Blythe Fashion

This is kind of funny - me writing about fashion. I don't know anything about it. Not that much about dolly fashion, either. I like what I like and that's it :)

But what I do know about is sewing. And I guess my post is not so much about fashion as it is about the amazing talents behind the doll fashion.

Sewing doll clothes is basically the same as human clothes. But then again it's nothing like that. I know the basics of sewing human clothes, and I know the basics of sewing doll clothes, too. But to make the fabric obey me - I don't know how that is done. I've mastered sewing pouches and am now on my way to mastering sleepsack carriers as well, but dolly clothes - no. Seams are never straight enough, nor are the stitches in place. Everything is just so small it makes it impossible to get it neat. The fabric must be thin enough to look good on a tiny doll, and the thinner the fabric the more difficult it is to make it obey.

So I make the occasional doll clothing, mostly dresses for my own fun. Then I don't have to worry about them being less than perfect. But when I want something perfect--and trust me, I do love perfection--I'll head for a seasoned doll seamstresses. There are some amazingly talented people out there that have the skills to tame fabric, make it work for them, and not the other way around. They can add amazing details to their clothes that never stops amazing me!

Some of my favorites are Eurotrash, whom I've written about before, I think. Maybe it was on my Finnish blog, not sure. Her seams and stiches are close to perfect. And she has incredible eye for details. Just check her supersweet helmets (made out of wool, so no-no to me ;). Look at these dresses! Aren't they superb?!

Another favorite of mine is Pommepomme. It's fairly new brand for me. I know it's been around for a lot longer, but I just got my first dress just a couple weeks ago. And I have to say that the stiches are perfect. Ah! I could spend hours just admiring them! Perfection! And the dress looks so cute on Kevin, too! And just yesterday I saw another Pommepomme dress, and that also was so well made, and with very thin (which means it's difficult to work with) fabric. So beautiful!

For different reasons I also like BA. Button Arcade. I don't like these because the beauty in the very careful stitching. No. I like these cause they are so much fun!! All of the ones I have now are second-hand dresses, but I have two dresses that were made just for me somewhere above the Atlantic, heading for home! I'm also about to get two tutus, made by BA. Note the pockets, which are kind of the whole point! So cute!

And for the same reason as BA, I like Megipupu's wraps because they are so goddamn cute! Just look at these. Megi, the sweet lady who used to make these makes the most amazing crocheted seam on all of them! So much work! Too bad she can't make them anymore. :( But that's what happens when you get old and your fingers won't do magic tricks that easily anymore.

Some of my first dresses were from Devout Dolls. Sara, who makes these super cute dresses, is very talented and I'd hope to see more of her work out there, worn by pretty dolls!

Some other favorites of mine are HOP, House Of Pinku, Sweet Crochet by Leshan, Biscotti Vintage and La boutique de Lupi. The last one I really don't know that well, but I'm a bit obsessed with re-creating a scene from a post card and it has one of her dresses on it, and the cat dress pictured is the closest I've gotten so far. She still makes clothes for Blythe, but not these dresses anymore. :(

Okay, that's about it! I hope you enjoyed reading a bit about these talented people, and looking at pictures of their creations!

Take care!

xoxo,
Raisa

Gimme some more color, please!

Hello readers!

I don't follow fashion, nor trends. But I do follow the front page on Etsy, and as far as I can remember it has been so pale, so tame, so grown-up and lifeless. Where's all the color? Is this because of the hipsters? Is it cool to be tranquil and calm and all that? If that's the mainstream, is there still room for crazy color combos, silly animal pictures and glitter? Isn't summer suppose to affect the way people dress? Isn't summer suppose to bring out colorful clothes and showy jewelry? What happened this year? Is it because of the recession? Goddammit, will I ever be trendy again?


It's so weird when you realize that even if your whole world is like this, it's not that for everyone else. The way you see the world isn't the way everyone else sees it. I don't understand why, day after day and week after week, the Etsy front page is like that. I don't understand why on earth the most succesful blogs are about food and fashion. I don't understand why the whole world is not vegan. I don't understand why people buy puppies from breeders when there are countless numbers of dogs waiting for a better life in shelters all around the world. I don't understand why not everyone isn't into Blythe dolls. I don't understand why Chocolove's Almond's and Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate isn't sold here in Finland. I just don't get it. Why are you so different from me? Why don't you think being funny is fun? You people are just so strange. I don't think I'll ever get you. *rolling my eyes*

Maybe I'm just way ahead of my time. :) Like I was with my obsession with Hello Kitty and Japan. Or even with skulls. Five or ten years ago they put skull prints on everything! And at first I was happy: finally I could have skulls on my kitchen sponge! But after the first wave of skulls/Hello Kitty I grew bored. It became too easy. Too mainstream.
(This didn't happen w/Japan though, I'm still obsessed. Just like every other person I know).

Maybe one day silly, girly jewelry and bright colors and childish prints will be on the front page of Etsy. Maybe my favorite bloggers will start blogging about their daily lives again. Meanwhile, I'll be lurking here in my bright pink corner. Just like the main character in the book Parfum, he turned into some critter and just waited for someone to walk by. Or something. Usually I never, ever remember any details from the books I read, so that's pretty damn good from someone like me. (Quite strange book, though. Read it.)

I need to read Kafka for my Finnish class. I was sure I'd hate it, but actually I like it a lot! So far it's been very easy to read and very interesting. We also need to read Kalevala. Not the whole saga, but parts of it. Ewww. I don't want to. I hate it when I have to read. I love reading, just don't force me to do it!

See ya!

xoxo,

Raisa