This is a guest post by Mama Lisa. If you’re interested in contributing and writing for BlytheLife.com, click here for more information.

The Blythes are sitting on their shelf just staring at you. From their perch they continue to whisper “We need clothes!”. The last time they started this chant you promised them you’d make them something new. Problem is, you haven’t sewn in ages and never for Blythe. Now what do you do? Don’t panic! You are not alone! Getting back into sewing can be intimidating. Learning how to sew can be daunting. Converting your sewing skills from human size to Blythe size can be downright scary!

Getting Started

Let’s talk about getting started. After finding that perfect Blythe pattern on the internet or purchasing the new Simplicity Blythe pattern, you will need to acquire the items required to make your first garment. Whether you sew by hand or by machine, there are basic items you will need in your sewing room in order to be a successful Blythe seamstress. The items listed below are available at any fabric store. However, many of the “big box” stores also carry these items and the prices many times are lower than the fabric stores. Your best bet will be to print out the list and shop around for the best prices. Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Check List

• Fabric: If you know anyone who sews see if they would be willing to give you several scraps of material large enough for your first project. If you need to purchase material, 1/4th of a yard will be more than enough to get your started. Fabric stores now carry Fat Quarters of precut material which are 18” X 22” and are great for sewing for Blythe.

• Scissors: One medium pair for cutting material and one small pair for snipping threads as you sew. They need to be very sharp and used only for fabric in your sewing room.

• Thread: Do not use old thread. It will break and tangle and drive you crazy. Purchase new thread that matches your first project. You can stock up on basic colors as you need them.

• Needles: Purchase new needles for your sewing machine. Make sure they are the type that your sewing machine uses. You will also need hand sewing needles even if you use a sewing machine.

• Pins: Large head plastic or glass pins are the best to use. The old silver head pins that you get out of clothes from a store will not work. They are too thick and dull for sewing.

• Tape Measure: A nice traditional yellow one will do. However, my favorite to use is a thinner style that also has metric measurements.

• Fray Check: This will help keep those small seam allowances from fraying. Aleene’s Fray Stop is also a great product.

• Elastic: 1/8th inch in white or black

• Snaps: Everyone has their favorite size snaps. It would be best to get a card of snap in multiple sizes (1 through 4) until you find the perfect size for you.

• Buttons: 1/4th to ½ inch buttons in multiple colors would be best. You can get packages of these in the button aisle.

• Trim Ribbon, Ric Rack, lace, etc.: You can use just about anything you want for trim. Use your imagination and look for sale items.

• Clear Shoe Box: The plastic clear shoe box with a good lid will make a great place to store your notions.

Having the right tools makes any job easier. These notions can be purchased all at once or several at a time. They will be used in most Blythe sewing projects and are a good investment. Now, wasn’t that easy? Next week we will discuss cutting out your pattern and setting up your sewing machine.

Can’t wait for you to Sew With Me,
Mama Lisa

About the Author: Mama Lisa started sewing over 40 years ago. After discovering Blythe, her natural love for sewing came in handy making clothes her dolls. Several collectors encouraged her to sell the doll garments she made and Darling Dolly was born. The articles in this column are from her forthcoming book entitled “Sew With Me.” Enjoy your sneak preview! You can check out Mama Lisa’s work at Darling Dolly and Mama Lisa Designs.

I currently have six Blythes, five of them had been NRFB (Never Removed From Box) and one of them had been used with previous owners. My first five Blythes were actually NRFB, so I think that really mattered to me at that point. When I got my Cappuccino Chat, there was just this sense of excitement when I carefully opened up the box, slide her out with all the stuff that had tape plastered all over it. Every long strip of tape came off with something attached to it and it was so much fun. It was better than my birthday and Christmas and any other major present-receiving holiday combined.

Some pros and cons to buying a NRFB Blythe:

Pros would be that you’re pretty much guaranteed to have all the stock (which is a huge plus if you love it), you’d get the doll in minty condition and hopefully no messy factory paint jobs, and you get to be the very first person to remove her from a box and enjoy her.

Cons are that NRFB is more expensive than a used version, you have to deal with ‘box hair’ and all that danged tape holding the doll and all her stock prisoner inside of the box.

On the flip side, my Blythe that was bought used, Velvet Minuet, was an absolute dream. I knew what she would look like right outside of the box and she came with nearly complete stock and was at a price lower than a used nude version on that popular internet auction website at the time. The person selling her to me disclosed all flaws, told me how easy the eyes were roll (Velvet Minuet is an early SBL and has that ‘extreme downward gaze’ that everyone seems to hate).

Some pros and cons to buying a used Blythe:

Pros would be that the price is lower when compared to a NRFB version of the same doll, you can get the doll nude if you’re not fond of the stock and don’t even care if you own it and you can potentially see more photos of the doll in different angles and even ask for more photos.

Cons would be that the doll could have been customized and the current owner is not aware of it (i.e. there could have been a hair cut, the scalp could have been removed, super glue could have been used on it), special qualities of the doll may no longer be in pristine condition (i.e. painted on tattoos, painted fingernails), the doll may have scratched makeup (eyeshadow, lips, blush) that the current owner may not notice and you may not get the stock that you want, if you are partial to the doll but also want all the stock (and are not willing to pay for the NRFB price).

My final thoughts

Choosing between a NRFB doll and a used doll is really a personal preference. Some people love getting only brand new dolls, others don’t mind the idea of a previously owned doll. I used to only prefer getting dolls brand new, minty-minty in the box, but that’s because it was all I had exposure to. After getting my Velvet Minuet and having a great experience with buying a used doll, I’m almost a convert. For me, buying a used doll is the same as buying a used anything else – it’s important to do your research about the item itself and about the seller too.

I do think that each doll purchase should be made responsibly, regardless of your preference for NRFB or used dolls. Dolls are meant to be a hobby and something to be enjoyed, not something that creates more debt for you. If I can’t buy a new (or even new-to-me) doll straight-out without having credit card debt (even for a little while), I don’t buy it. It’s not worth the hassle and the stress that comes from being a little financially reckless. So buy new dolls responsibly and enjoy each and every one of them.

What do you think?

Are you a NRFB Blythe collector? Or do you like the idea of your dolls having a history and a past before they reached you? Share your thoughts!

I have gotten an overwhelmingly positive response about this site over the last, well, five days since it’s been up and running and I’m so grateful to everyone! I’m busily working to reply to all the emails that I’ve received so far, a lot of people seem interested in how they can contribute and I’ve had quite a few people asking about if there were any sort of guidelines regarding contributing articles for BlytheLife.com. And there wasn’t.

But now there is!

You can find it via the How to Contribute page, or you can click here to read the Article Guidelines. I hope it answers a lot of the questions that some of you had about what’s required for writing articles for BlytheLife.com and I look forward to seeing what some of you come up with!

Thank you all so much for the support!

—

And I’d like to do a shout-out to Rob & Sioux, two of the sweetest people in the world (plus they’re just adorable in general), and to We Play With Dolls, for recommending BlytheLife.com as a new favourite Blythe blog!

In light of some recent events involving a Blythe trade scammer, I think it’s important to remember that it’s a good idea to check feedback, ask for good photos and just to protect yourself to prevent getting scammed.

If you’re wanting to trade your doll with someone else’s, I think that’s great! It is a great way of getting a new-to-you doll without spending too much money while your under-loved doll gets a new owner. Everyone wins, when a trade is done successfully. Here are some tips that can help you do a hassle-free swap:

• Ask to see a lot of photos of the doll that you’re going to be receiving. Be sure to ask about all flaws and any customizations done.
• Ask for a photo where the doll is with a piece of paper with your name/screen name on it. You can also ask for the person to put their screenname on it, and the date. Or you can even ask them to take a photo of the doll with a recent copy of the newspaper (with the date clearly visible).
• Ask for references within the Blythe community, ask in what capacity their reference had interacted with them (offline friend? former doll swapping partner? someone they’ve sold to before?).
• Blythe are expensive, be sure that both parties are sending the dolls with a tracking number and/or insurance. If you both decide to mark the doll at a lower price to avoid custom fees, be aware that if the doll gets lost that you can only claim the amount that was marked on the package. If you mark a $300 doll as $30 and it gets lost, you can only get $30 back. (Also, marking an item down as a lower value is not allowed by postal services around the world, so it’s not recommended.)
• Stay in communication with your swap partner. If you expect that the doll should arrive in a week, check in to see if they’ve received it yet. When you receive your new doll, be sure to tell the former owner that you’ve received her as well.
• Even if you’ve gone though asking for photos and references, you are not obligated to continue through with the swap if you decide that you feel uncomfortable with the types of references or with the person in general. Be polite and courteous and inform your would-be swap partner that you’ve decided not to swap with them (you do not need to give them a reason, just tell them that you’ve decided against it). If you’re not comfortable with it, don’t do the swap and let them know before they’ve gone and sent their doll off to you.

You can also check out a few Livejournal communities to see if they’ve been mentioned by another doll collector. Check out Bad Dolly Deals, Good Dolly Deals and Failed Dolly Deals. You do not need an account with Livejournal to view the majority of the posts, but you will need an account with Livejournal to make a post asking if anyone has had any dealings with the person you’re wanting to trade with.

Best of luck with trading your doll! And remember, if you’re not comfortable with the idea of trading with someone, you’re under no obligation to continue on. Just communicate with the person and let them know.

The amazing duo behind Rob & Sioux were both gracious enough to allow me to interview them for BlytheLife.com! For those who don’t already know, Rob & Sioux make the stylish and colourful bow headbands for Blythe.

These soft headbands are available via their commissions list and their Artfire storefront. For photos of Rob & Sioux’s awesome headbands from their happy customers, please check out the Flickr group, made by rob & sioux.

How did you first discover Blythe?
S: Before Blythe dolls entered my life I collected cute stationery and sundries from Japan. I had a huge collection and I shared scans with other collectors on Flickr. I had a few contacts that were into stationery and Blythe dolls as well as other dolls like Lati, vintage dolls like Peteena and Susie Sad Eyes. One day I had to make an emergency trip to the dentist. After having some dental surgery I visited a toy shop to cheer myself up. It was a really weird store that mostly carried action figures and statues and other collectibles. I ended up finding a display case that had a few Blythe dolls in it. I was so surprised to see them at a local toy shop! The shop had a Rosie Red BL and an Asian Butterfly EBL. I saw the price tag which was incredibly low by today’s standards. I thought they were far too expensive for dolls so I didn’t get them. It wasn’t until years later that I got my first Blythe doll, Miss Sally Rice that Rob & I named Lilou Marie.

Photo of Lilou Marie  wearing a polka dot headband by milk & kisses.

How did the two of you start making headbands for Blythe?
R: We first started making bows mainly because Sioux likes Blythe clothing to be similar to our tastes/style, Sioux often wears bows in her hair or on clothing (and I always buy her hair bow accessories) she gave me the idea of making things for Blythe that include the same. The first were meant as trim on Blythe dresses we made early on. Sioux asked if I could make bows for her as a hair accessory, so I made up a simple pattern that fit the proportions of Blythe to our liking the bows were born! She posted some pictures on Flickr of the first ones I made for her and our friends showed interest in them so I made some more. Ever since then the support has been overwhelmingly sweet. We couldn’t have sold so many without all the wonderful people who encouraged us to make more!

hana a go go‘s Camille wearing a red headband, photo by milk & kisses.

So you’ve said that the first bows were meant to be trims for Blythe dresses, are there any plans to branch out from bows to other adorable accessories in the future?
R: Yes! We have some ideas that we plan to test out soon for other styles and types of accessories, but I’ll keep those a secret for now! We have also thought of getting back into making dresses as well if time will allow. The commission list is the priority right now but we may begin our new ideas half way or near the end. Time will tell!

Millie, wearing a dress by Rob & Sioux, photo by hana a go go.

I know you two have a lot of different colours available for your bows – what colour (or colour combination) has been the most popular so far for commission requests?
R: Candy Apple Red and Milky Pink are the most often requested but most of the Polka Dots are really popular too. I’d say there is a good amount of requests for each of the colors we carry. We get a lot of requests for other colors we don’t have yet but will in the future like Teal.

Colourful selection of bows by Rob & Sioux, photo by milk & kisses.

What’s the first thing that goes through your head when you see someone posting up photos of their dolls wearing your headbands?
S: I get really excited and happy and I’ll go run to Rob and say “____ got their headbands! Look how cute! I hope they like them!” It really makes my day to see them. It’s an amazing feeling when I run across people mentioning them or saying they want them. I’m so very proud of Rob, he has worked really hard and we’ve had so much support from our friends and the Blythe community!

R: To be honest, I actually feel really proud when Sioux tells me someone received their order and photographed them on their dolls. Not just because I see something my love Sioux and I made being used but because of the support from our customers really makes me happy! To see them display that by putting our little bows on their dolls is just a really great feeling. I appreciate them all, really.

Squirrel Junkie‘s Squirrel (left) and Sugaroni‘s Bea (right), some happy Rob & Sioux customers, photo by Squirrel Junkie.

This question’s for Sioux – I’m pretty jealous that you’ve got someone in your life who’s willing to sew and make things for your dolls, what’s your secret to making that happen?
S: Hahahaha! People tell me this a lot I’m really thankful to have Rob in my life. Not just because he can sew dolly clothes but he’s a very kind and generous man. He’ll do anything just to make me smile or laugh. My advice is to have your significant other get involved in what you’re doing for example, are you going out for a dolly shoot? It would be very helpful to have a second set of hands to hold your Blythe for you or a reflector so you can get that better shot or at least to flip people off when they give you a dirty look… If your significant other doesn’t want to be seen with Blythe, that’s ok! Does he or she like to build things? Dolly Dolly issues often have great tutorials on how to make dollhouses, dioramas, and furniture for dolls. You could take a trip to the craft and hardware store together and you can have a glass of lemonade while they do all the hard work, just kidding! You can help him or her out by holding things or they build it and you paint and decorate! There’s a lot of things you can do together really, they can help you pick our new outfits, names for new dolls, show him or her all the photographs you take! Rob and I have really bonded through Blythe, it’s been wonderful!

If you could both describe your headbands in 140 characters or less (just like a tweet), what would you say?
S: Our headbands are simple but playful they add a whimsical touch to almost any outfit; they can be worn in many ways & stay on well.

Photo of Max wearing a light pink Rob & Sioux headband by philosophia*.

You two have had a lot of success with your headbands, what are some things that you are willing to share that you wish you knew back when you started selling that you know now?
R: Hmmm that would definitely be finding a good way to sell them! We tried a handful of ways which were a bit confusing and hard for some people to acquire some. After we settled on a commission list I think it has worked out best, as far as time management to sew and also not making our customers pull out their hair trying to get ahold of them!

Custom Candy Carnival wearing a yellow Rob & Sioux headband, photo by Frankie Darling.

For Sioux – What kind of newbie advice would you give to someone who’s just discovered and gotten their first Blythe?
S: Get to know the forums like This Is Blythe and Plastic Paradise, they are great resources with lots of interesting discussions, tutorials, advice and sales. If you’re getting a Blythe to photograph, you’ll definitely want to set up a Flickr account. Shopping for Blythe can be really addictive so it might be a good idea to keep track of your purchases and give yourself a budget so you don’t over spend. In general, most Blythe collectors are happy to help a person out but be sure to do a bit of searching on google or the forums before you ask. Also, be ready to get hooked!

For Rob – What kind of advice would you give to someone who’s significant other just discovered and gotten their first Blythe?
R: I would say get involved! It can be a very fun experience to take part in their hobby with them, you don’t have to learn to sew or even LIKE the dolls (but you WILL secretly fall for them)! Just participating in what they love says enough, there’s many ways you can be a part of it. There’s no shame in “playing” with dolls! Haha, it’s all good fun and there are plenty of great people you might not otherwise think you could talk to. I’m pretty positive that I have very, very little in common with most Blythe girls/boys aside from the fact that I am taking part in the dolls with Sioux. People are still welcoming and supportive of the bows I made for Sioux only originally! Also, to the Blythe collectors themselves, try to get your partner involved in a way they can relate to or enjoy! It’s an amazing bonding experience.

Fruity Blythe‘s Honey (left) and hana a go go‘s Nora (right), photo by hana a go go.

I think your headbands are fantastic and I’d like to thank you for doing this interview with me and wish you two more future success with your ventures. What’s one thing that you would tell someone who’s thinking of crafting and selling something for Blythe?
S: Thanks so much! We’ve both had a lot of fun answering your questions and as you know I am very excited about your new website. You’ve come up with many useful and unique ideas; I’m really looking forward to seeing your site grow! My advice to those of you looking to craft & sell for Blythe is to please remember that Blythe designers aren’t big corporations who make things just to earn a buck. No, many pour their heart and souls into everything they make, it’s very personal. If your only interest is to make money you probably won’t be too happy. Selling things takes a lot of time, energy, and money.

R: Thank you for interviewing us, and for people thinking of starting to craft, don’t give up if you’re not happy with the results! Keep trying until you find something you enjoy making, it can be very rewarding and fun!

Potter wearing a red headband by Rob & Sioux, photo by Sevastra.

Rob & Sioux are giving away 2 Blythe headbands!

Melon green & light pink headbands – could you be the winner? – Photo by milk & kisses.

You can get up to three entries for this giveaway draw and you can enter until Sunday July 11th at 9:00pm PDT. The draw will be held on Monday July 12th and the winner will be announced on BlytheLife.com. Remember to use a valid email address for all comments. If you win, your email will be forwarded to Rob & Sioux for arranging shipment of the prize.

Please only use one email address per person, those using multiple email addresses for more entries will be disqualified.

Entry #1: Comment on this entry!

Bonus Entry #1: Follow blythelifecom on Twitter! It’s the best way to find out when there are new articles, interviews and giveaways. When you’re following blythelifecom, comment again on this entry saying that you’re following (include your twitter username so this can be verified).

Bonus Entry #2: Tweet about the giveaway on your Twitter account! Be sure to include a link back to this entry and then comment again with the URL to your tweet! Tweet this:

BlytheLife.com and Rob & Sioux are doing a headband giveaway! You get 3 chances to win! http://bit.ly/9aY2Qg