Long Lake Yarns » knitted doll

My Ravatar

Noreen — Thu, 27 May 2010 02:40:31 +0000

This is my face to the Ravelry world. She is my Ravatar. Whenever I post on Rav, this is who other knitters see. Some knitters show their arm tattooed with a wound ball of yarn. Some show a beautiful piece of lace work. A plate of cookies. Themselves astride their Harley. Or a cat. Some show their real faces. But this is me. A doll I knitted many years ago, complete with knitted hearts on her underwear, a knitted wig done up with a bun in the back and a dress of my own design. The original pattern was a severe looking doll knitted in dark colors. It was a Fall, 1980 Better Homes and Gardens Magazine pattern called Grand-Mere Knitted Doll. The first time I knitted her I followed the pattern and she turned out very somber. Next time I knitted this version of her, for me.

Some Ravelers change their Ravatars on a regular basis. Not me. Who you’ll see today is who you’ll see tomorrow.

Little Elf Guys

Noreen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:40:21 +0000

When my son was little, and his school had a fairly constant need for donations to fall festivals and “events” of one sort or another, I probably knitted about 30 sets of these guys to donate and as presents for teachers. It is a Weir Doll pattern, from Susan Weir of Ann Arbor, Michigan. An easy knit. I always stuff my knitted toys with unspun wool, rather than with that stiff polyester fiberfill. It’s a pricey stuffing–but works so much better. No lumps!

Victorian Girl, With Hearts Knitted into her Bloomers

Noreen — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:30:36 +0000

I believe this is an old, old McCall’s pattern. In the original, she was rather Amish looking, decked out in shades of brown and black (though an Amish doll would not have had facial features). I decided I wanted to spiff her up a bit. She has hearts knitted into her bloomers. Except for the hat, the clothing is my design. Under her hat, she still wears the pattern’s originally-designed knitted hairdo: long hair parted in the middle, done up with a bun in back. I added an “I-cord” detail all around the wig, to give it a bit more definition at the edges. A fun project. She was the second in a series, with the first one given away to a school fund raiser auction.

Knitted Cher and Clown Couple

Noreen — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:17:44 +0000

This was a Classic Elite pattern from about twenty years ago that I knitted almost that long ago. It might have been called “Ethnic Dolls.” I adapted the pattern for the girl, somewhat, and ended up with sort of an ethnic version of Cher. Her buddy, well, he’s truer to the pattern and looks pretty goofy. Mostly I think it’s the hat that doesn’t really flatter him. As I recall, the work was fun but a bit too fiddly. And the stuffing, well that was a bear. I always stuff my dolls and creatures with unspun wool, which is easier to work with than polyester fiber-fill, but the spindly arms and legs were tough to stuff.