A Dolly Sweater and Hat for Emily's Emily

Emily and I received the American Girl doll Emily for Christmas. She's mostly mine because Emily would destroy it if left to play with it for long. But it is the one American Girl doll that I let her play with from time to time. I had decided to make an outfit for Emily's Bitty Baby - a rolled brimmed hat and a sweater just like Emily's pink sweater that I had made 7 years ago for Lisa Miler,who is now 11 years old and lives in Germany. And I did make that outfit just as planned, but I put it on Emily the doll and I really liked it on her, so hers it shall be.

I intend to give the directions but I cannot guarantee complete accuracy. I tend to knit and then think later. Unfortunately I can sometimes talk in the same fashion. That's one of the nice things about editing on a blog. You can look at it later when you are in the thinking mode and change what you said.

Material: 1 ball of Encore

Needles: for the hat - set of 4mm DP needles

for the sweater - 5mm SP needles

Tension: for the hat - 5.5 sts per inch

for the sweater - 4.5 sts per inch

Hat

I wanted the tension on the hat to be tight so that the hat would be sturdy and not flippy-floppy. This way the hat stays on better and goes on more easily.

On the double pointed needles, cast on 60 sts.

Work in stocking stitch for 20 rows.

Now start the crown decreasing.

round 1: *k8, k2tog* repeat to the end.

rounds 2 & 3: knit

round 4: *k7, k2tog* repeat to the end.

rounds 5 & 6: knit

round 7: *k6, k2tog* repeat to the end.

round 8: knit

round 9: *k5, k2tog* repeat to the end.

round 10: knit

round 11: "k4, k2tog* repeat to the end.

round 12: knit

round 13: *k3, k2tog* repeat to the end.

round 14: *k2, k2tog* repeat to the end.

round 15: *k1, k2tog* repeat to the end

round 16: *k2tog* repeat to the end.

You now have six stitches. Work three rows like Icord.

To do that you kit across all the stitches onto just one needle.

Then you start again at the front of the needle, bringing the yarn around the back, and knit again. Repeats once more. Then break off the yarn and thread it through the stitches and poke the yarn through the top into the inside of the hat and slip the excess yarn through a bunch of stitch loops to secure it, being sure to tug gently on the yarn to make sure that the little beany nob looks good.

Sweater

Back

Cast on 37 stitches on 5 mm needles. Work 12 rows in 3/3 ribbing (k3,p3) for 12 rows, starting with k2, p3.   Then work 6 rows in stocking stitch. Cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows.  Then on the third row: k1, ssk, knit to the last three, k2tog, k1. You now have 29 stitches. Now work in stocking stitch until there are 22 rows of stocking stitch from the ribbing. Cast off 6 stitches, work to the last 6 stitches and cast them off.  You have 17 stitches on needle.  Put on a holder.

Pockets

Cast on 6 stitches. work 6 rows in stocking stitch. Put on a spare needle. Make another pocket the same. These will be needed when you finish the ribbing on the front.

Front

Cast on 37 stitches on work 5 rows in 3/3 ribbing, as for back. 

On the next row rib 8, cast off 6 in ribbing, rib 9, cast off 6 in ribbing, rib 8. Then work 8 stitches in stocking stitch, knit 6 stitches from one of the pockets, knit 9 stitches, knit 6 stitches from the other pocket, and the last 8 stitches.  Work 5 more rows of stocking stitch.

Cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows.  Then on the third row k1, ssk, knit to the last 3, k2tog, k1.  You now have 29 stitches.  Work 7 more rows of stocking stitch.

Make the front neck opening: 

row 1: Knit 9 stitches.  Turn, leaving rest of stitches on needle. 

row 2: P2tog, purl to end.  (8)

row 3: k6, k2tog. (7)

row 4: P2tog, purl to end.  (6)

row 5: knit.

row 6: purl.

Cast off remaining  6 stitches.  Break off yarn.

Transfer the remaining unworked stitches onto the other needle.

row 1: With a new piece of yarn, purl 9.  Turn.

row 2: SSK, knit to the end.  (8)

row 3: Purl to the last 2, p2togtbl.  (7)

row 4: SSK, knit to the end.  (6)

row 5: purl

row 6: knit.

Cast off remaining 6 stitches.

What you have now are 11 center stitches on the needle.  Put on holder.

Sleeves

Cast on 19 stitches on 5mm needles and work 6 rows in 3/3 ribbing, starting with k2, ending with k2.

Change to stocking stitch.  Increase one stitch at each end of the 3rd and every following 4th row until you have 29 stitches.  For the increase: k2, m1, knit to last 2 stitches, m1, k2.  Knit 1 more row.  Cast off.

Assembly:  

Sew the shoulders together.  

Using a set of 5 mm double pointed needles, pick up 17 across the back, 6 down the front, 11 across the front center, 6 up the front.  You have 40 stitches.  Work in 2/2 ribbing for 3 rows.  Work in stocking stitch for 3 rows.  Cast off.

Sew on the sleeves, and sew up the sides.  Then stitch down the pockets.

If anyone sees and error in this, please tell me.

I made a second sweater without the pockets and the ribbing only 6 rows, the adding 6 plain rows.  The first version is cuter.  As with most knit items the variations can go on and on.