Category Archives: Just Things

Real Doll For Quality Control of Handmade Doll Items

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Doll torso

I have  a bad experience when purchasing a hand-styled doll wig. The wig, when is put on my doll head, is unbalanced. The back-ties is more to the left. The crafter/stylist said it’s ok on her doll but i’m not sure if she has tested it on her doll head. She just showed me photos of the wig ,before being sent, on wig-stand (wood made, no face of doll, usually the wig elastic won’t be too tight when it is put there). Because of that, i asked her, did you test the wig you sent to me to your doll head. She didn’t respond to that, instead kept insisting that it was impossible that the wig was unbalanced without her  knowing. (Her wigs are usually ok but when it comes to ‘hand-style’ by her, it’s risky apparently. So, I will not buy her handmade-styled wig again. I will just buy her regular wig).

While chatting to my dear friend who shopped with me, I said few things. This is what I’m going to write here.

Do you see the pic before my write starts? Yes, A DOLL TORSO. Some people may use it to display clothes, to help when making doll clothes, etc. Yet, IS IT A VALID TOOL to represent a doll clothes? I will say, NO. Doll torso is a doll torso, we don’t know which exactly bjd size it is made. Is it eluts? is it volks? is it angellstudio? No, we don’t know. Even a clothes may look good when displayed on a doll torso, it doesn’t mean, it will look good when is put on doll body, and vice versa.

I, personally, use doll torso to help me sewing doll clothes (like to mark few things, to try arranging some decoration on clothes, and so on) and to give a rough look before I finish sewing and put it on real doll for real fitting. Yet, when it looks bad on doll torso, I don’t really take it seriously unless, it looks really really bad and not convincing, then I’ll take out my doll body even the sewing process is still half way. Using REAL doll to do quality control before my product is presented is a MUST. Even if it’s just for my own doll, not for sale, FITTING ON A REAL DOLL IS A MUST.

I asked the wig stylist whether she tried the wig she sent to me on a doll head because i know what is a wig stand. It has no face. So we don’t know where the nose is. We know, the nose is ‘dividing’ our face into two. It’s in the middle (normally). Wig stand has no eyes. The eyes of the doll, they are the ‘border’ of left and right face area that shouldn’t be covered by hair, unless it is the style; Even if it is, then the eyes position is important, too. Wig stand ball is not the same as doll head. The position of the top centre is different from real doll. The top centre of the doll head which will also be used as another control when putting a wig on it. Wig stand ball size as well as (again) shape are not as same as doll head. Even one doll head at one line of size can be differ in shape and size (8-9 inch, the doll head can be 8,8,5,9 inch). From what i see, it looks smaller (because it’s for display, it shouldn’t be ruin elasticity of the wig fabric). Using real doll is better as its size and shape are much more exact to ‘hold’ the wig fabric so it wouldn’t turn around when is being styled. Yet, even if someone still want to style wig on a wig stand, it is highly recommended to use real doll head for quality control because aside of shape and size, it has nose, eyes, and ‘exact’ top centre of the head. I think, when it comes to sell, someone has to make a sacrifice; use the available head to be used as quality control or buy a cheaper head but still at one line of size. We know there are few brands that sell less expensive than the other.

Our product may look the best or slightly best on different doll sometimes. That’s why, sometimes, we have to specific based on what doll size and BRAND (for exactly) we make this product. We can add warning that it may fit on other doll brand at same size line but can’t guarantee the same look and good fitting.

We can buy doll torso and wig stand, but we must have real doll if we want to sell doll items and use the doll for last quality control, even if it’s just head accessories or necklace. Believe me, it’s DIFFERENT.

Outside of The (Comfort) Box

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I’ve been doing sewing with cute and/or sexy style. Pink, red, white, yellow, all ended up with cute or sexy style.

Lately, i watched a japanese dorama and I’m in love with one character and her clothes style. There’s no very much source about it though it’s a popular style. I feel I want to make that clothes style. It’s a total change. Colors, style, everything will be unusual for me to do this style. To be honest, I don’t even know if it can match my doll(s)’s character. Haha.

I will update everything here later

Changing Most Patterns of Doll Clothes

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Been learning lots for months from dolly books which then remind me of how I used to take measurement for human patterns. Now, i’ve been going back to revise the pattern on few parts. My pattern for doll is ok but for some style, I think, the dolly books technique (which is same as when taking human measurement) is better for aesthetic reason.

Also, I’ve been wondering about changing sleeves pattern, too. Been R&D-ing but not sure about it. I took course lately, for a traditional clothes type (human size). While doing that, my teacher taught me her new technique in making pattern. It inspired me to do the changing for doll sleeve pattern, too.

Besides that, I’ve also been learning about collars from a book. A very good reference, indeed. It’s for human but I apply it for doll pattern, too. I also changed the way I placed the pattern on the fabric. I usually used my teacher’s theory but seems it can’t be applied to doll clothes making. *This also change my way to place some bag-parts patterns on fabric. It has  HUGE impact indeed.

I also tested some pants patterns. Comparing them between theories. I found that the patterns from my book was better than one that my teacher taught me. So, my latest doll patterns were already using that pattern while the older, not yet. I forgot to change my MSD Volks pants pattern until I realised why the fitting was not as good as expected. I was just, aaa, it still used my teacher’s theory. Haha. So, yess, I revised the pants pattern like crazy. Pants pattern is difficult yet the sewing itself is not too difficult.

I have lots of doll bodies. So, yes, it will be a quite lots of homework to revise here and there. Whew.

Sometimes, I just want to be like some people who are ignorant about this but I can’t. I always want to improve my skill and knowledge. It fulfil my thirst for a better result of my project. It’s handmade. I feel like, even if I don’t sell it, yet, I want to make it as best as I can so i can present it to potential buyer as a proper project to be bought at the price I’m given. But…may be, before that, i want to present it to myself as a proper and better product.

What about you? Are you trying to achieve better each time? Are you easily satisfied? Would you give your best (not just your whatever-effort) effort to your handmade? Or just ignorant, as long as it sells?

Desperate With Supplies And Material

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I plan to make doll clothes for sale. I had hunted some good fabrics but apparently, they were the ugliest fabrics I ever bought.

I took a break and sew something else like bag. I then thought to make bag with faux leather handles. I bought the handles from local online store. I tried their strap handles 2 times and THEY WERE AWFUL! Broken after 1 time usage. Even let’s say, in my very worst laziest sewing, it never happened, the bag strap/handles is broken after ONE time usage. I don’t know. I WILL NEVER USE THEIR STRAP/HANDLE AGAIN. I was even planning to sell my bags with their handles in the future. Good thing, I only bought a few for sample. Goodness. It even still took quite lots of money, too.

I am so frustrated. Just when I want to upgrade my product with better designs and materials, the worst happened. All plans are cancelled automatically.

I’m now blank and don’t know what to do. I thought, I haven’t tried harder but seems the harder I try, the worse it becomes. *cry

Not So Simple Backpack

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{CAPTION}

this was supposed to be quite simple backpack. But somehow, since i wanted to sew the zipper differently than i usually did, I didnt set up a step by step sewing procedure properly. I just sew as usual. Apparently, I sew in a wrong order so the result was not precise and the difficulty increased.

i also made a pattern mistake which i wanted to make side pockets flatter a bit but ended up with sewing difficulty due to thickness. 😰😰. I added a strap to make it thicker or fatter. So you can see there’s kind of ‘additional strap’ on the pockets. Yet, since it’s emergency correction, the precision of the stripe, the position of the pockets (the mark was quite disappeared and i was too lazy to do it again bcs the pieces were half assembled already when i fixed the pockets) and the sewing are not good. 😞. aaaaaand so does the zipper part. it wasnt precise too.
the lining inside should be modified too. separate pattern should be made. I didnt do it bcs i didnt think it would be necessary. I made the pattern very simple that actually it caused me difficulty in sewing. It was same to the lining. I should make separate different lining pattern but I used main fabric pattern
I want to write abt the zipper sewing later. I plan to make one more later. I hope i wont forget to take a picture. haha.
Also want to write abt lining pattern too. I dont plan to write a whole tutorial though. But if i have time, may be.

Few things to note (again) when making new project (though it looks like not new):

  1. set up a step-by-step sewing procedure.
  2. don’t just use main pattern as lining pattern.
  3. with that kind of pockets, it’s better to give more sewing allowance rather than 0.5cm or less. It’s even better to give at around 1.7-2cm.
  4. Better no interfacing used on pocket strap to be sewn on the main body. Interfacing will add thickness. Or even if it’s used, make it smaller than pattern, so the side to be sewn is still interfacing-less.

Want To Create But … :(

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So frustating…

Want to create things aka sewing things but it’s like no time or the situation doesn’t permit. Goodness, my kids.

Actually, doll clothes can be made by crocheting but I don’t know…I prefer sewing. I’m not too fond of crocheted clothes for doll. Perhaps, I take dolls like myself. I mean, I don’t like wearing crocheted clothes. It’s like too heavy and hot. Perhaps, unless in my country, there’s winter, I would like it.

So frustating for unable to do anything.

I wish my boys are going to school soon. I wish they ll get full day school. So tired.

Lieselotte and Cordelia

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hahaha..

I just realize, Cordelia when AE make the 1/2 version, she has slight feel like lieselotte but in ‘mature’ look… No wonder, I like cordelia 1/4 version. I didn’t know it was 1/2 Cordelia until i translated the chinese language. Haha… I’m so consistent when liking doll…XD… Perhaps, I should buy body for my cordelia…goodness! i forgot to buy her a body and make-up!…i want the best for her but the artist i want to paint her has retired TAT

 

 

Reading a book

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Bought a book but apparently this is really referrence book. Most pics are black and white and each pic has description. I use Scan&Translator apps for iphone to read this. You can use google translate, too, but i like the previous apps more.

Just open the apps and push the camera button. Let the apps scan the kanji and then we can choose to what language to translate.

 

 

 

Making Bag: A Restart

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Been making bags lately. Now, the second one. Never been thinking too much like this before. Perhaps because I made doll clothes so i started to get more detail in terms of technique and accessories. I also like trying some supplies I rarely use when I want to make bags as quick as possible. I think, the preparation takes more than the sewing itself. It’s ok actually but preparation means more risk exposed to my kids intervention. Hahaha. Goodness. But so far, the craft projects are safe.

I make a plan that after these few re-start projects, I will also restart selling my bags again. It will be (slightly…or not) different than before. I want to try so many things I haven’t. Things mean supplies. Hahaha… Wish me luck!

My Own Product Review

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I’ve been thinking about changing my handmade product. First when thinking of producing it. I was thinking about ‘casual cute product’. It was kind of product that people might need when they have their first doll and want to style their doll cutely with casual unique clothes.

Now…

I’m thinking another thing. I’m busy with kids and can’t always have time to sew a lot. I was thinking to make special clothes  each time. I was thinking about this when saw other seamstress’ handmade. They were beautiful, unique, and made with a good skill. I then thought, my skill isn’t basic. Why don’t I make that kind of product as well. I don’t have to make such a lot and don’t have to feel oblique to make a lot of clothes. When making casual clothes, i always feel oblique to make more and it frustrates me because I can’t due to busy with household. After seeing some seamstress’ unique works, I think. My skill isn’t basic, too. I can make something that my non-basic skill afford it. May be I can’t make a lot and only one or two per release and can’t work fast but well, I can’t make a lot and work fast when making casual clothes. Thought I can make unique casual clothes but casual is casual. It’s either I’ll be upgrading my casual clothes into a more unique clothes or make something else that is unique.

I’m still cooking the idea. I want to decide what kind of clothes I want to make, how many, what the concept of clothes (upgraded casual clothes or totally different style).