After my last post where I showed Elizabeth's default look, and shared thoughts on eyes, I think I've found my favourite eye/wig combo so far.
I don't know who made the wig (bought at a very decent price from Yahoo! Japan Auctions) but the eyes are from SD17 Ludo's default release. I think they now belong to Elizabeth. They're a small iris HG glass eye (18mm size), and I really like the blue against her saturated faceup.
I love teasing out the potential in a doll, especially when you know the default look doesn't work for you, but there's something very strong in there somewhere. This is it.
Volks SD13 Elizabeth - eye comparison and try-on
I was lucky enough to win the recent lottery sale for Volks's SD13 Elizabeth. She's a really gorgeous doll with a very changeable sculpt and a lot of potential.
My Elizabeth arrived yesterday, and I had time to do a quick unboxing and dress-up.
These dolls are intended to be customised (if the owner wants to), and I always find that eye size and placement make a huge difference to the doll's expression. Elizabeth comes with 18mmHG glass eyes from Volks in the colour "Cadet Blue with Black line". For my taste, they're too big, and when I examined my doll I could see gaps at the sides of the eyes when you look from certain angles.
I removed the eyes and noticed that they do seem on the large size of 18mm (though eye size is not an exact science, especially with handmade glass eyes). The irises are 11-12mm which is larger than any other 18mm eyes I own. And also, they have very high domes - again, higher than others I own, which likely is the main cause of the gapping.
Below is a comparison with two other sets of glass eyes. From left to right: 18mm Zoukeimura eyes from the Full Choice System (colour "Thin green", circa 2004), 18mm HG Glass eyes from the SDGr Lucia Antique Stylist release (colour "Tea Rose with Black line"), and Elizabeth's eyes.
Eye comparisons
18mm Zoukeimura eyes from the Full Choice System (colour "Thin green", circa 2004):
18mm HG Glass eyes from the SDGr Lucia Antique Stylist release (colour "Tea Rose with Black line"):
16mm HG glass eyes from the SD17 Maximilian release (colour "Cadet Blue with Black line"):
16mm glass eyes (origin unknown):
18mm Zoukeimura glass eyes (colour unknown; circa 2021):
Conclusion
I thought the 16mm eyes would be the best fit, but there's a tiny bit of gapping on the sides. My low-profile, low-dome Zoukeimura eyes are definitely the best fit.
In general, I feel a small-iris 18mm, which I don't have here, would be the best choice, but 16mm would also work.
Froufrou Floris
I tried to have productive doll time today, but what I ended up with were these two rushed photos. First my battery wasn't charged, then the SD card was full, and then I had to do battle with the limits of my old 2005-era camera body in very low light (and the limits of my photography skills). I'm definitely planning a camera upgrade later this year.
I did at least get to remove the hotglue from Floris's eyes and try this new pair, plus put him in this gorgeous floofy froufrou outfit from Volks, which was basically made for him. And the blurry paper flower is also evidence of a new hobby. (Do I need a new hobby? No. Can I resist the lure of new hobby? Also no.)
Floris's vibe is white/cream milk and honey romantic knight/soft boy with flowers. I've been thinking about making him a doublet and hose, but I've got about 10 projects to finish first, so do not watch this space...
Details
Doll:Floris is a SD17 (Super Dollfie 17) Maximilian made by Volks
Eyes: Resin, from a Taobao seller (not sure which one). 18mm with a small iris.
Short review: joydoll Jakki on a Doll Family-h body with jointed hands
Last year I ordered two joydoll Jakki (1/4 size) heads, one open-eyed and one sleeping. joydoll is an incredible sculptor and I love all her creations, but Jakki has an old-fashioned sweet look that really appealed to me. Jakki's also been released in 1/6 scale before, but the 1/4 version is slightly more mature.
One of the bodies that joydoll recommended for Jakki was a Doll Family-h slim 1/4 body, male or female. I ordered the slim 1/4 boy body and the head through New Clover Singing. The only thing I didn't like about the DF-h body was the size of the hands, which I thought looked too small, so I added a pair of 1/4 scale jointed hands by DF-h as well.
Short note on how to buy Doll Family-h: they sell through Taobao (here's their page), but Taobao has limited access unless you have an account. You can buy through Taobao with a proxy site or you can use a service like New Clover Singing or Alice's Collections.
Jakki was available in a few colours, including Mia white and pink. I chose Mia white and asked for the body and hands to be colour-matched, which is a service that DF-h was providing for this head - though I think they do colour-matching on request as a general service too.
The heads arrived first, then the body and hands a month or so later. They took 69 working days from order to sending (excluding weekends and Chinese holidays; Doll Family-h is based in China).
The order arrived in a sturdy cardboard box, inside of which was a doll carrier bag with some sturdy plastic packing material (no fabric cushions). I didn't know it would come packaged this way - but this is great, because I have too many doll boxes and no carriers!
The colour match is perfect and the body and hands are beautifully finished - no seam lines, perfectly smooth. The legs also arrived wired, with silicone rings in many joints. It hold poses really well. I'm very happy with the engineering of the body, which is very modern in all its jointing.
I wasn't sure how the jointed hands would perform, since jointed hands are notoriously fiddly to pose. However, I'm extremely glad I ordered them. They look great, are a better scale, and are slightly fiddly but not too hard to pose. (Changing hands is a breeze because there's a notch in the wrist to hold the S-hook in place while you swap hands.)
I'm super impressed with this body for the price and can't wait to play with it some more. And the Jakki heads are so sweet!
Here are some photos showing how it poses. In the background is a free calendar I got from joydoll for ordering both the open eyes and sleeping versions of the Jakki head, plus a look at the beautiful box each head came in. You can see a couple more photos in this Flickr album.
1895-inspired dress for Dear Super Dollfie
One of the things I was most looking forward to about owning Ivy, my new DearSD (Dear Super Dollfie) is sewing lots of cute little-girl dresses, because I think they really suit the scale and proportions of the doll.
I particularly like very late Victorian era dresses - I think this is what a lot of people imagine when they think of antique dolls, because a lot of surviving examples are from this era. I decided to look for inspiration in the 1890s, because I love the silhouettes of the era.
Finding sources for 1890s patterns
Recently I've been going through old copies of a magazine called Der Bazar, which ran from 1854-1933. Interestingly, it is very closely related to a few other magazines - you might have heard of Harper's Bazaar? but also La Mode Illustrée and De Gracieuse - and I've cross-referenced a few copies and found they sometimes share the illustrations and patterns across all these publications.
The first great thing about Der Bazar is that there is a free online archive available and the scans are extremely high quality, unlike some of the other publications. You can buy scans of La Mode Illustrée, but it gets very expensive. De Gracieuse also has a free online archive, but the images aren't very large.
The second great thing is that Der Bazar includes patterns. Sometimes the archived copies are missing pages (including the patterns) but I've been fairly lucky so far.
The not-so-great thing about Der Bazar is that it's in German, and I've nothing against German, but trying to decipher older German fonts is a bit of a pain! I think the font style is called Fraktur. While the pattern instructions in Der Bazar are very basic, it's still useful to be able to read them.
Luckily, there are plenty of guides online to help decipher the font (I used this one), and then I use Google Translate for the actual German.
Anyway, back to the dress!
Choosing a dress
Not all the illustrations in the magazine have corresponding patterns, but I found one which did (source image here). I love big puffy sleeves that are then snug on the lower arm, and the square collar is super cute.
You have to trace out the patterns yourself (I recommend a contrasting colour if you print it out, or using photo-editing software), but in this case the pattern was simple enough that I decided to just use the diagram as a base (source image for the pattern page):
Figures 63, 64 and 65 are the bodice lining, figure 66 is the bodice overlay, figures 67-69 are the collar, figure 70 is the inner sleeve and figure 71 is the top part of the sleeve. There's no diagram for the skirt piece, as you just draw out a big rectangle.
Making the dress
I started by making a very basic bodice and sleeve block for my DearSD. There isn't really a need for darts on this body type because it's very toddler-shaped, with not much difference between bust and waist measurement.
After that, I started drawing out pattern pieces with the right shapes, using the pattern diagram as a guide.
I chose a tightly woven white cotton for the lining and a very loosely woven, light blue cotton lawn for the outer fabric. This fabric was really tough to handle... it was so delicate and frayed a lot. In retrospect, not the easiest choice.
I will skip over actual construction here because I didn't do it very well, but I chose to make the collar separately (thinking I could maybe make different collars and swap them out when I felt like it), and constructed the bodice waist by gathering both the skirt and the bodice, then sewing them together.
I edged the collar with pleated lace, and trimmed the skirt with two different kinds of lace (one of which I'd used on the collar).
Results and lessons learned
First, some pictures.
It's pretty cute (mostly because of my doll) and I don't hate it. But... there are a lot of things I would do differently next time!
On this full-length photo I've numbered some of the problem areas.
1. The collar
Problems:
I caught some of the lace in the collar while sewing the sides together, so the pleating looks messy
The white cotton didn't press very well and still looks creased
I should have made the collar neckline slightly smaller, because it just sits on top of the dress, and with both necklines the same size, the dress neckline is sometimes visible
It's maybe too wide?
Good things:
I like the idea of interchangeable collars.
2. The waistband
Problems:
Gathering two pieces of very delicate, loose-woven fabric at different levels of gather was... challenging. The length of the outer waistline ended up larger than the length of the lining fabric. Next time I would gather both pieces to a firmer fabric for stability.
I think this really could do with a belt and a big bow. I could still add this.
Good things:
I basted this seam by hand and really took care with it, and the gathering.
3. The skirt
Problems:
It needs a petticoat or three. There's a lot of volume in the skirt but that isn't obvious at all. Also, the blue fabric is completely see-through (you can see her patterned stocking fairly clearly).
I should finish this with water to get a better effect (this is a process where you wet a skirt and let it dry in place to get more realistically scaled pleating).
Good things:
Not much to say here. I like the French seam I did at the back?
4. The hem
Problems:
I think it looks unbalanced to have the thickly pleated lace on the collar, and the plain application of lace at the bottom. Maybe the collar lace should have just been very lightly gathered?
Good things:
I think the lace is applied fairly neatly. I went veeeery slowly on the sewing machine here and basted the lace in by hand first.
In general
I'm not sure the silhouette is the best for Ivy, my DearSD. It's cute but it could be cuter. I could have done a better job of translating the look and feel of the original dress. I also think the balance of the outfit is off.
And I definitely wouldn't use such a delicate fabric next time, even at this scale, for a dress that's meant to have so much body. It made a lot of the sewing quite challenging.
But it was a very good learning experience and Ivy does look sweet.
Thank you for reading if you got this far, and drop me a line on Instagram or Twitter if you want to say hi!
Doll plans for 2024
Over on Instagram there have been a lot of stories and story templates floating around about doll goals for 2023 and plans for 2024. They're super fun, but there's not a lot of room to write down the details. So: here are my thoughts about 2024.
New dolls over 2023 and 2024
I bought a slightly embarrassing number of dolls in 2023. 2022 was the year I re-joined the hobby after about 12-14 years away, and over 2023 I mostly bought whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted (finances permitting, of course).
However, my purchases definitely outpaced my ambition for actually working on or playing with my dolls. I've been trying to do my own faceups and make my own outfits, but because I work and have a young child, it's been hard to find much time for that kind of creativity. It turns out that window shopping (and actual shopping) is easier than working on a tricky sewing project...
Also, I moved my hobby area part-way through 2023, and haven't finished setting up the new space. I don't yet have a place to display all my dolls, which means it's easy to forget about them slightly (and then get distracted by a potential new purchase). In 2024 I want to buy a new Billy bookcase from Ikea, plus some new stands, so that I can see all the dolls at once and get inspired/reminded to create for them.
In general, I don't want to buy many new dolls in 2024. Given the number of ongoing doll projects, I can't really take on anything else without feeling stressed about it. There are two exceptions:
I will likely enter the lottery to get a chance to buy SD13 Elizabeth. She's really lovely and I think the chance of winning is very slim, but I'll try anyway.
At some point (not necessarily in 2024, but let's see what the end of the year brings) I'd like to get a F-101 in tan via the Full Choice System. Every time I see this head I love it, and there were some gorgeous tan one-offs (1, 2, 3) that captured my heart.
I'm not going to outright say no to new dolls, but I want to think about my collection as a whole and be strict with my purchases.
Buuuut, for the record, some dolls I've been thinking about but probably won't get:
SD16 four sisters
SD Le Petit Frere
SDM Hina
Kurumi/Miruku on a DearSD body (I'd love one, but it would be very expensive/difficult to get)
Bigger projects
Currently I have the following big doll projects that I would like to make progress on:
Look into de-yellowing my oldskin beauty white old F-28 SD13 boy Sadame. I need to do more cleaning of the head and body, then I'll try some light sanding, and lastly I may see if I can use PanPastels on the head to make it a bit less yellow. After all that, he needs a new faceup (and wig, and clothes).
Decide what to do with my pureskin fair F-16 SDGr boy. I thought about having him be a replacement for Sadame, but that depends on how well Sadame's restoration goes. I'm also not averse to having twins, because I love this head. Again, new faceup/wig/clothes needed.
Faceups for all my YoSDs. I gave 2 of them faceups in 2023 already, but I think I can do better.
Clothes and wig for Altaira, my gorgeous Bardo Research Anitya.
Redo the faceup on Lizbet, my SD Liz. I love her one-off faceup so I'll need to work up some courage for this one.
Photography
I have a very old Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT (made in 2005). In February 2023 I bought a nice new lens, a Canon EF 35mm f/2, which I'm delighted with. I intended to buy a new camera body, but decided to hold off until I could see how much I used the older camera.
The old camera is perfectly good and takes nice photos, but I'm excited about a few features that a newer camera would give me:
A larger back screen
Transferring photos over Bluetooth/wi-fi
Less noise in low-light conditions
More focal points
After some research I think a used Canon EOS 90D or 800D body would be a really nice upgrade without being too expensive (given how much I'm likely to use the camera), and I'll probably buy one later this year.
In 2024 I generally want to take more photos, especially for holidays or with themes. I felt like I really missed out on autumn and Christmas photos this year.
Sewing and knitting
There are so many outfits I've been thinking about making, pretty much for every doll I own! I've been avoiding I'm very pleased that in December 2023, I finally organised my fabric stash:
I need to do some more organising of my sewing supplies, because a big barrier to sewing is that since I have limited time, not having everything to hand means that I waste that time trying to find things instead of actually sewing.
I also want to finish and document a couple of historical sewing projects that I've started:
Knitting went much better in 2023 and I finished quite a few projects, but I would like to use up my yarn stash as much as possible. Once upon a time I even sold some doll knits, and I would be open to doing that again, but it's not a serious goal for 2024.
Conclusion
Fewer new dolls (but not none, probably)
More time having fun with my existing dolls
Make my dolls visible
Improve photography and sewing skills
Organise all my supplies
Thank you for reading, and I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2024!
BJD 15 Questions
Let's kick off the blog! A general overview of my doll hobby preferences seems like a nice way to start.
1. When did you get into the hobby? Do you remember the reason?
It was probably 2003, because I ordered my first doll right at the end of that year, but it might even have been late 2002. I don't remember the exact moment, but it was almost certainly on a website or maybe in one of the Gothic & Lolita Bibles.
2. Related, what was one of the first dolls you remember seeing? (A photo or in person)
It was a long time ago, but I remember loving a Volks F-08 girl (old version) on a website owned by an artist called Jujube, and the Volks Four Sisters girls. Almost the only doll company around at the time was Volks, and there were no in-person meets in the UK at the time.
3. Do you have a ‘type’ of doll you gravitate towards or do you like a bit of everything? (i.e. general look, size, ambience)
⅓ scale with a stylised (as opposed to realistic) appearance, preferably with something a little bit old-fashioned about their sculpt, and a slightly sweet/sad/grumpy expression.
4. Do you like bigger or smaller dolls? How big/small is your limit?
I like the presence of ⅓ scale dolls, but I have two ¼ dolls and a few ⅙ dolls – I love how tiny they are.
I wouldn't go bigger than Volks Super Dollfie 17 size (i.e. on the larger end of ⅓ scale) purely because of space considerations, and I'd probably not go smaller than ⅙ because then sewing for them becomes a real challenge.
5. Do you have a favourite company? What do you like about them?
Volks and Alchemic Labo. I appreciate lots of companies, but always gravitate towards these when I think about what I want to own.
For both companies, I just really love something about the sculpting style.
6. Do you have a preference for resin, vinyl or other?(i.e. ABS and other plastics)
Definitely resin, but I do have a couple of resin heads on Obitsu bodies, and some Blythe dolls. I'd be a bit nervous about the staining issues with vinyl, plus their aesthetic tends to be more anime. I like the aesthetic, but not to own.
7. Do you still have your first doll?
Yes (Sadame), but he's pretty yellow, and currently in the process of having a serious doll spa that may involve sanding...
8. Gush about your favourite doll.
I definitely can't pick a favourite, because there's something different I like about each of them. They all spark my imagination and make me start thinking up stories in my head.
9. Do you prefer dolls based on existing characters (official or custom), dolls based on your original characters, or dolls that are just dolls?
Dolls that are just dolls... kind of. I don't make characters for the dolls but after I get one, I do start to think about what clothes they should wear, how they should look in photos, and what sorts of accessories/props they should have. So I guess there's some loose character-building there.
10. Have you ever been to a doll/BJD focussed convention (e.g. Doll’s Party, IDoll, Doll Show, Resin Rose, L Doll, Dollism, PNW BJD Expo, Melbourne BJD Emporium etc). Would you like to? Which seems most interesting to you based on what you know?
Never, but I would love to go to any of them because I've never met another BJD owner in person. If I had to choose, I'd especially like to visit any of the conventions in Japan, purely because I would get to see more Volks dolls in person, and possibly some dealers that I've followed for a while.
11. How important is the photography side of the hobby to you? Do you enjoy photography and sharing photos or do you like to keep things to yourself?
It's really important, and always has been. Composing the photo, thinking about the lighting and the outfit and even props... so much fun. It's the main reason I started taking photos back in 2004 when I got my first doll. I like to share and I absolutely love to see photos of other dolls - definitely my happy place. My skills are highly dubious but I'm trying to put more effort in to backgrounds and lighting.
12. Have you ever travelled with a doll? Would you like to?
I actually took my first doll, Sadame, to Japan in 2006, and even brought him to Tenshi no Sato in Kyoto.
13. What’s your grail doll? If you don’t have one, do you have a ‘bucket list’ hobby wish - something you really want to be able to do/make/experience one day?
I have a shortlist of dolls I'd maybe like to adopt in future, but most of them are not too difficult to get. So, no grail.
For a bucket list item, I would mainly just like to build on my sewing and photography skills, and put more time into backgrounds and props. Maybe make doll shoes myself one day?
14. A magic doll fairy appears and decides to grant you a wish. She can make the type of (non-existent) doll you wish existed finally exist in reality. What is it?
That's a tough one! I'm not sure I'm really missing any kind of doll. Maybe the magic doll fairy can just make a resin that doesn't yellow... and then retroactively apply it to all my dolls.
15. What’s your piece of advice for a newbie?
This is an amazingly creative hobby. However, social media can make it seem like everyone is a speedy hobby genius and that they're churning out new dolls/new outfits/new photos every day. Not only is this usually not true, but there's nothing wrong with taking your time. If it's not enjoyable, don't do it.
Just because a person shares the same hobby as you, doesn't mean they are a good person. There are shitty people everywhere – and very good ones, of course. But don't let anyone tell you how to enjoy your hobby (unless they're telling you not to buy recasts, because then they're right).
And do your research when buying. There's of course the recast problem, but also look into prices, be a savvy buyer, and always make sure you are protected as a buyer and get shipping insurance.
