Customer Reviews

Fashions for Small Dolls (Creative Crafters)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rosemarie Ionker's beautiful doll clothes are famous for details like smocking and embroidery. Her designs have been sold through "Boneka/Petite Creations" and have been featured on high quality collector dolls. I have long considered these clothes the finest the doll world has to offer, so I was thrilled to find her latest book of patterns tailored for small dolls.

This book has patterns for dolls that are 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 inches tall. Almost half of the book is filled with pages and pages of patterns, drawn simply and clearly labeled for each size doll and by the pattern piece. There are also many pages of stunning photographs showing off Ionker's completed creations. The text is high quality and to the point. She offers tips for pattern adjustments as well general sewing tips, information on fabrics and embellishments, and, of course, directions on how to use/assemble the patterns.

The patterns in this book are for dolls representing children, and not adult proportioned fashion dolls. There are pattern pieces to clothe both boy and girl dolls. The dolls shown in this book range from Ginny, to Wendy Lawton's 9 inch dolls, to small porcelain, vinyl and wood dolls. Ionker will let you know how to clothe them all, with photographs documenting the differences and directions on how to find the right fit.

I would recommend this book for those seamstresses who have had at least some experience sewing. Sewing for small dolls requires some special tricks and a lot of patience! Ionker's work, though, can inspire and direct those advanced beginners to making more detailed clothing for small dolls.

I have to admit that I haven't tried the patterns in this book as of yet, but know that they will fit as beautifully as those in Rosemarie Ionker's previous book. The photographs of small dolls and the fashions that can be made from the patterns in the book are absolutely beautiful and mind-blowing and well worth the price of the book alone. The instructions on altering patterns and on sewing such tiny garments is equally outstanding. I highly recommend this book.

This is a wonderful little book for those interested in making their own doll clothes for dolls 7 inches through 12 inches tall. The beautiful photo section gives the sewer many examples and ideas for all types of clothes. The back of the book contains patterns for all the doll clothes shown in the book in all the sizes. The directions section, in the middle, does require some reading but is well written. Fabric choices are discussed, as well as embellishment, patterns, sewing tips and construction. There is a very handy table for doll measurements included. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys and is interested in creating beautiful and unique doll clothes.

The book is enjoyable for its beautiful photographs alone, but it is the cunning drafting of the patterns (which do things like avoid tiny armholes)that makes this book truly worthwhile. I have made several little garments using this book, getting fine results with little trouble. While the book is intended for making contempory doll clothes, you can also make at least some styles of historic doll clothing as well (one garment I made was for a small, late 19th C. doll). However, what earns my 4 star rating as opposed to a 5 star is the lack of some essential directions. Little information is given on making skirts, leaving the maker to figure it out on their own. Worse is the lack of any smocking patterns to go along with the charming smocked designs that are shown in photographs. This would have been much preferable to me rather than the vast quantity of detailed variations given for doll forms, as I can wiggle out size variants easily, and imagine that most makers of doll clothing can do so as well.

What a fabulous book! She has a very innovative way of eliminating excess seams and inserting sleeves easily. This book is great for Ann Estelle and her patterns can be enlarged a little to also make clothes for Betsy McCall!

Nice patterns with easy to follow instructions. More for the modern doll maker, than for the antique reproductionist.

Another fabulous book by Rosemarie Ionker regarding sewing for small dolls.
Contains great patterns which fit with contemporary sewing techniques.

The book is beautiful and there is a wealth of information concerning different sizes and body types of dolls. I wish there were more detailed instructions concerning the actual sewing. The instruction section seems to assume you already have her first book or are an experienced seamstress. For instance, she has a drawing on pg. 86, labelled "How to make narrow bias tubing for ties or shoulder straps" but no text accompanies the drawing! I'm glad I purchased it and will definately learn from it.