Straw Hat Making for a BJD Doll

Todays Plan A Straw BJD Hat


I have made hats from hat straw using a form before but I only have one which is a small bonnet shape. It worked well but would make a hat too small for my 16ins Dream of Doll Leya who is going to be the lucky recipient (or not if it did not turn out too well).

I started out by cutting a circle from cardboard the size of the hat brim I wanted.  Then hunted around the house for a suitable lid or container to make the sides and top of the hat.  After a few rejections, too deep, too small, too curvy a settled on a jam pot lid.  Which might sound a little too shallow but I was aiming for a 18th century country/Gainsborough style of hat, which did have shallow crowns.

 I put double side sticky tape around the outside brim to hold the first row of straw. Then put little blobs of glue (I favour the putting glue in the corner of a plastic bag tying with a metal bag tie then piercing a little hole in the corner method) on each following row and pressed the straw in place trying to keep the over laps as even as possible.

 The tricky bit is trying to persuade stiff hat straw that it wants to bend as you come to the brim and crown join.

But I think it worked out OK even if a do say so myself.  I got the look I was aiming for which is always a good thing. Then the best bit of choosing the embellishments.  I tried to keep it simple as sometime less is more. And I think the hats of this period were simple that was their charm.  A few years later and all hell broke loose on the hat scene and decorations and sizes went wild.


And the lucky lady for this restrained chapeau is...........

The rest of her clothing to match is still in the making.

New Dresses for Elin Iplehouse BID

Work In Progress

I had started working on some new dresses for my Elin an Iplehouse BID doll but let myself be distracted by things. (Both good and bad!)

So I thought it was time to knuckle down to things and get them finished, poor thing she had waited quite long enough now.

I started off with some fitting adjustments and some all important bow placements.

I cut out a couple of others to work on. And decided on a few design changes.

The hats were a bit tricky to get into a nice shape but I think I managed it in the end.

The first dress, the pink one, I made the bodice longer finishing at the waist. On a whim I made it shorter for the other two.  I think they both look as cute a one another really.

Now all that has to be decided is which is the favourite one?

New Wardrobe for Hana a Blue Fairy BJD

As the summer is nearly here I thought I would finish off a few things I had started for Hana my Shiny Fairy from Blue Fairy Dolls.

http://www.bluefairyint.com/shop/step1.php?number=608

I had started them ages ago and hand not finished them off so I got fed up of the questions

"Is it finished yet"

from a small voice and decided to finish them.

Here is a selection of photographs of them them:-

I made a pair of wide leg shorts with an elastic waist and trimmed the leg edges with white picot.

A short sleeved top with a pretty green flower also a head band with a matching flower.

Hot Cerise Pink

She seems suitably pleased with my efforts.  What a poser she is.

Summer Brights

This is a pair of shorts but I made them to look more like a "Skort". A short crochet top which is nice and short to show off her cute little tummy. Then a rainbow hat and matching bag.

Short shorts or short skirt?

Hana's New Outfit.

Then a dress, no girl could go through the summer without a new dress.  This I made in bright orange cotton yarn.  Again I trimmed the neck and skirt edge with white picot edging and a bright green chain stitch.  A tiny bag to keep her tiny essentials safe.

Bright Summer Orange

Perfect for some Flower Picking

Got through the shoot without too much trouble. All was going quite well infact until...............

Not to Worry Hana.

Oooppps Not to worry accidents will happen.  It was at the end and both model and flowers were getting a bit tired.

BJD Hats and Handbags

I thought I would make a few more hats, well a girl/doll just cannot have too many shoes I know but I think that this might also be true of hats.

So a few evenings and the occasional afternoon later.

Blue Bobble Hat

Smart City Shopping Hat

Casual Sunny Day Hat

They make up so well and of course the best bit is the trimmings. And as my ribbons, braids, beads and flowers are in such good order now.

Boho Hat

Understated Elegant BJD Hat

Another Boho Style BJD Hat

Sunny Sunday Hat

But the story does not end there. If a doll/girl cannot have enough shoes and hats well perhaps a few new handbags would be in order.

So another few evenings and afternoons and whollah....

Smart Handbag

Casual Shopper Handbag

And once again I could lay may hand on any ribbon or bead I wanted.  Well I'am just bragging now of course.

Jade Green Shopping Tote

Pretty Pink and Coral

Pink for a Lady

Roomy Yellow Handbag

I think I must have covered every occasion or need by now!

Iplehouse Elin

Iplehouse Elin Still in Box


My poor Elin is still in her box because she does not have any clothes or shoes to wear, she does not even have a wig of her own. I really love these Iplehouse B.I.D. dolls they all have there own special expressions and Elins is so sad.

http://www.iplehouse.net/shop/step0.php?b_code=B20100407023028&c_code=C20110318101323

I thought it was time to do something about this. So I gathered a selection of fabrics and yarn and woke her up to make a few choices.

Choices Choices

Little Iplehouse Elin.

But of course give a girl too many choices and things just get confusing.

Mmmmmm?

There was indecision and pondering. The pink is very nice. But the green I do like green.  Mmm or maybe the red. Then a small voice piped up "I know....all three"

Decisions Can Be So Tiring

Well I made a start on one of them at least and she seemed quite please with the beginnings any way.

I have crochet the bodice in cotton yarn and will attach the skirt to it.  I think fabric straps would look good and will try to maybe make some sort of jacket or a bolero.  And a sun hat could look quite cute too.

I will try this one first then think about the other fabric and cotton yarns.

New BJD Jumpsuit

Sewing A New BJD Jumpsuit

Posted on March 31, 2012 

Thought I would try to make another jumpsuit ( or catsuit depending on how old you are!). I have already make a pattern for one and it turned out not too bad, even if I do say so myself.  The material I used last time did not have as much stretch as this black lycra. But I thought I would cut it out without any adjustments to the pattern and make fitting adjustments later. Unfortunately I did not have enough material to cut the pattern out in one piece. I had made it out of a kitchen towel and the join between the two towels fell just below the natural waistline so I took a chance and torn the pattern there to make a separate top and bottom. Then just seamed them together.

First Cut Out Your Pattern

As I had suspected it was a little too loose and not the sexy tight suit I had envisioned.

A Little Too Loose

A Few Adjustments

But I just took a deeper seam allowance all round the legs, crotch, side and shoulder seams. Then added a couple of darts in front. The “accidental” seam just below the waist seems to have worked out ok and in fact looks better than the one I make full length.

We Are Getting There

I was quite pleased with the fit so far, I put a simple rolled neckline on. Then I put some elastic stirrups to the bottom of the legs to keep them from rolling up when she puts boots on.

Not that she has any long boots at the moment. One of us has to save up enough money to buy her some and I suspect it will be me not her splashing the dosh.

So The Final Results:-

A New BJD Catsuit

All Finished

I made a red leather belt and matching necklace to jazz things up a bit.

A New Wig - A New Look

I tried on a new wig and got a whole new look.  Which one do you prefer?