Feb issue of Haute Doll is out! (discussion thread)

Haute Doll sometimes has their subscriptions at a discount on eBay.

I have cursed that pattern editor well and often. Does she know anything about sewing? There are often instructions, scaling information and even pattern pieces left out.

I have made fashion doll clothes after rescaling them for my BJDs. Haute Doll always assumes you know the height of every brand of fashion doll or that you would only make the clothes for that particular model. I rely on Google to give me the heights so I can make a first stab at resizing.

I do subscribe to Haute Doll but I wish they would get a pattern editor who knows what she is doing.

 

It's good to know that there are problems with the other patterns as well. Fore warned is fore armed and all that.
Susan

 

I know how frustrating it can be to attempt a pattern and not have it work.
I can't say anything about whether they have a pattern editor or not, but I don't think that HD is able to check the patterns (ie make an outfit out of it to see if it works.)
so often the responsibility to make sure that the pattern works is left to the seamstress who provided the pattern. (the scale problem with Icarus' pattern wasn't her problem though, as she provided the nessesary info when she submitted the pattern, etc... )
Most of the people who provide patterns are not professionals, (some are) but I'm sure that they do their best. (in fact many people who have provided patterns are members of DoA) I'm sure that HD attempts to have them as easy to understand as possible... I'm sure there are mistakes sometimes, as with anything.

I just want to impress upon people who read the magazine though, that finding people to submit good patterns with good photos, etc, is difficult. Just because someone is a good seamstress doesn't mean that they can explain their method well or create legible patterns.... Also, it's a lot of work to create the instructions and patterns. (I don't create the patterns, I just recommend seamstresses to the magazine occasionally)

and if you've found people who DO really good patterns, feel free to suggest them to the magazine, I'm sure HD would always be interested in more quality patterns.

I emailed Karen (editor) again to ask for the fixed-scale kimono-dress pattern, I'm sure the holidays are causing a delay in getting it up. Hopefully it can go up soon.

 

Hi Group!!!

Aimee has covered this very well, but I must admit I am brain dead when it comes to sewing. I do edit all instructions as they are submitted for grammar and punctuation, but there is no way we can make each outfit from the patterns. We rely on our contributors to send patterns in a way that they can be resized for publication as it is not practical to be able to print them at 100%.

That being said, my layout person makes every effort to check the scale and enlargement instructions for the patterns. I do not know what happened with the SD and MSD kimono pattern. She said she double checked it and it was correct. Obviously something is amiss.

We intend to upload the corrected pattern on our website. Our website person--Charlene-- has been out of the office due to the death of her father. We will make the pattern available as soon as possible--hopefully next week.

We are a small publishing firm. If someone would like to volunteer to be our pattern editor, I would welcome them with open arms. We do the best we can and if the patterns are not useful or done right, and we cannot correct the problem, we will leave them out. We feel we offer a good product with or without the patterns.

As far as the BJD Orbyrarium goes, we are proud of the product we came out out--with the help of many of you on this board. If you do not find it worth the money, I can understand. Everyone has different needs and different ways to spend their hard earned money. I would love to do this again from the vantage point of having done it once and finding ways to make it better. It is doubtful this will happen--but you never know. Print media is a tough business and very expensive---and you all know---from the comments here, that is is impossible to please everyone.

Thanks for all your support and, especially, all of your help and contributions. I wish you all the very best in 2007. Happy New Year!!

Love,
KarenC
Truly brain dead with patterns!!

 

is there any news of a pattern correction yet? if not, i'm going to try and find the right percentage to resize it to, and 'wing' it. *sigh*. i was really hoping to try this one out soon.

 

scoundrelle - Karen just posted with the information, it's not up yet but will be soon.

 

yeah, obviously i hadn't refreshed the screen before posting, lol. i can't wait to try the corrected pattern!

 

ok all, i tried out the pattern as is, with the 154% increase in size. i used the "sd" sized pattern, and here's the results:















Yes, this is on an Unoa (MSD-sized doll). So to get the SD-sized pattern to fit on a true SD-sized doll, I scale from here - (I have a backwards approach, because math sometimes doesnt make sense *grins*) I increase current to 400%, then decrease that to 33%, making it 1:3 scale. I will be trying *that* pattern tomorrow and seeing how it comes out. I'm *very* pleased with this trial though. Let me know what you think!

Heathre.

 

Let me get this straight - you used the SD pattern and it fit your MSD? I have all the pattern pieces sitting here that I enlarged at 154% - I'd love to get sewing!
Ellen in NH

 

Yep. I was surprised at how *well* it fit. Basqui looks wonderful! I'm going to be trying out the new resizing for a true SD today. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

 

Can you please post a link?
Thanks,
Susan

 

That is an annoyance for me, as well.

I don't know the names of every doll line out there, particularly when it may be a specific line from, say, Mattel, Volks, Mme. Alexander, whoever it is.
Particularly with fashion dolls commonly being 12-24" in height, it makes quite the difference.

'This pattern is perfectly fitted on the Fluggulty-whumps.' 'The say-what??'

But even lists for specific dolls don't have a FAQ of height, bust, waist, hips, etc. measurements.

Ann in CT

 

I recently found a site that gives measurements for many of the popular dolls. I printed it out to help me resize patterns.
http://chassies-classics.com/dollstats.htm
Susan

 

Ok, so I tried the pattern with the resizing I mentioned above. It worked rather well! My SD-sized girl is a dollfie dream 2, so she's a bit skinnier at the waist than a lot of the resin girl bodies, but I think it turned out quite well.











(obviously i made another msd sized one as well - i've got a new little one coming home in a few days, and i dont want her to be naked!)

heathre.

 

I love your fabric choices - I didn't get any sewing done this afternoon because I decided to try to organize the chaos a little, but now I have my fabrics, so tomorrow will be a sewing day
Ellen in NH

 

I bought the issue today. Those modding instructions seem very useful, and the article about Orientdoll makes me want a Dae!

 

scoundrelle, it looks fabulous!!

 

Thank you, Susan!

That is a tremendously helpful link.

Ann in CT

 

Oh those look so cute! I'm glad people are trying the patterns out!

Karen just emailed me with the link to the original patterns and some instructions on how to use them:
http://www.hautedoll.com/Corrections.php

The seams should be 1/4 inch which I think got left off again but hopefully people will be able to use this pattern without worrying about figuring out the scaling themselves.

 

I finished the MSD kimono and obi on Sunday night, and they fit perfectly.

Did...did I do something wrong?