Itty Bitty Knitted Gnomes!

First of all, thank you so much for the birthday wishes! I had a wonderful birthday weekend!
(And thank YOU, Hubs, for your sweet birthday post!)


Anyway. Just had to share -- and make you super jealous!
I got these cuties on Whoopdwhoop from user Shona last week, and I absolutely adore them! Technically they belong to my kiddos, but... I can't help but play with them and pretend they are MINE! :o) They are just too adorable!


Look how little! I don't know how she does it!
Thanks so much, Shona -- we are so completely charmed by these little guys!

Blythe Clothes Obsession....

For the last couple weeks I've obsessing like crazy over my Blythe -- the bigger one. After all, I've had her for nearly two years and have been neglecting the poor girl as far as her wardrobe is concerned!

Of course I have to start with my very most favorite creation -- this sweet little lace dress. I adore every detail!

So far I've used quite a few patterns from this Japanese pattern book. (Search "Doll Coordinate Recipe" on ebay -- this one is volume 11.) Just thumbing through and looking at the photos is RIDICULOUSLY fun. There is so much attention to every detail!

All the instructions are in Japanese, which I don't speak or read, but there are easy-to-follow diagrams that guide you in numbered steps. So far I've only come across one or two things that were tricky to figure out.

Ready to be subjected to more photos? :o)

Valentine's dress

Plaid pants!!

Pink pants -- this was my first attempt at a pattern in the book.

Paisley blouse

I adore the scale of the paisley, and the blouse pattern, but maybe not together? Still thinking on that one. I think I'll use the same paisley fabric for something a little more girly....

Black skirt and colorful heart thigh highs. Guess where the fabric for the socks came from!!

:o) a dollar store bra!! :o)
(Oh, you should check out my mom's Doll Clothes from Underwear tutorial -- for 18" dolls! Hee hee!)

Next to try: My mom found this Simplicity pattern (#2353) on sale at Hancocks for a buck! That hoodie is killing me!

Tiny Covered Notebook Keychains

Today I am over at Dollar Store Crafts sharing my Tiny Covered Notebook Keychains!
Come on over and check it out!

New Blythe Dresses

More lace.....


A new favorite -- doll and dress, both!

(But who am I kidding -- they're all my favorites!)

This one suits this girl FAR better than the last one. Also a favorite!

More Tiny Valentine Dresses

I know, I know! I doubt very many people care to see my dollies -- so this post is all for MEEE!

I love my tiny Blythes, and have been obsessing over making a tiny Valentine dress for each one. I have to start out with my favorite:

Somehow her dress just feels so "I Love Lucy" to me! And they said redheads should never wear pink.... Shows how much they know! :o)

And what is that little thing on her desk?

A teeny-tiny Valentine!
It measures 1/4" x 3/8".

I adore it! (Big surprise! What, ME? Love TINY things??)


Here are some of the other dresses I've made so far:
That last one is my least favorite. It definitely doesn't suit that particular girl. But I have a red and black lace number I'm working on for her -- and I think it will be perfect!

Each dress uses only the ittiest bittiest little scrap of fabric.
See?? I'm actually USING those tiny little scraps I haven't been able to part with!

Here's my other favorite dress. Pink lace with cowboy boots!

Hmmm.... Is someone jealous about that Valentine?

:oD Now I probably sound nuts! :oD
I can't even describe how much I adore these little dolls! They are just TOO much fun!
Thanks for being a good sport and letting me share!

tiny obsession + blythe obsession + valentine obsession = ?

Hee hee!! LOVING it!!

Working in such a teeny-tiny scale for clothing is definitely not an easy task, but I love it!

My favorite is the lace trim at the bottom! :o)

Tiny Stuff for Tiny Pets

My niece T is celebrating her birthday over the weekend, and I have had grand plans for her gift for months now! Like me, her mom collects tiny little stuffed animals. As for T, she has one specific pet that is special beyond any of the others: her pet cow she named Nostril.


Now. Nostril has all KINDS of creative adventures. Recently Nostril put on a tapdancing show for a bunch of little friends, who were all seated on tiny chairs. (The chairs are from the Jenga-like stacking game called "Chairs." The stage is a Littlest Pet Shop thing.) I also hear that Nostril enjoys wearing a little grass skirt, and a "night cap" borrowed from a Littlest Pet Shop. Nostril also enjoys going camping, sleeping in a sock sleeping bag.

Well, everyone knows I am a sucker for tiny things. So of course I had to make some little accessories for Nostril and pals! I started with some little sleeping bags -- no more sock sleeping bags necessary! -- and some party hats.

Then I raided my Barbies and picked out some glasses. They fit these little guys perfectly! Then I found some sparkly, ruffly sheer elastic trim stuff and created a tutu. Doesn't this ensemble look lovely on Ms. Hippo?


Teeny tiny! :o)

I had to get out some cocktail swords, which fit perfectly around the little pets' appendages. And then of course they needed eye patches! I simply folded tiny ovals of black felt over some small hair elastics and hand stiched them in place.


And then winter gear! Yeeeeeeeears ago, I bought a stripey lambswool scarf on clearance, not knowing what I would ever do with it. I never wore it; it just sat in the closet. A couple years ago I cut into it and made some hats and scarves for my freaky tall dolls, which was perfect. Well, it turns out that the scale of the stripes is just perfect for these little pets, too!

Last but not least -- T loves Red Riding Hood, and even dressed as Red for Halloween. What could be more perfect for Nostril than a tiny Red Riding Hood cape??

It was super simple to make -- I just whacked out a shape, sewed around it, added some ribbon trim and ties, and VOILA!

Oh, how I wish I could be there when T opens her package!

Tiny Party Hats!

Today's Dollar Store Craft just kills me! My kids and I are obsessed with collecting tiny little stuffed animals. We have a great time playing with them and making them do all sorts of fun things. One of our favorite things to play (besides camping) is that they are having a birthday party, so of course they needed some tiny little birthday party hats!

So tiny!

I simply used some leftover party hats, a tiny hole punch, some clear tape, and this pattern.


Trace your pattern on the back side of an opened party hat and cut it out. When you tape, don't overlap your ends -- butt them against each other and use one piece of clear tape on the inside and one on the inside. Punch holes and thread the original hat's elastic through. Tie on either end, creating the length you need. Done!

I got carried away and made a couple dozen for our stuffed animals!
And this size works great for Barbie, too!

Mini Blythe Dress

I finished a huge project over the weekend, and as a reward I allowed myself to make a little something for one of my mini Blythes. I love how it turned out! The A-line style really suits her -- and I love the vintage rick-rack trim. It had been a while since I'd sewn something in such an itty-bitty scale, but I remembered a few things I had previously discovered along the way.


I do need to work on the method a little bit. As you can see, there is a little bit of fraying in the arm holes. But overall I am very pleased with her tiny little dress. I especially like it with her tall stockings!

A New Doll Obsession!!!

By now you probably know that, along with many other things, I am obsessed with dolls. Yes, I like making things for baby dolls and for 18" dolls, but my favorite has to be fashion dolls. Especially somewhat odd ones. (Example!)

I also obsess about tiny things. I collect tiny little toys, such as Barbie accessories, quarter machine toys, tiny game pieces, etc. I also collect tiny 2" stuffed animals. I have always loved little miniature versions of just about everything!

Now. I was shopping in the toy aisle the other day (for me, yes, it's ridiculous), turned a corner, and -- my eyeballs just about fell out!!

Tiny Blythe dolls!!!!

These tiny girls are a collaboration with Littlest Pet Shop -- and are SO. STINKING. CUTE.
(Obviously I don't care too much about the pets, but my sisters collect them, so... win-win, right?)
Blythe is quite an expensive girl, but these little ladies are about $13 each, with their little pet friends and a couple more accessories not pictured. They are nicely made; their heads swivel and tilt, their arms and legs move, and their clothes and even their shoes are removable. That's the clincher right there -- wardrobe possibilities!!
Absolutely worth their weight in gold, I tell ya! :o)

Look how little!!!!


Here they are with my regular-sized Blythe, whom I also adore. But, make way, big Blythe! Your little dolly friends are going to need a serious wardrobe!!

I confess, I keep going into my sewing room (where they live) to stare at them.
I LOVE THEM!!

Sleeping Bags for Tiny Critters -- TUTORIAL

This past weekend my husband took the boys on a final summer campout before school starts. They were so excited! In preparation, they wanted to play that some of our little critters were going camping. But what campout would be complete without itty bitty sleeping bags for their tiny stuffed friends to sleep in?

These little sleeping bags are finished at about 3" wide x 4 1/2" tall. They are fully lined -- but don't let that scare you! It's not as hard as you might think!

They are SO cute, and the perfect size for little stuffed pets (ours are Whimzy Pets -- they have lots of space inside the sleeping bags at their feet), GI Joes, Kelly dolls, or even Lil Bratz dolls (if anyone still has those kicking around!).


What you need:

Four 3.25"x5" rectangles (two for lining -- mine are green, two for shell -- mine are pink)
One 7" zipper

STEP ONE: Open your zipper, and lay one side right sides together with the long edge of one of your shell (outer!) rectangles. The teeth of the zipper should be toward the inside of your rectangle.

STEP TWO: Sew, using a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Gently curve your zipper around the bottom right corner of your rectangle, as shown. (I made three of these, and used the zipper foot on only one of them. You can do it without.)

STEP THREE: Carefully trim away the excess fabric from the corner. You will use this as a pattern for cutting your other rectangles, so be careful to keep it in one piece.

STEP FOUR: Layer your little leftover corner on top of your other rectangles and trim them to match.
NOTE: I used fabric that was the same on both sides. If you are using a fabric that is printed on one side, be sure to trim the correct corners so you end up with mirrored pieces!

STEP FIVE: Lay your other shell rectangle alongside the first, and line up the placement of the zipper to match the first side.

STEP SIX: Sew it on!

STEP SEVEN: Time to attach the lining. Don't be scared!
Lay your little sleeping bag zipper side up. Take one lining rectangle and layer it on top, so the zipper is sandwiched in between. (Pin if you are concerned about them staying lined up correctly -- although I admit I didn't bother.)

STEP EIGHT: FLIP IT OVER so that the shell side is on TOP. (This way you can follow your previous stitching line exactly.) Sew! Repeat for other side.

Here it is flipped right side out. Doesn't that zipper look perfect in there??

STEP NINE: Fold your sleeping bag together, and zip it an inch or so at the bottom, stopping a little before the curve. Pull the shell pieces out of the way. We are going to start by sewing the lining, right sides together.

Sew, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Stop about 1/4" before you hit the zipper tape.

STEP TEN: Flip your little sleeping bag around and layer the shell pieces right sides together. Sew, starting at the top edge. When you get down near the zipper, fold the zipper RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER and sew right over it, sewing backwards and forwards over it a few times for extra security. Then meet up with your previous stitching on the lining and backstitch.

STEP ELEVEN: All that's left is the top edge! Unzip your sleeping bag completely. Fold the top edge of the shell down about 3/8". Tuck the zipper ends inside as shown.

Fold the lining up inside to match the the shell. I folded my lining over the top of my little zipper ends as well, to hide them completely. Pin in place and topstitch a scant 1/4" from the folded edge.

Done!
So little and cute with its contrasting lining and zipper!


The little pets had a fantastic time on their campout. They went boating in their tiny boat, fished for tiny fish...

...had a tiny campfire, drank tiny hot cocoa (borrowed from my Barbies), and slept in their tiny tent!

Oh, and the boys had a grand time with Daddy on their campout, too!

EDIT: Check out an upsized version for an 18" doll HERE!