It’s week 4 in this fantastic March Talent Showcase! This week I have Manon, the mastermind behind De Belles Poupées. A background in costuming lends itself well to the world of sewing for Blythe, it would appear! We all know that I love pretty things when it comes to Blythe, and Manon’s work definitely qualifies – and then some!

Hi Manon! What can you tell us about yourself?
What can I say about myself? Well, my name is Manon Antoinette, though everyone calls me Manon, I am 36 years old, born and raised in Amsterdam. Am a mother of two sons, age 15 and 13 years old. I’ve been together with the love of my life for almost 2 years now and he is the most wonderful man I know. I also have two cats. My childhood was spent with either my grandmother doing knitting and sewing, or my mother doing sewing and drawing. I grew up loving arts and crafts, and horses! I studied Graphic Design and Management, did some freelance webdesign while a stay at home mom. It wasn’t until after my divorce in 2002 I got into creating costumes for roleplaying. I’ve always loved costume drama and history, it was an eyeopener and a passion I discovered to create historical dress, and lead to running a business doing so from 2005 and sadly I closed it down in 2010. I’m also a spiritual person and I love nature.

How did you discover the world of Blythe?
How I discovered Blythe? My friend Marise who I have known for several years collects Blythe, or actually she stopped collecting but still has 32 Neo Blythe girls. She has a lot of older models. I’ve known she had Blythe for a long time but the thought of buying one myself only came later in 2011, after I ended up home with disability. I suffer chronic pain and chronic fatique due to hypermobility. Also due to unfortunate events involving my ex-partner I’ve been diagnosed with PTSS in 2009, and thought it would just pass as he moved back to the US. It didn’t. After struggling to survive for 2 years I just couldn’t continue, and was also pushed and supported by my wonderful man to start taking care of myself. Buying myself a Blythe for Christmas was the best thing I ever did for myself in a long time! It was a Very Vicky. While I was home sick I started browsing Blythe girls and it was Marises Prima Dolly Cassis that gave me the Blythe bug. Marise also gave me homework, taught me how to wash the hair, and showed me the differences in the molds. A wonderful teacher, with some lovely girls <3

What made you decide to start sewing for Blythe?
What made me start sewing for Blythe; Well first of all, one set of stock clothing is never enough for a doll is it? Haha. No really, it was the possibility to create that drew me to Blythe. I strongly believe that if you are feeling in a rut or don’t know where you are going in life, you should look back to what you loved doing as a child. What I loved doing most was knitting, crafting, drawing, creating… and at the age of 10 I used to do this for my Barbie’s and Barbie horse. At first I really believed I would only have one Blythe doll, I was very wrong… I know own 21 Neo Blythe, 3 Middies and 1 Petite. But I’ve also created a soft spot for Hujoo, I’m not sure where this will end! I love the creative community surrounding Blythe and I’m very happy to be a part of it all. I need creativity in my life and sewing for Blythe gives me the possibility to do so, it’s actually also therapeutic in a way — reconnecting with my innerchild in a way.

You have a background with costuming and finely detailed work – has that helped or hindered you in any way regarding Blythe-sized clothing?
Having a background in costuming means I know the importance of pressing a garment, this is of real importance to any sewing project! I’m used to creating gathers, pleating and doing hand sewing. On the other hand I attempted to sew my very first garment for Blythe, a salopet (pattern from the puchii collective), the way I would a costume. Using couture sewing techniques, that just didn’t work! I ended up handsewing down the band around the legs around my finger. The biggest difference is in putting things together, fabric choices and the seam allowance. Since I’ve started sewing for Blythe I have bought a new addition to my sewing machine which I can’t do without! A straight stitch needle plate. I am a very detailed person, and this certainly helps when working on any scale, I also like to be well informed and do my homework. I would love to recreate historical garments Blythe size! It’s just as hard to find good trim that will work for doll clothing as it is finding good trim for historical costumes though. Creating for Blythe has a lot of positives for me, it causes less strain on my hypermobility and not as demanding time wise compared to full human size costuming. The other benefit to my background is the amount of fabrics I have in my stash! and of course my sewing machine, I used a Pfaff 360 automatic for a very long time and switched to a Pfaff Quilt Expression 2048 in 2009.

What’s the biggest challenge with sewing tiny clothes?
The biggest challenge with sewing tiny clothing is tiny stitches! Haha. A lot of difficulty is the difference in scale and construction, I had to learn a new way of thinking of how to construct a garment. The biggest challenge I want to be able to master in the foreseeable future…. are tiny flat felt seams… I have some old jeans from my children, waiting to be repurposed. The other challenge lays in the finish and details. I have a lot of experience with costumes and creating inter facing for unlined bodices and construction like creating accordion pleats on 8 meters of fabric and hand attaching it to a bodice. Now I just have to practice and practice until I have the same skill and experience to create the same results on a much smaller scale. I am trying to look at this as a good opportunity to practice my P?ramit?, especially Patience.

What can you tell us about the first item that you sold for Blythe? How did it make you feel?
The first item of clothing I sold for Blythe, that I made myself, were some small capes and big furry “Wolf” hats. I actually made a few more of the hats on demand and it feels really good when someone likes or even loves what you create and enjoys it. Everything I create has some of my energy attached to it and something from the heart, from me it’s something personal I like to share and hope people will enjoy and love. It’s like making paintings, an artist never stops after creating one painting and the artist shares it’s work at art galleries where people come in to love and enjoy the work created, of course you can never please everybody, it’s important to keep true to your inner muse. If you start creating out of plight you might fall out of love with what once made you feel so filled with inspiration and enthusiastic energy. People are very kind and supportive which truly is a blessing, for I am a perfectionist that tends to get lost into details and a critic of my own work the most! Without the support and positive reactions to the items that I have already sold I may not have taken the step to open a webshop.

What is your favourite of all of the designs you’ve come up with so far?
I’m a very fickle lover, there are some dresses I fall in love with all over again when I see them. The grey/mauve cotton blend worn by my Veronica Lace covered with the burgundy lace that came from my first attempt at a Victorian costume years ago, is very special to me. I don’t think I have a favourite design just yet, though I’m quite taken with the more Regency-feel type of dress. With the over-done long sleeve (many Regency sleeves fell over half the hand) the ruffled collar and an overall longer length, I love Jane Austen and many other period authors. The white satin with black pinstripes fabric Rococo inspired dress with the baby blue satin ribbon bows is also a contender, I have some ideas to enhance the pattern still! I think it’s the excitement and thrill of the creation bringing the ideas and inspiration in my head to something you can see, feel and touch – that I favourite above all, like the excitement of a new love or winning the lottery for the anniversary girl!

The world of Blythe designs is always changing – how do you fit into it?
Let me start with a quote: “Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.” by Oscar Wilde. If there is one thing that I believe is that you do not last by following a fashion or exploiting trends. A lot of my inspiration comes from the Fairytales and Folktales I grew up with, not Disney, but rather more along the lines of Grimm — I used to read at my grandmother house — it’s something close to myself, which also includes the passion I have for the 18th and 19th century and even my favourite producer, author or movies. The whole beauty in Blythe is that Blythe can carry off any style, you are the one that defines their style and their personality. Just like fashion we change, we get inspired and learn and become more ourselves, nothing is really certain, every year I look at myself and ask myself some basic questions: “Do I like who I am?” “Do I like where I’m going in life?” “What would I like to change?” I have every intention of keeping my inspiration fresh and not create like a machine, I shall always put my heart in it. I’ve only recently celebrated my first year of owning Blythe and probably not even come to grasp all that there is out there concerning Blythe design. I don’t worry about fitting in, I’d rather concern myself with expressing myself in the creating, feeling inspired and enjoying Blythe. Maybe I fit in because I’m not trying to fit in.

What’s a sewing tool that you use that you find irreplaceable and that is a “must have”?
Besides a needle, thread, sharp scissors, an iron, pressing ham, two hands and a good set of pins… I really think a really small seam ripper is something that is a must have! When removing basting, gathering thread or need to correct a stitching mistake, the seam ripper is your friend. I even use it to remove glue residue when changing eyechips, though always keep in mind it’s sharp. I have to admit there are other tools that make life easier when sewing for dolls, such as a folding bone. It’s a tool used for covering books as well as sewing, if you prefer lining to interfacing your garments, a folding bone will get into the narrow corners and make the garment that much easier to press.

When you’re coming up with new designs, what kind of process do you go through?
I love looking at historical dresses in museums, it’s very inspirational. So are fairytales and folktales. Even the seasons play a part. Usually it’s an idea that comes to life and develops in my mind. The grey dress I made for my Flora (VL) was made with her in mind, Blythe can give me a lot of inspiration, they are such amazing models — never complain, always are the size they say they are, don’t gain or lose weight and are always on time. At other times I come across a fabric that just jumps out at me, which is probably the reason I have more stash fabric I dare to admit! I go through a thinking process of several days or longer to work out how many dresses and what kind of pattern I want to make or use. Usually I end up with two to three designs which I start working with, sometimes I think up an extra one or two as I go along. There are so many options it can be very tempting to try them all — and overwhelm myself. I have so many ideas in fact that I really need to write them down, as an introvert and incorrectable day dreamer, I can have an overactive mind coming up with many new ideas. Not everything will actually be made, sometimes that “perfect fabric” for a design is a bit elusive and will have to wait.

What’s something exciting that we might expect from you in the future?
I’m very excited about the next set of dresses I have in mind, some Gothic black/white dresses, inspired by Neo Blythe release Ambrosial. Planning to create more furry hats, coats and also…. corsets! In fact I hope to create complete sets of historical inspired undergarments, I have suitable boning to create little hoopskirt and/or elliptical hoops and panniers. I just have to take some time to sit down and start trying it out, it all comes down to patience and some confidence, really.

Thanks so much for doing this interview with me, Manon! What advice do you have for someone learning how to sew?
Thank you! I feel honoured to be interviewed by you! My advice to people learning to sew would be to give yourself time and take your time. If you are learning to work with a sewing machine the easiest way to learn to control your stitching, is to take a piece of paper and draw a straight line and a curved line. Do not put any thread in the machine. Stitch over these lines, as soon as you can follow the lines easily you will have an easier time when starting on your first fabric projects! Basting can be a life saver, pressing will give your sewing project a higher quality feel, great seams, look and even fit. When I started sewing I used to do something sewing related everyday for an hour at the very least. If you start sewing doll clothing it may be helpful to mark the seam allowance to get a feel for the distance compared to the foot of the sewingmachine, but will also help with hand sewing. Last but not least, there are a lot of “ABC everything you need to know about sewing” books, don’t be afraid to read one or have one to consult when needed. I’m not even going to count the amount of sewing techniques, tailoring, embroidery or costume related books I have!

You can find out more about Manon at her website/webshop, De Belles Poupées, and on Flickr!

Dress Giveaway!

Manon of De Belles Poupées is offering up this beautiful black and white dress in a giveaway! This giveaway is open to international entrants, however if you wish to have registered shipping (e.g. tracking), the winner will have to pay for the difference between registered and non-registered (due to high costs).

You can get up to ten (10) entries for this giveaway draw and you can enter until Saturday March 30th 2013 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 31st 2013 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 Manon 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.

Mandatory Entry: Comment below about the interview with Manon of De Belles Poupées! This is worth 1 entry into the giveaway.

Bonus Entry #1: Tweet about the contest! Please retweet the following once per day from your public Twitter account! (If you look below, there is a box for you to include your Twitter username, if you do, I can easily verify your bonus entry!) Each tweet is 1 entry into the giveaway for a maximum of 2 entries into the giveaway. Please comment below to tell me that you’ve been tweeting (1 comment per tweet!)

Check out the @blythelifecom interview with Manon of De Belles Poupées! #giveaway http://bit.ly/15ZoAD2

Bonus Entry #2: Blog about the giveaway! Be sure to include some details about the contest and include links to BlytheLife.com, this interview/giveaway page and the De Belles Poupées website! For 1 blog entry, this is worth 5 entries into the giveaway! You must comment below with the URL to your blog post.

Bonus Entry #3: Share this giveaway on Facebook! Include a link back to this interview page! For 1 Facebook share, this is worth 2 entries into the giveaway! You must comment below with the URL to your shared link.

We’re halfway through the March Talent Showcase! I hope you’ve been enjoying it as much as I had enjoyed interviewing everyone. For the third installment, I interviewed Jenni – she’s the one behind the name ThriftyDolls and she customizes Blythe dolls. She’s a braver soul than I am, clearly!

Hi Jenni! What can you tell us about yourself?
Hello! I’m 25 and from England, I’m married to my teenage best friend and sweetheart and we have a beautiful daughter who I stay at home with. I have a long history with art and attended art school. I love creating, be that painting, sculpting or customising Blythe!

How did you discover the world of Blythe?
I discovered Blythe when a good friend of mine posted on Facebook that her husband had bought a pair of Irregular Choice Blythe shoes for Valentines Day, because I am nosy I Googled them! I instantly feel in love with the big eyed girl on the shoes and started researching them like a mad woman! Blythe was all I could think about and I ordered my first (superior skate date) a few weeks later!

What drew you towards customizing dolls?
I saw the beautiful custom Blythe on Flickr and thought the artists had really bought the dolls to life, so I looked into it found all the information I could and decided that I wanted to try it, and having an art background I was confident I could give it a good go!

What can you tell us about you first customizing experience?
My first customising experience didn’t go exactly to plan! She was Superior Skate Date, notoriously difficult to open so I decided to work on her with her head still on her body, which does make things more difficult! I made so many mistakes, such as accidentally filing her cheek with the end on file while I tried to found her nose, but I was ever so proud of her at the time! She now lives in my daughter’s toy box!

What do you think is the most important thing you’ve learned about customizing so far?
I think the most important thing I’ve learnt so far is that there is no single “right way” to do things. If you remember that you can always learn, evolve your skill set and develop your techniques.

What is one mistake (besides filing the cheek) you’ve learned from since your first custom experience?
A mistake I’ve learnt from is using the wrong tool for a particular job. When I first started carving the file I was using for shaping the lips was way too big and the groove between the lips was huge! I’ve since invested in a Dremel bit set which gives enormous variety and range.

What’s a tool that has become indispensable to you?
I couldn’t work without a curved craft knife, I use it for reshaping the sides of the lips, the sides of the nose, finishing off nostrils, smoothing out the chin, all sorts! It is completely indispensable to me!

How would you describe your customizing style?
At the moment it’s mostly cute and whimsical, I have a lot of pink and fluffy girls through my doors which I love to do. I would love to try and push my limits with a goth girl or something similar!

What kind of styles or techniques are you hoping to experiment with in the future?
I’d love to work on more “out there” girls, I’d to experiment with illustrations on the face and I’m bursting to work on a tanned girl, Ideally a tan girl with a pale scalp! I’d also love to try a vampire girl as I think there are some adorable vampy customs out there!

What would you say so far is definitely “your style” in the dolls you’ve customized so far?
When I started I thought bottom eyelashes would be my “thing” but then no one requested them! Looking over my past work I think the thing that makes them obviously “my style” are the lips. I like quite full bottom lips with lots of detail so it’s something all of my customs have.

What’s your favourite mold to customize? What makes it your favourite?
My favourite is RBL, I find the mold to be so versatile, she can be happy or sad, sweet or sulky. The ease of opening the head certainly adds to it too! I also think that she looks the most like my idea of “Blythe”, I suppose that’s because she’s the most Kennerish as a stock doll.

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Jenni! What kind of advice do you have for someone who’s looking to try their hand at customizing?
Thank you for interviewing me it’s been so much fun!

My advice would be to do lots of research, look at lots of pictures and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Blythe people are very friendly and I have found that people are happy to help. Then when you do decide to jump in, be confident in what you’re doing, most mistakes can fixed and everything can be a learning experience!

You can find out more about Jenni and her ThriftyDolls custom work on Flickr, Twitter and on Facebook!

Blythe Face-Up Giveaway!

Jenni of ThriftyDolls is offering up a face-up for one of your dolls! You could get Jenni’s beautiful work on one of your dolls! The winner will be responsible for provide the base doll and shipping costs (to and from Jenni).

You can get up to ten (10) entries for this giveaway draw and you can enter until Saturday March 23rd 2013 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 24th 2013 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 Jenni so she will be in contact with you about your doll’s face-up.

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

Mandatory Entry: Comment below about the interview with Jenni of ThriftyDolls! This is worth 1 entry into the giveaway.

Bonus Entry #1: Tweet about the contest! Please retweet the following once per day from your public Twitter account! (If you look below, there is a box for you to include your Twitter username, if you do, I can easily verify your bonus entry!) Each tweet is 1 entry into the giveaway for a maximum of 2 entries into the giveaway. Please comment below to tell me that you’ve been tweeting (1 comment per tweet!)

Check out the @blythelifecom interview with Jenni of ThriftyDolls! #giveaway http://bit.ly/Y3Fleb

Bonus Entry #2: Blog about the giveaway! Be sure to include some details about the contest and include links to BlytheLife.com, this interview/giveaway page and Jenni’s Facebook page! For 1 blog entry, this is worth 5 entries into the giveaway! You must comment below with the URL to your blog post.

Bonus Entry #3: Share this giveaway on Facebook! Include a link back to this interview page! For 1 Facebook share, this is worth 2 entries into the giveaway! You must common below with the URL to your shared link.

As the March Talent Showcase continues, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to someone who knits, sews and does a lot more crafting than I do! Lyndell could costume your doll to fit any holiday, it’s pretty amazing! Here’s Lyndell from the Etsy shop, BlytheStar.

Hi Lyndell! What can you tell us about yourself?
I’m a gran’ma and a constant crafter, happiest when I’m in the middle of making things. After decades working in offices in various admin / secretarial roles I finally made the break about a decade ago and now I work as a costumier and milliner. I sew and knit costumes, mostly for stage productions but sometimes for movies or TV and I work part-time for a milliner making fashion hats for women. When all that is not keeping me busy I make clothes and toys for my two grandchildren or I make clothes and accessories for Blythe dolls.

How did you discover the world of Blythe?
A hopeful suitor gave my grownup daughter a French Trench Blythe doll in 2004 – FT is very much a mini-my daughter. Although that suitor was unsuccessful we are now an inter-generational Blythe family and my granddaughter’s name is – Blythe.

What made you decide to start crafting for your dolls?
Well, I started sewing dresses for that French Trench, her name is Bibi. I had been sewing clothes for a friend’s Barbie and found the Blythe body shape a whole lot easier to sew for! Like many people in the fashion and costume making industry, I started as a child sewing dresses for my dolls; I guess I just never really stopped.

I noticed you do a large variety of types of crafts – which one do you like doing the most?
Knitting – I love knitting and the whole process of turning a ball of yarn into a garment. I love the tactile feel of a good quality yarn running through my fingers and knitting is so adaptable – you can make everything from a fine lace shawl to a thick warm coat. There are so many different techniques in knitting – always something new to learn and master. Currently, my favourite technique is ‘short-rowing’ which I use a lot to create shape in the clothes I knit for Blythe dolls.

What was the first design that you came up with for your shop?
My first design that I thought would be a ‘seller’ was the knitted bathing suit. Currently I don’t have any left in the shop – must do something about that!

How was the experience of selling your first crafted item for Blythe? How did that make you feel?
Absolutely ecstatic! Actually had 2 sales on the 2nd day the Etsy shop was open which was very exciting and then worrying … would the buyers like the goods? had my descriptions been misleading in any way? would the parcels get lost in the post?

What would you consider to be your favourite design to make?
The favourite design is always the one currently in my head and not yet made. At the moment this is a circus outfit – loosely based on the classic Petrushka costume. Second favourite is usually the last outfit off the needles – currently the cherry red ‘pleather’ raincoat and cap. Like a lot of my designs that one was inspired by the fabric – a lovely Italian light weight vinyl.

There’s a lot of niches in the dolly clothing market – where do you fit in?
Not quite sure if I’ve found that niche yet. I would like to make costumes for Blythe – complete theatrical outfits, historical fashion, ballet tutus … however, those are very time consuming so they have to be quite expensive and it is always hard to find those larger blocks of time. Meanwhile I’m offering more conventional Blythe garments plus some jewels and a Passport service! My garments are professionally made and finished – in sewing I aspire to the quality and craftsmanship of the awesome Kikihalb.

I know you haven’t been crafting for long, but what have you learned so far about yourself and the process?
Oh I have been crafting and making things since I was little – but I’ve only gone fully professional in the last decade.
What has crafting taught me about myself and the process? That I’m a perfectionist and that I will spend hours doing something I don’t really enjoy (like beading) to get the result that I want (nicely placed twinkles). With most of the crafts that I do I’m a ‘results’ person; the crafts that I also enjoy for the ‘process’ of doing them are mostly very tactile & sculptural such as knitting, spinning and blocking hats.

What kind of routine do you have for when you sit down to craft?
Drink coffee, draw design, drink coffee, gather the materials, drink coffee …

For all the things that you use when crafting, what is one tool that you cannot live without?
My expensive and very sharp scissors – good scissors are a wonderful thing!

What can you tell us about what we might see from you in the future?
I have so many plans for things I want to make for the BlytheStar shop! Hats for Blythes, flapper dresses, more ballerina tutu outfits, glam ‘red carpet’ evening gowns …

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Lyndell! What kind of advice do you have for someone who’s new to Blythe?
Thanks for the opportunity, I do love being part of the Blythe community. Advice for a newby? Be prepared to fall in love with these funny big-headed dolls they can hijack your heart!

You can find Lyndell on Flickr, over at her blogs (Fashioned by Lyndell and Blythe Dolls’ Bon Voyage) as well as at Etsy (BlytheStar and Fashioned by Lyndell).

Dress & Necklace Giveaway!

Lyndell of BlytheStar has graciously decided to give away a sparkly turquoise dress! The winner will also be receiving a matching (not pictured) necklace for their doll.

You can get up to eight (8) entries for this giveaway draw and you can enter until Saturday March 16th 2013 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 17th 2013 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 Lyndell so she will be in contact with you about your prize.

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

Mandatory Entry: Comment below about the interview with Lyndell of BlytheStar! This is worth 1 entry into the giveaway.

Bonus Entry #1: Tweet about the contest! Please retweet the following once per day from your public Twitter account! (If you look below, there is a box for you to include your Twitter username, if you do, I can easily verify your bonus entry!) Each tweet is 1 entry into the giveaway for a maximum of 2 entries into the giveaway. Please comment below to tell me that you’ve been tweeting (1 comment per tweet!)

Check out the @blythelifecom interview with Lyndell of BlytheStar! #giveaway http://bit.ly/Zj4hfF

Bonus Entry #2: Blog about the contest! Be sure to include some details about the contest and include links to BlytheLife.com, this interview/giveaway page, BlytheStar Etsy shop and the Fashioned by Lyndell blog! For 1 blog entry, this is worth 5 entries into the giveaway! You must comment below with the URL to your blog post.

Welcome to the 2013 March Talent Showcase here on BlytheLife.com. Every year I’ve been featuring up-and-coming talent in the Blythe community and this year is no different! To start things off, I’m featuring Jessica. Jessica is the woman behind an Etsy shop called Sew Do Something.

Hi Jessica! What can you tell us about yourself?
Hi Michelle! Thank you for choosing me for your March Talent Showcase. I currently live in Chesapeake, Virginia with my husband. I took sewing in middle school when I was younger and was a big fan of design. I have owned a sewing machine of some sort for about 20 years. Most of that time they sat unused, until my husband went on an 8 month deployment in May of 2011. We had just moved here about ten months before and I really didn’t know anyone yet and I wasn’t working. So I pulled out the machine, found a few free patterns online and started sewing. I was making purses and bags at the time and they kind of became my thing. Everyone received some kind of bag for Christmas that year. I was handing them out to people that came to my house and sending them to work with my husband. I just kept making them until eventually it dawned on me to open a shop on Etsy. And Sew Do Something was born! Then I went back to work full-time for a while and anything creative fell to the wayside. But now I am back and working creatively for myself. And at the beginning of 2013, I started making dresses for Blythe and love it!

How did you discover the world of Blythe?
Prior to moving to Virginia, my husband was stationed in Japan (outside of Tokyo) for two years and I spent a couple of weeks there in 2010. I fell in love with the country and it’s culture. Everything there is just so beautifully ornate and decorated. Even their manhole covers are carved with flowers and designs! Mike, my husband, had started sending me Kokeshi Dolls before I visited and while I was there I brought home about a dozen more. Kokeshi Dolls are made from a solid piece of wood and have a small body painted with traditional Japanese kimono and a large round head. They’re an artform and so beautiful. After I returned I became drawn to anything Japanese and kawaii. If you search the internet long enough for Kokeshi Dolls, your search terms turn into Japanese Dolls and you will eventually find Blythe. I just didn’t realize what I a big following and culture she had! I loved her from the second I saw her and knew that I needed to own one. I just adopted my first girl in December and now have a family of five!

What made you decide to start sewing for your dolls?
I think it’s just natural that those who can sew or knit and love the dolls will immediately turn to making a wardrobe as soon as they have their first one traveling to them. Every girl needs a fantastic wardrobe. And let’s be honest, sometimes the stock outfits are pretty unimpressive. Or worse, you bought a custom that’s travelling to you nude. While searching for patterns to get sizing ideas, I came across the Doll Coordinate Review books from Dolly Dolly and just knew that I needed to tackle these patterns. I also had a vision in my mind for my first girl. She’s a custom with a sullen look and long straight black hair. She was the perfect model for a Wednesday Addams pilgrim dress. That was my first design and one of my most popular.

How has the transition from dolly hobbyist to dolly seamstress been for you?
It’s been interesting. Everyone was so used to seeing me make bags, wristlets and purses, so when I started posting the dresses feedback showed me they were curious and confused. A lot of people have been amazed at the tiny detail that goes into the garments. I think in the world of dolls most of us are used to the simpler or less detailed fashions for Barbie that we had as little girls. My most fashionable doll when I was little was a Brooke Shields doll. She wore a blue fuzzy sweater with a white cowl neck and leggings. Doll fashion has come a long way and so have the dolls that wear it. I’m using the opportunity to break out of my shell, fashion wise, which has been great for my creativity. I tended to make purses that I liked or wanted to carry which kept my designs all very basic. With Blythe, I can go outside of my comfort zones with print, color and embellishments. All of my girls have such different personalities and I still getting to know each of them so it’s been fun to experiment and use them as fitting models to see what works. I am loving the community that is around these little big-eyed beauties. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming.

Tell us about the experience of making your first Blythe-related sale and how it was getting to see your dress on a doll for the first time.
The first sale happened so quickly, really the first three did. Within an hour after listing them. And to international people. I was blown away. I had never experienced an item selling that quickly, so to me this was exciting and humbling at the same time. I’m very judgmental of my work. And very modest of my skill. I am my own worst critic. I’m overjoyed anytime someone likes my work. When I send something out I am always on pins and needles waiting for them to receive it. The whole time something is shipping I’m thinking, what if they don’t like it? And I track an item all the way through to it’s delivery. My creations are my art and just like any artist these are labors of love. Some dresses take me hours to make, so I am very invested in it’s safe arrival to it’s new home and whether or not someone enjoys it. I never want someone to be unhappy with an item they’ve worked hard to have the money to buy.

Seeing one of my dresses on a doll for the first time was such a joy. It’s easy to sit down and say, “I’m going to make this.” And then you realize the difficulty of working on such a small scale. Sometimes your fingers don’t want to do what you want them to. And you have to basically learn your machines all over again. You have to learn new techniques and ways to interface the garment so your machine doesn’t eat it. I probably ruined about seven or eight sets of socks figuring it all out and the right stitches to use where. I’m working up to trying out dresses my serger. But when you finish that first dress and it’s adorable, the real panic starts and I start begging the dress, please fit please fit please fit. Luckily I had my own doll by then to test it on. When it fit I was beyond excited! I immediately texted pics of it to about six people and ran to show my husband. He’s always very supportive and impressed by my projects. He shows them off to the people at his work.

What kind of process do you go through when designing and sewing for Blythe?
For me, it’s a lot like the method a sculpter takes when they see a block of stone or clay. They might have an idea in mind of what they want to make, but they really let the medium decide where it’s going to go. I have a tendency to do this with fabric. Sometimes this turns out badly. I recently had a dress that when finished it was lovely, but I had picked the wrong type of fabric for the pattern. I overcompensated for the weave by making my seams too large and it wouldn’t snap on the back of a Takara body. I gave it away to a woman who’s daughter collected Monster High dolls to test it out on a smaller sized body. It’s always about learning for me. What works and what doesn’t, what’s better than something else. It all matters.

There are times when I see a fabric and I know it will work a certain way. On the reverse side I sometimes think of a pattern first in my head and the fabrics I want to try on it. This is sometimes the riskier option because I like to try out fabrics that might not be suited for what I want it to do. I don’t like to stick to all of the traditional rules of making a garment. The bonus of Blythe is that she wears clothes beautifully when she is sitting, standing and posing. The Takara body accepts fashion nicely. She’s been given classic hourglass measurements which was originally considered the perfect fit for fashion in the Western world. Unlike Barbie who has unrealistic hourglass body proportions, Blythe is more human in that respect. So if the garment is fitted well, the dress and the doll compliment one another. I have another doll with a similar sized body but her arms are different and it makes the dresses lay differently. It’s just like human bodies. Two women could both wear the same size, but they will wear the same dress differently based on their actual proportions.

Where do find your inspiration for the dresses you sew?
I use my own dolls and my love of different fashions as inspiration. I imagine a lot of clothing for Blythe that I personally cannot wear either because it doesn’t fit my personality or my body type. Each doll starts to develop their own persona and an outfit that works well on one might not be quite right for another. Learning to style based on their individual looks is a process I am still learning. And that’s really what it becomes. You are a fashion stylist and a designer. Because the dolls are so customizable it makes it fun to design based on personality and themes. I’ve been sketching a line of 1920’s inspired wear because the girls with their hair bobbed really call me to do it. It just seems to be fitting for the girls with the Louise Brooke and Clara Bow looks. I’ve always loved the fashion of the 1920s and the 1940s. I was a teenager and in my early 20s during the height of grunge wear so I am heavily influenced by those looks as well. I’m also in awe by the fashions I saw the teenagers wearing in Japan. The girls in school uniforms on a Saturday riding the trains, the Lolita and Emily Temple Cute girls in Harajuku and the Mori girls lounging in the park. The Japanese love fashion and aren’t afraid to experiment with it. I can take fashion chances with the dolls that I am not brave enough to take myself.

What’s a sewing tip you could share with us about crafting for Blythe?
Start with an easy pattern if you have never sewn anything small scale before. And do it several times. This will help you get to learn your machine. I have a top of the line machine and thought that right out of the gate I could pick a heavily structured pattern and I ruined the whole thing. Your machine might require certain interfacing to sew the tiny seams on the dresses. I had several fabrics get eaten by the feed dogs on my machine until I figured this out. And just know, you can make that piece of clothing, it might just take some time. Small scale doesn’t mean it takes less time. A quality garment with detail will take you a while to make.

What do you find exciting about running your own business?
There are so many thing. First and foremost, I love the entire creative process. It really drives me. I also love that I can handle my stress much better because this is all on my own time. I don’t have many deadlines to worry about and when I do (like for a swap or a giveaway) I can plan it out better. It’s also really great that I have my own studio to work in and that puts me in a zone. I’ll turn on Netflix and just work.

What might we expect from you and Sew Do Something in the future?
Different styles of dresses, pants and tops and accessories! I’ve been working on shrinking down some of my favorite purse and handbag patterns to Blythe size. I’m really loving working on the historical fashion too so I plan on more period pieces too.

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Jessica! What kind of advice do you have for someone who’s try to transition from human-sized sewing to doll sewing?
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity! I would say that most of what you know of fitting for humans will work for dolls. But there are certain adjustments you need to take into account. Some fabric needs lined or it stains which adds bulk to your already tiny seams. If it’s a pattern you’ve never made before, make a muslin first or fit as you go. Make your stitch length smaller. My machine is set for a stand 3.5 but I put it as low as 1.6. Sewing slowly will help you keep your lines straighter and enable you to get closer to the edge of a seam than with a longer and faster stitch. And have fun! This is about your enjoyment of making the garment and seeing it on your doll! If it’s not fun you’ll think its a chore.

You can find out more about Jessica and her shop on her blog, Etsy, Facebook, Flickr and Twitter!

1850’sPre-Civil War-inspired Dress Giveaway!

Jessica of Sew Do Something has graciously decided to giveaway a dress in one of her new pattens, inspired by the styles of the 1850’s! The winner will get a dress in this style and choose a fabric design from a selection chosen by Jessica.

You can get up to eight (8) entries for this giveaway draw and you can enter until Saturday March 9th 2013 at 11:59pm Pacific. The draw will be held on Sunday March 10th 2013 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 Jessica so she will be in contact with you about your prize.

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

Mandatory Entry: Comment below about the interview with Jessica of Sew Do Something! This is worth 1 entry into the giveaway.

Bonus Entry #1: Tweet about the contest! Please retweet the following once per day from your public Twitter account! (If you look below, there is a box for you to include your Twitter username, if you do, I can easily verify your bonus entry!) Each tweet is 1 entry into the giveaway for a maximum of 2 entries into the giveaway. Please comment below to tell me that you’ve been tweeting (1 comment per tweet!)

Check out the @blythelifecom interview with Jessica of Sew Do Something! #giveaway http://bit.ly/12TVpmc

Bonus Entry #2: Blog about the contest! Be sure to include some details about the contest and include links to BlytheLife.com, this interview/giveaway page, Sew Do Something Etsy shop and the Sew Do Something blog! For 1 blog entry, this is worth 5 entries into the giveaway! You must comment below with the URL to your blog post.