CHOOSING THE RIGHT FABRIC


Have you ever purchased a doll pattern and became very disappointed or discouraged when you tried to make it? You followed the pattern and the instructions, but somehow your doll did not turn out like the picture on the pattern.

The reason may be the fabric. We all want our dolls to look just like the pattern we have purchased. Some times we just use the fabric we have on hand or fabric we think would work, only to find out that all the time we put into our doll was for naught! The doll you made did not turn out like the pattern. It is very important to use the proper fabric in doll making. Most designers recommend the correct fabric to use for their patterns. Each Dinky Baby designed is made with craft velor with the exception of the mini's, they are made with Windsor or Doll Skin.

Craft velour is found on my website, www.DinkyBaby.com, unfortunately you will not find craft velour in any store. I do wish you could, it would make our lives so much easier. As this is not the case, please do not frustrate yourself; purchase enough craft velour when you purchase one of my patterns. Since I have designed my patterns using craft velour the use of any other fabric will not produce the same results.

When first designing dolls well over 30 years ago, finding fabric was the most difficult thing I ran across. Since soft-sculpture dolls were relatively new, the fabric was non existent. At that time I purchased a white nylon backed flannel fabric and took it home to dye. This was not an easy process and required a lot of trial and error. Getting the right shade of light pink was not always easy and each dye lot was always just a little different. When I made dolls I had to make sure they were all made from the same bolt I dyed. I won't even mention what it did to my washer.

Craft velour is 60 inches wide and comes in the perfect shade of pink, called "Doll Face Pink" and sometimes referred to as light pink as well as a variety of other colors. One yard will yield about three 14 inch Dinky Baby dolls with some scraps left over.

Always save your scraps for the small projects. I have designed patterns just for this purpose. My mother taught me to save scraps and to find a use for them. You will find the newest pattern "Dinky Dots" and the "5-little monkeys" a great way to make use of any of your craft velour scraps. The "Pocket Dolls" are also a great way to make use of any of your craft velour scraps.

To help you get started I am offering a discount coupon that you can use on my website for 20% any of the light pink craft velour, minimum purchase $20. All orders will ship in one week.

This is a great time to stock up and start making all those Dinky Babies. Just use the coupon code in all caps CRAFT VELOUR, this offer will end July 19, 2010.

www.DinkyBaby.com