Matching Peasant Tops: Toddler and Do

I've had this cute cartoony animal print fabric hanging around the house for probably a year now, and with summer vacation here, I finally have time to do something with it! After drafting the patterns, I whipped up these matching tops for my daughter and her Target brand 18" doll in no time at all.  They were a hit.  I'm planning on making them again for her best friend's birthday party this Sunday. 

Matching girl and dolly dresses

A while back--at Easter time, specifically--my extra easter egg dye inspired me to dye wool yarn.  It ballooned into a huge pile of one-of-a-kind, hand-dyed, brightly-colored wool that I have yet to finish knitting into garments.

 But here is one of the dresses I made with it.  I looked at a button down, raglan sweater pattern on Ravelry.com to start the sweater with the correct number of stitches, and then ignored everything else and winged it to make the dress.  It has faux buttons down the front, and a drop waist (which is a little more dropped than I had intended) with a frilly, girly skirt at the bottom.  I sort of ran out of yarn when it came to a dress for Julie (her dolly), but honestly, you can barely tell when the dress is on her.  All in all, I'm pleased with the outcome.  Since it's wool, it could be a lovely winter dress, with a turtle neck and tights underneath.  But it also is breatheable and light enough to make a spring/summer dress.  And because it's a drop waist, and somewhat loose, she'll be able to wear it for a while yet.  I'm quite pleased.  :-D

She wore the dress to a nearby sheep and wool festival a couple of months ago, and it was a smash hit!  It was fun to inform her that the yarn from her dress came from all those fleecy sheep!