Independent clothing line for fashion dolls

Creating clothes for fashion dolls like Barbie have given me joy and fun since 1988. It allowed me to be more creative with color coordination, matching all kinds of fabrics, and creating customized sewing patterns for trendy styles and themed couture. I chose sewing doll clothes over making clothes for people, because they're easy to make by hand, I can put in my own personal styles to the clothing apparel and I like using my dolls as models to display my creations online, such as a fashion show or stop motion animations for video shows online.

I was 10 years old when I first took up an interest in making doll clothes. The first sewing pattern I used was Simplicity Crafts Number 9194 for 11 1/2" dolls. I have made a pair of pants, a skirt, and a top with those particular patterns. When my sister's wedding was coming in 1990, I become more influenced by the gowns I've viewed from bridal dress magazines. And an independent dress maker who made the gowns for my sister's bridal party had broaden my horizons in making doll clothes a passionate hobby.

Over the years, I have tried getting my hands on various sewing patterns for my Barbie dolls, regardless of poor financial conditions growing up. Throughout my teenage years in the 90s, I have visited local fabric stores, craft stores, and department stores like Woolworth's after school to browse many different patterns from Simplicity and McCalls, different fabrics, trimmings, appliques, and assorted embellishments that can spark ideas for new creations. Then I browsed online mostly on Ebay to find the most unique fabrics and patterns and embellishments.

A few years ago, I've learned how to design doll clothes and create sewing patterns to make a few sets of my doll clothing. After viewing a few fashion shows on television and Youtube, I decide to try designing my own doll fashions on sketch paper and use aluminum foil to shape and cut clothing patterns to make clothes and accessories like bags and hats. I'm currently developing my own doll clothing to market and sell online. My proudest creation I have made is a Nefertiti ensemble with a gown and the headdress made of blue marine leather (easy to sew with) fit for Barbie. I also made one for the Bratz dolls. I'm putting together an Ancient Egyptian clothing collection as my latest project in assorted sizes for Ken, Skipper, Stacie, and Chelsea and Kelly.

Lately, I took on the interest of creating backgrounds and props, mostly using cardboards, contact paper, scrapbook paper and paint to give my doll clothing creation more style, life and imagination to the viewers. I have created many rooms like living room, kitchen, office, dining room, shops like beauty salons and clothing stores. I also made a catwalk for future fashion shows and seats for a doll theater. A few Youtube channels like My Froggy Stuff and Lena Wiese inspired me to create props and rooms. I’m making plans on creating a two story doll mall with a few stores and a food court, a set of stairs and an elevator and add a few sets of battery operated white Christmas lights for lighting in each store.

In the near future, perhaps later this year, I will start my own doll clothing business online, which will include photo gallery, video fashion shows, new arrivals, and a doll clothing shop. And I will use social media and online markets like Ebay, Etsy, and Amazon to name a few to market my brand of doll clothes creations. Also, I’m developing an independent website for my doll clothing line and feature some of my clothing on stop motion animation shows very soon.