Handmade Gifts: Doll Bedding
My sister found this great doll bed at a garage sale this summer. She was planning on giving it to the girls for Christmas and asked if I’d make bedding for it for it. I had a great time at the fabric store picking out the perfect fabric. I picked out some bright colorful fabric that I thought the girls would love.
I found a remnant of black-out fabric that I used for the mattresses (it feels like the plasticky kid mattress fabric). I used an old pillow for filling the mattresses and the pillows.
The sheets were made fitted so they could be taken off and washed easily, as were the pillowcases.
Mr Chiots made afghans to go on the beds, he learned to knit just for this project. I made little tags that said, “Handmade with love by Uncle Brian” with a few photos. The girls were thrilled that he had made them. I almost forgot to get these photos, if you notice he’s on the last row of this blanket finishing it off.
He even made them in a striped pattern to match. I think he did a great job on the pattern! Now they’re dolls can sleep all cozy warm in their new flannel bedding.
My sister told me that on they way home my oldest niece told her that her doll bed was one of her favorite gifts. When I was young my dad & mom made us this big doll house. My dad built the house and my mom made lots of the decor. She even made framed art from magazine photos. It was on wheels so my sister and I wheeled in all over our house and played with it all the time. We loved it!
Do have a specific homemade gift that you remember as a kid?
Filed under Holidays, Miscellaneous | Comments (17)
What a beautiful gift for some very blessed little girls! I love that Mr. Chiots learned to knit for this project, and I am especially captivated by the picture of a knitting man’s hands. This is a very special gift. I enjoy your blog.
to Elizabeth Davis's comment
Now that’s the sort of thing where the gift and the love behind it will last a lifetime!
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to Ria's comment
how gorgeous! i love the color scheme…i can’t even imagine what it must feel like as little girls to learn that their uncle knitted for them. how utterly wonderful! :)
i have never had the patience for anything remotely close to sewing, knitting, etc. recently i saw a very beautiful crocheted blanket that on the spot inspired me to learn to crochet just so i could make my own. i added it on the bottom of my ‘want to do’ list, but you’ve just double-inspired me to move it to the top of the list and get going!
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to tigress's comment
I would love to crochet an afghan, I have to decide what yarn to use. I think that might be my next project. I made Mr Chiots a crocheted wool scarf for Christmas, this got me back in the swing of it. I haven’t crocheted since high school.
to Susy's comment
That is so wonderful.
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to Tree's comment
Beautiful project and kudos to both you and Mr. Chiots for the good work!
This reminds me of my brother-in-law who learned to crochet so he could teach his daughters. My sister is a very accomplished crocheter but is left handed and had difficulty teaching her two right handed girls how to crochet. So her husband taught himself and then proceeded to teach the girls too. My sister creates beautiful original crochet pieces and is a published designer – for both her crochet designs and her crochet beaded purses. You can check it out here if you are interested (can you tell I am proud of her?)
http://www.crochetnbeads.com/
As for remembering hand crafted gifts that I loved – most definitely! My father constructed for me a beautiful horse barn sized for Breyer horses. It had box stalls, a wash rack, a fenced paddock, hay storage loft with working chute and ladder, and it was the most cherished gift he ever gave me.
to KitsapFG's comment
I have a very fond memory of my daddy making us doll cradles one year. As a matter of fact that is one of the only gifts I can remember although I know we always got a lot.
It wasn’t until we were adults that my parents told us that was a very lean year for us and that is why daddy made those for us, since it only cost him his time.
Makes me smile when I realize they probably thought it was a bad Christmas and we thought it was the best.
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to C aultman's comment
This turned out so incredibly cute! I love it…and the fact that Uncle Brian helped? Priceless!! It reminds me of some doll bed bedding my mom made for me when I was little. My little cousins took over the crib and bedding years later. And now my cousins little girl is playing with it! I used to play for hours with that little crib and my baby dolls… Good job you two!
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to Michelle's comment
wow – that is awesome! I tried to teach my DH to knit once – it was ugly – lol! He did a great job and the bed is beautiful!
to Christine's comment
My grandma made a Raggedy Andy doll for me out of rags. I still have him.
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to MAYBELLINE's comment
Just lovely…the colors are great. Of course that fact that it was made with love is what makes it especially wonderful! Kim
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to the inadvertent farmer's comment
I would love to be 40 years younger because that IS the coolest, most memorable gift I’d enjoy playing with!!
My grandmother would occasionally use her sewing machine to make Barbie clothes, an entire outfit, for my birthday. Now I wonder how her aging hands maneuvered sewing in tiny zippers and buttons. So cool.
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to Conny's comment
My Dad made my 4 year old niece a lovely dolls bed last Christmas and Mum made all the bedding – my niece was thrilled.
to Helen's comment
priceless mr chiots pics:)
to deedee's comment
Wow, what a beautiful and amazing gift! Everything is just divine — from the sheets to the afghan.
When I was a little girl, my aunt made me a knitted hat and scarf. I can still remember how the chunky pattern felt in my hands when I touched it for the first time. I wish I still had it.
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to Sarah Caron's comment
Wow wow wow! Absolutely fabulous! You are such an inspiration! I wish you were my auntie and uncle ;)
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to Frugal Trenches's comment
Susy (and Brian) This bedding is AMAZING!! Great job you guys!!
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to Kelly's comment