Authentic AG Made Vs. Handmade

[MySpiritDolls]

Hi everyone, newbie here just dying to hear everyone's opinions on this. Do you only buy actual AG made items for your AG dolls, or do you also buy items made by others too? If you DO order items made by someone other than AG, what are your favorite ways to find them, and do you look for a polished "corporate style" professional website, or one that is probably created by the actual doll crafter?

Thanks for your input on this!

[Skittl1321]

I used to buy only authentic AG, but now I think that homemade stuff can be as good, or better. The only problem is, the real good homemade stuff can be twice as expensive!

My first homemade outfit was by AG Dress Designer, and it is my favorite, all time, outfit. I only got it a few months ago. She is doing a big ebay sale right now, so I highly recommend you checking it out.

There are a couple of other people on this board whose dresses I dream of. (

DolliesDressmaker is a website with great clothes.
BunnyBear.com (who I believe is Nann on hostboard with us) has BEAUTIFUL clothes on ebay

Forgot to add: I am currently working on perfecting making clothes. I LOVE sewing for my dolls. I wish I had started doing so much earlier.

<font color="#051E50"><font size="1">[ November 07, 2005 09:31 AM: Message edited by: Skittl1321 ]</font></font>

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ November 07, 2005 11:14 AM: Message edited by: Skittl1321 ]</font>

[MySpiritDolls]

Is AG Dress Designer her Ebay id too, and can I look up her auctions using this name? I checked her profile but didn't see a link to an Ebay store (though I might have missed it!).

Thanks!

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ November 07, 2005 11:02 AM: Message edited by: MySpiritDolls ]</font>

[Skittl1321]

No, it's not her ebay name- and I don't know her ebay name off hand [img]frown.gif[/img]

She posted about it awhile back. I'll see if I can find it.

Edit: Here it is txgrace5

Also check out this seller- sdls275
She makes EXQUISITE dresses, although way out of my price range. I belive, although I could be wrong, that that is Dollyland's Mom on hostboard.

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ November 07, 2005 11:12 AM: Message edited by: Skittl1321 ]</font>

[wildpony]

Welcome! I havent bought any homemade clothing for my dolls yet, but i would if i found something i really liked [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

[ksami]

I'm an only AG girl. Any homemade things I have, I made myself. That's things like blankets and pillows - I'm not talented enough to make my own doll clothes yet!

Some of the homemade stuff mentioned above really looks beautiful, though. If I had Felicity or Elizabeth I'd be tempted to buy it all. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

[QNPoohBear]

I prefer hand made stuff. AG quality has gone down in the last few years and half the clothes don't even fit my girls and they tend to overlook my family members Kirsten, Addy and Felicity! Plus my Susanna is a Gotz and she needs clothes too!

I purchase some from a local crafter, some from The Doll Clothes Store, some from
American Doll Boutique

and I just got a fabulous custome made outfit for Kirsten from ShellyBelle's (MichiganMom on here and josephswife) on ebay.

[trvnbrn]

I can sew on a button & that's about it, but I am very blessed w/ a talented seamstress mom. My dd8 is receiving her 1st AG doll for Christmas, but she already has a Twinn doll. My mom made matching doll/girl jumpers for her & they were very sweet. She also made quite a few dresses, tops & pants for her doll.

While I love the namebrand items, they can be hard on the pocketbook. I have not bought any accessories or furniture, so I will just speak about the clothing. My mom has made some darling outfits for Kit & they are all "period" style. My mom was born in 1940 & remembers having clothes made from feedsacks so she thinks she's got the style & fabric down pat. lol. I think it's very individual if you remain a "purist" or mix & match. I say have fun & enjoy, either way. [img]smile.gif[/img] I do think it makes a difference if your outfits will be for display or play. I can buy more for my dd to enjoy (fabric, patterns) if my mom is making them as opposed to just getting AG ones.

Warmly,

trvnbrn

[moderator]

I've never been biased toward official AG because I also had the luck of having a talented seamstress for a mom, who decided to purchase some of the official patterns back when they were offered! Most of my AG clothing is homemade.

I definitely think non-AG clothes can be just as good or better. The ones I make, however, are sadly not there yet. [img]redface.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img] The ones my mom makes are better. The Felicity Christmas dress she made me is really nice! (Bottom picture on http://www.angelfire.com/mi/FAST/molly.html --unfortunately, the homemade cape I made covers most of it up.)

I think it's neat to know one person worked lovingly to make that specific item, rather than it being an outfit made in an "assembly line" type situation. There is so much time, love, and effort that goes into something like that.

The other neat thing is finding outfits mentioned in the books but never made by AG. For example, I've made Molly's purple dress. "But Molly doesn't have a purple dress! She only wears red and blue!" She does have a purple dress, but it's only in the books! [img]smile.gif[/img] Perhaps there's an illustration in a book and you want that outfit. Some seamstresses would be happy to piece together their patterns and try to replicate it for you!

If buying "homemade" outfits online, check for people who use sergers. That gives a more finished edge. I just have a plain sewing machine with no bells and whistles, so the clothing I sew, even if sewn as well as AG's (which it's not), will still not look professional.

By the way, welcome to the board! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ November 07, 2005 08:14 PM: Message edited by: Melissa ]</font>

[FelinaDoon]

Whatever looks pretty and is of good quality if fine by me