Customer Reviews

Knitted Babes

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A teenager just learning how to knit would love this book, a grown person of any age would enjoy it too. There are simple-to-follow instructions on how to do the two stitches necessary for the projects. The stitches are used in a variety of ways, which keeps it interesting. You'll want to create an entire wardrobe for your doll.

All of the outfits for the dolls are adorable...there are many clever outfits for these girls to wear.

The one tiny gripe is that the outfits call for yarn in a lot of different colors. If you can't buy yarn by the ounce, costs will add up quickly.

All in all this is an excellent book that you will get much pleasure from.

I have been having such a great time with this book. The dolls and their clothes are so cute - can't wait to really get started. Good way to use up my scraps and stash! Did have a problem with a knitted sundress - I had to go up a couple of needle sizes to make it fit.

It's a great book to share with the kids - simple patterns with basic stitches and easy shaping. I'm not a sewer, but the sewing instructions are so easy, even I can manage them.

I was very excited when I saw this book as I wanted to make birthday presents for my friend's girls. I tried to match the gauge to make the doll and had to go up to size five needles even though I was using fingering weight yarn. The first outfit I made was the tutu. I matched the guage and still ended up with an outfit that was far too small.
Just beware of of yarn recommendations and needle sizes!

The pleasure is all yours! Published September, 2005 Knitted Babes: Five Dolls & Their Wardrobes to Knit & Stitch by Claire Garland is an invitation to a modish doll party. Bring your eccentric yarns and retro fabric scraps. This is the place for orange and pink marshmallow creations. Knit up the Babes then outfit them as you choose -- surfer girl or glitzy diva, whoever takes your fancy. Make a Babe, and you'll want more. Here are my variations for fervent fingers:

The Babes: Dot Pebbles surf chick; Flo Tilly delicate dancer; DD Diva in desirable Deco; Rudy Ranch red-haired Western wild country girl; Bunny Bright café bar star.

1. The arms and legs can be worked in i-cord, though the original knitted strips are softer if your doll is to be love-squashed by a little one. Finish the i-cord with four rows of straight stocking stitch to enable flat stitching to body shape.

2. Experienced knitters may prefer to knit the body/head piece in the round. Cast on with waste yarn (or crochet a scrap chain a few more chains than required, then knit up stitches into back bumps of chain. Release chain later when sliding stitches onto needle for cast off.). When doll is completed, leave final stitches for head on a yarn holder, turn inside out, working a 3-needle cast (bind) off across base. Pull through to right side. Stuff doll through small head opening and finish ends.

3. The book instructions are for 4ply yarn, but that's only the beginning. Dye natural wool with plant dyes. Perhaps use handspun or tweed wool; or since only a 50g ball is required, use a luxury fibre (silk, alpaca, cashmere) for a chic Babe.

4. After making a few Retro Babes, you might want to add to your collection with Vintage Babes. Style her wardrobe, adding highlights of violet, pearl, mauve, rosebud, pansy and spring greens. Freshwater pearls (where jewellery packs are sold) make sweet necklaces strung on a length of crochet perle cotton. Cocktail hats can be fashioned from felt, netting, feathers, beads and miniature silk flowers. Sift through broken brooches, bracelets, earrings and necklaces for deft jewels and metal filigree.

5. The clothing patterns given in the book are knitted or sewn. Imagine designing crochet creations for her as well. Begin with an evening shawl or textured blanket for Ruby cowgirl. Diva Babe will thank you for snips of pure silk satin, cotton net and silk georgette.

6. Observe safety rules if the doll is a gift for a small child. If this is your Babe... try out jewellery-making on a manageable scale or accentuate clothing and hats with glass beads. Excite yourself with a new craft, letting Babe model your embroidery, cross-stitch or millinery techniques. Fabric shops are stocking up on retro and vintage prints. Dive in!

Buy the book and have some fun! Vibrant photos, comprehensible instructions and bright knitting charts for fair-isle colourwork. No confusion here. Anyone can create a starlet Babe. (Yes, the neck is floppy, but she is a saucy cuddle and bedtime friend).

I love this book, I have been working very hard putting things together for my two little girls, BUT a lot of the instructions haven't worked for me. I have had to improvise a lot. After my girls play with them all the stuffing goes up to their head and down to their bodies, leaving the neck completely floppy, and from reading other reviews I should have checked my gauge, because following the instructions as written everything has come out too small.

After all that, I have to say my girls love the dolls and it was a blast making them.

There's been a lot in the media about how dolls such as Barbie and the Bratz are too "grown up" and are causing little girls to grow up too quickly. The dolls, whose patterns are provided in this book, would be a perfect alternative for someone wanting to provide their child with a more traditional type of doll. This book provides the pattern for a standard doll (pictured on the cover), which can be made in colors to match the coloring of your child (the main reason why I hated Barbie as a child was because she didn't look a thing like me), and a wide range of clothing and accessories for this doll. Be aware that, although the title suggests that the items in this book are knitted, in fact, a large proportion (around 50%) of the clothes and accessories are sewn.

The patterns in this book are straight forward and easy to follow (although, I would say that they would be too complicated for a child to make for herself). Most are made in stocking stitch and few involve more complicated techniques, such as intarsia. A set of illustrated instructions on the basic knitting techniques are provided at the front of the book, although in my opinion the illustrations could be a bit clearer. Still, that is a small point, since these such instructions can easily be found in many places on the internet.

I strongly recommend this book to any knitters with young daughters but also to knitters looking for something fun to make for themselves. The more I look at this book, the more I find myself falling in love with these "knitted babes" and I think that they would make great presents for my (adult) friends too.

When this book arrived, all other projects were pushed aside! the instuctions and patterns are easy to understand and the knitted clothing patterns are a good introduction to constructing people sized garments. The reason I gave the book four instead of five stars is the gauge issue mentioned by several others. I am not quite sure if this is due to the fact I am a very tight knitter or the book. It wasn't that huge an issue, I will use this book alot and I'm sure you will too.

My mother and I each made one of these dolls for my then 6 year old daughter.
She has had them for over a year and plays with them all the time. I think in these days of mass production it can really make a child feel loved to have something made just for them. She has so much fun with these dolls and unlike her barbie's they have been given names and have there own personalities. They are more like companions than toys.
These dolls are charming and so fun to make. I actually knit them in the round and it goes so much faster.
My son loves them too so I am thrilled to see she has made a second book with patterns for a boy doll. My mom is making him the pirate for Xmas.

Just received this book and what a super value!So many cute dolls, clothes and shoes to make and super easy, well illustrated format.Even has knitting, sewing and crochet instructions, so the novice can tackle any project.So far all patterns work up great and possibilities are endless!.Great job Claire Garland!

this is a great book for those who have a bit of time to knit and create. It can take more time if you wish, meaning the more stuff you WANT to do and the more time you want to invest, DO IT. For those who just want a fun semi-quick hand made 'lovie" as my grand daughter says, it's a great project book. If you want to add beads, buttons, flowers, and so much more, it's just the time that you want to put into it. I will be knitting these dolls for years to come.