Participating in swaps is a great way to get new things for you and your dolls. You can find swap groups on Flickr, Swap-Bot.com and Plastic Paradise (new memberships are currently closed).

I personally like to participate in swaps that are all about crafting items for your swap partner – that way I only need to buy crafting materials and I can try out new fabric combinations, new patterns and I get a great excuse to buy new trims. So far I’ve participated in three swaps, all were revolving around handcrafted items for Blythe, and have had great success in getting to make things for people and that way I also get to see the things I make on other dolls.

You can participate in swaps where you trade things you already have. If you have dresses that you no longer like to see on your dolls, you can send that to someone and someone else will send you things in return. This way, you’re getting something that’s new-to-you and someone else is getting something that is new-to-them! This is definitely a win-win as everyone gets something and all you have to pay is the postage for shipping out your swap package.

There are also swaps where you mostly trade new items, which can get pretty pricey considering the costs of some doll items, but it is totally possible to avoid those swaps altogether and find ones all about swapping gently used doll clothes or things made by you.

If you can’t find a swap group that’s currently organizing a swap that you can sign up for, see if you can organize a personal swap between you and another person! If you have some Blythe friends online (or offline), see if they’d be interested in doing a swap with you.

Some important things to consider about doing swaps are:

• Do swaps where your address is hidden except for whoever is sending to you. You want to make sure you need your personal information private from other people!
• The requirements for the swap packages. If they state ‘handcrafted items’ only, be sure to only send handcrafted items for the other person’s doll. If it’s a swap with a theme, be sure to follow it. If there’s a price limit (maximum or minimum) try not to go over or below the limits.
• The date of the swap send-out deadline. You don’t want to be the one who doesn’t get their swap package out on time. If you are going to send out late, be sure to contact the swap group’s administrator/moderator so they know that you’re going to be sending late.
• Be sure to use adequate packaging for your swap package. You don’t want your fragile items to be broken in the post!
• If you’re not sure how many items you should be sending out, ask the administrator/moderator for an idea of how many items for a swap package.
• Remember to include a note in the package so that the person knows who it’s from and that it’s for the swap.

I think swaps are an excellent and inexpensive way of getting new things and I’ve gotten some really great items from people in the Blythe community. Sometimes the most expensive part of participating in a swap is the cost of sending my package out!

Have fun swapping!

Drawing inspiration from a recent thread on Plastic Paradise by the member dawn (thread was titled “Is this hobby still fun if you have no money?”) it really got me thinking about how expensive this hobby really is and what we can do, as the economy is still quite uncertain, to save some money here and there. And that is the inspiration behind this new article series.

Buying Blythe dolls and accessories should never take priority over paying for rent, food, utilities, insurance of all sorts. But what do you do beyond that if you’ve paid for everything and only have a little bit you can put towards your Blythe hobby? That’s what this article series is all about – putting your Blythe hobby on a budget (a tight budget, that is!).

It should get pretty interesting. For me, I put myself on a budget when it comes to Blythe because I work to be able to pay for my education. For others, it’s because they have a lot more financial responsibilities in the form of rent, children, pets, mortgages, utilities, etc. Whatever your reason for putting yourself on a tighter budget when it comes to Blythe, you’re not alone. And there are a lot of ways to have fun with Blythe without spending obscene amounts of money on brand new dolls every month (not that there’s anything wrong with that, if you can afford it).

If you have any suggestions for future installments of Blythe On A Budget, please let me know! New installments will be going up once a week.

To me, the Blythe community is pretty close-knit. If you’re part of the community, you know someone, who knows someone who knows whoever you’re wanting to buy and sell with. Which is great, because word of mouth positive references is always a good thing when you’re doing sales online and not on websites like Ebay or Etsy – where people need to have accounts and have feedback listed right then and there for you to check.

The problem comes in when you’re dealing with someone that you haven’t dealt with before, or you don’t know anyone who’s bought or sold things with this new person. That’s where Livejournal Communities come into play. There are three in particular that you should really go and check out when buying or selling to someone and for all of them, you can do searches for someone’s username.

The Dolly Deals Communities

Bad Dolly Deals – This is a community where people post up their negative interactions with other sellers. You can find out what the story was behind the transactions and if the seller was able to quickly resolve the issue (with a refund, partial refund or eventually came through with the item). If you have a negative experience with a seller, be sure to document it. Also when you’re attempting to buy something, save all of the messages passed between the two of you until the item has been received. Take screenshots, if necessary, of the original item listing and save them onto your computer.

Good Dolly Deals – Where all the happy transactions come out in the open! If you’ve had a successful purchase (or was able to successfully sell) of a doll, clothing or anything else related to the doll hobby, be sure to post it up here! It acts as positive feedback for the seller. Make sure you mention the person’s username, where you bought/sold to them (i.e. forum name, community name) and what the item was – was it a doll? stock clothing item? Be sure to share your experiences!

Failed Dolly Deals – This is a different sort of community where people post about their failed dealings. If you made an agreement for something and the other person backs out at the last moment, this would be the place to share. People who constantly flake are a pain to deal with, especially if they drag it out and lead people on. Be sure to document the correspondence and the lay out the time line for everyone when sharing your failed dolly deals!

Just so you know, you do not need to have a Livejournal account to view the postings – some people do make their posts on the Livejournal communities private, the majority of them are for public viewing. If you wish you post up your own BDD, GDD or FDD, you will have to make a Livejournal account to post it up or find the contact information of one of the administrators.

And it’s not always about selling…

So you don’t think that all the Livejournal Communities that I’m highlighting today are just about dealings and transactions gone south and haywire, there’s also one more Livejournal Community that you should check out…

The Blythe Doll Community is a place where people post up when they have new Blythe stock in their Etsy or Artfire shops, they post questions about what fits what and queries about Blythe and some people even post up when they have a doll they’re looking to sell or customized dolls they’re looking for feedback on. The people who post there also talk about when they get a new doll or post up photos of their dolls, just because.

In closing…

How often do you check out the BDD, FDD or GDD communities? Do you check out every buyer/seller that you’re trying to strike a deal with?

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!