I love getting to know people who design and sell things for Blythe. Kirin of Dolly Cupcake contacted me about doing an interview and a giveaway and I couldn’t have been more thrilled! If you are interested in getting featured, let me know!

Hello Kirin! Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hi Michelle and BlytheLife! I am Jill of all trades. I’m equally happy working in the garage building things with my long-time boyfriend, Victor, as I am sewing dainty things for Blythe. I am a tattoo artist by trade.

I have been sewing, in one form or another, since I was just a little thing. One of my fondest early memories are of embroidering with my maternal grandmother. My paternal grandmother was an incredible seamstress. She made a lot of my most-special dresses and I think that was one of the biggest sparks in my creativity. She let me use her sewing machine for the first time when I was about seven to make a Barbie dress out of leftover scraps from a dress she had made for me. Even then I knew that sewing would be a big part of my life.

My mom got me my first real sewing machine when I was fourteen at a yard sale. That machine was almost life changing. From that point on, I was unstoppable. I could create anything with fabric that I could dream up. I’d been sewing my own clothes for several years before I got my first Blythe. Once she came into my life I started creating for her too.

How did you discover Blythe?
I first learned about Blythe from a brief magazine article about Gina Garan’s book “This Is Blythe”. I was transfixed by the accompanying images from her book of this wonderful big-headed, big-eyed doll. I loved that she had used this strange and beautiful doll as her muse.

In the following years, I would occasionally check eBay for dolls and thought that they were crazy expensive. The stock ones were at least a hundred dollars and seemed like too much for a plastic dolly for me. Once I started seeing more of the custom girls, I knew that I had to have one to make my own.

Who’s in your Blythe family?
I have a very modest collection of Blythes.

I didn’t get my first Blythe until 2011. I actually got two at the same time. A set of Simply Vanilla and Simple Chocolate. I immediately opened both of them from their shippers and decided that Vanilla was the first that I would customize. I still have that Simply Chocolate in her box, stored away for a future project.

I customized the Simply Vanilla as a moody, pouty blonde. She is a bit of a puzzle to me. It took some time but I’ve decided her name is Gracie.

Camilla was my first purposeful custom. I created her with a vision of her being a kind forest girl, a friend to animals, and connected to nature. Her original name was Simply Ashlette.

Lucianne, is my the custom girl born from a Nicky Lad. She is a plucky little thing who does what she wants.

My last girl is a Simply Guava named Keiko. She might remain stock, we’ll see…

What made you decide to start sewing for Blythe?
The first, and most obvious one for me, was a lack of clothing. My Simply Vanilla, my first Blythe, had stock clothing that was contrary to her customized persona. I simply had to make her some new clothes.

I love creating tiny, cute things. So sewing for Blythe is right up my alley!

What was the first thing that you created for Blythe?
I first thing I created was an all black ensemble for Gracie that stained her Azone Pure Neemo body so badly I wanted to give up. But I got another body and started sewing for her again and finally learned my lesson about pre-washing fabric! The next ensemble was a satin and lace affair that suited her much better. Once I figured out a basic pattern for Blythe dresses, I was off and running!

My favorite thing about creating for Blythe is the limitless possibilities. Blythe can get away with wearing some outfits that would be outlandish in the real world and she looks so cute doing it!

Stained bodies are no fun! What has been the hardest thing about sewing for dolls as opposed to sewing for yourself?
The hardest thing about sewing for dolls is the size! 🙂 Full-sized garments have a seam allowance that’s typically around 1/2”. The seam allowance for dolly clothing is a tiny fraction of that. Thank goodness I have good eyesight! Sourcing tiny buttons and snaps as well as appropriately scaled fabrics has been a little bit of a challenge as well, but that just means that I get to spend more time at the fabric store!

What would you say is your best sewing tip for anyone who’s interested in sewing for Blythe?
I think my best tip for sewing for Blythe would be to take your time. Precision counts when working on such a small scale. But also to not be too hard on yourself. Sewing on a tiny scale will be challenging and your first pieces might not be perfect, but they get better and better with practice, so don’t give up!

What are your must-have tools for creating fashions for dolls?
My must have tools are cute fabrics, great light, and sharp scissors. I also like to set aside a lot of time to just play around with the fabrics and trims to see what I can come up with.

Where did the name “Dolly Cupcake” come from?
I was trying to come up with the most over-the-top, fun and silly name that I could come up with for my Etsy shop. I think it really sums up my design aesthetic for Blythe. It’s just cute and girly!

How much of what you make ends up in your own dolls’ wardrobe?
Honestly, not much of what I make for Dolly Cupcake ends up staying with me. My girls get to wear the dresses for the photoshoot and maybe for a day or so after, then the clothes get packaged up. Each girl has a small wardrobe of her own that reflects her “personality”. I hope to expand their clothing options soon but in reality what they really need is shoes. Poor things!

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Kirin! What advice do you wish someone had given to you when you were new to Blythe?
Always pre-wash dolly clothes. Stained bodies are the worst! 😛

You can find Dolly Cupcake and those beautiful dresses over on Etsy! If you want to save 10% on your purchase at Dolly Cupcake, use the coupon code BLYTHELIFELOVE from now until September 14, 2015.

Click to read more of this entry.

I had the pleasure of meeting Becca in person at BlytheCon Seattle in 2014! You may know Becca better by her online screen name: Blythetastic! She’s one of the nicest and most genuine people that I have ever met, and now I’m introducing her to the rest of you.

Hi Becca! Tell us about yourself.
Hi! I’m Becca, but you might know me as Blythetastic online. You may also know me as livestream Becca from BlytheCon. I ran the livestream video feed of BlytheCon Dallas in 2012, BlytheCon New York City in 2013, and BlytheCon Seattle in 2014. I live in southern Ohio, near Dayton, and I’m a Sign Language Interpreter. I’m a fourth generation doll collector. My great-grandmother and grandmother collected dolls. Now, my mother and I both collect dolls, too. Funny enough, I’m the first one in our family to collect Blythe.

How did you discover Blythe?
I had seen a few photos of these large eyed dolls floating around online but I wasn’t sure what they were called. I had recently discovered a band called Eisley and read their blog quite often. One member of the band, Sherri DuPree-Bemis, collects Blythe dolls. She received one as a birthday present, a Tailor Gibson, and post a photo of her new doll on her blog. As soon as I knew what they were called, I began reading all about Blythe. I was fascinated! After debating which doll to get, I received a French Trench as a present that year from my mom. I’ve been collecting since late 2007.

How many Kenners do you have? How are they all different?
Currently, I have 38 Kenner Blythe dolls. I also have one ADG plus quite a few Neos, Middies, and Petites. Kenners are my favorite but I really enjoy all my dolls.

Each Kenner is unique and has their own story. One of my Kenners is completely mint and was on display in a museum in Virginia for many years. While one of the other Kenners I have is completely yellowed and looks like the Malibu version of a Kenner Blythe doll. I find the stories that go along with each doll to be interesting. Even if I don’t have the interesting story of where the doll has been, I love to compare and see the similarities and differences. Some Kenners have bright blush and others have none. Some have giant ball of frizz for hair, others have no lips or cracks in their bums. Each doll seems so different to me that it can be a bit surprising to think some are considered the “same”. For example, if you compare two blonde, sidepart Kenner Blythe dolls, they should be pretty similar. However, I’ve found each are a fair bit different. Some are similar but no two are the exact same.

Which Kenner of yours would you say has the most interesting story?
It’s so difficult to choose! I have a Kenner that I’ve dubbed Frankie the FrankenKenner that I purchased on eBay. Frankie is from England and came to me in what most call her fat suit. She had nothing but her head and upper torso. All of her arms, legs, and bum were gone. Someone had replaced her lower half with a block of wood attached by five nails and wooden rods for legs. This was all cover in foam and a peach, skin tone fabric that resembles a Cabbage Patch Kid without feet. I knew I was purchasing a crazy Kenner but I was shocked when I saw Frankie for the first time. I laughed. I laughed a lot. I was able to restore her and found some Kenner parts, so Frankie is now all Kenner now. No wooden bits required. Sadly, I have no idea who or why poor Frankie was attached to a chunk of wood and hidden in a fat suit.

What has been your luckiest find?
Once upon a time, I found five Kenners on Craigslist. The photo in the listing was small and blurry but clearly five Kenners on a table: a redhead, two brunettes, a raven, and a blonde all in a row. I emailed that evening and called as soon as I got up the next morning. Within a few days, my mom and I were driving to Milford, a suburb of Cincinnati, to pick up five Kenner Blythe dolls. Based on the phone conversations I had with the seller, I knew it was a young man helping his mom sell her dolls. He said that his grandfather had worked for Kenner in Cincinnati. Based on hearing that, I was shocked and excited! The dolls were definitely Kenners, not Takaras as my mom had wondered, and were only an hour away. We drove down, paid and picked up the dolls. The entire way home, I couldn’t help but geek out. I was sick so the whole experience felt a bit surreal. It’s not everyday that you drive an hour and come home with five Kenners on your lap. These little ladies seem a bit different from my other Kenners so I believe they are probably some of the earlier produced dolls or something. They have a variety of differences such as very pink plastic, smaller faces, and thinner legs than my other girls.

Out of all the Kenner hair colours, and hair styles, what would you say is your favourite and why?
My favorite is always changing. I go through phases where all I want to photograph are my blondes then it will be all about the ravens and so on. I don’t think I have one favorite. Overall, I like coarser hair texture better. My first Kenner, Aurora, is a side part blonde with coarse hair and I love it. It’s more difficult to tame the frizz on coarse texture Kenner hair but the results are gorgeous.

If you were a child in 1972, do you think you would have enjoyed Blythe as much as you do now as an adult?
I like to think I would have liked them. I liked dolls as a child and then went trough a phase where I pretended not to. I like Blythe because people find her creepy; I find that a little funny! When I was little, I liked dolls.

With all of those dolls – Kenners and otherwise – do you have a favourite? Who is it?
I don’t think I have one favorite. I don’t think I could choose! There are a handful of favorites though. The two dolls I had signed at the BlytheCon panel are pretty special to me. I had my first Blythe doll, a French Trench called Josephine, and a Kenner, mint condition raven called Francis, signed.

Do you still actively hunt for Kenners? Is there a specific type that you look for?
I keep an eye out but I don’t know that i’m actively hunting for Kenners as much. I have a checklist of Kenners that I would eventually like to get so I keep an eye out. I’m not currently looking for anything specific. I still hope to find a bargain Kenner and dream of owning one that is NRFB. Hopefully someday!

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Becca! Do you have any advice for that Blythe hobbyist who’s on the hunt for their first Kenner Blythe?
Thank you so much for interviewing me! I’m honored to be interviewed for your website. 🙂

Advice wise, I’d say patience is important. I think you can really get a great deal on a Kenner if you’re patient. I’d suggest looking at some Kenners and knowing what you’re comfortable with and/or what would need to be restored for you to love you new doll. Kenners are rarely in perfect condition and I believe that’s part of their charm.

I love doing interviews with members of the Blythe community! If you’re interested in being featured on BlytheLife.com, let me know!

I always have the best fun interviewing people for BlytheLife, and interviewing Alli was no different! From talking about the beginnings of her doll family to how she got into sewing (and selling!) Blythe clothes, it’s so much fun to learn more and more about her! One fun tidbit, her husband gets into the fun of designing for Blythe as well! Read on to learn more about Alli and Violet Poppy.

Hi Alli, what can you tell us about yourself?
Hello! I’m an avid crafter and amateur photographer in my early 30s. I currently live in Bloomington, IN with my husband, our retired racing greyhound, and our chubby orange cat. I travel often, and spend about a third of the year in the Mediterranean. My career is pretty high-pressure, so creative hobbies are my chief means of relaxation.

How did you discover Blythe? Who’s in your doll family?
I first noticed Blythe on Craftster.org sometime around 2005. I instantly loved her retro look, but I was in the early stages of graduate school at the time and remember being absolutely shocked at her price! In the following years, I kept seeing her pop up on various blogs, and I became more and more interested in the creative side of the hobby, especially the fashion. I’ve always loved sewing for dolls, and Blythe seemed to inspire such amazing designs. Finally, in 2011, I gave in and bought my first, a TLC Cloud Nine Bowl, who I named Violet. She was my only doll for years, but last fall I added a second, a TBL named Poppy. I’m honestly not one for a big dolly family, since I like to have my dolls with me and to carry them around the house while I work. Recently Clementine, a blond side part Kenner, has joined my dolly family!

Where did the name of your shop, Violet Poppy Dolls come from?
You’ve probably figured it out by now – it comes from my girls, Violet and Poppy! They are also the models for the shop.

What was the first item you made for Blythe?
Oh my, I had to dig WAY back into my Flickr feed to find this one! It turns out that it was a simple lace shift dress with a teal velvet bib – a dress that is still in my dolly wardrobe. I remember that it took Violet about three weeks to arrive, so I had finished a decently-sized wardrobe by the time she showed up on the doorstep.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
Oh, everywhere! Often it’s something as simple as a great fabric or trim that inspires a design, or even an entire design series. My primary inspiration, however, is always value. I know how expensive this hobby can be, so everything I make is meant to add value to a dolly wardrobe by being endlessly remixable. All of my dresses and headbands coordinate, but more importantly, they mix with other items you might already own. My dresses look adorable on their own, but are made for layering; pair them with any variety of sweaters, shirts, cardigans, jackets, capes, tights, leggings – they can even be worn as tunics over pants or jeans, or as jumpers over long-sleeved shirts. Once you add in headbands, hats, hair-bows, shoes, and boots, you have almost endless possibilities. I figure that I expect my own wardrobe to work in many different ways; why should a dolly wardrobe be any different? To me, this approach makes the hobby both more affordable and more fun.

What can you tell us about your first sale?
It was so exciting! I had opened my shop the first week of December, and although I was gradually beginning to get views and likes, after nearly four weeks there hadn’t been a sale. I loved what I was making, but it was starting to feel like no one else did! Then, the morning of New Years Eve, it happened – my phone made a “cha-ching” noise that I had never heard before; I glanced at it and realized that a dress had sold! Wrapping up that first package, I felt over the moon. Then, just a few hours later – cha-ching! Another dress gone! And on New Years Day – FOUR more. The shop was officially in business, and I was officially glad that I hadn’t given up in those first slow weeks.

What is the most daring design that you’ve made so far?
Ha, probably a fair number that never ended up on the Etsy shelves! I do think the shag headbands are pretty fantastically daring, though. I make them using vintage 1970s trims and appliques, and they make a big statement on a stylish retro girl! The chainmaille dresses (made by my fantastic husband) are also pretty daring, and as far as I know, entirely unique. They are beyond gorgeous in person – nice and heavy and they drape beautifully!

Every designer has the tools of the trade – what is something that you cannot live without for your work?
Absolutely my Gingher 4″ Knife Edge shears. I obsess over perfect finishing on the inside of my pieces, so sharp, accurate scissors are essential. It’s funny how your tools shrink when you sew for dolls – I almost never use my 8″ dressmakers shears anymore, but the mini version is always on hand.

What would you say is something that you’ve learned about yourself in the process of owning your own online business and sewing for dolls?
Oh, great question! I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how patient I can be when sewing for dolls. I am often extremely impatient, especially with myself, and sewing at such a small scale requires approaching each step slowly and carefully. My biggest worry about opening Violet Poppy was that it would become a source of stress, especially since I put so much pressure on myself to make every item perfectly. Somehow, though, I’ve managed to avoid any negative feelings, and sitting down to sew in the evening has become one of favorite parts of the day. I love having a reason to pour a glass of wine, put on some music or a show (old episodes of 30 Rock are a particular favorite), and sew for an hour or two.

Can you share a bit about what you have planned for the future of Violet Poppy?
New designs are on the horizon! There are several new dress styles in the works – I’ve recently introduced collared sheath dresses (a look that I LOVE on Blythe), and have a number of those on the way. I’m also working on a line of boho-inspired maxi dresses made from 60s and 70s fabrics. Honestly, though, I don’t think too far into the future. The shop will change as inspiration strikes; as long as I’m happy and my customers are happy, it’s all good!

Thanks so much for doing this interview with me, Alli! What kind of advice do you have for someone who’s new to Blythe?
Thank you for having me, Michelle, and thanks also to your readers! My number one piece of advice to any Blythe lover is to make the hobby your own. It’s natural for there to be trends in the community — certain ways of collecting, photographing, styling, crafting, whatever — but if it doesn’t make you happy, don’t do it! Find the things that you love most, and concentrate your energy on those. There really is room for everyone.

You can find out more about Alli over on Flickr and Etsy!

Vintage Kitty Dress Giveaway!

Alli has generously decided to giveaway one kitty dress to one lucky reader here on BlytheLife! A warm gray with a vintage cat print, what could be a better combination?

The giveaway runs until Saturday May 24th 2014 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday May 25th 2014 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 Alli so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

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

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As March draws to a close, so does the 2014 March Talent Showcase! To round out this year’s lovely entrants is Monika of Orchid’s Designs– who sews, designs and created a fashion sketchbook! Are you as curious as I was? Continue reading!

Hi Monika! What can you tell us about yourself?
My name is Monika Viktoria, designer and seamstress for Orchid’s Designs, specialising in one of a kind Haute Couture for dolls. I have a background in Fine Art and illustration, and work from my home studio in London (though I am originally from Australia.)

I find that everyone discovers Blythe a little different, how did you discover Blythe?
The first dolls I discovered were precious artist-made porcelain BJD. Through Flickr and doll-forums it was inevitable I found out about Blythe, but didn’t get my first till mid-way through last year – Prima Dolly Violet SBL. My good friend Karolin Felix customized her for me, and the obsession with Blythe was truly begun.

What was the first thing you created for your Blythe dolls?
Almost immediately after falling for Blythe I began designing the Dolly Fashion Sketchbook. Frustrated with my designs being scattered throughout different sketchbooks and notepads, I wanted to create a beautiful and useful fashion sketchbook just for Blythe. Each page has a big-eyed cutie template, room to plan custom eye-chips, jot down notes and inspirations, and glue in fabric swatches. Perfect for customizers and seamstresses, the Dolly Fashion Sketchbook is ideal for all fans of Blythe, to plan her next fabulous outfit!

How has your background in Fine Art and Illustration been able to help you with your business? How has it hindered you?
My background as an illustrator helped me when designing The Dolly Fashion Sketchbook, wanting to create a beautiful tool for people less confidant with their drawing skills. The entire book is fully hand-drawn, including the design elements and templates inside. Also, having a romantic painting style of my own applies when customizing my own dolls, they are the three dimensional embodiments of the nymphs and coquettes I have been illustrating for years.

What was the first project that you sewed for Blythe? What did you learn from that experience?
The first Orchid’s Designs creation I sewed for Blythe were a series of vintage-style attic dresses of silk and gossammer organza. I usually make my designs “skin tight” so had to be careful when working out the patterns to fit both the Takara and Pure Neemo bodies.

What would you consider to be your most elaborate outfit for Blythe? How about your most favourite? Or least favourite?
My current favourite design for Blythe is my “Ghost Fairy” dress, inspired by antique elaborate ballerina costumes for theatres – puffs of shredded tulle and lace tatters, delicate beading glimpsing at the neckline and along the hem. Citrine – my first custom Blythe wears an extravagant 6-piece OOAK costume including a brocade corset, lace leotard and fully beaded sequin helmet. At my first Blythe-con in Glasgow, UK, I was awarded first place in costume design for my pink tartan ensemble, a great honour and recognition for me.

How has designing for Blythe changed the way you interact with people in the community?
Blythe has found me many good friends, and allowed me to reach a great audience. I’ve met wonderful and creative people at BlytheCon, on Flickr and Facebook. I really enjoy participating in group challenges, competitions, and doing creative trades with other talented artists, customizers and designers. It would be wonderful to work on a communal project, I have seen some incredible collaborations!!

What can you tell us about what we can expect from you and Orchid’s Designs in the future?
Orchid’s Designs will continue to create exclusive and OOAK haute couture for rare artist BJD. For Blythe we will be offering unique pre-order commission slots for limited edition designs, and beautiful customised Neo and Middie Blythes with a unique and artistic twist, elaborately costumed visions reflecting my paintings. All my future custom Blythe’s will hopefully be unique creatures completely different from other dolls.

What do you find different about sewing for Blythe in comparison to other dolls and body types?
Blythe with her odd proportions demands her own style. My elegant designs for long-limbed BJD do not translate well, she suits cute and quirky styles, and can pull of silly designs that might appear twee on other dolls yet still look endearing on Blythe!

What would you say is the most important tool that you use for your design work?
A good imagination!! I draw many designs and ideas in my Dolly Fashion Sketchbook, filtering it down so that only my favourite ideas make it to realisation. Then I spend a lot of time lovingly creating a precious finished object, making sure everything is one-of-a-kind. My materials are sourced from around the world and carefully selected to ensure the highest quality and individuality.

Thanks for doing this interview with me, Monika! What advice do you have for someone who’s interested in designing for Blythe?
It’s been my pleasure!! My greatest advice would be to always stay original and true to your own personal style – there are so many talented artists involved with Blythe doing their own thing, don’t fall into the trap of wanting to copy their designs, styles or trends. Creating something fresh and new will be far more rewarding than re-creating something by someone else. Also – do it for the love of Blythe!

To learn more about Monika, check out her website, blog, Facebook page, Flickr photostream and Etsy shop.

Five Orchid’s Designs Gift-Packs!

Monika has generous decided to giveaway five gift packages from Orchid’s Designs. Each gift pack will consist of postcards, sample pages from her Dolly Fashion Sketchbook and a knitted scarf, like in the photos above!

The giveaway runs until Saturday April 5th 2014 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday April 6th 2014 and the winners 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 Monika so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

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

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Who’s next in the March Talent Showcase? How about someone who transforms vintage and modern dolls and gives them a full head of hair? From natural or synthetics, let’s see what Addie of Little Curls Re-root Services creates!

Hi Addie! What can you tell us about you?
I’m 38, married, a medical secretary and “mom” to a Jack Russell terrier and my kitten. My hobbies (other than dolls) include walking, cycling, watching rugby, listening to music, knitting and crochet.

How did you discover Blythe? What dolls are in your family?
I wasn’t a big fan of dolls when I was a young girl, I much preferred teddies and other plush toys (I had over 100!). I had a T-shirt in 2003/2004 that had a big-eyed doll on it but I didn’t know it was a real doll. I rediscovered Blythe in 2011 when they featured on a blog that my husband reads, I really wanted one of those “Christine Ricci looking dolls” but didn’t think I could afford one – imagine my surprise when one arrived on Christmas Day 2011!!

My current family is 21 dolls – three Neo Blythes (two customised), a Kenner (wispy banged brunette), a Blybe/clone, an Icy doll, two Susie Sad Eyes, a Middie Blythe, a Moof, three Liccas, three Dollcena, two custom LPS Blythe, a stock Petite Blythe, a Tangkou and a Remco Heidi doll.

Who was your first rerooting project?
My first rerooting project was a Blybe/clone Frankie who I decided to reroot using knitting wool. It created such a great effect, and I enjoyed the process so much, that the next two Blythes I adopted both arrived bald!!

What made you decide to start rerooting?
I already had an Etsy store, and loved the creative opportunities that Blythe and her dolly cousins offer 🙂

I’d received a lot of positive feedback from people online and at dolly meets about the quality of the reroots I had completed for my dolls (Rose, Casey and Olive) and so I started rerooting Susie Sad Eyes and selling them – this led to setting up my commissions list.

I won’t agree to reroot a new type of doll unless I’ve had a practice go to see what the head is like to work with, how they look rerooted, how much fibre they need etc – this has inevitably led to my dolly collection growing and diversifying (which is fine be me)!!!

What can you share with us about your routine when it comes to a rerooting project?
I work full time so my rerooting is done during evenings and weekends. If I’m working with a few dolls at a time, I like to spend an evening removing all of their hair and cleaning their heads ready to work on.

I use a laptop tray that has a lamp and hollows for my glue, scissors and needles. I work in batches so I will prepare approx 50 plugs at a time, knotting them and gluing the ends, before positioning the plugs in the dolls head, and then making another batch…

I take lots of photos along the way, especially if i am working on a colour blend, to make sure the overall look is right, and when I have finished I condition and style the doll’s hair before taking her final photos.

What kind of doll do you like to reroot the most? Which kind gives you more challenges?
I’ve had most practice of working with Susie Sad Eyes and I particularly enjoy giving Susies a new head of hair because frankly the poor things were given so little to start with!! I find LPS blythes to be particularly challenging as they have such hard heads and their neck hole is so small, I have to use a very thin long needle! The best dolls are those with squishy heads as they are easier on my hands 😉

I know that different fibres have different pros and cons – what has been your most favourite and least favourite types of fibres to work with when rerooting a doll?
I know that different fibres have different pros and cons – what has been your most favourite and least favourite types of fibres to work with when rerooting a doll?

My least favourite has to be saran – I admire those who work with it and I know you can achieve lovely, in fact stunning, results with it. Its just not for me!

My favourite is mohair – it’s so versatile, it styles well, and holds colour beautifully. It can be washed and conditioned the same as human hair, and its just so tactile! I love the feel of a mohair scalp!!

I have found that the animal it was taken from and the age and length of the fibre will determine the overall curl and feel of the fibre. I source my mohair from a few suppliers that I trust to supply me with premium fibres.

What do you feel is your most important tool for rerooting? What could you not do without?
I actually have very few tools that I need – a darning needle, a set of long narrow doll needles, tweezers, non-toxic fabric glue, and kitchen paper.

What I find is a absolutely vital is something good on the TV – nothing too complicated that I have to concentrate on (and definitely no subtitles) but movie reruns, cookery shows etc are great for keeping me entertained while I work 😀

What has been your most favourite rerooting project to date?
I love working on custom colour blends and my most recent project was just that – I was asked to create a mermaid inspired reroot using jades, turquoises, greens and blues. It was really fun to work on and I know that her new owner was really pleased with the result.

I have a Flickr group so that people can post pictures of their dolls that I have rerooted and its always nice to see how other people style the dolls once they have left my hands…

What can you tell us about some of your future projects and what we can look forward to seeing from you?
As my dolly collection grows and diversifies, so does the range of dolls that I work with… I really love bringing a new lease of life to vintage girls, so as well as rerooting I hope to be able to offer little refresh details such as make up and eyebrow touch-ups, and also little outfits and accessories. As ever I always practice on my own dolls and I have already started on new techniques and patterns…

I will definitely be continuing to work with Susie Sad Eyes, and I have a special witchy Susie planned in the coming months! Just watch this space!

How has selling in the doll community affected how you view it?
I have made so many friends in the past two years, several of whom are down to my work as a rerooter. I’ve found that rather than be competitive or aloof, everyone is friendly and happy to share tips, ideas, make trades, and even swap contacts. I look forward to meeting more people in 2014!

Thanks so much for doing this interview with me, Addie! What kind of advice do you have for a beginner rerooter?
You are so welcome! For any beginners I would say, take your time, choose a doll that you will love and buy the best fibre you can afford (already dyed, combed and banded if you can). Look at as many tutorials you can find and ask lots of questions – that’s how I learnt.

You can find out more about Addie from her Flickr photostream, her Flickr group and over at her Etsy shop.

Rerooting Service Giveaway!

Addie has generously decided to giveaway rerooting service to one lucky reader here at BlytheLife! The rerooting service will be for a small headed doll where the winner provides the doll, fibre and shipping cost. Addie will provide the rerooting service!

The giveaway runs until Saturday March 29th 2014 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 30th 2014 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 Pamela so she can get in contact with you regarding sending you the prize.

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

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