When my daughter was little I didn't need to make her knitted toys as her Nanna was a knitting whizz, fast & clever.
Nan used to make all sorts of animals, people, & the most amazingly cute bobble-eyed frogs ! She often used Jean Greenhowe patterns and both my daughter & I loved them.
When my niece was born 5 &1/2 years ago I was ecstatic for 2 reasons.
For the first time I became a real Aunty & she was a girl !
I don't remember when or how I came to know of Fiona McDonald's book
Babes in the Wool but I knew that I would knit one of her dolls as a Christmas gift for my niece & so I did.
Nan used to make all sorts of animals, people, & the most amazingly cute bobble-eyed frogs ! She often used Jean Greenhowe patterns and both my daughter & I loved them.
When my niece was born 5 &1/2 years ago I was ecstatic for 2 reasons.
For the first time I became a real Aunty & she was a girl !
I don't remember when or how I came to know of Fiona McDonald's book
Babes in the Wool but I knew that I would knit one of her dolls as a Christmas gift for my niece & so I did.
 Dolly |  Montana |
We called her Dolly.
I knit another doll from the book, just for interest sake & thoroughly enjoyed the process, particularly making the doll size garments.
I knit another doll from the book, just for interest sake & thoroughly enjoyed the process, particularly making the doll size garments.
Her name is Montana & she lives in my studio.
I put the big dolls aside after Montana and was thrilled when I found Fiona McDonald's next book Knitted Fairies which enabled the next Christmas prezzie.
I put the big dolls aside after Montana and was thrilled when I found Fiona McDonald's next book Knitted Fairies which enabled the next Christmas prezzie.
 Lilly I made Lilly. |  Lilly with her wings |
I wanted to make another fairy & decided that I had learnt enough from Susan B Anderson's Craftsy class 'Wee Ones' to have a go at knitting a little fairy in the round.
So I did.
So I did.
 Fairy with no name |  Montana & Fairy with no name |
. . . Sad to say I could never decide on a name for this wee girl & she was made out of scraps so her proportions are not quite right & she is a little wonky. After completing her I realized that what really appeals to me about these fairies is their faces.
It's those little painted eyes, sculpted noses & painted lips which bring these fairies to life.
It's those little painted eyes, sculpted noses & painted lips which bring these fairies to life.
 Queenie |  Queenie, Rita & Lizzie |
I was delighted to be able to create Queenie using top quality New Zealand wools.
I also enjoyed designing a knitted skirt & jacket for her.
Her jacket is based on another patten from Fiona's book.
I further refined my doll pattern whilst making Rita & Lizzie, who came to live & hang out with Queenie.
I also enjoyed designing a knitted skirt & jacket for her.
Her jacket is based on another patten from Fiona's book.
I further refined my doll pattern whilst making Rita & Lizzie, who came to live & hang out with Queenie.
 Raupo & Rata (twins) |  |
A friend commissioned twin fairies as Christmas gifts for her twin granddaughters so Rātā & Raupō came to be.
I had been struggling making child safe wings with enough integrity to hold themselves up & then, out of the blue, my daughter told me she didn't like the fairies ears as they were too big & made them look like trolls!
I was shocked & saddened … to me, apart from the wings, the ears are what make a fairy.
I had been struggling making child safe wings with enough integrity to hold themselves up & then, out of the blue, my daughter told me she didn't like the fairies ears as they were too big & made them look like trolls!
I was shocked & saddened … to me, apart from the wings, the ears are what make a fairy.
I thought, well, I'll just make them smaller, then I realized that if I don't make ears there's no point making wings. . . . & amazingly that was an enormous relief . . .
. . . my fairies became dolls again.
. . . my fairies became dolls again.
 Storm |  (L to R) Sage, Moana, Amber, Storm & Ruby |
Storm was the first.
I sent a photo to my now 5yr old niece for approval & she suggested to her daddy that Aunty Sal could make an 'Elsa'. I took that as a compliment.
With my pattern worked out, materials for eyes & lips that I was happy with & an assortment of New Zealand wools that I liked, I made the first 5 sisters.
I have found that their personality & story usually come to me as I'm knitting them, often their name as well.
This combination of details & the colour I've chosen for their body suit somehow determines their eye & lip colour.
Their hair is always fun & I usually choose the hair colour & 'style' based on whim.
These 5 girls all wear bespoke knitted skirts & I have designed & knit custom coats & cardis.*
Their clothes are removable.
I sent a photo to my now 5yr old niece for approval & she suggested to her daddy that Aunty Sal could make an 'Elsa'. I took that as a compliment.
With my pattern worked out, materials for eyes & lips that I was happy with & an assortment of New Zealand wools that I liked, I made the first 5 sisters.
I have found that their personality & story usually come to me as I'm knitting them, often their name as well.
This combination of details & the colour I've chosen for their body suit somehow determines their eye & lip colour.
Their hair is always fun & I usually choose the hair colour & 'style' based on whim.
These 5 girls all wear bespoke knitted skirts & I have designed & knit custom coats & cardis.*
Their clothes are removable.
doll clothes: coats, cardis & skirts made specifically for each doll
 RoseAnna |  RoseAnna & her outfit |
RoseAnna is the latest, using a different wool & she has a sewn fabric skirt & a crochet cowl instead of a coat.
I'm happy with their base pattern & I'm continually planning & making new dolls.
Although time consuming they are a pleasure to make, because all of a sudden, there they are, complete.
Beautiful, small, silent companions . . . . waiting to catch your eye & make you smile.
All the dolls who are currently available for purchase can be found here.
* I have used techniques I learnt in Wendy Barnard's Creativebug class Top Down Sweater knitting, including taking the dolls measurements, to calculate stitch counts & shaping! This was an enormously satisfying achievement.
I was amazed that it worked & that they fit so well.
I look at these tiny little garments & giggle as I still can't believe I managed to do them.
I have never designed & knit garments for humans !
I'm happy with their base pattern & I'm continually planning & making new dolls.
Although time consuming they are a pleasure to make, because all of a sudden, there they are, complete.
Beautiful, small, silent companions . . . . waiting to catch your eye & make you smile.
All the dolls who are currently available for purchase can be found here.
* I have used techniques I learnt in Wendy Barnard's Creativebug class Top Down Sweater knitting, including taking the dolls measurements, to calculate stitch counts & shaping! This was an enormously satisfying achievement.
I was amazed that it worked & that they fit so well.
I look at these tiny little garments & giggle as I still can't believe I managed to do them.
I have never designed & knit garments for humans !
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