EXTRA WORK REQUIRED
I had good intentions when I had purchased this book, (a year ago) but I have YET to make anything from the pattern book. Lots of interesting ideas, but nothing that really stood out and grabbed me. I'm more of an era clothing designer and was hoping for more ideas/patterns for 1950's clothing for my Gene Doll. Some of the outfits were very creative, but the patterns NEED to be ENLARGED.
Here are some pointers for those seeking additional doll patterns/designs. You can take virtually ANY pattern and enlarge or shrink by placing them over a scanner and printing from your printer. I've recently taken a Barbie pattern and had it enlarged for a Tyler Wentworth doll. Very easy. If you don't own a printer, you could do this at a printing shop very cheap. Also, mix/matching pattern pieces works well too. Perhaps there is a doll pattern that you enjoy, but you want to shorten the sleeves or add a medieval twist, etc. You can always switch out the sleeves of another pattern.
Either way, the book has some good examples, but I wasn't too impressed with the patterns offered or the book as a whole. Considering the book has been collecting dust on my shelf, SPEAKS VOLUMES.
Famous Couples in Fabulous Costumes
I own both of Hazel McMahon's books and have enjoyed making some of the outfits. I especially love this one because, 1. I'm a sucker for period costumes, 2. I'm also a sucker for romance and 3. There are costumes for my men dolls (Trent, other males have come out since this book was published).
I was surprised to read the other review putting this book down. It's always a good idea to fit the pattern before you sew since different materials can make a big difference when sewing in such a small scale. You can always email Hazel for questions if you are having a problem with a pattern.
Has anybody really tried these patterns?!
I read rave reviews for this book (and also for her other book)but my question is "has anybody really tried Ms. McMahon's patterns?!" because if you have I doubt the reviews would be as stellar as they are. There are mistakes in this book -- very basic is the seam allowance which is 5/8" or 1.5 cm. This is too large and it does not work! Also, there are steps which are missing in some of the instructions. Either that or she is assuming that we are all experts sewers. Many times, also parts do not fit properly into each other. I just wonder if she used the same patterns to create the outfits shown in the photos. It is really very frustrating to be inspired by the nice-looking photos and not be able to make them properly for yourself.
Check for more reviews on Amazon.com
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