Baby doll

 I knit this doll for C's 2nd birthday.  It was originally going to be a Christmas gift, but I ran very short on time.  Of course I was up late the night before her birthday finishing up.

The pattern was from Itty Bitty Toys.  I've made several things from the book and they usually turn out well.  One handy rule for these patterns is that the author suggests sewing the parts together as you go.  So instead of a pile of pieces that need to be assembled at the end, the head is sewn to the body right away.  Then the arms are added and so on - makes the whole process seem faster.

The pattern suggests using poly pellets to add weight to the body, hands, and feet.  I was worried about the small beads escaping from the hands and feet, so I used only stuffing there.  In the body I sewed pellets into a fabric bag.  They give the body a nice weight. 

I watched several of the designer's online tutorials for tips on the face embroidery and that whole step went faster than I expected.

I'm not sure what mistake I made, but I don't like how the stuffing shows in through gaps in the knitting - I wonder if that was a poor yarn or needle choice.

I think the doll is cute and huggable.  C on the other hand, isn't a fan at this point.  She pulled it out of the bag on her birthday and handed it directly to me.  She has refused to take it since then.  We've been on vacation for a week, so maybe tomorrow I'll set it out and see if she is curious.

Ravelry link with yarn, pattern, and needle details: Catie's Doll