Rainbow Lou and May B Lou

8ply 

Rainbow Lou and May B Lou

Celebrate New Zealand’s heritage and diversity with the Rainbow Lou and May B Lou knitting pattern by hillandbenz. Inspired by the iconic Marylou doll—sold in NZ since 1941—these modern soft toys are a heartfelt tribute to the original design by H.E. Ramsey Ltd, who also created the Kiwi icon BuzzyBee™.

Rainbow Lou is a symbol of inclusion and colour, with her vibrant rainbow body, while May B Lou honours the classic version, originally made in red or blue, with pastel variations found over the years.

These dolls are a great stash-busting project, using small amounts of 8ply acrylic yarn (approx. 2.8m per 1g). Knitted flat and then seamed, they’re ideal for intermediate knitters and make meaningful gifts for young ones or collectors alike.

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Materials required:

🧶 Rainbow Lou:

• Flesh Tone – 65m

• Signal Red – 10m

• Bright Orange – 10m

• Sunflower – 10m

• Grass – 10m

• Royal – 10m

• Bright Purple – 10m

• Neon – 15m

• Cerise – 10m

🧶 May B Lou:

• Flesh Tone – 20m

• Signal Red – 45m

• Sunflower – 15m

• Spearmint – 15m

• Royal – 15m

Also needed:

• Toy stuffing

• Black thread for facial features

• Tapestry needle

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These nostalgic characters bring joy and meaning—whether you're knitting them as keepsakes or sharing stories through your stitches.