Guest blog from Anna of beepbeepdesigns - Knitting for bjd

Anna has written a guest blog for me about knitting for ball jointed dolls (bjd).  These are collector dolls, very popular in the US and Far East.  They come in all sizes but Anna designs for the tiny range, which are 12th, 1:12 scale, and includes the Lati Yellow and Pukifee ranges, also the Hoojoo or Hujoo Baby.  Her patterns are available from Etsy and her own webpage, see links below.

BJD, or ball-jointed dolls, are collectors' dolls that come in all sizes from three inches to three feet. They are fun to dress and style as they are very posable and photogenic! My doll, Felicity, is a Fairyland Pukifee, and she's called a 'tiny' as she's only six inches tall. This makes her about the same size as a dolls house doll. Her body shape is a bit different to an adult dolls house doll though, and her head is much bigger, so it's worth using patterns that have been adapted to fit a BJD.

I've been a knitter for many years so it was natural for me to knit for my doll. Sewing can be very fiddly in this small size and you have to worry about seams and fraying. Knitted seams don't fray which can make it easier to make things you wouldn't knit for a person, such as leggings or even a swimming costume.

 

One of the great things about miniature knitting is how quick it can be. You can knit a sweater in an evening, and a whole wardrobe for your doll in a week! It's easy to make cardigans in colours to match every outfit. And plain items can be easily made more exciting by adding buttons, ribbons and felt shapes. If you snip the shoulder-ribbons off your tops, those are just right for miniature crafting. And a full-sized button looks great sewn onto a jumper or a hat (well, I love buttons so I think they look great anywhere).

So whatever kind of doll you have, why not knit them something completely unique.

For beepbeep designs:

http://beepbeepdesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/beepbeep?ref=em

http://www.windthebobbinup.co.uk/

http://folksy.com/shops/beepbeep

http://www.beepbeepdesigns.co.uk/minis/

http://www.beeptwo.com/