All About that Doll
When I decided to enter the world of doll clothing I knew about the ever popular two main styles: 18” (Made popular by the American Girl Dolls) and the baby doll type doll (that little ones tend to dress in diapers and play pretend play house with). I asked my fb friends what type of doll their children played with, then started diving into the world of dolly patterns.
I knew there were lots of different sizes, but I wasn’t really prepared for what is modern popular. I found patterns for a certain type of doll that I hadn’t even heard of, and I fell in love with the dolls. After googling I was a bit disheartened at the cost. But enter in stimulus checks and my little business suddenly got doll models.
So, if you have a little one in your life that needs a doll, I am hoping this will be a nice buying guide for you. Or, if you are interested in hearing about the dolls I use, or the clothing sizing I will sell, then read on! Just know, there are TONS more dolls out there. And if my little business grows, then I’ll add more dolls and sizing to the plan. Also not everything I am showing you today am I going to begin sewing for right away. But just know it’s “in the plans”.
Sorry about the bad photo, but everyone probably knows what an American Girl doll is. These are the doll that made the 18” size popular, and my original doll size that I began making clothing for. I love making them as I can get all fancy and frilly.
AG has a smaller doll line called the “Wellie Wishers” that are 14” dolls. I won’t be making Wellie Wisher clothing at this time but maybe someday.
Target has similar dolls that are extremely popular. They are less expensive, and are more ethnically diverse. Also, I was really happy to see a boy doll the other day. He was a little surfer dude which made me smile. All my 18” models are Target My Generation dolls. I asked for them for Mother’s day for a couple of years and now have a nice little collection for great photo ops.
Before we move on, let’s take a moment to discuss types of play. The 18” dolls are for the children that prefer to imaginative play that they have parties to attend, sleepovers, school functions, or maybe the dolls have jobs. Generally a little girl doesn’t play with these too much until they hit about 6 years old or so. This is when this type of pretend play seems to get popular.
A boy, on the other hand, often plays this type of imagination play with their doll “buddy” when they are much younger.
The other type of doll play: the one where you pretend they are a baby and you feed them, change their diaper, rock them, etc, are most popular with the younger set. Little girls will play with baby dolls at a very young age and sometimes never grow out of it! Boys, as a general rule, tend to skip this stage of doll play and go right for the “buddy” play.
Baby Stella dolls are perfect for the very youngest of little ones that want to have a baby doll. Their little binkies magnetize to stay in place and their bodies soft stuffed.
There are also larger Stella Dolls. I have found that many 15” doll clothing fit them but not all.
Cabbage patch dolls have been popular for a long time. They are a 15” size but are not the same as the 15” clothes I will be making. I might add some Cabbage patch clothes eventually but not right away. Cabbage patch also makes a “baby doll” version.
Melissa and Doug makes a popular “baby doll”. But you can also find similar brands in any box store. Typically this size doll is an 11” or 15”. I prefer the 15” size. They make a really nice first doll.
I had mentioned above that I have found some modern dolls that I really love and that are the “go to” doll in the pattern/ sewing doll clothing world. When I discovered these babies I was really amazed at the quality of them. I wish my daughter had these when she was little. There are two companies that we will be looking at: MiniKane and Miniland.
MiniKane dolls are 13” in size, have cute little round tummies and chunkie little leggies. Made in Spain of high quality raw material and a soft vanilla scent, they are just adorable.
When my daughter was little I never worried about getting anatomically correct dolls. Back then I was a bit weirded out by it to be honest. But now, my older, wiser self wishes I had some for my daughter. It’s natural for children to see and learn about the real, natural life around them. Seeing a non anatomically correct baby can be confusing even. I find it funny that the dolls have come in quite handy here at home as I teach my son sex education the proper way. (from home).
See that little girl on the far left? I have her for one of my models. Her little red pig tails were too hard to resist.
But I have a couple of new ones on the way for my Mother’s Day gift for this year. They are supposed to arrive tomorrow! Want to see?
I just had to have this little Nordic boy. His smile and those bright eyes!
And Latika’s beautiful eyes. She was staring into my heart. I couldn’t say no. I cannot wait to make her a dress. Isn’t she stunning?!
MiniKane has another size doll that I am hoping to purchase and make clothing for someday. They are a really pretty line of dolls call the Amigas dolls, but I find very few patterns for them (actually none yet) so hopefully I can get one in the future.
The other brand of modern doll that is extremely popular is the Miniland doll.
Miniland has two sizes of dolls as well. Shown here are some 15” dolls. They are known for their well defined features to help children identify the different races.
I just had to have this 15” Down’s syndrome boy doll. He is often found modeling girl’s clothing so I really need to work on getting a 15” girl!
I also have a Miniland Baby. My little girl is an African doll, and I love her sweet face. In the future you will probably find her in the “baby doll” style clothing instead. These dolls are not quite 13” and won’t fit the 13” clothing for the Minikane doll. I make 12” clothing for these dolls.
So that is a run down of my doll family. As my shop builds up, you will see my models showcasing my various makes. I would LOVE LOVE to see them all showcased at a craft show or store front someday. You haven’t even seen my pet models yet! But in my mind, I envision a store with an area where the dolls and pets are all playing together. I can see all the garments hanging on the walls with the sizing clearly marked.
In close I want to put some doll sizing in here so that I can refer people back to it someday. I hope this post has been helpful for you.
POPULAR DOLL SIZING:
Minikane : 13”
Miniland: 15” and 12”
American Girl / My Generation: 18”
Wellie Wisher: 14” thin. I don’t make these at this time.
Baby Alive: VARIES GREATLY!
Disney Dolls: Animator are 16”, Then there are Princess dolls and Toddler Princess dolls. I don’t make any of these sizes at this time.
Cabbage Patch: 16”. I don’t make these at this time. The 13” baby dolls might fight the 13” doll sizing.
15” baby dolls (various manufactures): Some might fit the 15” in my shop, depending on the pattern.
