Buy or Make

I prefer to make. Not because the over-all value isn't the same, just because I look at things and go "I could do that" and then won't buy it. Even if I never get around to making it and the time it would take me is worth the price of the item and materials.

Also because I'm like "No, this one detail is wrong, it must be as I envisioned it, no exceptions."

Which is also a bad reason.

 

As a big spender, I love purchasing items for my collection. However, I have practiced from time to time making clothing items for my dolls. I am a beginner sewist, so I don't expect perfection, but the satisfaction I receive from the finished product is rewarding. It's fun to take the time to make clothing and enhance my skills, especially on a smaller scale! Although I love supporting artists and creators in their craft. They inspire me the most.

 

I make most things I have:
Faceup, clothing, jewelry, anime type eyes, sometimes something else random like: bedding, sofa, props, bags, shoes etc

There are other things I just hate making because it's too much work that I don't enjoy and I don't like my ability to make it most of the time so I always buy wigs (and by now got many by trading with other people), almost always buy eyes and shoes too. I also really enjoy buying random small props and things I happen to find that are coincidently in scale every now and then

I make most of the stuff because the reason I was interested in this hobby was to expand my creative outlet to making and working with three dimensional objects (instead of 2D: painting). So I continue to love the act of creating the most, and when needed I buy the things here and there that facilitate my creative expression.

I wish I could recommend some good shops but a lot has changed the last few years and I feel like places I used to shop from are frequently gone or don't carry anything for me anymore.

 

I usually buy pants, because I hate making them. I don't let myself buy shirts unless they're cheaper than the fabric and supplies I'd need to buy to make them myself. Same with jackets. I recycle a lot of material from my own clothing or my family's that has worn out in a spot or two, so I have plenty of material for most things. That said, I have a couple character dolls that are just so niche I've ended up making all the clothing myself, pants and all, just because I can't find anything that's right.

I've never made accessories, though. Even my bard's lute was bought, although it took six months of looking to find one sized for an MSD. I've definitely considered trying to make accessories (especially since most everything I've found that's visually what I want is SD-sized and I want it for MSD), but I refuse to let myself start down the rabbit hole of materials for that until all my babies have their perfect outfits finished. (I'm seriously tempted to get a variety pack of modelling clay and use that + my pastels to make doll food, though. Food is expensive."

 

I buy basic stuff sometimes, t shirts or bodysuits and the like to modify, but I prefer to make what I can. Most of my dolls are based on OCs so I have a very specific look in mind for them, and often times I'll find myself trying to buy clothes for them, finding something I like, but then it's not *quite* right. A detail or a color can throw off a whole item for me.

 

I early on decided face-ups are my area, but everything else I accepted I'd have to buy. Maybe a little crafting too.
Even though I'd wish I could decently sew and make wigs, because those tend to be the biggest roadblocks in finishing my dolls

 

One of the main reasons I decided to invest in a BJD was to encourage myself to create things for her! Sewing new things for her is more satisfying to me than buying things, personally.

 

I usually make: Clothes, props, furniture and face ups.
I usually buy: Shoes, wigs and eyes.

 

Things that I default to buying are eyes, shoes, and furniture (a lot of props, really). Stuff, however, that I now prefer to make myself are faceups and accessories.

On the "it depends" category are clothes and wigs. I used to sew almost all the crew's clothes, and make their wigs (of a 100% pseudo-ventilated type, to boot) myself. However, as my collection grew, I became less averse to buying some premade items, provided they fit. It's usually in styles or fabrics I'm too lazy to handle on my own, such as most modern men's clothing and stretchy fabrics my low-end sewing machine couldn't handle.

 

It depends on the items.

I prefer to buy furniture, props, eyes, wigs, and shoes because they're things I'm not interested in learning to make and there are plenty I like already made and readily available.

I prefer to make clothes because I really enjoy sewing, and I can get exactly the outfit I want in the right colours and right size. I'll paint my own dolls if I want a really specific look.

 

I make and buy things depending on my own skills. I know I can sew almost anything and I'm interested in making clay props for my dolls. I did have to learn the hard way that I'm not skilled at face-ups. Currently, I'm saving up to get two of my dolls high-quality face-ups. I never want to make shoes or wigs, but I'm happy to sew, knit, and crochet for them.

 

A little of both! I like sewing and crocheting outfits for my dolls and making props like food and furniture, usually because I have very specific ideas and won't be able to find them otherwise.
I love buying things too, though - it's like a little treasure hunt sometimes (and I like to spoil my dolls ^^)

 

I enjoy making all kinds of stuff for my dolls. Although, I suck at most! I still enjoy the process; I am an artistic person since I could barely speak, but I am also clumsy as all h3ll. I wouldn't want to attempt making props, but I wouldn't purchase them either. That, however, has to do more with space than with anything else. I recently got into making tiny shoes (my attempts still look like sh!t but crafting them is so relaxing for me!). So, the only things I would purchase now and still do sometimes are glass eyes. If I knew that they were an easy thing for an average everyday person like me to learn how to make properly, I would probably also try that (not a fan of resin, so I'll never attempt/purchase resin eyes). I will still purchase shoes for my larger dolls if I am ever in the mood again, but I seriously doubt it. My clothes and wigs also look like vomit, but I am okay with that. I just need to make them myself, for absolutely no reason whatsoever... other than being picky about scale of closures and overall proportions (like collars, and trims, etc. the list does go on and on)... >__>;;;

 

I got into this hobby in the first place to explore my love of fashion. I wanted an excuse to indulge in all styles of fashion from historic to Harajuku street styles without having to wear them myself. BJDs became my perfect muses, and I’ve loved sewing for them throughout the years, happily building wardrobes and creating the original characters to wear them. Truly, it’s been the greatest hobby ever!

So naturally I make the vast majority of their clothes myself, but I’ve also occasionally bought things here and there to keep their wardrobe collections fresh. Having another artist’s perspective adds some lovely creative diversity, and it can be fun to hunt for those special items. I’ve found great outfits at Luts, for example, and it’s fun to tack on a few things on top of a doll order. I’ve also shopped on Etsy for certain looks that aren’t really my jam to make…like cutesy things for pukifee or blythe (which fits a few of my resin dolls.) But my absolutely favorite indulgence is the amazing hats I buy for my SD girls by this amazing Etsy artist: FancifulDelightsCo.

Other than that, it’s kind of a mish-mosh as to the making/buying thing. I do most of my own faceups, with a company one added here or there for diversity. I make a few special wigs but mostly prefer to buy those, Luts and LeekeWorld are my preferred go-tos. Eyes (whether glass or resin) and shoes I always buy, because I have no desire to make those. And the displays I create for my dolls are either filled with accessories I’ve found or had a desire to make myself…it just depends.

 

I make the stuff that I can do: 3D modeling + 3D printing Props, Accessories, Body Parts, Body Mods, etc.

I buy the stuff that I can't do: Tailoring Clothes, Jewelry, Eyes, Wigs

50/50 on stuff I'm mediocre at or something I want to get better at: Face-up/Body-Blush and Shoes(heels)

 

I'm decent-ish at making clothes at least. Eyes are alright for me as well, though I'm not good at it and prefer to buy. Wigs are just no... Face-ups I can definitely do though.

 

Mostly buy. I do some sewing, all of my faceups, and I occasionally make props, but overall, it's just more fun to me to shop! I get a lot of happiness and excitement in receiving packages and opening up a pile of doll clothes and accessories. That and often it's cheaper to buy it already made than buy supplies and put in the work.

 

I used to mostly buy, but only have a few pieces due to lack of funds at the time. Im just getting back into the hobby and my goal is to make clothes for them instead to get back into sewing.

i will still buy shoes, eyes and wigs.. although i have thought about styling wigs of modifying them as lace fronts as ive been seeing those lately and they look amazing!

 

There's some things I make myself. I try to make clothes, be it via knitting or sewing, and I've been getting into doing my own faceups, plus I did a few of my dolls' wigs.

I always buy eyes, and try to find wigs before resorting to making my own. (My god, it's impossible to find wigs that work for my dolls with any sort of curl pattern to them, I swear! God forbid they have loosely curly hair, let alone afro-textured.) I've always bought shoes thus far, but my DearSD girl is tempting me to try some basic handmade shoes just to get something on her feet. I'm also not opposed to buying clothes, especially stuff I don't have the materials, skill, or wherewithal to make myself. I do a lot of buying pants. It's just too easy to sew random rectangles of fabric I pick up at the thrift store into skirts rather than sit and make a pair of pants.

Speaking of the thrift store, that's where all my BJD-sized props/furniture have come from thus far. As I tell my mother, it's the thrill of the hunt!