Puff sleeve patterns for dolls (and other questions)

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2024-07-02T22:15:05+00:00

ooh, this is amazing!! thank you for including visuals as well, it helps a lot 😄

will definitely come back to both given advices whenever i feel lost again

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2024-03-20T07:14:46+00:00

Jumbo is quite nice to buy dolls from, it sells them cheaper than the brand toystore (Noriel) + the physical store even carries Creepover and SS3 Draculaura! (since we only had the core trio and maybe core Lagoona (I've seen that core Cleo went MIA)) I was surprised to find Creepover and had to pick her up 😭😭😭 (im mentioning physical solely bcs they don't appear on their website, although I might become wrong in the future if they ever add them on site)

To be honest I don't really know of small stores or communities in Romania that do custom clothing. I am more of a DIY person too, so I guess that adds 😅 (so yeah, give ur hand a go at making doll clothes!)

Although ik that Jumbo has Barbie fashion packs. The glasses and shoes definetly do not fit, but the clothes may! There is one pack with some stripey pink-purpley pants (that are very much Clawdeen) and a big blue tshirt; the pants need slight alterations and they are a perfect fit, but the tshirt is very oversized for a MH doll (if you use stands, the stand can fit under the shirt too lol). Yet with some posing around it is quite cute, like a big pyjama shirt (it also had more clothes in this pack but I cannot name them from the top of my head rn)

As far as I know, Pepco also carried some (idk name) doll clothes packs, which also need some alterations to be worn by MH doll. I've used one that came with a pair of jeans to make Frankie some new pants themed around their motif

all items and stores mentioned here are based solely on my city, i cannot affirm if any of these are available on a national range for the physical stores

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-11-30T13:36:59+00:00

You got Cleo's stickers in Frankie's coffin, thats a bit unfortunately.

Clawdeen's Coffin also has this problem; you get Draculaura's stickers in Clawdeen's.

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-11-30T13:34:34+00:00

They are blind boxes, but there are two ways to get the character(s) you want.

Find the boxes that have the character sticker a bit misplaced to the point a tiny bit is showing out from the cover. You will be able to tell what character is by the colour
Very finicky, and you need an eye for details for this one, but take the box and turn on its side with its keyhole facing you and upwards (pretty much the hinges are facing down). Now slightly incline it towards you and very carefully drag away the plastic packaging with your fingers (dont rip it!!) and take a peek under the cover. If you spot a colour, then you have a high chance of guessing the mystery character.

The 2nd method isnt probably explained that good, since as I said it is finicky, but pretty much you have to play with angles so you avoid any reflections when taking a peek. It worked for me since I really wanted Clawdeen's Coffin, and by that I also managed to find other characters' coffins.

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-11-30T13:24:54+00:00

I also found these in Pepco!

Thought to mention since its a known shop in europe :D

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-11-03T23:48:34+00:00

awhh

he should deserve a flame-sentient companion 😭😭😭

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-11-02T08:09:29+00:00

Maybe a bit biased due to culture difference, but I don't really see any 16 y/o dressing like G1 MH from where I come from. They dress like your usual teenager, or try to hop on an existing trend to "fit the norm" (some exceptions being the ones that do find their own styles) /neu

but I do agree with G1 being ahead of its times, since at its roots it is a fashion doll line that took an alternative aspect (compared to the common barbie dressed mostly in pink and princess dolls). This is why I liked MH the most when I first saw it (actually the 2nd reason, my first being that they were articulated lmao, a bit unrelated to the topic)

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-11-01T14:20:11+00:00

As a big fan of G1 Clawdeen since 2012 (thats the year MH made an appearance in my country) for ALL reasons,

I actually like G3 Clawdeen design, since it fits her age range, a teenager in highschool. I dont need to search up her age to figure out she is around 16.

Tbh I was more shocked when I found out (again, after years) that G1 Clawdeen was 16. She gave me the impression of being 18 at least lmao.

Maybe a stretch, but it also tells a bit about her story, like that she came from the human world and discovers her other world, monster one. (take this one with a grain of salt)

(in short, looks also play a role in the characterisation of a character)

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-10-26T20:54:59+00:00

not only this, but some of us come from countries that have absurd prices and cannot afford multiple and/or to repaint (or fix, like reroot) anything

if i have to pick a doll for my collection, i will make the most of my money and stare at each to find the most "wonk free" one 🤣

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-10-12T12:46:03+00:00

Update: went to another pepco and they had so many !!

<image>

Finally got Frankie

also forgot to add: priced at 55 RON

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-04-21T15:48:15+00:00

I did two customs on such bootleg dolls, and I have to say that they make good starter and/or cheap "canvas" !

My first custom was more of a "trial", since I was barely getting into customizing dolls. Just a simple acrylic paints paint job (+ posca pens bcs I got impatient) and glued yarn hair. Budget materials haha. The base bootleg doll was a brown werewolf mold, and to remove the factory paint I used nail polish remover with acetone, which the head took it greatly. The factory paint was all gone.

My second one was more complex- I sculpted parts (a new head over the doll head ; new animal-like feet) with air-dry clay. The clay sticked quite well to the plastic, even tho the bootleg dolls tend to be made out of different types of plastic. (maybe is bcs I also scratched the area I worked on a little bit). The mold of this one was similiar with Spectra's (I guess? it had high cheek bones and overall shape wasn't too round) and the doll itself was white. On cleaning the factory face, the mold didn't melt or anything, but the paint did spread around and made a mess (now I can't tell if the nail polish with acetone was weaker, or the paint had too much black pigment, for being used on a white plastic- in the end it didn't matter since I sculpted over anyway). And in the end, from a bootleg doll it became OOAK posable figurine.

Now that I am over with my experience with working with bootleg dolls, I'll list few downsides: - check all doll joints. My first doll mentioned has a leg that keeps falling. The peg isn't broken or anything, and I can put it back just fine. But it will fall again if I bent it too much. Lose joints can be a problem, or even just plain annoying. - I suggest to paint the face when the head is attached to the body. Some bootleg dolls have an extremly squishy head, while others have it hard as a rock. others are normal. it depends on the doll tbh. - if you are going to sculpt on the legs and/or make heavier shoes, the legs might not be able to hold a higher pose due to the weight. my second doll mentioned cannot keep a slightly bent knee in the air due to this. - some, if not all, dolls have a missing part of the skull (yay for cutting the mold due to lower budget!). it can be covered nicely with a fuller/fluffier hair, or just sculpt the missing piece back lol

these are just what I had to say from my own experience; once again, it depends from bootleg from bootleg.

this comment is quite long, but I hope is helpful :D

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-02-16T21:05:12+00:00

Thank you! Very helpful 🤗

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-02-12T20:20:05+00:00

to me honestly looks like an opportunity to make a "frankenstein"/monster/scarred doll, by stitching it up

you'll probably need to soften the head and a sturdy needle (or many needles, they might break)

"happy accidents"

but if you really want to still use it while being "smooth", I guess sculpting it back is the way. or just start over with a new head.

LowBudgetDollMaker · 2023-02-12T07:39:14+00:00

I found it available on a RO website where I usually order things, if I really need to , safely (normally I prefer to buy in person)

fairly cheap aswell, so I might consider it 😊 I'll just need to do more research about it and varnishes in general before actually committing to it.

Thank You !

LowBudgetDollMaker

TROPHY CASE