General Question about Gifts from Others

I don't think you can go wrong with anything you get her, especially if you make it. Your her friend and you make the stuff to make her happy, so you're gold with whatever you give her, from my point of view anyway. As for things that are awesome to get my friend made a bag to hold my doll it is soooooooo cool!!! That was an awesome gift!!!

 

I don't think I've ever been personally offended by a doll gift. What I can say is I've been to three Secret Santa gift exchanges for dolls and each time at least one person wasn't happy. Such as Person A bought something from a company for the exchange and received something handmade. Or Person B picked out a special item for a doll they know and got yo-sd shoes and doesn't own a tiny.

I'm still trying to figure out what the best method of gift exchange is for this holiday season so no one is confused or annoyed. I have to admit, it seems silly to be upset when you get something for free but some people figure they put money and/or thought into it and want the same in return.

 

When I first joined the forum way back in '06, I joined a thread that was set up for gifting clothing sets to new members who had only ordered but not yet received their first doll. I was lucky enough to be one who was chosen to receive a free outfit and was so excited...
But the outfit I received was a complete and utter let down. I wasn't angry, I was upset, and I felt there wasn't anything I could do or say because it was free, and you shouldn't complain about free stuff.
But to be honest, my doll looked better naked than in the clothes I received. They were poorly constructed, hand stitched with each stitch placed roughly a centimeter apart, so the seams gaped horribly. The shirt was too big, and the pants were way too big; almost like clown pants. For some reason, the part I found the worst was the sandals. The soles of the sandals were made of foam, and had been cut with no curves, and all the edges of each cut had jagged little hooks on the end, like the person roughed the cut out in 2 seconds or less.
I'd hate to feel like I wasn't appreciating some 5 year old's attempt at generosity, but I honestly felt that no effort what so ever was put in to the clothes I received...
That is the kind of gift I don't like to receive...

 

I don't believe there is a bad gift to give to a friend. I take any sort of gift from anyone, no matter how little it may be. I'm not particularly picky with BJD things so I'm pretty open with anything. I can't even think of anything that I wouldn't want at all. It's what the thought that counts. ^^

 

I like every gift. Specially hand made. I don't care if it isn't perfect. It's the idea behind the gift. Someone made it with love, so I take it with love.
If I really can't use it, I try to find a "new home" for it.

 

What things really make you angry when people give them to you and what sorts of things would you NOT want to receive?
I always enjoy it when I get gifts from people (i.e when you buy something on the MP here) But it does sometimes happen that I have no use for the items. Because they do not fit, or because they're not my doll's style.
But what I hate the most are non fitting items, since I have to sell them anyway. (And they're often hard to sell.) When I decide to get/make a gift for someone else I always try to pay attention to the style of their doll and what they like.

What sorts of gifts make you happy doll owners?
I guess that any gift that is usable will make me happy. Although I'm picky when it comes to my guys their style
But sometimes a small alteration can do the trick.

 

I haven`t been in the situation to get somethin ugly (because my first doll related swap is still running) but I try to talk a lot with my swap-partners if I am not 100% sure if I know what I should sew. The best thing to avoid or solve a problem is to talk about it.
Gifts are free- but a swap as an example is more like a trade. I try hard to make some nice clothing and want to recieve nice stuff too

 

Gifts are nice, overall, and most things can be used at some point. Even if my doll isn't goth or punk, it might be nice in a photoshoot or something, and it doesn't necessarily have to be something they wear everyday. And there's always Halloween - it's a great time to make your doll go out of character and use stuff you never really could use, otherwise.

Right now, if a friend of mine made Emma a good-fitting Regency dress, I'd be incredibly thankful. If it doesn't suit my tastes, but you put thought into it's purchase - or creation - I can use it, somehow. I'd just ask they get the measurements right, and would hand my doll over for examination. That's because I have absolutely no idea how to make alterations, and if it was way off, I wouldn't want my friend to feel bad, or have to make a new one (especially if it took a long time to do). All the stuff I sewed for Emma before she got here were WAY off, and some things I'm not excited about doing once again.

What I don't want given to me are hand-me-downs that they just don't want anymore. Unless I've always admired that skirt your doll has, I don't want a skirt that you and I both know is out-right hideous, and you're just passing it down to me to get rid of it. A friend of mine did that to me once, and I could tell that's what she did. It was a long time ago with non-doll-related stuff, so I've forgiven her. But I think giving me stuff you just don't want is so much more worse than re-gifting.

Simply put: it's inconsiderate. It's inconsiderate of them to think I deserve something they just wanted to get rid of; not something they think I'd like. There's no thought in it - the only goal is to get rid of the item by making it someone else's problem.

Especially if it's in bad shape. I don't want your pair of doll pants that you know are falling apart, or that dress with the secret ink stain I won't notice right away. You either make it, buy it, keep it in 'like new' condition if you happen to get it and seriously think it'd suite me more than it would you, or if you think I'll like something you haven't used on your doll in a while, you do your darn best to make sure it's pristine. I don't want you wrapping up your trash and giving it to me!

Another thing that might peeve me is if one of my friends who liked yaoi - and knew I didn't - gave me a dress for a boy doll that I had absolutely no interest in putting in a dress. Or boy hot pants. (sigh) but then again, there's always Halloween...

 

If I could do it, I'd make the necessary alterations. Don't tell them you did them because they might get upset that you think their work was mediocre, or something. I can't make alterations, so it depends on how bad it is. If it's sort of hard to tell if one leg's longer than the other, for example, I'd leave it. But if it was pretty noticeable, maybe I'd bring it up in conversation after a time:

"I've never noticed this before, but it looks like one leg's longer than the other." Pretend it's a sudden discovery, you both investigate if it's true, and when you find that it is, say you can fix it (unless you can't, then ask them).

I made a decent-looking kimono for Emma, and it's certainly not on the professional level, but still quite usable.

 

I totally agree with you, I'm not used to getting gifts myself, let alone something that took time to hand make. It's even cuter when my dolls can wear them, in my personal opinion. I can appreciate designer things and personally created things, I'm not sure what the issue is. It may just be my doll circle, I can't say. I'm sure your partner will love whatever it is you have planned for her, you of all people know just what to make I imagine.

Even if it's not something I would put on my doll, I certainly would if it was a gift. At least for a little shoot to show my appreciation.

 

I'm not used to getting gifts from anyone but my parents, so usually gifts from others are thought out. You can kinda tell if they've really thought about it or not.

 

Nothing would make me angry to receive - it is a gift after all! I would rather not get something that does not fit my doll of course - either size wise or personality wise. As long as you are keeping that in mind it is all good! I do not particularly like things that I cannot use often, like totally random props or decorations that I have no place for. I do not care if something is no 'perfect' quality. Some of my favorite clothes are not! It just depends on a cool design and that they fit my doll - and you can usually find measurements online to help with that.

I always like to get clothes and shoes most of all! But other thoughtful presents are magic erasers, accessories, jewelry.