Everyone Needs Playtime

In our hectic, modern lives, many of us focus so heavily on work and family commitments that we never seem to have time for pure fun. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped playing.

When we carve out some leisure time, we’re more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children. But play is not just essential for kids; it can be an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults as well.

There doesn’t need to be any point to the activity beyond having fun and enjoying yourself. By giving yourself permission to play with the joyful abandon of childhood, you can reap oodles of health benefits throughout life.

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Challenge Meme

Seven years ago I issued a challenge to celebrate 20 years of the modern BJD, that I had also done three years previously. As things have be...

Sailor Dress for Ruby Red Fashion Friends

Designed by Xanadu Dolls for Ruby Red Fashion Friends or dolls with a similar size body. This is a simple dress to knit but requires a little crochet and sewing experience to finish off.

Please feel free to copy and knit for your own dolls or to make to sell.
PLEASE DO NOT SELL THE PATTERN!

Materials Required:
50g ball Fingering Weight yarn.
A small amount of contrasting yarn to make collar and band.
I used Knit Picks Palette to make mine.
Wind off a small amount of main yarn for 2nd sleeve, and a tiny amount of contrasting yarn for other side of collar.
Size 2.25mm needles.
7 tiny buttons.
Optional:
Size 2mm crochet hook.
small beads.
For Band:
Sewing needle and thread to match the band.

Sleeves: 
Using both balls of your main yarn, work both sleeves simultaneously. Cast on 23 stitches.
Rows 1 and 2: Knit to the end.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: Purl.
Repeat these two rows until you reach the desired length from wrist to armpit, finishing on a purl row.
Next Row: K2, make 1, then knit to the last 3 stitches, make 1, K2. (25sts) 
Next Row: Purl.
Row 37: Cast off 3 stitches, then knit to the end. 
Row 38: Cast off 3 stitches, then purl to the end, (you should have 19sts left for each sleeve).
Break yarn and place remaining stitches on stitch holders.

Dress Body: Cast on 71 stitches. 
Row 1  and 2: Knit to the end.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: K 4, purl to last 4 stitches, K4.
Rows 5 to 10: Repeat the last 2 rows
Row 11(buttonhole row): K1, K2 tog, YON, Knit to last 4 stitches K4. 
Row 12: K 4, purl to last 4 stitches, K4.
Rows 13 to 20: Repeat rows 3 and 4.
Row 21(buttonhole row): K1, K2 tog, YON, Knit to last 4 stitches K4. 
Row 22: K 4, purl to last 4 stitches, K4.
Rows 23 to 30: Repeat rows 3 and 4.
Row 31(buttonhole row): K1, K2 tog, YON, Knit to last 4 stitches K4. 
Row 32: K 4, purl to last 4 stitches, K4.
Rows 33 to 40: Repeat rows 3 and 4.
Row 41(buttonhole row): K1, K2 tog, YON, Knit to last 4 stitches K4.  
Row 42: K 4, purl to last 4 stitches, K4.
Rows 43 to 50: Repeat rows 3 and 4.
Row 51(buttonhole row): K1, K2 tog, YON, Knit to last 4 stitches K4. . 

Divide for armholes: 
Row 52: K4, P12, cast off 6 stitches, P 27, (including the stitches left on the needle after cast off), cast off 6 stitches, P12, K4.
Row 53: K16, knit across the 19 stitches of sleeve 1, K 27, knit across the 19 stitches of sleeve 2, K16. (97sts) 
Row 54: (and every alternate wrong side row) K4, purl to last 4 stitches, K4. 
Row 55: K14, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 15, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 23, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 15, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 14 = 89 stitches. 
Row 57: K13, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 13, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 21, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 13, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K13 = 81 stitches 
Row 59: K12, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 11, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 19, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 11, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K12 = 73 stitches. 
Row 61(buttonhole row): K 1, K2 tog, YON, K8, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 9, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 17, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K9, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K11 = 65 stitches. 
Row 63: K10, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 7, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K15, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 7, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K10 = 57 stitches. 
Row 65: K9, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 5, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 13, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 5, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K9 = 49 stitches.
Row 67: K8, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 3, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 11, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K 3, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K8 = 41 stitches.
Row 69: K7, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K1, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K9, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K1, K2 tog TBL, K2 tog, K7= 33 stitches.
Row 71(buttonhole row): K 1, K2 tog, YON, K3, K2 tog TBL, K3, K2 tog, K7, K2 tog TBL, K3, K2 tog, K6. = 29 stitches.
Row 72 & 73: Knit both rows. 
Cast off knit wise (not too tightly). 
Sew up sleeves, sew in loose ends and sew on buttons.

Collar: Cast on 24 stitches leaving about 4inch tail.
Rows 1 to 6: Knit.
Row 7: Knit.
Row 8: K4, then purl to last 4 stitches, K4.
Repeat these two rows 8 more times.
Row 25: K8, cast off 8 Knit 8.
Row 26: K4, P4. Join yarn to the other side and P4, K4.
Continue working both sides at the same time.
Row 27: K6, K2 tog TBL. (other side) K2 tog, K6.
Row 28: K4, P3. (OS) P3, K4.
Row 29: K7. (OS) K7.
Row 30: K4, P3. (OS) P3, K4.
Repeat the last two rows twice more.
Row 35: K5, K2 tog TBL. (OS) K2 tog, K5.
Row 36: K4, P2. (OS) P2, K4.
Row 37: K6. (OS) K6.
Row 38: K4, P2. (OS) P2, K4.
Repeat the last two rows once more.
Row 41: K4, K2 tog TBL. (OS) K2 tog, K4.
Row 42: K4, P1. (OS) P1, K4.
Row 43: K5. (OS) K5.
Row 44: K4, P1. (OS) P1, K4.
Row 45: K3, K2 tog TBL. (OS) K2 tog, K3.
Row 46 to 48: K4. (OS) K4.
Row 47: K2 tog TBL, twice (OS) K2 tog, twice
Row 48: K2. (OS) K2.
Row 49: K2 tog TBL.(OS) K2 tog, leaving about a 4inch tail.
Row 50: Finish both sides off, then steam press flat.
Optional: Using your crochet hook, single crochet two rows around the inside of the collar to give it a neater finish.
Not sure how to single crochet ... click here.

The collar remains separate and is placed over the dress and tied at the front with the tails. I added bead/s to the end of each tail to help it sit, but this is optional.

Band: Cast on 7 stitches.
Rows 1 and 2: Knit.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: K2, P3, K2.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until it measure the width of the dress.
Next three rows: Knit.
Cast off knit wise, then steam press flat.
Pin in place between 5th and 6th buttons as shown below.


Then using matching thread and a small running stitch, tack it in place at the top and bottom of the band.


Terms: 
K1 = knit one stitch. 
P1 = purl one stitch. 
YON = yarn over needle (to make a stitch leaving a hole). 
K2 tog TBL = knit two stitches together through the back of the stitches. 
M1 = make a stitch. Using your right-hand needle, lift the yarn that’s between the stitches onto the left-hand needle to create a stitch, then knit into the back of that stitch (this twists the yarn to make a stitch without leaving a hole).
OS = Other side of collar.

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