Up For A Challenge?

A new year is here and I think it's time for a challenge. I'll start. I have a little project that I started a few years ago that is easy, fun and brings a smile to some pretty cute faces. Let me give you some background and some details.

As a crafter I usually find myself left with some extra yarn and or fabric when I finish one of my projects. Most of you who knit have tiny little balls of yarn stuck here and there that you can't bear to part with. You're just waiting for the right small project to come along. The same with those of us who sew. There are always little scraps of fabric left over that get folded up in the cabinet.

Well, I have a plan for all those leftovers.

I knit baby blankets and sweaters for charity and a few years ago when we delivered a box of them to a local hospital, the woman who accepted them asked if we had included any toys for the kids in the pediatric ward. I hadn't at the time but I started thinking about her request.

I bought a baby doll about 18inches long. Now is a good time to pick one up. After Christmas, prices often are low.

One day at a garage sale I found this wooden doll cradle and picked it up for $2.

Some scraps of fabric made a blanket for the cradle. I'm currently working on a wardrobe for this little babydoll and then she'll be donated either to a hospital or shelter. Some children away from their home for reasons out of their control can have a baby doll to cuddle and dress.

If you take the challenge I have some tips I've learned.
1. Use washable yarns and fabrics. Kids are messy. Save the $40 a skein imported wool for another project.
2.Kids are attracted to bright colors. If you usually work with beige and grey, add a little yellow or bright pink.
3. Whenever possible substitute velcro fasteners for buttons and zippers. They're easier for little hands.

I challenge you crafty ladies out there in Blogville to get a doll and dress it this year for a child in need. You'll be amazed how much fun it is and you'll put all those leftovers to good use. You'll be transported back to when you loved playing with dolls and let's face it, most of us secretly would like to go back to a simpler time occasionally.

You can also use a stuffed animal and make some neat outfits for it. Bears, dogs and bunnies all look sharp in handmade clothes. If you only have tiny bits of leftovers to spare and not enough time, consider dressing a Barbie doll. You can buy a basic one for a couple dollars or find one at a garage sale. The internet is full of free patterns, I can direct you to some.

There's no time limit and no great expenditure involved. Take a month, a year or whatever time it takes.  One item a month will add up to a nice wardrobe. Think of the benefits. You make a child or a whole hospital ward full of children happy. You use up some of that stash that's been hanging around for years and you get to go out and buy more to replace it. Win-win.

Who's up for a challenge?