Doll clothes design tip | Always listen to what the material tells you

Yay, happy to say that I had been good and loving to myself today... 

I didn't bury myself to making 27 prototypes, 

and I have accepted earlier than I usually do the fact that 

fabrics do have specific designs meant for them. 

I have spent the past few days designing a tie-front cropped top pattern for the Integrity Toys NuFace doll. 

This has long been requested by my long-time dolly friend Javi 

and I also wanted to make one in addition to my recent curvy version.

Pattern V.1 Prototype.1

Pattern V.2 Prototype 2

At first, I thought I was happy with my second iteration of the pattern, but as it turns out, 

I tweaked it again and finally, the third gave me the utmost joy. 

And so I started prototyping pattern v.3 using the same polka dot chiffon fabric I loved so much.
After trying out 4 different ways to do it

- painstakingly inserting linings to add some opaqueness to the piece - 

I decided to just use another fabric. 

Sometimes, you just gotta accept this one thing. 

And I'm going to dedicate a whole paragraph for it because it's kind of like a short story hehe...

'prototyped a couple more to find the best way to use chiffon and the lining fabric

When I buy my fabrics, it's always because it was love at first sight. 

Sometimes, I immediately know what to do with it exactly,
other times, I just trust my gut that someday,
the best design will come to me and then I'll be able to use it.

Ahhh all the lessons learned are so worth it...

See, that's the thing with miniature sewing. 

You can't just design any garment you want, with whatever you have in your fabric stash. 

You have to have that best design for that specific fabric. At least to me, that's the case. 

I don't like to see my garments bulky, so I use light fabrics. 

Maybe bulky is perfect for some designs, like outerwear,
which I don't make much because I live in a tropical country,
and so do my ladies. 

I can't pretend and make them wear trench coats in the middle of a 32 degree Celsius day.
But I might in time - if I get to travel to a colder place, who knows?

So yeah, I am again reminded that the fabrics I buy have designs waiting for them. 

I just gotta connect with each material deeper again, when I'm back at the atelier. 

I guess I had been thinking too much lately that I missed the dot 

(with all those dots in the polka dot, how could I not? tee hee... corny, I know...)

I was happy to snap out of it as early as possible, went to my stash quick, 

and find that fun print I had been meaning to use! 

It's just perfect for sunny days! 

I'm not too crazy about the bottom piece though so I gotta do
some more "deeper connection" thing with this fabric sooner or later tee hee...

Hmmm need to shorten the ribbons, and think of a better-matching bottom piece 

Yep, I never stop critiquing what I do.

But, well, that's it for today, dollings. 

I'll go start my day with my tax returns haha,
then hopefully continue making pieces for the shop,

 and release this new pdf pattern so you too
can make this summer must-have for your doll just in time.

love lots,

shasha