The pattern for Bliss’s Dolly was published online in 1995 as the very first free pattern I designed.
Size
This outfit is designed to fit Bliss’s Dolly, which has a chest measurement of 30.5cm and a height of 42cm
Materials
Yarn:
95m red 8 ply wool or acrylic
70m white 8 ply wool or acrylic
A scrap of black 8 ply wool or acrylic
I used 1x50gm skein of Holiday brand 8 ply 100% wool in red, 35gm of off-white and a tiny amount of black
Needles:
3.25 and 4mm straight needles (or knit back and forth on circular needles)
4mm circular needle, 40cm long (or a set of double pointed needles)
A set of 3.25mm dpns for sleeves
Notions:
4 hook and eye fasteners for the back of dolly’s shirt
Tension
22sts to 10cm over stocking stitch on 4mm needles
Abbreviations
Sl2tog = slip 2 stitches together
psso = pass the slipped stitches over
k2tog = knit 2 stitches together
RS = right side (the front of your work)
WS = wrong side (the back of your work)
Pattern
Skirt
Dolly’s netball skirt is knit in the round from the bottom up
Using red and the 4mm circular needle, cast on 84sts and join for knitting in the round
Work 9cm of k3, p3 rib
Next round: *Sl2tog, k1, psso, p3, repeat from * to the end of the round (56sts)
Change to 3.25mm dpns and work 5 rounds of k1, p1 rib
Eyelet round: *K1, yo, k2tog, p1; repeat from * to the end of the round
Work 3 rounds of k1, p1 rib and cast off in rib
Finishing
Darn in ends. Make a twisted cord and thread it through the eyelet round. Put on dolly and tie in a bow to fasten.
Shirt
Dolly’s netball shirt is knit flat with a short seam up the back and an opening closed by hook and eye fasteners.
Using white and 3.25mm needles, cast on 68sts and work 6 rows k1, p1 rib
Change to 4mm needles and work as follows:
1st row: Knit
2nd row: K1, p to last st, k1
Change to black and repeat the last 2 rows
Change back to white and continue repeating these 2 rows until your work measures 7cm from the cast on edge.
The next row will divide the knitting into the 2 back sections, sleeves and front
K22, place the last 10sts just worked onto a holder for the armhole, k34, place the last 10sts onto a holder for the 2nd armhole, k12.
First we will work the right hand back section on the last 12sts as follows:
WS row: P11, k1, turn
RS row: k12
Repeat these 2 rows until your knitting measures 10cm from the cast on edge, ending with a wrong side row.
Next row: Cast off 2sts for shoulder seam, place remaining 10sts on a holder for the neckband.
With the wrong side facing, join white yarn to the other set of 12sts (this will be the left hand back) and work as follows:
WS: k1, p11, turn
RS: k12
Repeat these 2 rows until your knitting measures 10cm from the cast on edge, ending with a wrong side row.
Next row: K10, cast off 2. Place these 10sts on a holder for the neckband.
We will now work the front of the shirt.
With white and the WS facing you, join your yarn to the centre 24sts and p 1 row.
Divide for neck as follows:
K17, place last 10sts worked onto a holder for the neckband, k7.
Work the last 7sts as follows:
P5, p2tog, turn
k2tog, k4, turn
p3, p2tog, turn
k2tog, k2, turn
p1, p2tog, turn
Cast off remaining 2 sts for shoulder seam.
With wrong side facing, rejoin the yarn to the other set of 7sts and work as follows:
P2tog, p5, turn
k4, k2tog, turn
p2tog, p3, turn
k2, k2tog, turn
p2tog, p1
Cast off remaining 2sts for shoulder seam.
Neckband
Darn in all the loose ends and sew the front to the back at the shoulder seams.
With 3.25mm needles and white, knit the 10sts from the left back, pick up 7sts along the left front, knit the 10sts from the holder, pick up 7sts along the right front, and knit 10sts from the right hand back.
Work 3 rows k1, p1 rib, then cast off in black.
Sleeves
Using 3.25mm dpns and white, put 10sts from the holder onto a needle without working them, then pick up 14sts around the rest of the armhole. Work 3 rounds of k1, p1 rib and cast off. Repeat for the other sleeve.
Finishing
Darn in remaining loose ends, sew back seam from the cast on edge to the top of the black stripe. Sew the hook and loop fasteners to the inside of the back opening at equal intervals.
Bib
Using red and 4mm needles, cast on 14sts.
Knit 4 rows,
Next row: Knit
Next row: K2, p to last 2sts, k2
Repeat the last 2 rows until work measures 5.5cm from the cast on edge.
Knit 4 rows and cast off.
Make 2.
Finishing
Darn in ends.
Using white, embroider dolly’s position on both bib pieces.
C = Centre
WA = Wing Attack
WD = Wing Defense
GS = Goal Shooter
GK = Goal Keeper
GA = Goal Attack
GD = Goal Defense
Make 8 twisted cords, approximately 10cm long and attach to each corner of both bib pieces. Place bibs on front and back of dolly and tie together using the twisted cords.
Copyright Sarah Bradberry. All rights reserved.