How to Make a Corset Pattern (that fits perfectly)

This technique works on both real people and dolls =)  And it is super EASY!

This tutorial is shown on Senna, a doll with a Senior Delf body.  You’ll need a partner to help you do it on yourself

Materials

1. Spare t-shirt to be cut up  (or for a doll, a piece of fabric)
2. roll of duct tape
3. sharpie/pen
4. non-fabric scissors

Translating Doll Proportions – Barbie vs. BJD

Barbie– the monstrously popular doll of the 20th century!

As a child I owned a cabinet-full of them, but I could never really fall in love with her and I actually preferred to play with my animal toys.  Barbie was too… plastic, she didn’t have enough detail or value.  She’s preteen “corporate,” she’s “american,” barbie is “the woman.”

BJDs, on the other hand, are quickly becoming the new, modern beautiful doll in trend… and I must say that they are frankly a hundred times more stunning and well-made than Barbie ever was.  That, and they cost 25 times as much.  =/  Ball-jointed dolls are customizable, posable, more life-like, and larger.  They are also made by hundreds of artisans in all kinds of different molds!   Maybe I should add that they are Asian – and Asians are known for pushing achievements to the next level.

So out of curiosity, I’ve decided to do a bit of research to compare Barbie proportions with BJD proportions and normal people.  Barbies are approximately on a 1/6 scale, and the standard ball-jointed doll is about 1/3 the size of a real person. Using those proportions, here’s the estimated measurements in inches if the dolls were to be real:

BJD vs. Barbie proportions

Measurements:	Height	Bust	Waist	Hips
Avg American Woman	5′ 3″	35	27	38
Barbie	5′ 9″	36	18	33
female ball-jointed doll	5′ 9″	32	22	32

“avg american” data taken from this site

Pretty interesting, huh?  I see that Barbie’s chest-waist ratio is more extreme than a BJD’s; though the newer generation is still not exactly realistic in size.

Thoughts?  Introspection on culture, trends?

Sewing a Barbie Pattern to a BJD

This is something I’ve been waiting to do since BEFORE I acquired Senna! =)  My generous grandmother bought me Barbie clothes patterns back in July, and now I’m undertaking the transformation of pattern scaling to make Senna her first real girl clothes.   The blue dress she had before is now too big for her.

Princess Nuala Dress

So…. I’m not in class right now.  Note that I am not a usual lecture skipper at all!  But it’ll be ok.  Speaking of class, I mays well mention a few sketches I did the last time I went to class, as all these designs have been running through my head like fish down the river and I try to catch just a couple of them when I can!

I’m seeing corsets  and skirts..  I’m realizing that I really like feminine fashion.

Tired engineer -> class is so boring

This whole popular “steampunk” movement – of gadgets, cogs, and victorian fashion – I’m going to have to do something with that soon. =)

Anyway.

Last night we stayed up late finishing this commissioned dress from Hellboy II and now I’m busy packing for my Indiana trip!  I’ll be visiting my grandparents  and getting another interview done this weekend.  I’m excited to go   Leaving in a few hours.

And, the outfit before it was de-greenified:

I think it looks much better re-painted =)  Note that the success is all credit to kakaner who cut out all the pieces and designed the whole thing!!  Yay designers

Blueberry Pecans Designs

STORE LAUNCHED!!

Our shop features original clothing specially made for ball-jointed dolls to best express their personalities. Inspired by the beauty of Asian BJDs, we love creating detailed pieces for dolls to have as casual wear or for special photoshoots or meet-ups. Anything that suits your doll’s tastes–we get inspiration from past, present, and future designs, incorporating everything from Renaissance to avant-garde fashions.

Check out our cool stuff!! We welcome any comments and suggestions

And lots more to come!  We are long overdue for another photo shoot this weekend.

- kakaner + axoloti ♥

Royalty in 24 hours

Ok, it actually took us a total of only 7 hours to make this mess….

and release the newest addition to our Blueberry Pecans collection!!

Most of the other things we’ve made so far are secret, but this one was too many hardships to not be proud of. ^__^

Actually, it was all kakaner’s idea (she did the torso part alone!) to fabricate before tomorrow’s BJD meetup… to try for something extra fancy.

We wanted Senna to look so ladylike…. but the bust of this chocolate and wine dress would really look SOOOOO much better on a real girl’s chest.  =/

So idk, I personally think the bust cover-up of my turquoise creation lends her a better lady frame, but this one is just so beautiful and elegant that the pictures don’t really show you anything, like the silk texture or the flow of its fullness.    Hope you like it!  comments and suggestions welcome, we’re always working to improve~

having a manly chest….

isn’t so bad if you have a pretty dress to wear!  ^___~

I love Senna, she’s really the best doll ever.  Just stuck in a man’s body.  So today I whipped together something nice for her  for saturday’s BJD meetup in boston!  =)  Karen, me, and wintermute all know that she is really a lovely lady on the inside and it just needs a little emphasis for the rest of the world. 

I just used a little batik and purple lace trim with a mardi gras necklace for accent……….

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Voila! yay

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oops, yeah those fishies still need to be sewed on……….

moot: FISHIES!!!! CUUUUTE~~~~

Here’s some of the back detail (thanks KAKANER!!)  and front detail…. =)

Ummmm… I see kleenex padding!!!  t____t lol

It’s ok, no one will know the difference! ^____^

P.S. did you spot moot’s new dress? actually two new dresses, the foof of red tulle in the pic is another one! more pics to come soon! kakaner and I plan to open up shop in early october ♥