How to knit clothes for Paola Reina doll

Spanish vinyl dolls look like real ones, so you want to dress them up. Of course, you can sew new clothes for them, but you need a bulky sewing machine for this. There is another option - knitting for the Paola Reina doll with knitting needles, patterns and descriptions of basic models will help you create original costumes.

Specifics of knitting clothes for dolls

Such a popular type of handicraft as knitting doll clothes has its own specific features that must be taken into account:

• The thickness of the threads and the size of the loops should correspond to the size of the doll, which will make it look like a real living person.
• Not all relief patterns are suitable for doll clothes due to their size.
• Some dolls have spread fingers. This should be taken into account when knitting sleeves: fingers may not fit through sleeves that are too narrow.
• Velcro, hooks (hooking them directly onto the yarn) and buttons can be used as fasteners for knitted clothing, but experienced craftswomen can easily handle knitting loops for small buttons.
• To ensure that the product fits the doll's figure well, it is essential to knit a sample to accurately calculate the required number of loops.

Dimensions of Paola Reina doll

In 1997, the company MUÑECAS PAOLA SL from the city of Alicante in Spain began producing Paola Reina dolls, which have been loved by girls of all ages in all corners of the world for the past three decades. Mothers who are fond of needlework like to knit outfits for their little ones, and their daughters like to dress up their girlfriends.

Until 2018, the height of the girlfriend dolls was 32 cm. Then the company released toys with an updated vinyl body. The figure became wider, the back arch became more pronounced, the shape of the hands and feet changed, the arms fit more tightly to the body. The main measurements that will be needed for knitting clothes are shown in the figure below.

What yarn is best to use for knitting clothes with a crochet hook, knitting needles

There are several requirements for the yarn used for knitting doll clothes:

• The thread should be thin, suitable for knitting needles and hook No. 1.5-2. Products made from such yarn will not stick out and stand upright on the toy. Even the most intricate openwork pattern or braid will be proportional to the size of the garment.
• The yarn should not delaminate or be slippery. This will greatly simplify the work when knitting small parts of the doll's wardrobe.
• If the doll is just a collectible, you can take yarn with any composition. But if a child actively plays with the toy, it is better to give preference to materials with a natural composition. Clothes made from such yarn will not become covered with pellets and will retain their appearance longer.

Master classes on creating knitted clothes

From knitted dresses, sweaters, headwear and leggings you can create a whole wardrobe for any time of year, complementing it with boots or shoes. You can use different yarns and techniques.

Dress

Using this pattern, you can knit a dress for a Paola Reina doll of almost any style: from a light openwork to a warm winter version. The product is buttoned at the back and decorated with decorative flower buttons at the front. For work you will need:

• yarn 100% cotton, 320 m/75 g;
• circular knitting needles No. 2.

Step-by-step master class:

1. Cast on 42 stitches (including 2 edge stitches) onto the knitting needles. Knit 3 rows in garter stitch, then continue knitting in stockinette stitch, distributing the raglan stitches according to the pattern.
2. After distributing, knit all the loops in the front rows as front loops, make increases in the form of yarns along the raglan lines on both sides. Thus, in each row the number of loops will increase by 8.
3. In the purl rows, knit the loops of the strips with face loops, and all the rest - with purl loops. On the right side of the strip, you also need to make loops for buttons.
4. Having knitted a total of 15 rows, continue knitting the raglan, but knit the sleeve loops with a 2x2 or 1x1 elastic band. This is necessary so that the sleeves do not roll up in the finished product.
5. In row 21, you need to close the sleeve loops, and in the next row, connect the front loops without picking up additional loops. Knit 7 rows with the front surface, and then make a belt by knitting 6 rows with a 2x2 or 1x1 elastic band.
6. After this, you need to move on to knitting the hem with an openwork pattern. Knit to the desired length, make 3-4 rows of garter stitch and close the loops.

After this, all that remains is to sew on the buttons and try on the new outfit on the doll.

Sweater

A doll's sweater can be knitted using the same principle as a dress. Or you can use a different pattern for the jacket:

1. Knit the back and front in the form of two tapering trapezoids. Make a small neckline on the front shelf.
2. Then sew the shoulder seams and side seams, leaving the armholes unsewn.
3. From the edge loops of the back and front, cast on loops for the sleeves and knit seamlessly to the desired length.
4. Tie the neckline, for example, with a 1x1 elastic band.

A knitted sweater must be washed, dried on a horizontal surface, and steamed.

Headwear

You can complement a bright knitted summer outfit with a beautiful openwork beret. To knit it, you will need:

• cotton threads – 100g/380 m;
• knitting needles No. 1.5.

The following symbols are used in the description of the knitting pattern for this headdress:

• edge loop – kr.;
• front loop – persons;
• purl stitch – out;
• yarn over – H;
• an element when 1 front, 1 back and 1 front stitch are knitted from one loop – PZ.

The knitting process is not complicated and can be easily repeated by following the exact order shown in the diagram below.

For the cold season, you can knit a beanie hat for your doll using the lazy jacquard technique. For work, you will need #2 knitting needles and 50 g/240 m thick yarn. For jacquard, you can knit both the colors shown in the photo of the finished hat, or come up with your own combination.

MK – how to knit a beanie hat:

1. Using the main thread, cast on 72 stitches onto the knitting needles, close the knitting into a circle and knit 7 rows with a 1x1 elastic pattern.
2. Then attach a contrasting thread and knit with a lazy jacquard pattern 33 rows to a hat depth of 5 cm. Then cut the contrasting thread and secure.
3. Next, the hat begins to narrow, for this in each even row you need to make 8 decreases, dividing the knitting into 4 parts. Odd rows are knitted with face loops.

After row 48, cut the thread and tighten the remaining loops.

Leggings

Paola Reina's leggings are knitted from top to bottom:

1. Cast on a number of stitches equal to the waist circumference using circular or stocking needles and knit the waistband with an elastic band.
2. Then move on to the main pattern and knit to the height of the seat (approximately 4 cm).
3. After this, 4 increases for the gusset are made in the center of the front half of the leggings and on the opposite side.
4. Next, knit the pant legs in a circle. After closing the loops on them, sew the gusset loops.

Knitting clothes for the Paola Reina doll is a fascinating creative activity that allows you to feel like a real fashion designer and please the little owner of a vinyl girlfriend with original outfits. The given descriptions of knitted products can be taken as a basis, using various patterns and types of yarn.