1. What kinds of toys got you into collecting and customizing?
Barbie got me into collecting, when I started buying them as an adult. I don't really do customizing, yet. I'm actually seriously considering passing off painting to my youngest daughter. She does a fantastic job painting miniatures for Pathfinder games, so I think she'd be a natural. I do have a Belle doll that has had part of her lip paint rub off; I keep meaning to make this my daughter's first doll project. :)
2. What's the coolest way you've repurposed something to work on/with one of your projects?
Oh dear. I haven't really done this, either. At least, not as an adult. As a kid, I had the Sunshine Family dolls, and they were all about making sofas out of milk cartons and dressers out of matchboxes. I've turned bookcases and shelves into diorama roomboxes as an adult, but lots of people do that.
3. Sonic or Mario?
Mario! Although my daughters regularly smoke me at MarioKart.
4. What do you do to find inspiration?
Since my doll projects involve sewing, I look at all kinds of clothes, from historic to modern, for real people and for dolls. My Pinterest account is mostly dedicated to clothes for inspiration.
5. What time period would you most like to live in, other than the modern one?
The turn of last century. There were still beautiful, elaborate clothes, but things I like having, like indoor plumbing, were also becoming more common.
6. When has a project just made you give up? Why?
As far as sewing projects, I've given things up when I try to create a pattern for something over and over, but can't get it to look the way I want. I've also tried knitting a blanket for a doll bed, and given up on that three times. One was when the pattern wasn't written correctly, and it took me several tries to realize the pattern was wrong, and not me. By that time, I was sick of the whole thing. One was a lacy blanket that was enjoyable to work on, but every time I made a mistake, I couldn't figure out which row was which when I unraveled. Lastly, I tried a pattern where I just couldn't get past the first few rows without making a mistake. I'm using the wrong yarn or something, at least for me, I think.
7. What's the most versatile tool in your arsenal?
Well, my sewing machine, definitely. But when I have to do hand sewing, my best go-to item is not a tool, but a book.
8. When has a project surpassed your wildest expectations? How?
I don't know that I will ever make anything that surpasses my wildest expectations. I'm a perfectionist, which means I can always look at something and say, "I could have done that better." I'll show you a picture I made for a contest, where I wanted 16" Gene to look like she came from 1907. I ended up happy with this one, because I thought the silhouette and general style were pretty much 1907. I drafted the pattern and made everything myself, including the hat.
9. What's your all-time favorite movie?
The Wizard of Oz. And somehow, doll manufacturers do seem to come up with some unique takes on the movie costumes, now and then.
10. What's a skill you want to learn someday?
Painting plastic furniture. Especially the extra touches that make an item really pop and look realistic.
11. If you could live in a fictional universe, which one would you pick?
Does Narnia count? I mean, Earth-as-we-know-it is part of that universe, but Narnia is its own place.
If for some reason I missed you being tagged, and you want to play, email me and I will give you eleven questions!
The Gene dress you made is great! The book for left handed sewers is very interesting. The Wizard of Oz is a beautiful movie, I love the story all the songs too!
ReplyDelete"I love the story AND all the songs too" (it's nearly bedtime for me I guess :-) )
DeleteThey did do a really good job with the music for that movie. I believe Judy Garland sang Over the Rainbow far into her career. I'm glad that you like the dress.
DeleteI forgot to add that it's fun to dress your doll in something that you made, isn't it?
DeleteI can't believe someone wrote a book about hand sewing for left-handed people (I am too). Isn't sewing just sewing?
ReplyDeleteI so agree with number 10. I feel like it's hit or miss and other people just ace it. But you'll get it. Just keep going.
The thing is special about the left-handed sewing book is that all the directions and illustrations are done for people who are going to use their left hand to hold the needle. You don't have to look at the picture in the mirror, or flip the directions backwards in your head. When you have to fold the fabric a certain way, or make stitches in multiple directions, it is useful for me to see it the left-hand way.
DeleteThank you for the encouragement with furniture painting. I'm hoping to try some things before the weather gets too cold here (crosses fingers.)
WOW! That 16" Gene dress looks amazing! I'm kinda envious of the sewing book. I'm not left-handed but my hand-sewing is... yeah. *Insert I have no idea what I'm doing.jpg here*
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad that you like the dress!
DeleteI would imagine there are lots of simple hand sewing tutorials and YouTube videos. And of course it takes practice. :)
Videos might be the way to go, for sure. I've looked at a few pictures showing stitches, but... I default to the same thing over and over. ^^;
DeleteI personally don't like using videos to learn things, but some people swear by them.
DeleteFabulous job, Barb! The dress is flawless. I loved reading your answers and learning more about you...one of my all time favorite movies is also The Wizard of Oz...I just love it....it brings me such "feel good nostagia" every time I watch it. :) I think living back in the turn of the century would've been amazing as well. Such different and simpler times.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I guess a lot of people still love the Wizard of Oz!
DeleteLove your aswers Barb, the choice of Narnia is really interesting!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Billa! I always thought it would be so much fun to be able to talk to animals. :)
DeleteI never thought about it, but having to read sewing instructions in the mirror must get pretty tiresome after a while. Gene's puffy sleeves look great!
ReplyDeleteD7ana tagged me, and I don't know who to tag either. Also, I think I've been tagged before (possibly by you?). For some reason I can never come up with a good answer to these questions - I don't even think I have a favorite movie!
It's amazing how difficult it can be to follow directions backwards. I'm not very good at picturing or manipulating 3-D objects in my mind, which can be a drawback in sewing in general.
DeleteThank you for the compliment on Gene's blouse!
As far as the questions, it's fun finding out more about a person in general. Not having a favorite movie can be as interesting as having one. I don't think you have to limit your tagging to doll people with this one, either. Personally, my non-doll blogging peeps aren't really into this stuff.