Many of my readers enjoy sewing for their dolls, but it can also be fun to crochet for them. One of my most popular posts to date has been the “Tiny Crochet Lace” tutorial, which was published three years ago. Since then, it has racked up 2,500 views. That level of interest made me decide to develop another free crochet pattern for dolls. Special thanks to my pattern testers, Shelia Blalock Williamson, Nancy Roarke, and Alice Swann! Click here to download the crochet dress pattern! Sharleen’s Crochet Dress fits my “Kitty Friend” dolls as well as most 6 to 6.5-inch dolls like Hitty. This pattern is fairly easy to make…
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Haliana’s Muumuu
Meet Haliana, my hand-made felt Kitty Friend doll. Haliana is from Lahaina, Maui. I used photoshop to add her to the background image of Maui’s Big Beach (photo courtesy of dronepicr on Wikimedia Commons). You can make your own travel doll using the Flexible Kitty Friend tutorial, and now you can make her a muumuu dress, which fits most 6 to 6.5 inch dolls, including Hitty. The muumuu (or mu’umu’u) is a loose-fitting Hawaiian dress made of colorful cotton fabric. This cool and comfortable garment makes the perfect travel dress. Don’t forget to make a lei for your doll to complete her outfit. Click here to download Haliana’s muumuu pattern!…
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Tutorial: Mini American Flags
Today is Flag Day! It’s the perfect time to make miniature paper flags for Hitty and other small dolls. You can see how our flag has evolved over time: 1776: American Revolution (13 stars), 1828: Hitty’s First Year (24 stars), 1928: Hitty’s 100th Year (48 stars) and the current U.S. flag (50 stars) in 2026 to celebrate our Semiquincentennial. I also created American Flag Pillows for Hitty using the same designs. Click here to download printable flags Print the .pdf file on an inkjet or laser printer using standard 8.5” x 11” paper. If you don’t own a printer, you can email the file to a copy or printing center,…
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Tutorial: American Flag Pillows
If you have already ordered my American Hitty Sampler and are ready to make the Miniature American Flag Pillows for Hitty, you are on the right page. This tutorial will show only one pillow, but all four pillows are made in the same way. The finished size of each pillow is 2″ x 3″. You can also reverse the pillows and use the plain white back side, for a different look. Instructions for American Flag Pillows Materials Needed American Hitty Sampler on PrintreeThread (red or white works best)ScissorsNeedle for hand sewingPoint turnerPolyester stuffing 1. Wash Fabric Wash the fabric before cutting out the design. Before washing, zig-zag the raw edges…
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Hitty’s Daguerreotype Dress
When Rachel Field purchased Hitty in “The Antique Shop” in New York City, the doll was wearing a simple tan cotton dress printed with tiny brown sprigs. The dress is sometimes called the Daguerreotype Dress, because Hitty wore it for her Daguerreotype photo (see Hitty’s Daguerreotype Photo). If you want to make your own reproduction of the dress, click on the link below. Special thanks to my pattern testers, Alice Swann and Martha Allen. Click here to download the dress pattern and tutorial! SEWING DIAGRAMS The Daguerreotype Dress pattern combines hand and machine sewing techniques. Below are some diagrams which show the hand-sewing stitches used. The tutorial also uses snaps.…
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Hitty’s Floral Dress
Summer is almost here! What could be more appealing than a relaxing walk in the garden? Maybe it’s a dress for Hitty that embodies that feeling! Hitty’s Floral Dress is one of three original dresses from Hitty’s wardrobe in the Stockbridge Library (see “Who is Hitty?“). Hitty’s Floral Dress is printed with green leafy vines and red and blue flowers amid tan-colored branching shapes. The background is brown, and the fabric has a twill (diagonal) weave. In a letter, illustrator Dorothy P. Lathrop stated that she made the dress: “out of somebody’s great aunt’s ‘all wool mousseline-de-laine’ with rosebuds on a dark plum color ground, very flattering to her [Hitty’s]…
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Flat Hitty
Who in the world is Flat Hitty? She is the perfect travel companion. Flat Hitty takes up very little space, never complains and doesn’t need food. She is happy to go wherever you want to take her. You can also mail her to a friend or relative and ask them to share photos of Flat Hitty’s adventures. There are three different versions of Flat Hitty to make. I hope you will choose your favorite one and give this free tutorial a try! Read and download Flat Hitty’s storybooks, Hitty’s First Adventure and Hitty and the Crows. See Flat Hitty dressed as a bride. In case you are not familiar with…
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MICRO Mini Hitty Book
January 2025 marks a special milestone for fans of Hitty. Under U.S. copyright law, any book written in the year 1929 is now in the public domain. That includes the book, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field and Dorothy P. Lathrop. To celebrate, I designed a miniature Hitty book which contains the entire first chapter. This was created from a scan of the original book. I also used my “Hitty Book Cover Classic” design (see The Book Cover Dresses) to make the cover. You can print as many of these books as you like or even sell them if you choose, as long as you give credit to…
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Tutorial: Cradle Quilt
With cooler weather on the way, Hitty doll collectors start thinking of cozy quilts. My Hexagon Quilt has been a popular design, but I have always wanted to make a quilt just like the one by Dorothy P. Lathrop from the book, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years. It shows Hitty sleeping in her cradle at the Preble house, listening to the crickets chirping. Since it is a black and white illustration, I was free to interpret the design in my own way and experiment with color variations. The result is a new design on Spoonflower, called, “Cradle Quilt Sampler 21×18.” By purchasing one Fat Quarter, buyers will receive enough fabric…
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Tutorial: Make a Lei for Hitty
In Polynesian cultures, a lei is a common gift to greet visitors as a symbol of friendship, to honor a loved one, or to celebrate events such as birthdays and weddings. The beautiful, fragrant garlands are made of flowers, leaves or other materials strung together. The Summer 2024 issue of Doll News magazine includes my pattern, “Make a Muumuu for Hitty.” In the article, my Hittys all wear miniature leis made from beads. This tutorial will show you how to make a similar lei for your own Hittys or other small dolls. I purchased strands of flat, flower-shaped polymer clay beads from Hobby Lobby, but you can also find them…
