Lottie Flower of Flowergirl Fashions has returned to creating custom dolls costumes to order. Her clothing is sewn from sumptuous materials and she will take commissions that include hand dying and embroidery.
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Q: Would you tell me a little about yourself?
A: I am never sure how to answer this sort of question, how to begin? I am a textile and ceramics artist based in Wales, UK, and I live with my husband and little boy. My interests are broad, but I have always been involved in miniatures of one kind or another, and usually focused on dolls. I began sewing when I was really very young, first by hand (and tutored by my grandmothers), then I had my first sewing machine when I was 8. I read books on sewing techniques, and followed pattern instructions step by step, learning how to piece fabric together to make a form. Soon I could make my own patterns by eye, and made reams of dressing up outfits for myself and my friends, as well as shoe boxes full of outfits for self made 11cm tall felt dolls with embroidered faces and hand wefted hair. They were princesses and queens, witches and fairies, they could be whoever I chose, and I loved the escapism and creativity of these little hand-made things. This love of flights of fancy has stayed with me into adulthood, and I think all my making is a little about escape. In my day to day life I am an ordinary mum, running after my toddler and keeping our little world ticking along. But when he sleeps, I dream up fantastical robes from brightly coloured silks and weave them into something tangible at my desk. I daydream in dyes, fibres and threads.
Q: When did you first start sewing for BJDs?
A: When I discovered them in 2005 and brought my first BJD home that Christmas, after saving up a copious amount of change from babysitting, craft fair sales and odd jobs for neighbours. I was really inspired by their potential for customisation, and I saw the work that artists and artisans were putting out there at this early point of their popularity and just wanted to be a part of that. It was a bit of a learning curve, by this time I hadn’t been sewing for dolls for about 5 years and had been focused on my studies and making adult clothing (wedding dresses, bridesmaids) and running sewing classes for kids. It was a bit of a homecoming to return to sewing for dolls, and such a release to be creating fantasy gowns and robes again.
Q: Talk to me about the kinds of clothing you specialize in.
A: My love of miniature clothing is split fairly evenly between fantasy kimonos/eastern inspired garb, and slightly larger-than-life retro. I take commissions in mainly fantasy clothing though, I think the retro is just for me! The robes and gowns I make vary in their inspiration from the incredible kimonos of Japan to the beautiful Salwars, Sarees and Anarkalis of India, with a few Turkish, Armenian and Persian influences thrown in for good measure. I visit museums and galleries, and collect books on traditional clothing, all to fuel my imagination for new doll garb.
Q: Do you make clothing for specific sizes of dolls? If so, which?
A: I have made kimonos for every size from 30cm to 80cm and am more than happy to work from measurements for boys or girls. For very fitted items on bodies I am unfamiliar with I prefer to send a test item in plain cotton before cutting into the final fabric. I typically work for the SD10/SD13 range, the scale that the fabrics work at is a little more forgiving and the pattern pieces aren’t too mind bogglingly tiny!
Q: You took a break for a bit, Why were you gone? What brought you back?
A: The simple answer is that I suffered a very traumatic bereavement and went traveling for 6 months (having sold all my dolls). I spent those glorious months in Sri Lanka, without internet or really any contact with the outside world. It was an incredibly inspiring trip, full of wondrous sights, sounds, smells and colours. I came back with 4 huge holdall bags of silks and cottons, and picked up somewhat where I left off, but not really engaging with the doll community. I was happy to sew for my own pleasure for a time, and had signed up for university as a mature student. I went, enjoyed myself immensely and made some lifelong friends. I also met my now husband, and we got married shortly after I left uni. Our little boy followed quickly after, and that all kept me rather busy! I am finding that I have a little more time these days, and am gleefully back in full hobby participation mode. I think it was the beautiful fabrics that brought me back in a funny way, because I wouldn’t have any opportunity to wear a dress made in hot pink striped silk with a stunning woven zari border, but a doll might.
Q: Is all of your work in silk? Do you find it hard to sew? (I know I do!)
A: The majority is, yes. I do occasionally work in wool or cotton, but silk is my passion. I have been working with it for so long now that I don’t find it particularly difficult (give me silk over stretchy fabrics any day!), but that is purely from familiarity. I love the sheen, the luxury of it, how it drapes and how it dyes. It is a really versatile material with such a wonderful history. It gives me goosebumps seeing a particularly nice bit of silk!
Q: Tell me more about some of the other things you do including dying, embroidering etc…
A: I think dyeing is the closest I get to magic in this scientific age, there is nothing I find more satisfying than lifting material from the dye pot to find it resplendent with a new hue, with all the lovely variations that come with small scale dye operations. My set-up is very compact, but this means that my pieces and colours are unique, and I really couldn’t repeat a shade even if I wanted to. There is something rather lovely about that, everything I make is truly made only for the person who commissioned it and cannot and will not ever be replicated.
Embroidery is something I have a love-hate relationship with. I adore the results and the effect, but I loathe the time it takes. I am quite impatient (actually, very) and find I start a lot of embroidery, but don’t always have the willpower to finish it. I have recently discovered ribbon embroidery though, and that has been a revelation! It is so quick to do in comparison to needle painting and stitch work, and I find the sculptural quality of it really pleasing.
I also make felt, another kind of magic, using wool, silk fibre and fine silk fabric. I think the results are wonderful, but I haven’t fully explored its potential yet. I used to make huge felt wall hangings for an interior design company, and I haven’t quite scaled it down comfortably yet. It still seems huge in my minds eye, and therefore incompatible with these delicate little pieces, but there is definitely new ground to break here and something I will work on in the future. I also work with ceramics, but that is a whole other kettle of fish!
Q: Do people usually have a specific idea in mind when they commission you?
A: Somewhat. They may have a colour scheme, or a particular feeling they want to evoke. Or they might say one thing, and mean another entirely! It is a process, communication is key. I will often come back to them with some alternative or additional suggestions inspired by their original idea, and we work together to create their ideal piece. It is rare that someone knows exactly what they want layer by layer in exact specifications (actually, I have never had that!), which is great because it allows creative freedom and a progression from initial spark to realised outcome.
Q: What were some of your more memorable projects?
A: Oh, my favourite project I ever worked on was an outfit for a pond maiden, a sort of fairy of water, with a murky green theme. It was such a joy. The lady who commissioned me gave me total creative free reign, and it was just glorious. I enjoyed myself so much! There were these weird green pearls, felted layers, embroidery, drapey bits…. I miss that outfit, and I wish I had some good photos of it! I hadn’t thought of it in a while, and this question just brought it all back. I hope someone comes to me in the future with a similarly ambiguous but wonderful idea! More recently I was approached about a caftan themed outfit, something for working in, that metamorphosed into an ottoman inspired sumptuous feast of brocade and silk, that was a nice change from the norm.
Lottie Flower – Custom Doll Clothing
FlowerGirl Fashions Etsy
FlowerGirl Fashions Flickr
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