful in otherwise cast off materials. Now to get busy!!

Some finished projects

This is a scarf I just finished using one skein of Gossamer by Karabella. I got this yarn in a grab bag of yarn from my local thrift store. It is a simple garter stitch with 34 stitches cast on to size 12 needles. I just knit until the yarn was gone. I love the way the tinselly gold and silver bit sparkle in the smokelike mohair.

The second project is a quilt I just finished. I chose a simple pattern to show off this fabric from Moda. I used one of their Layer Cakes called "Dear Louisa" after Louisa May Alcott, author of "Little Women". I loved this book, reading it over and over again when I was in grade school. I think it is the reason for my love of reading. Whatever was going on in our chaotic household, I could lose myself in the adventures of Jo and her sisters. I am calling this quilt "An Old-Fashioned Girl" after one of her lesser known books. I consider myself an old-fashioned girl in my love of quilting and knitting.

A Great Thrifting Day

So it was a great day to go thrifting today. I found a couple of bags in the knitting aisle with some great things in them.

My cat, Maya had to inspect everything and give her approval.

I paid about 12.00 for what you see. I love the balls of cotton. I can see lots of washcloths and bibs in my future. The crinkly looking pink yarn looks like some Mission Falls 1824 yarn that I have in several other colors already.