My first knitted doll

I got an urge to knit after I received four sweaters as gifts from my husbands grandmother. She is an expert knitter and she knitted four beautiful sweaters for me. When ever I wear them people notice my sweater and complement. I wanted to knit but I did not know how to go about. Luckily my neighbor In my old apartment taught me how to knit. It was a quick crash course since she was moving to Chicago and I had less than a week to learn to cast on, knit, purl and cast off . She did what ever she could and I am very grateful for that... After practicing for sometime I bought a basic knitting book from border's . I always wanted to make vests and sweaters so there was an easy sleeveless vest pattern in the book, I started making the vest. Even though the knitting was good , the armhole shaping and the neck shaping was a disaster :( , even the size became too big, I then realized that the yarn that I used was not appropriate. I also realized that armhole shaping and the neck shaping is not a walk in the park ....so my first vest was a big disaster :)

I did not give up started a new project which was a shrug . This time was I successful ? Nay, was not :( . This time the shrug became too small :) may be it could have fitted a doll, but I don't know what happened to that shrug I was too disappointed and I got rid of that shrug if I knew I was going to make dolls in future may be I would have retained that shrug ....

Anyway my third project began and it was a shrug again :) I did not give up on cardigans, vests and sweaters yet ;) . This time I wanted to make this shrug to gift one of my friends who taught me to sew. She was leaving to India for good and I wanted to give her a thank you gift ,which was also a parting gift ,so started this shrug I was too ambitious and made with two colors black and white :) , I completed the shrug I wanted to add a flower I didn't know how to crochet I asked my friend to crochet a flower so that I can embellish on the shrug everything was ready I gave the shrug to my friend and I thought she will be thrilled but she was kind of disappointed :( . I can say that it was not very good but it was not bad either, since it was handmade with love I thought she would accept but she returned the shrug back to me :( I cannot blame her everyone likes to receive a good gift. I then gifted her a three strand bracelet and a black necklace that I made and she loved them...

After this incident I was slightly upset about my failure ,then my husband gave a very good suggestion that I should first make small projects and then move on to big projects, then I was looking for small knitting projects and I came across this easy doll pattern and then I decided that I should make dolls. I took a long time to make but I was happy with the end result.

I called her pinku .then I made a slightly bigger doll called Rinku. I showed that doll to one of my friends who use to work In a women's center library and she loved it and wanted to buy this doll for her mom for Mother's Day. So I was only left with pinku.. ...
So this is how my doll making thing started. Which I am enjoying. I went on to make few more vests . They came well, not excellent but not bad,I still get complements when I wear them. Even though I want to make dolls, I want to try making other things as well.
Lastly I want to dedicate this picture to one of my childhood friends. I love her and she is my best friend. I wanted to give Rinku to her but I can always make another doll for her :) .