Dollykits pays a visit to Harrogate



Priya-Winter Woolies



Complete kit





Priya Trendy Tunic





   

 

Priya -Serious Shopper



  

Those of you who don't know me well might be wondering what Dollykits is all about. Well it is a small venture that I set up in 2007 when i was doing my Professional Studies module with Jayne Hemmins. We were required to write a report on an area of textile and surface design where we thought our future career might lie. For someone who had just retired it was a little bazaar but I thought what the heck  and went on to look into becoming a designer-maker. At that time my daughter and her friends were all starting families and I had been shopping for gifts and realised the popularity of hand knitted soft toys. I could have bought patterns but decided to design a knitted doll myself. i experimented with size and shape and came up with Priya, a cute little doll about 30cm tall dressed for the winter in her yoked cardigan and woolly dress.



 



Ruby-Girl About Town



 

Ruby Ballerina

 

Ruby-Parisian Chic

 

 

 





 

Millie-Stylish student

 

Millie-Striped Sensation







Inspired by her popularity I went on to design her another outfit consisting of a trendy tunic and leggings and with the help of my daughter we typed up the patterns so they looked pretty professional and I set about making up kits to accompany them. These were ready in time to be taken by college to the Embroidery and Stitching show at Harrogate in the October and on the same day I launched the Dollykits website to allow potential buyers to purchase on line with their Pay Pal account. Both designs sold really well and I used the profit to buy more materials and so by the Pins and Needles show in Newcastle the following spring I had designed another outfit for Priya and introduced Priya's friend Ruby who had three collections of clothes. I also received two commissions to design dolls to look like their future owners and dressed in replica outfits. I loved the challenge but quite frankly realised that what ever I charged it wouldn't cover the cost of the time I spent designing and knitting them and so I have continued to stick to patterns and kits and Priya and Ruby now have a new friend called Millie. If you are going to the Knitting and Stitch show in Harrogate between 25th and 28th November look out for them on the CCAD stand E7 or follow the link to the Dollykits website.