This begins the series of posts on favorite sites and resources for anything doll related. Some miniature doll resources and other for various other dolls or sewing supplies. Books or supplies for sale will be found on the Books, Music & More site.
Today’s favorite sites are Fabric Depot and Britex Fabrics.
Fabric Depot is based in Portland, Oregon and boasts a wonderful acre of fabric, notions and craft supplies. To go into the store you should start when the doors open as you can be there for literally hours the first time. They have a variety of fabrics including tiny prints and natural fiber fabric suitable for doll clothes and miniatures projects. Their online site is a wonderful place to just sit and browse for hours and find many favorite fabrics that may not be available in your local fabric stores. Their staff has always been helpful both in person and via online or phone ordering and their prices are just right… perfect for spending just “a little too much but oh my it was on sale”!
Britex Fabrics is located in the heart of downtown San Francisco and boasts 4 floors of fabric, notions and trims. The fabrics are very high quality and you can again spend hours just looking. The last time I was in Britex I was a poor college student and could only afford one tiny piece of trim which I promptly used on one of my early miniature dresses. Sometime soon I hope to visit again!
I miss large fabric stores like Fabric Depot and Britex Fabrics but no matter what I LOVE living in Alaska… after all what is the internet for if not to order fabric from a distance!
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
Last weekend I started moving the Crash Course from the main site to it’s new home on the Tutorials Blog and as of last night all the posts are created and scheduled. One per day will be forthcoming.
Interestingly I found a 9 year old goof in the numbering of the measurements and so that is now fixed. Please feel free to comment on the Crash Course or any portion of it here or on the Tutorials Blog!
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
I’m finally working on Sue’s Tiny Costumes once more and have started to take my tutorials and move them to the new Tutorials site. You can also follow many of the posts on FaceBook by becoming a Fan of Sue’s Tiny Costumes. Hopefully by the end of the summer I’ll have everything moved and will be able to upload the new site!
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
Over the last 3 years I’ve been swamped with work, kids and college. At the start of summer this year I graduated college and all summer just did not have the energy to sew, draft or design much. I’ve had a couple e-mails lately about Ken, Model Muse and Boy Bratz patterns…. I’m now staring at the first new dolls I’ve had in about 3 years! I also have a partial draft for an outfit for Kitty Collier staring at me so I am going to finish the rework of the website and start on some new drafts! How long this will take depends on how much energy I have each day after work and on weekends still but hopefully I’ll start posting some new patterns later this year or early next year!
I’m off to measure my new ladies and gentlemen and work on some other items!
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
I am nearing the complete re-work of my site and actually the pages don’t look like my last post earlier this year. Instead it has a much better feel to it. It took hours of deliberation and experimentation to get what I want for it. I still do not have the photos I want for it but that is a big project that will have to wait.. or it may never get done. At this point I’m not sure. I want to post the new site and the re-worked pattern sets. I am discontinuing some patterns and grouping most into pattern lines or kits. Why, you may ask… to simplify my products, to provide a better value, because the patterns that come in a group already sell better… statistics and economics and time management all play a part in the decision.
For the rest of things I’ll start posting an updated Crash Course on my other blog dedicated to tips, tricks and tutorials… but more on that when I’ve actually started doing it!
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
Coming in the new year, most likely after I finish classes in April (graduation itself is in June), will be a new design and structure for Sue’s Tiny Costumes. Patterns will not be singular but in Groups with the exception of Super Size Barbie who only has one pattern currently. The number of pages for products will shrink dramatically! I will still have the books and the Crash Course will still be there along with a few of the other features of the current site but they will have a new layout.
I know the pic below has some pretty small thumbnails but I don’t want to give all of the surprises away yet! Besides that the design may still do some morphing in the coming months.
Have a good holiday season everyone!
preview
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
Hints Tips & Tricks
Cutting:
Cut out paper patterns with white space and use scotch tape to hold the pieces down. Then use a rotary cutter to cut each piece on the single layer of fabric. This requires a little more work for reversing pieces and cutting enough of each piece but the accuracy of the rotary cutter is worth it for the effects for sewing.
Marking:
Use a pin to mark dart tips & ends and then use a water, air or chalk marker to mark where the pins are so that if the pins fall out before you can match them you still have the markings.
Construction:
Baste darts or any seam where the fabric might slip with simple pinning. Basting saves needles and your machine along with producing better results with seams. It allows you to ‘see’ the design come together and try it up to the doll for fitting and any adjustments you deem necessary. If the fabric is very fragile basting instead of pinning will leave fewer pin marks, which on some fabrics can be hard to get out.
As I learn more I’ll post further ideas and suggestions for sewing. I am by no means a beginner but I’ve just never really thought about writing out all my ideas and things I’ve discovered over the years.
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
I now have a new process for delivery of the items on my site. The old process required me to manually setup downloads. My new process is automated. Buying is still simple: click the buy button and the item appears in your cart, click checkout and you have the option of signing up for PayPal or not or using an existing account to pay. It’s the after payment process that is new. PayPal still sends a confirmation of payment but it also behind the scenes contacts the download provider for me, PayLoadz. PayLoadz job is to send you an e-mail with your order information and links to download the item(s) you just purchased. It has a 48-hour time limit on the original message they send you but I can extend that if needed.
It’s simple really once you get the Order Information message you
1) Click on the link provided or copy & paste it into your browser
2) Right click on the item link and go to save as
3) Navigate to the folder you wish to save in (personally I put everything on the desktop and move it to it’s folder later on… just faster and easier for me)
4) Repeat for any other items you purchased
It’s that easy! Once the items are on your system they are your patterns to keep. You may make up the pattern and sell the finished item but NOT the pattern or the file for the pattern. The only thing I ask is if you sell the finished items you make please give credit to the designer in the form of my name and at least my web address. If there’s question about this drop me a note and we can discuss it.
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
I’ll be focusing on suggestions for design change ideas and alterations that can be made to one pattern I offer. This may inclue fabrics, color changes or physical changes to the actual pattern for a new look. If you have requests for design changes to a pattern I offer drop me a note and I’ll try to post them here. When or if I make examples of said changes I’ll make sure to post photos as well.
Enjoy!
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
I am incredibly excited… for the first time in over a year I bought myself a new doll. Having a red headed Gene standing here in her undies staring at me is slowly motivating me to dig out my closets again and play with patterns & fabric and slowly start putting things back online. My Advanced Discourse class is inspiring me to write again and I am updating all my blogs and may even tackle updating some small portions of my website as time allows.
Hopefully soon… very soon I’ll have a new outfit to show off… if not for a doll then for myself as I am really itching to sew and craft once more.
Sue Darby
~www.suestinycostumes.com
NEW! Find me on FaceBook Sue's Tiny Costumes
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