What do you do with your doll(s) for fun?

Lance is a SD and the one I usually cuddle with. I don’t worry too much with him though his wigs might not last long. I love brushing his long silver wig and his red braid wig looks like it might come undone cause of how much I handle him.

Little Hela I don’t cuddle with as much. She is a j-baby skeleton and with how small and thin some areas are I do worry about damaging her. She requires careful handling because of that.

 

Mine fun is making clothes for them, but I am a seamstress and bought them to create fantasy gowns, cosplay, without having to buy so much fabric and they are beautiful and well proportioned.

 

Not really. They're a lot more robust than some people make them sound - one of mine went home with a friend's toddler after a convention (many years ago - she laft school last year) and suffered no more damage than a mussed wig.

My dolls go in to work with me all the time. I "protect" them by wrapping the head in a soft cloth and sticking them in my everyday backpack alongside whatever else I'm taking in to work with me that day.

Here's today's choice for my desk companion at work:

See, no worse for the experience.

He travelled in my bag alongside a bottle of water, a camera, a book, my work ID/swipecard, and (briefly) also shared the space with two bacon rolls I picked up for breakfast on my way to the station. Some days there's also a sewing-project in there.

Teddy

 

I am also fairly new to the hobby. I have my Mei doll on a small extra table in my room surrounded by fantasy stuff (like some lego dragons and a fairy garden). I love to change her clothes and pose her weekly. I'm hoping to get a sowing machine and start making her clothes. We shall see.

 

How difficult is it to make clothes? Im hoping to make some fantasy clothes for mine once I get a machine. It's been a while since I have sown and before it was mainly mending clothing. I have a msd.

 

It can be as simple of as difficult as you want to make them.

My elves have fantasy clothes that are basic layers of tunics and trousers that were very quick and easy to make (the tunics are one piece of fabric, folded in four, with a hole cut in the corner of the folds for the neck, and the sleeve/side shaping cut as one piece, so they have just one seam either side plus the hems at neck, wrists, and bottom.
One of them also has a silk gown, based on a medieval "Bergundian" gown that's a bit more complicated, but still fairly simple (six pieces plus the same in lining):


The important thing is to scale down the thickness/drape of the fabric you use so that it works in doll-scale - don't use thick/heavy fabrics (unless you are making a heavy winter coat) for your doll, get as thin a fabric as you can find. I used quilting weight cotton for the tunics and trousers, and offcuts of lightish silk dupion for the gown.

Teddy

 

I have a doll-sized chair on the desk next to my computer for whatever doll I choose to put there. When sewing I usually just put the doll I am working with on a pile of fabric or, if I don't need it constantly withing reach (or if I need it out of the way) there happens to a another chair on a shelf above the machine where the doll can safely sit until I need it again.
In my workshop (where the scultping, casting, painting and other potentially dirty hobbies happen), where there is sometimes a very different kind of mess going on I actually am putting together a doll from pieces of partially failed casts (things like bubbles in unsightly places, but otherwise sound), odd colours (I sometimes use worn out doll part molds for colour tests and sometimes the pieces comes out ok) and other left over pieces to act as a workshop mascot. A doll I am not afraid to mees up, but that can act as a fit model to check for scale and compatibility.

When I need to take a doll out of the house I use a doll carrier or other suitable bag, depending on the doll and where I am going.

Just keep it simple in the beginning and work your way up from there and you'll be a pro in no time. Leave room for failures in both you expectations and you budget and learn as you go. Introduce new things only one or a few at a time as to not get overwhelmed and to keep you motivation up. And if you get stuck on something, don't be scared to ask for advice. There are so many skilled people on here that are happy to help.

 

I love taking photos of them and styling them! I used to be more of a crafter and would make all kinds of outfits as well, but now I just like to…stare at them?
I’m also really into plants so doing little “jungle” photo shoots is super fun!

 

Well that'sll stand you in good stead if you want to do moe fitted styles, so it isn't a waste of time. It's just that simpler stuff is an option too.

Teddy

 

Trying different outfits and styles on them gives me a lot of fun. I used to take them to photo tours too. I loved the post-production of the images too - that's how I learned to use Photoshop. Sewing new clothes were, collecting ordinary trinkets in their size... I enjoy all of these.

 

My main reason for getting into this hobby was to explore fashion…all kinds, from historic to fantasy to Harajuku street styles. These days I’m more into comfort than specific style for myself, and my years of cosplay and historic reenactment are now long past me. But I’ve had a lifelong fascination with fashion and wanted to explore everything and anything that grabbed my interest style-wise. These dolls became the perfect muses for that, and since I enjoy sewing, I was able to make their outfits myself. I began to collect dolls that suited whatever fashion style I was wanting to do at the time, and because I’ve always been artistic, I often did their faceups and artwork to create specific personalities and to then develop character backstories. This turned out to be amazing fun. I don’t write their stories down, instead I keep them in my imagination (much like a child does) and this allows them to constantly be evolving and developing interactions with other dolls. Developing characters is one of my favorite pastimes in this hobby! This brought about creating different dioramas for them to interact in, and they’re now spread throughout my home in artistic vignettes like little art installations that I love creating. Walking through my home is like living in a fantasy world, which I love!

 

@Teddy Thank you so much! I am excited to get more into this hobby. Do you have a recommendation for a reasonably priced sewing machine?

 

@PoeticSoul I got into this hobby for a similar reason. I actually hate dressing my myself but love to dress up dolls and others. For the dolls I am especially into using clothing styles that are different. I am hoping to start making my own clothes once I get a sewing machine. I'm still trying to get the right one.

I am so scared or doing my own face up. I got a doll that had a basic faceup done and have wanted to change it up. I'm nervous I will mess up. What do you suggest for practicing before doing one on your dolls. Also, what materials do you use?

 

I feel very lowkey in comparison, haha - I mostly like to just look at and pose my dolls. Sometimes I take pictures but then don't end up posting them, it's just for fun. I like planning outfits and pouring over Etsy/etc looking for the perfect pieces to make them look just right. Mostly I like making up the characters and stories and drawing them, though! It's like the dolls themselves are the inspiration that grows into this much bigger character in my brain. Same with the other dolls I collect, they just make me happy to look at and think about.

 

I really like trying clothes (new or old) on them, and also just taking them with me and sitting them somewhere next to where I'm working just so I can look at them and get inspired by them. They make me smile just seeing them.
And I even talk to them (and pretend they answer me back) when I have them near me, and I think that is a very funny thing to do with them. I ask them not only about them and for example the clothes I'm about to order for them, but also about the new series I'm watching, about my work... I always end up discovering new things about their characters

 

As long as you use the apropriate materials it's ok to mess up. You can simply remove the face up and try again.

 

I often chat to mine, especially when I'm fitting them for a new garment or have them beside me when working in the sewing room.

I have two (off-topic) dolls that are more or less permanently sat beside my computer when I'm working from home or just noodling aboout on the internet, who I will often comment to.

Teddy

 

This following post is exactly what I would have said! And I have plenty of experience, let me assure you. Good luck! (And be sure to check out the workshop area here on DoA…you can learn how to do just about anything in there!)