For clothing, what kind of closures do you prefer?

I like real working buttons or snaps (press studs) I can cope with hooks and eyes too.

I don't buy clothes with velcro. It snags hair and I hate the sound it makes. I don't sew with velcro and would eradicate it from the earth if I could.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?

I like zippers, buttons, lacing, and elastic/stretch. When I am sewing personally I mostly sew things with an elasticity to them because I haven't been taught many closures, especially not ones that are that tiny. But I like looking at little buttons, they look sooo professional. Little zippers, too. And I love little details, so yeah... I'm also going to try hooks and eyes.

Which seems more professional to you?
Buttons and zippers. Velcro seems extremely barbie-like to me. Sewing little buttons and zippers takes hard work, skill, and practice. So they are more professional to me.


Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
If you didn't like hooks, but saw a dress you just had to have, only to find out it had hooks on it... would you still buy it?
I don't normally buy clothes, to be honest. But the clothes I'd be the most likely to buy would be the ones that I couldn't make or couldn't even dream of making. Things that would improve the feel of 'I'll never be able to make that' are typically zippers, buttons, working pockets, and other small details. If I saw something I liked and it was held together with velcro, I'd probably just tell myself that I could work hard and learn to make it someday. Or if I did get it I would stitch rip the velcro out and replace it with something like snaps or hooks that I could sew.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
No. I have made some clothing with velcro in the past and just... will never do that again. I think very hard about how I want an outfit to close before I make it. Mostly I've just been making stretch clothes until I get better.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
Velcro or lace, goes on quickly and gives a little movement if slightly too big or small

Which seems more professional to you?
Buttons and hooks seem more professional as they look like the clothes were made for that particular doll

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
If I liked the clothing I would put up with it.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
Can't sew!!!!

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
Zippers and elastic, or velcro. I like how buttons look, but don't like sewing them myself. With both zippers and velcro, they only work for me if they're in the proper scale. I like velcro because it allows for some adjustment for the proper fit of the outfit, which is usually needed, since not all bodies fit the same size.

Which seems more professional to you?
Zippers and elastic make the outfit lay nicely. Real working buttons seem really professional.

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
Yes. I can remove 'em and put on closures that I do like.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
No.
​

 

I absolutely hate sewing on snaps. Hate it. D| I would rather poke my fingers with needles.
So I usually try to make clothing that has stretch to it so that it doesn't require closure, or I use elastic! C:

When buying stuff, I prefer clothes with stretch. Zippers are nice as well. Snaps are okay as long as I'm not the one sewing them on. I really like velcro for my tinies' clothes, but I'll admit, it is a bit tacky when used for a larger doll. I dislike buttons because my hands are fumbly and it takes me awhile to button and un-button things, especially on a small scale.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
I am a big fan of realism -- to a point. I don't mind taking off a head or hands to get a garment on, but some things can't be made exactly the way their human-scale counterparts are due to the materials involved. It's something that goes beyond closures and more into over all construction; people squish, resin doesn't. That simple truth makes certain design choices harder to scale down as-is. This could be a matter of fabric choices, or it could be the closures, or even the cut of the pattern; all of them are going to interact in the construction of your garment.

If I need something that breaks the 'reality' of the garment for structural reasons, I'm probably going to use snaps. Sometimes hooks or velcro, depending on the actual fit and function of the fastening, but usually snaps nine times out of ten.

If I was making something for myself, I wouldn't have an issue with removing hands or heads. If I was making something for others, I wouldn't count on them being as comfortable with that idea as I am, with some exceptions. If, for example, the outfit is designed to fit one size of doll only, and that doll has hands that come on or off easily with magnets, I am going to go with the version that requires taking the hands on and off, because it's simple and won't be as likely to end up with s-hooks and elastic going *sproing* all over the house.


Which seems more professional to you?
Whichever best replicates the natural look of the garment you're trying to make in miniature, which is the right answer to me, even though it probably doesn't sound like an answer at all. For fantasy outfits there can be a lot of leeway here, but if I have a doll-size hoodie that looks like it has a zip front, I'd want it to be a working zipper, and not a fake zip-front with snaps or velcro underneath. By contrast, I may be all right with a faux-zipper effect and snaps on a pair of jeans if an actual zipper would create too much bulk. (How would someone do that? I... really don't know. I am just glad it hasn't actually happened to me yet.)

As for velcro specifically, it has its place. There are some very thin types of velcro that are low-snag that can be pretty useful for some craft purposes, but I would still be leery of using it with wigged dolls especially. (Wigs can snag in velcro very easily!) If you're going to use it, have the 'prickly' side facing -away- from the doll, and the soft side down, to help avoid potential scratches if your velcro pieces become misaligned in the course of wear. If used sensibly, I see nothing unprofessional about velcro. It's using it for everything that can get a little bit inappropriate, or using it badly in a way that can look lumpy and unpleasant. With velcro, you have to be very careful with fragile fabrics, or fabrics that can snag easily, so the garment doesn't accidentally eat itself. I'd never use it with, say, silk chiffon, even though it would be fine to use with quilting cotton or denim without injury to the fabric; that isn't a matter of 'use the cheap closure with the cheaper fabric', but just the reality of the delicacy of the materials themselves.

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
Yes. A number of things I see for sale don't mention what the closures and fastenings are, so it can be impossible to know before a purchase. I'm pretty open to anything being used well, though, so I wouldn't shy away from something just because it said it didn't use the fastenings I would use myself.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
I tend to take a 'total structure' view of design when I'm making something, and tend to make my own patterns for things. (Even if you don't do this, patterns are easier to modify than most folks think once you get the basics down.) It depends on what it is. If a pattern calls for something I can't get, reproduce, or make -- and that sometimes happens with historical clothing -- I just try to improvise the best I can with modern materials. It's the same if there's some kind of fastener I really can't stand, but since I feel there's a time and place where all of them are appropriate to the job at hand, I can't really think of one off the top of my head. (Usually, it's 'don't have one, can't get one', not 'hate those, not using it' with me.)

Patterns can be changed to allow for different fasteners -- or even adapted for other fabrics that perhaps have the proper stretch to not require them at all. There are a lot of variables to play with here, and a lot of options to explore.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
I really have no preference It all kind of depends on the garment to me really. I would probably say zippers and snaps, purely for the ease, but obviously theres times when they wouldnt work for something.

Which seems more professional to you?
Again, I think it depends on the garment :3
Like, if its just a T-shirt or similar, I would much rather sew on two strips of velcro then pay the money for a zipper or spend the time sewing on snaps for something so basic. That said though, if it were something like a dress shirt or jacket, I would expect it to at least have snaps. Buttons I dont use/look for as much because not only are they tedious while dressing, when you add buttons to a garment it either means you spent that much more effort or payed that much more for the effort xD And unless its a really nice garment, I dont really need working buttons.

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
More than likely. Im a little biast because I dont really have a closure preference, but if I did, I probably wouldnt turn down a nice shirt with velcro or something as long as it didnt interfere with the design/fit, or the closure could easily be replaced with something else.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
Yea, if I thought it was more practical/cost effective, no other closure could work, or if I didnt have anything else on hand and I didnt want a specific type of closure Im pretty "go with the flow"

 

Anything closest to what the actual clothing would use seems best. But if that's not possible, I'd probably just stay away from velcro. It's not that it's bad, it's that things like to stick to it and it always seemed a bit too obvious to me.

 

Personally, I like snaps. ^^ I also like little zippers because they're cute.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
Zippers, snaps, hooks, corset lacing

Which seems more professional to you?
Zippers, snaps

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
Yes, if it was beautiful enough.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
N/A

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
After making closplay for so long , I'm in love with snaps, zippers and the occasional eye hook. The only trouble with zippers is finding the correct size in the right color. It can be a nightmare. Snaps are great, but all mine seem to be SUPER strong (pull the threads out of the clothing before they would unsnap). Eye hooks are easy to sew on, but can pop open. I like them best as apart of the clothing design. Buttons are fun, but button holes are so annoying to sew. I always manage to stab myself.

So, I guess snaps are my favorite.


Which seems more professional to you?
Zippers and buttons in the correct size. Velcro is too bulky for me. As a rule of thumb, I don't wear velcro so neither shall my doll.
Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
If I loved it, always. XD

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
Considering I only hate closures if they are impractical for the garmet, I wouldn't worry too much about swapping.

 

Zippers make life easy. Hehe. But snaps look good, because you can hide them under buttons and give the illusion of buttons. Zippers can be hidden as well...but I'm not quite that talented at this scale yet.
Buttons themselves would be lovely...but I am avoiding sewing button holes like the plague! ^.^"
Hook and eyes certainly have their place. I find they are more dependent on the style of clothing. I have nothing against hook and eyes, though I probably wouldn't put them on a t-shirt or something of that sort. ^_~

I do not like velcro. It snags material too easily, and often looks messy because it is bulky and stiff. Plus it mainly comes in white or black, and so it stands out against many materials. If I want an easy, one motion, fastener in the back of a piece of clothing, I'll use a zipper. At least with a zipper you can match it to the clothing.
I don't really like clothing that only fits because it is stretchy either. Somehow that seems like cheating? ^.^"
I like clothing to be fitted.

I imagine that actual buttons as what would be buttons on real clothing is the most professional. They are also probably the most work in both sewing them and changing the clothing. I'm not sure they are necessary...but they seem so luxurious! Hehe.

Would I buy clothing with closures that I didn't like? Depending on the clothing...yes. Since I do sew, in most cases, I could change the closure to something I did prefer...making it less of an issue. ^_~

If I am making the clothing...I can make it however I want...so no, I would not make it with something that drove me mad. Heh.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
I avoid closures that aren't part of the actual clothing (i.e. button-down shirts versus a t-shirt). I feel that, if the human-sized version doesn't have it, it shouldn't be on the doll version. I really love realism, and, let's face it, the clothes just sit better when there aren't all sorts of snaps going down the back to keep it together.

Which seems more professional to you?
I think it's really professional to ahve everything mimic human clothes as closely as possible. In-scale zippers and buttons and the like.

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
If I did, it would only be because I could take them off and fix up the clothes to make them more realistic.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
Uh, no. Why would I?

 

I don't think any type of closure is unprofessional. Nor is it "cheating" or "unprofessional" to have a perfectly tailored stretchy-tight garment with no fasteners whatsoever that requires the doll's head to come off. As long as it works, and as long as it looks good, and as long as it isn't something I'm trying to hide in photographs, it's professional.

I don't make clothes, I just dress & photograph a lot of dolls. So I don't care what it takes. Whatever works + looks good at the same time.

Tip: Keep one of those micro-miniature crochet hooks around for doing up extra-tiny buttons (or stubborn hook-and-eyes). I have one I cannibalized from an ordinary home-hair-frosting kit, because it's at least lacemaking-sized small... works great. There are certain fancy DollHeart uniforms that would never get buttoned without that hook. I love DollHeart for their realism, but I effing hate doing up all those effing buttons.

Obviously you got a badly-made shirt. When you have a well-tailored shirt & the fasteners are properly placed, things look even nicer when fastened down the back. Department-store windowdressers pin up the clothing up the back of mannequins, so that they hang nicely on the unrealistically-shaped forms; doll clothes are no different. The fasteners need to be in the right place, otherwise it all hangs wrong.

 

Oh what a coincidence, I'm currently stocking up on materials I'll need to attempt at making doll clothes... and I was examining some of my doll's shirts and realized: SNAPS. I love them. They just... make things so much easier! And I like the sound they make, lol, unlike Velcro. Buttons and zippers are nice too, but with buttons it's hard to make the button holes neat... however, snaps + buttons on top = super cute and practical. I guess I don't care so much about the closure, as long as the outfit looks nice, but it definitely is a pain when your doll's headcap isn't attached with magnets and it takes a lot of effort to take off the head in order to put the clothing on.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
I prefer zippers and buttons but snaps are alright too. Velcro gets in the way and causes a bulge most of the time so I don't really like it and lacing seems like too much of a hassle but I wouldn't mind having something that needs to be laced up if it was really well made.

Which seems more professional to you?
I think zippers and buttons seem more professional.

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
it depends on that particular item, maybe maybe not

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
no, I wouldn't use a closure that I don't like.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
I'd say I prefer zippers and snaps, but to me it depends of the look intended fot the clothes

Which seems more professional to you?
Again, I'd say every closer has it's use and what makes things seem professionnal is the use of the right closer for the right intended look!

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
That wouldn't be a problem for me as if the closer isn't the right one in my mind I'd ask my girlfriend (who's a seamstress) to change it for me (most of the time it won't be necessary as she sews most of my doll clothes)

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
I'm a bad sewer, but if I'd sew a piece of clothing, I wouldn't mind changin velcro for a zipper or hooks for a snap (if possible without changind the look of the piece of clothing)

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
Hooks or snaps and lace-up closures. Lace closures always look so pretty.

Which seems more professional to you?
I wouldn't say velcro is unproffesional,just impractical. It gets caught in the doll's hair and doesn't close evenly,it's just a hassle really.

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?
I probably would just because it's very hard to find clothes I like,and I could always fix the closure.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
No,it's just too much hassle using velcro. I would use the pattern but put a different closer on it.

 

Snaps. I sew them onto all the doll clothes I make and they work. I despise velcro with a burning passion. It snags on wigs but if it's cute..I'll suck it up.

 

When it comes to your dolls clothes, what kind of closures do you prefer?
Do you like Snaps, Velcro, Hooks, Butons? Maybe lace or no closer at all (having to take your dolls head off)?

Snaps, zips or buttons looks best, hooks work in some cases. Laces, ditto. Velcro... is dubious. Everything has drawbacks though. I don't like the thickness of snaps, zips are vulnerable to breakage and much harder to fix if they do. Buttons look great but are just a nuisance to do up and undo. Hooks can scratch the doll. Laces are fiddly. Velcro tends to snag on hair and other clothes and tends to the bulk, although Aplix (if I'm getting the brand name right) is thinner and softer and more tolerable.

Would you buy clothing with closers you don't like?

Yes, because I can sew and can replace it if it bothers me that much.

Would you make clothing with a closer you don't like?
If you were following a pattern and it called for snaps, but you absolutely hated sewing them on, would you still do it?

I cannot make a pattern to the letter - I just cannot help tweaking it somewhere, somehow. Usually more than tweaking if I'm honest! So no, what a pattern directs for closures I see as only a suggestion. I'll put whatever closure I feel like on it.