For Julia

What you probably don't know is that, since last fall, I've gotten mental over Blythe dolls. I'm NOT a doll person, really. I'm at best a kitschy action figure girl [my favorite to date is my Mary-Catherine Gallagher figure, and I gave dad the new Jim Henson figure for his birthday last year].

But in the last few months, I found myself captivated and then obsessed with these dolls that scared kids in the 1970s, and so were discontinued. The new reproductions are now fashion icons and Blythe is HUGELY popular in Asia. As of today, I have four. Their most characteristic features are their big heads and their eyes that change color and direction.

Coincidentally, Julia created sweet tiny ornament sweaters last year that I was sure were Blythe-shaped. And they were! A happy fluke.

Julia asked me to post a pic if I used her pattern to knit a sweater, so I happily oblige. This is Timothy. She was formerly a peach-haired doll called Mlle Rose Bud [all the reproduction Blythes have model names and come with matchy poo accessories]. Since I got her a few weeks ago, I've dyed her hair this color [which was meant to be brown, but I like it this screaming pink and it's going to stay] and cut her bangs. And now she has this Julia-inspired sweater.

The big challenge in dressing dolls like this, i'm learning, is their freakishly huge heads. Everything goes on feet-up OR closes in front or back somehow. I had to modify Julia's pattern by speeding up the decreases and then leaving the back open from the top of the raglans up to close with a little button at the back neck. I also used a finer yarn on 3.75mm DPNs so it would be more in keeping with the scale of her body. The pattern still needs further fine tuning, but it's a good pattern, Julia -- so I thank you!