Dolls have great significance in both culture and status on a global scale. Specifically, starting in the 1900’s, dolls started to become a collector’s item, and are still often considered as such. In fact, many brands and suppliers have begun to hone in on the market for collectable dolls, which can often be expensive and time-consuming as a buyer. That is why if you have any intrigue in displayable dolls, you may want to look into the many ways you can build them yourself.
The Right Resources
There are plenty of websites out there already with the means to help you kickstart your new hobby of customizing dolls. As the internet has grown in scale and offerings, websites that provide the support to assist you in customizing your own dolls are more likely than you might suspect.
For instance, Blythe is one of the many fantastic companies that will produce your very own doll from an assortment of customization options. It is easy to do once on the site itself, as you are led to the list of what you can customize about your doll, and can then proceed to choose body type, skin color, hair color, hair length, the like.
Your Own Tools
If unable or uninterested in customizing your own dolls via the internet, seek out tools to help you customize manually. The tools you should acquire are very much dependent on the material of your doll (wood, porcelain, etc.), therefore there are not “basic doll customizing tools,” but naturally if your doll is made out of wood, get small woodworking utensils, and so on.
Also, be sure to do the needed research on what type of doll hair you want to use and how to maintain it, what type of glue would be best to use as an adhesive on your doll, the like. Additionally, if you have any inclination to also make clothes for your dolls, it would be wise to invest in a sewing machine to make the process go by quickly and efficiently.
A Place for Display
If you collect dolls already, chances are you already have a designated spot where you can display them how you please. Be sure to do the same thing (or start if you have not already) to display your own creations, as these are the final products of your hard-earned work. Giving them their own shelves in your living room, display cases in your office, these are all good ways to keep your projects close to you and accessible for any visitors who want to know you better.
Being proud of your work is a vital and too-often-ignored part of having a craft, so be sure to take pictures, display your dolls proudly, and if you want to develop it into something greater, make a website for all that you do.
Final Highlights…
Developing any new skill is a good way to stay in touch with yourself and your needs, especially if your developing skill is related to something you like already. A lot of hard work goes into the creation of a collectable doll, which means a lot can often go into the customization of that same doll, but then it will be even more valuable to you.
Crafting is often the foundation of many hobbies because it is a skill that can be done alone, in any environment, more often than not does not make a mess, and primes you for taking the skills you learn in crafting elsewhere. Delving into the world of doll customization can lead to clothing altering, shoe making, wig styling, and much more.
Be sure that you are broaching the craft that most speaks to you, and then go after it with all that you have. There are plenty of resources out there to assist you, and always a market to sustain your interests and new explorations.
