New Year Steampunk Romantic

Where have I been you may be wondering . . . ............... since late spring, on through summer and fall of last year, my time has been allocated to the continued purging of household items via multiple garage sales in readiness for a big move coming real soon this year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in the meantime I have been keeping my needles busy when I can and thought it time for both this update and what's currently on my needles .  . working on one of my popular Steampunk Adventure outfits where I make use of my existing patterns with minor modifications for one-of-a-kind ensembles, I will try to post about the details as I go along . . . here is my color palette for what I am calling 'Steampunk Romantic'

January's Jersey Beacons

What's in store for 2018 from my knitting needles .  . .  I plan on the continuation of a year-long project following each month's themes as set out in my Kidz 'n' Cats Kalendar Book Publications, but showcasing them using my slim Gotz models, a project that started last year in December with the 'Home for the Holidays' theme.

For January I will be following 'Jersey Beacons' as depicted in volume one of Kalendar Kidz featuring 'Whidbey DK" ~ a Guernsey stitch sweater complete with winter warm accessories 

the continuation will be for February's 'City Chic' theme featuring Bon~Bon

Spring pickin's Knit-along

You are invited to participate or lend support in my upcoming knit-along due to take place over in my designer's group on Ravelry.
 

 Debonair Designs for dolls

  A two month long knit-along starting March 1st and ending April 30th working from one of two patterns picked by popular vote

Platanus ~ a fun Poncho-Wrap featuring a textured stitch pattern through, worked from written instruction with option to work to length following chart. No shaping, no seaming, simply add button closure and optional tassels, wrap and wear! A stylish addition for your 18inch doll's spring wardrobe 

Lavernia ~ A stylish peplum cardigan with a picot textured stitched hemline and eyelet row for ribbon adornment for a fun addition to your American Girl doll’s spring wardrobe with three-quarter length sleeves to enjoy the new spring warmth and a flattering shawl collared neckline

Color Palettes Part Two

Part Two ~ for this part I chose a favorite color combination which also served as the basis for a new pattern addition designed with the upcoming Spring season in mind and designed for the 18" American Girl Dolls and the comparable 18" Gotz Dolls like my models Elisabeth & Jessica from the 2003 Precious Day Collection
 

Pink paired with Grey

  




For my new pattern, Lavernia (link takes you to my Etsy Store) rather than work the colors combined into the outfit, I chose to work one in grey and one in pink








 

 Lavernia ~                A stylish peplum cardigan featuring a picot textured stitched hemline and eyelet row for ribbon adornment for a fun addition to your doll’s spring wardrobe with three-quarter length sleeves to enjoy the new spring warmth and a flattering shawl collared neckline

 These completed knitted outfits are currently available for sale in eBay listing                       

Debonair Designs at Tekayintl

For more color combinations, pop on over to my new Pinterest Board called Color Palettes

 

Hello January

A brand new year beckons, my head swirls with delightful thoughts of casting on something new for my dolls, maybe even for myself too! Purged through my knitting basket for inspiration as I slowly recuperated from a family filled holiday home along with an un-welcomed flu virus that held my family and I hostage for the new year . . . .ugh

Opening up my emails was at first daunting, soooo many to read after my computer died from an overworked, small capacity hard drive failure, thanks to my dear hubby for coming to the rescue with not only a newer hard drive but one that has much more capacity I have not had for a couple of years now . . . yay! this new year is looking brighter each day.
One particular email caught my eye, an event I actually had forgotten all about, the debut of the 2015 American Girl of the Year, Grace Thomas 

This was exactly the inspiration I needed, something new, something different to cast on my needles for, thanks also to a January knit-along currently happening over in the American Girl Knitters group over on the ravelry forum.

I set about to the knit-along challenge of creating a outfit using three different patterns and chose a Parisian City Chic style for my 2006 American Girl, Jess.

For her sweater I made use of my raglan jersey sweater pattern Sequoia paired with an adorable ruffled skirt by Janice Helge where I added a bow befitting of the chic style I was going for, topped with a stylish beret, and finished with fingerless-mitts also with added bows. . . overall I am very pleased with the outcome, as is Jess too!

 

Thanks for looking, be sure to check out my listings for this completed outfit and more via my eBay store my husband and I have had for many years ~ Deb

Hello December

For many it is as pictured, although a treasured postcard image that evokes hot toddy's, cozy fires, snuggled up in warm blankets, the reality can be a dangerous situation on the roads, so do take extra care out there.
In the meantime from our overcast days here in Seattle I can only dream of winter white days and make use of faux snow in my photo shoots for my latest two designs, although we did have a brief dusting of the real stuff.



Here to show and tell is my Kidz’n’Cats Wunschpuppe/wish doll, Aletta modeling my latest hat accessory

 Jingles 
a jester’s style hat with a textured stitched cuffed brim that matches the main body pattern of Laurentia ~ my previously published unisex sweater

 For the American Girl/Boy version here is my Gotz girl, Elisabeth from the Precious Day Collection to show you

 Jolly 

a jester’s style hat with a textured stitched cuffed brim matching the main body stitch pattern of Yukon ~ my previously published unisex sweater

 



Wishing you and yours safe travels and treasured memories during this winter season, thanks for looking ~ Deb

Thankful for my knitting

 

I am thankful for my knitting ♥ because . . .

• It fills my life with color.

• It expresses my creativity.

• It keeps my hands busy.

• It connects me to friends alike and introduces me to new friends ♥ who share my love for the craft.

As I take a moment to give pause to all that I am grateful for, I am also pondering what's next for my knitting needles, and look forward to create more of what I love doing, knitting and designing for 18 inch dolls


 







 

 

What's next for my knitting needles?  . . . 

the upcoming winter season for one, along with Christmas holiday celebrations

Feel free to visit my Pinterest Mood Board  for more of what inspires my knitwear designs and color picks

Follow Debonair's board Debonair's Mood Board on Pinterest.

Summer time

Summer time may have been beckoning me outdoors with warmer than normal temperatures, clear blue skies and sun soaked days, but not before casting on a little something for my Gotz girls . . . .  

New from my needles this summer

 

'Lagoon'

A summer inspired tunic sweater designed to fit American Girl ® dolls

&  18” Gotz dolls like my model Elisabeth & Julia from the Precious Day Collection ™

  

 

Lagoon offers an opportunity to work new stitch techniques & textured stitch-work all packaged into a stylish tunic sweater that is suitable for early evening summer breezes after a sun soaked day

  

  

 also fits 18” Madam Alexander dolls like my model Abbie

Construction: Worked flat; back and forth in rows.
Front and back each worked the same in one piece bottom up to neckline, with shoulder fastening closure for ease of dressing. Drop short length sleeves created from picked up stitches and worked top down, then seamed along with sides of sweater that features side vents

 

These completed hand knitted outfits can be found in my

Etsy store

Thanks for looking ~ Deb

Jewels of the Sea by Debonair Designs

'Jewels of the Sea' worked to showcase both my latest pattern Anyah, this time worked for summer wear, that Julia preferred wearing sleeveless, along with Jessica's pick ~ a jaunty short-sleeved sweater, taken from my 2011 summer collection and paired with her favorite style of hat, a trendy Newsboy Cap.

Knitting Pattern Note:
 Jessica's sweater Meridian, is currently in the process of being updated with new pictures to follow.

Both outfits were inspired by the stunning colors found in * sea glass 







* Sea glass is a physically and chemically weathered anthropogenic glass found on beaches along bodies of fresh and salt water. These weathering processes produce a natural frosted glass

 

Thanks for looking ~ Deb & Dolls

Spring forth with Anyah

Spring? . . . here in the Pacific Northwest I can happily say that spring has arrived, my daffodils are clear proof along with the heavy pollen count too. Needles to say, for many, the prolonged winter white and grey still looms large, so to add and spread spring joy I was inspired to create an American Girl version of 'Nuala', a sweater dress I had created for the 18” slim all vinyl girl dolls like the Kidz n’ Cats® dolls

 presenting . . .

Especially designed to fit American Girl Dolls & the comparable sized 18” Gotz Dolls

‘Anyah’, a textured stitched sweater dress, that makes use of an easy to work slipped stitch textured pattern throughout, along with classic ribbing and featuring front pockets with two options for working the pocket fronts; a versatile addition for the spring transition.

Anyah: English: Gracious, befitting of the spring blossoms arriving in my garden.” ~ Deb   

Pattern Now Available ~ Buy Now 

  

Pattern Features: Formatted with written out line-by-line instructions given throughout. An easy to achieve slipped stitch textured pattern is worked throughout, along with a deep ribbed welt that is also worked for the cuffs and crew neckline. Incorporated pocket liners are worked at the same time as the main body with pocket fronts worked at completion from held stitches with two options.

Construction: Worked flat: back and forth in rows. 

Worked from the bottom up in one piece to armholes, including back button bands (added for easy dressing), then each section is worked individually to neckline, created from picked up and held stitches. Pocket lining worked at the same time as main body using the knitting on cast-on method, pocket fronts added at completion from held stitches. Set in long sleeves worked from cuff edge to sleeve cap, seamed and sewn into place.

 

Option 1 Pocket Front

Option 2 Pocket Front

These completed hand knitted outfits are also available for sale
 via my Etsy Store