How to make a Lolita doll

I've finished another Lolita today.
If you remember, here and there is where I first told you about my Lolitas.

Today I've decided to show you how to make one.

Remember, this doll is just a crocheted/knitted tube or rectangle,

and for me that's what it makes it so fun and magical to do.

So... first you'll need a Tunisian crochet hook

(or you can just single crochet it or knit it, but I find the Tunisian crochet to make a much sturdier type of fabric and that's why I rather prefer it for this type of dolls)

and lots of yarn colors

(the Lolitas are a great way to use my leftover yarn from other projects).

Start by crocheting a chain of 30

(like for regular crochet),

and then just start crocheting regular Tunisian crochet.

I've started with brown yarn to make the shoes.

Make 4 or 5 brown rows

and then it's time to start with the socks

(all the Lolitas have striped socks).

Insert a new color and crochet one row,

insert the second color and crochet one row,

and keep going like this

till you have 3 completed rows of the first color (white)and 2 rows of the second color (blue).

Now we're ready to start the pants or culottes.

Insert a new color (lavender in my case) and crochet 7 or 9 rows

(it all depends how tall you will want Lolita to be).

Insert a new color (green in my case) and make 2 rows for the belt.

After the 2 green rows

insert a new color for the sweater (pinkish for my Lolita).

Make about 10 rows

(again, it all depends on how high you'll want Lolita to be), and then insert the color for the head (white on my case).

Now, here starts the difference I've made for this type of dolls:

after the 1st row,and as you start the 2nd row, you'll have to increase the number of stitches

(I've increased it for the double, so I ended up with 60 stitches).

To increase:
make the first stitch, pull the yarn over the hook,

do the second stitch, pull the yarn over the hook and keep doing it till the end of the row.
Proceed the normal way when you coming back, pulling out all the stitches just the regular way.
Don't forget, for the next row you'll have to insert the hook on every stitch

(that would be 60 stitches on my case).

Make has much rows as you'd like the head to be,

in my case about 16 rows.

Do not make any decreases

(that's the reason the Lolitas look the way they do, they have big rectangular heads).

Now, it's time to make the skirt.

Insert your Tunisian crochet hook on the first stitch of the 1st row of the green belt and pull one, and keep going all the way to the end of the row.

Crochet the first row and on the 2nd row you'll start increasing like you did for the head, ending up with the double of the stitches (that's what will make the skirt look like ruffled).

And that's it!

Now it's time to start making magic!

That's the part I really like.

It's when you give birth to Lolita,

you make decisions

and make Lolita look the way she will.

First you have to start with the shoes.

Fold your tube and with brown yarn sew the seam in the back,

just the brown part.

Sew the bottom part of the shoes also.

Still with the brown yarn, sew the middle section of the shoes together (you'll have 2 small tubes).

Pick up another strand of yarn (one of the colors you used for the socks) and do the same as for the shoes.

It'll look like this

You will have to do the same with the belt and the sweater.
Now, for the sweater, after it's sewn in the back,

you going to sew the arms:

two seams on each side of the sweater will do it.

Then you have to close the head
by sewing the back seam; then run a strand of yarn

(same color as the head)

by the head first row: pull and tie with a strong Knot. This will be the neck.
Then fill it with fiber fill,
and then

just run another strand of yarn

trough the last row of the head and pull:

with your fingers shape it like a oblong ball and tie it with a strong knot.

Et voilà!

Now you have to finish the skirt.

Sew the back seam and it's time to embellish it.

With a crochet hook make a single row of single crochet stitches

all around the bottom, like this.

And then the face: eyes and mouth.

For the eyes I made two blue crochet circles

and then stitched two black pupils.

For the mouth I just used red yarn and embroidered half a circle.

Put some hair, crocheted a hat, a bag and a scarf

(whatever your fancy will be).

And a new Lolita has been born!

Enjoy it|

And if you decide to make a Lolita,

will you please email me a pic?...

I'd love to see your creations!