Fashion Doll Family Christmas Sweaters

Rebeckah's Treasures is really proud to present "Fashion Doll Family Christmas Sweaters"!

Now your fashion dolls can get ready for their Christmas family portraits with this spectacular Fashion Doll Family Christmas Sweater Crochet Pattern Bundle!

3 Sweater Sizes (Dad - 12" doll, Mom - 11 1/2" doll, Child - 4 1/2" doll) are included in this pattern along with 3 Mini Christmas Appliques (Frosty Snowman, Reindeer Rudolf, Santa's Head).

It is available exclusively this month in the November 2014 Issue of Too Yarn Cute's E-Magazine...

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Use the Code: tycrt at checkout over at Too Yarn Cute to get the issue with this pattern (plus other fabulous Christmas designs) AND any other item at 10% OFF.

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This is also the final e-magazine issue of Too Yarn Cute's Magazine as Stacy (the owner) is moving her business in a new direction.  She is also having a sale this month, and bizzy bee hunt giveaway this week that I am a part of, but I'll tell you more about that on Monday...

Even though I was only part of the magazine for a few months, I feel like it was such a blessing to get to know so many great women and to be part of such an amazing team.  It was a wonderful experience for me and I wish all my bizzy friends continued success.

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A little bit about this design...

As you may know, magazine's like to have special themes associated with their issues.  The November 2014 Issue has 3 Themes - “Jack Frost Nipping At My Nose”, “Baby It’s Snowing Outside”, and “Santa’s Workshop” - all have to do with Christmas and Winter.

So as I was pondering what I could make to fit one of those themes, the idea occurred to me that I could create something that fits all 3.  Well, technically it occurred to me after I got started on Dad's Sweater, but still...

First and foremost, I knew it would be something for fashion dolls as that is my specialty.  This means it would fit into "Santa's Workshop" theme because dolls are toys and therefore anything made for them are toys too.  

I really wanted to do something for the Ken doll because I thought he really could use some more stylish designs and I thought it would be fun.  Who here agrees with me?  Speaking of Ken... I really need to finish his Gentleman pattern and get started on his "Happily Ever After" - like pattern but with all sorts of tuxedos and suits!

Anyways, back to the family sweaters...

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Next, I got to thinking about the other two themes, which are really closely related, and that's when I thought Ken needs a sweater to keep himself warm and snug.  Sweaters fall into the "Jack Frost Nipping At My Nose" theme of bundling up.  So there was a second one covered.

Now to the fun part... designing!  This is my favourite part because I get to be creative and actually pick up my hooks and start crocheting.  Let's face it... it just so much fun to make things, especially with crochet! :D

I wanted to go with a traditional, yet textured, look for the sweaters, and I decided to do dad's one in green since I still had some left over from the Elves I designed last year.  I started with the waistband first and worked my way up.  It only took a little bit of trial and error, and I was able to design the sweater with minimal froggings (ripping out the work).  I did the same for process for the sleeves.  After which I put all the pieces together and finished it off with a snap.

Part of designing for a magazine means that you have to keep the projects secret until the issue is release.  That is a really hard thing for me to do because I just love sharing with you.  That said, remember that really popular green vest from my second newsletter freebie update?  Well, without your knowing it, you got a sneak peek into this design!

I digress... 

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I thought his sweater could use a bit of christmas flavour, so I got to work on the Rudolf Reindeer head Applique.  I thought it looked really awesome on the sweater, but I didn't want to attach it just yet because I had got to thinking that Barbie and Kelly could really use an awesome christmas sweater too!  And so, the Family Christmas Sweaters was born...

Mom's sweater was easier and much quicker to create as it follows the same design as Dad's sweater.  Even so, I ended up doing a few froggings before I got the right sizing for her...  I wanted a loose, yet snug, fitting sweater.  I didn't want it to be ginormous, but that is exactly how it was at first.  I picked red for her sweater so that she would match dad without being too matchy-matchy.

Once Mom's Sweater was finished, I started brainstorming what other christmassy appliques I wanted to do.  I thought about doing quite a few styles like candy canes, wreaths, and yada yada, but I decided to keeps things simple.

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My trouble is, I love details!  But, I have to remember that I don't always have to go for every single idea I have.  If I did, I probably wouldn't get anything done.  

Who's with me on this?  

So, I resolved that I would only make 3 appliques - one for each sweater, and determined that Rudolf, Frosty and Santa were the most important, especially since they best fit the 3 themes. In the end, dad's sweater got two of the appliques, mom's sweater got one, and the child's one got none.

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Kelly is just too small for the appliques, so I thought I would make her sweater really pretty by alternating the row colours instead of just doing one colour like for mom and dad.  Hers was probably the quickest sweater to make due to her small size, but the colour changes makes hers the most challenging of the three sweaters to do.  Luckily for you, it can be made in just one colour.

Now that I had all three sweaters made, I started playing around to see which appliques would look best for each sweater.  Dad got Santa and Rudolf and Mom got Frosty.

Just to be sure that I sewed them in the right place, I traced around them with a spare strand of yarn.  Once they were attached, I thought Mom's sweater could use a little something extra, so I embroidered some snowflakes onto her sweater thereby adding the 3rd theme "Baby It's Snowing Outside" into the mix. :D

A little side note... I really need to take more WIP pictures as I go, but I get so into the designing process that it completely passes me by.  Also, it is usually dark when I am at those steps where it would be great to take those tutorial or WIP pics... Go figure!

Which sweater or applique is your favourite?  Share with me below...

Remember to add these patterns to your ravelry favourites and to use the code tycrt to get 10% off the November 2014 Issue with these these crochet patterns!

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Dad's Christmas Sweater

Mom's Christmas Sweater

Child's Christmas Sweater

Mini Christmas Appliques