Doll Carrying Bags...Buy or Make or Convert!

I put a face mask on, remove any delicate/magnetic parts, sometimes wrap in a plastic bag and then just put the doll in whatever bag I'm taking. Not ideal, and I plan on buying either a dedicated doll carrier or converting an appropriately sized bag at some point, but my dolls have survived just fine so far.

 

I have a cloth canvas tote bag I use. It's nice, comfy on my shoulder, sturdy and my Dolls can fit fine together sitting. Lyr first, then Erdric and Aryun together, and have their extra clothes in an old wig box at their feet so they don't slide. I always always keep their heads were I can wrap my arm around where they're sitting, so if someone (heaven forbid) hits me in a convention or anywhere else, they hit me, not my dolls. It's been really good so far. If I get another SD, I'll have to move to something else, but for the moment it works perfect.

 

I just go to the store and find one there thats just right size.

 

i was going to make one, but my husband bought me a camera backpack instead, because when i take her out of the house it's for a photos hoot, and we often hike somewhere to do them. it is heavily padded to protect the camera and has movable padded sections for all the lenses. i can fit my msd scrunched up but immovable in one of the side sections. i have a picture of it here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onebluestocking/5783858972/in/photostream

the flap doesn't open all the way so you can't see her legs but they are bent up to fit lengthwise. they just barely reach the top of the case so she isn't going to get broken

it wouldn't fit an sd but i could fit another msd or a couple of smaller ones on the other side &/or below the camera (the camera fits in the camera shaped compartment on top but is obviously not there because i needed it to take the picture.) because i can move the sections (they are velcro and can be organized however i want but the velcoro is so strong they don't budge unless i move them deliberately!) i can set it up to carry dolls, clothes, wigs etc it whatever configuration i need and still have room for the camera stuff. there is a large extra pocket on the back that fits a jacket/snacks for me and water bottle pockets on the outside - a necessity for day hikes.

it wasn't cheap but works perfectly for what i do. and when i'm in town it just looks like a regular backpack so is less likely to get stolen.

 

originally I wanted to buy a normal bag, and convert it. but I could not find a suitable bag in our local stores .
So, yesterday i ordered it from Dollmore.

 

I haven't made my doll her carrier yet, but I found a really nifty tutorial here on DoA to use! I don't know if anyone has shared it yet, but it's a Duct Tape Carrier! I think it's super cute. C:

 

I want to get one of those rolling art cases, I think several could sit in one and it has a pull out handle! It alsodoesn't look like I'm carrying a rifle or ssomething suspicious...

 

Where could i get a good protective carrier bag for a pukipuki?

 

I usually put my dolls in a normal bag (duffle bag, satchel etc) since the largest dolls I have been carrying around were msd sized. I like to put other things in the bag too so I'm not carrying too many bags ^^; But now I had an SD I'm thinking of buying the long bags. I think it's convenient coz you can just sling it over your shoulder like a backpack ^^

 

Since SD sized bags can carry a hefty price tag I'm planning on making my own. I just want to get my dollie in first before I make it. I would hate for the bag to be a half inch short or something.

 

Recently I bought a rucksack in which I thought my 60 cm guy could be carried in.

Unfortunately, his legs have to be bent too heavily. I just do no like it. Alas, one more bag to hang around...

I also had a look at those plastic tubes where you carry paper artwork. For these he is too wide. There is no chance to wrap anything around him (not even a towel or blanket).

There are also clear disadvantages having a big boy...

 

I only have two bags right now that came with 2 of my MSDs... I used some of my other bags for my SDs... but I don't have many places I would take them that are far from home. I would love create my own bags however for when I do need one!

 

I got a the Volks Tweed bag for my girl Lilith. I really liked the bag and all the storage that it holds.

 

I have a nifty Asian messenger bag that I use while I plan my full carrier. I can carry either my 70cm, with his knees up to his chest, or my two JIDs sitting with their legs out, facing each other. It is not very padded, but it does have a shoulder strap, so it's good enough to take to the doll or craft store. I have a more permanent carrier in the works, and I have the materials purchased. I just need a break to make it. It will be able to fit all three dolls, with room for one more, when I get my Lasia (someday). I have planned it to be somewhat like a Dollmore/Dollzone carrier, but with nifty extras, and of course, built just for my dolls. With all the accessories/fabric, I can't say it will actually be very cheap, but it will be exactly what I want, and that counts for a lot.

 

I have a soft-sided bag for hauling the SD boys on short jaunts. Hubby is currently super sturdy travel boxes for them and the MSD for big traveling. They even lock so they can't open up accidentally. Engineer hubby=goodness!

 

With all the great ideas I've seen here, including the thread's OP, I think I'll make my own carry bag! The only thing I would be worried about is matching the airline specs now, which keep changing. Because no way would I let one of my dolls go in baggage unless it was in a hard shell suitcase. Then I would just pad it with clothing. And be prepared for some grief at the x-ray machine.

For a doll show, maybe one of the larger upright rolling suitcases might be the best way to go? A number of dolls can fit in one case and they can be locked and chained to a deplay table, pole or bike rack or something if you have to leave them for a while?

 

I don't have the patience to sew and I don't particularly trust my bags in cushioning them in tight situations (rush hour in NYC = resin breaking time IMO). So I bought a bag! Bought it from a Volks store during a trip to Japan. I wasn't planning on it but it was probably my best doll related buy there!

It fits two SD sized dolls with pillows under and in between the dollies. 65cm is probably the limit unless you want to bend knees. It has very nice and silky fabric inside (white color). There are two zippered pockets inside spanning the length of the bag and two on the opposite side with no zippers. On the outside, there is one small pocket. It fits my (fat) wallet or point-and-shoot camera. It can probably fit more but I never tried. Plenty of space for accessories, wigs, shoes and clothes (or heads!)

I also have an Impldoll carrier bag that I got for free when purchasing a doll. It was a very nice surprise but its quality is sub par in relation to the Volks bag. Like the Volks bag, it can fit two SD sized dolls. It doesn't have any pockets inside and the mechanism to strap the dolls down is very time consuming. Though, it does have two pockets outside. They hold a good amount of goodies (but nothing compared to the volks bag. And if you over stuff them, they look odd. You can see all the bulges and such.
Also, after lugging my doll around for an entire week, you can definitely see the wear on the bag. The handle started fraying and hurt to the touch. I think it started squeaking at some point too, haha.

Those two bags were both used to take my doll on the airplane as carry on. While I wouldn't trust either of them to withstand another suitcase crammed in front of it, I do trust putting it into the right spot...did that make sense? XD

 

I have all these grand intentions for designing doll carrier bags. That's the sum of my sewing right there. Grand intentions. If I do finally get around to making them they'll be limited to dolls that I have.

I would think that the free Amy Butler yoga bag pattern would work well for carrying a single taller doll, for those who sew. It very well may have already been mentioned. This topic dates back quite a way.
http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/pdfs/NigellaYogaBag.pdf

I like pockets and things so I really want to make something that has little compartments. My friend talked about converting a vintage suitcase into a doll carrier. I happen to have a vintage suitcase so I may do that. It smelled a bit musty so I had set it aside but left it open to hopefully air it out so it can be converted.

 

I made myself a doll carrier bag just this week. One for my incoming SDF and a matching smaller one for a future pukipuki. The bigger one is 66cm and smaller one 13cm. I took general ideas from the Nigella Yoga Bag (mentioned above), but sew it as a closed tube and attached a zipper instead. The outer fabric is some sturdy cotton from Ikea, padded with 3cm of cotton wool and a inner layer of supersoft fleece. The zipper and strap I recycled from an old sports bag. The whole thing has been sewn together with an overlocker, which I (being somewhat lazy) love and adore Since both bags were somewhat improvised from stuff I got laying around (yay for funky fabrics xD), they got no pockets. :p And the bigger one needs a strap inside to hold the doll still. I might add small pouches inside the bigger bag if it looks like I need them.

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The thing with doll carriers seems no to be as simple as I thought.

Now that I have used my large Ikea trolley several times, I found that it works excellently if I take the crafty stuff (for sewing, wigmaking, etc.) with me.

But to take this bulky thing e.g. to town, it is not suitable. You can't go shopping with it.

The other bag I bought for my 60 cm guy is too small for him. He has to be bent too far. I do not like him sitting like that.

I guess I will end up also sewing a bag myself. The sports bags I see are all far too bulky.

On the other hand, a violin case would be ultracool...perhaps I can get one at ebay.