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I have possessed a copy of all of the following books and patterns in one form or another. I do not trade, copy, or share, don't ask. Where possible I have included the ISBN of the book to help your search. If you are an author or publisher who wants their book or pattern reviewed here please contact TheDolls(at)DolfieLittles(dot)Com.
If you've ever looked for one of these you'll see that the sellers always seem to show he exact same pictures making it look like each book has the exact same fluffy dress. The covers themselves can be misleading as well. The collages I made show finished outfits, not all are shown as some are simple variations of the same outfit, but this will give you an accurate idea of what each book contains. Jenny #3 is traditional kimono and clothing, Jenny #13 is modern kimono and clothing, Jenny #20 is how to make different hair styles.
Jenny and Licca's mother sized patterns are a good start for small and medium bust Obitsu and Volks girls and the Volks EB-N and EB-C boys with little alteration. Jeff and Licca's father fit the Obitsu Slim. Licca fits 23-21cm Obitsu and Volks Mini/Midi as well as Blythe. Licca baby patterns fit many tiny dolls.
There are countless "Barbie" patterns out there and I never plan to get to all of them. First off I look for interesting patterns, or in some cases the only known or most widely available pattern for a specific doll. In some cases the cover does a good job showing what's inside and in other cases, like the Jenny and Licca books, it can be misleading. If I've posted a collage of interior pictures it's of the finished outfits only and not the patterns.
Dolly Dolly mook, lots of pictures of dolls and stuff available at the time, lots of articles in Japanese, and a mix of patterns but it can be tricky to match up which picture corresponds to which pattern. Could have more Blythe on the cover. In short every issue has something going for it, these are just the ones that passed through my hands. Like many magazines ads et up a lot of the space but they're doll ads so there's lots of eye candy.
Dolly Dolly volume 1- several patterns for 1/6 scale dolls including Volks Neo Goh and EB-N boy type. Basic pattern drafting and altering to make several designs for the Jenny doll.
Dolly Dolly volume 2- customizing your Blythe, changing eye chips, rerooting, how to make a basic Lovely Pose doll, patterns for Blythe and Jenny among others.
Dolly Dolly volume 4- how to make a wardrobe (cabinet) for your doll, patterns for Blythe, Jenny, and others, touching up and redressing a Lovely Pose doll.
Dolly Dolly volume 6- dressing, repainting, and styling a Jenny to look like Marie Antoinette, a history of Jenny and Licca princess dolls, patterns for Blythe and others.
Dolly Dolly volume 7- the Alice in Wonderland theme issue, so Alice and Queen of Hearts inspired dresses and rabbit costumes make up most of the patterns, there's some neat playing cards costumes as well. In the back is a Phantom of the Opera photo story with Tyler dolls including patterns and how to make a Phantom mask.
Dolly Dolly volume 11- Jenny and Momoko patterns, a sizable review of available Re Ment and other miniatures.
Dolly Dolly volume 16- making pretend food for your dolls, making jewelry, making a miniature doll for your doll, and making a rag doll complete with pattern.
Dolly Dolly volume 22- making a suitcase home for your Sylvanian family, a few stuffed animals to make, animal dolls, patterns for jenny or Licca and others.
Dollybird Volume 9, a Japanese moo with articles and patterns. The text is in Japanese but the patterns are easy enough to figure out. This volume has mostly little girl looking clothing for assorted dolls, the real draw is the included booklet showing the step by step modeling of a Unoa doll. Not exactly a how-to for doll makers but an interesting supplement.
This is an interesting Australian book with well attempted historical clothing spanning the years 1788-1988. Of note are a soldier's uniform and shacko cap, a uniform with Jodhpurs and a safari jacket with pockets, and a nurse's uniform.
One of several Andrea magazines, they mix typical Barbie clothes with unusual elements such as race car driver and pit crew uniforms. They are one of the few magazines to give patterns for Ken.
Another doll magazine of note to look for, though not pictured, is Lola from the former Soviet Union. Aside from clothes they had furniture made from cut outs in the magazines or copied and cut form supplies at home. Although the designs are a bit dated you won't find anything like them any where else.
This book has been called Barbie Boutique by sellers, and over priced by a few. Aside from a mix of typical doll clothes among the stand out designs are a space suit, with helmut made form a capsule toy lid, bell hop and maid, and the ski gear as seen on the table.
20 Original Outfits, I had al of five minutes of French so forgive me, but I've seen it as Barbie Carpenter as well. Again a mix of average Barbie stuff with a few gems, a robe and collar for a judge, the best space suit I've ever seen, and a catsuit with butterfly wings. There's another book called Tenues de Reve with evening gowns.
Dresses for CLassic Barbie Dolls. Just that, designs from the late 50s early 60s for the very first Barbie dolls. Good if you have a vintage or repro with that body style.
McCalls 3477, know that they reuse pattern numbers here and there, of note because it has Ken and Kelly and pointy hats.
Patrones Barbie, there's a few issues around, this one has an authentic looking flamenco dress.
McCall's 8181 designer patterns for Darci dolls, will also fit Jem and the Holograms.
The first two Doll Coordinate Recipe books. Each one has several articles of clothing for several size, Momoko and Blythe always seem to be included, so they could give you a start for some of your 27 and 22cm girls. unless ofcourse you have someone on the cover.
The Hunt Collection Nun's Habit and Veil, nothing too much just the pattern for the habit which looks to fit Barbie and friends. To date this is the only pattern I've ever seen for a habit.
Fashion Styling, step one to selling your doll pattern book- put Blythe on the cover. There are patterns for Jenny (might be Licca), Momoko, and some other dolls inside, the designs are typical of what's out there but nice. Momoko and Jenny patterns are a good start for 27cm Obitsu and VOlks girls, Blythe is a good start for 23-21cm dolls.
The Art of Making Beautiful Doll Shoes. Guess what, you make doll shoes like you would make people shoes with a last and patterns! If you have a first issue Gene or Cissy there are a couple of shoe patterns inside that will be useful. If you want to make a mold of your doll's leg to make a last and make shoes the old fashioned way more power to you. The average crafter can pass this by.
Those with a true interest in shoe making can search Google Books for the free Designing, Cutting, and Grading Boot and Shoe Patterns. Search for other free sewing and crafting books while you're there including old store catalogs and magazine issues. Project Gutenberg is another source for free digital books.
Famous Couples. This is a book for first issue Gene, Trent, and Tyler Wentworth dolls. The boy clothes are a great start for the Orientdoll Dae type. On the good side the designs are great, there's boots, hats, and wigs to go with the clothes. On the irritating side you have to enlarge the patterns 147% which basically requires a scanner and photo program skills. Author's excuses aside instead of ginning us the same pants 4 times you could have laid everything out differently or done a 50% reduction like many of the mooks do.
Period and Contemporary, sized for first issue Gene and Tyler Wentworth dolls. Has an interesting selection of outfits for lady dolls. The cover does a nice job showing off the varieties.
Fashion Doll Wardrobe, there are two additional parts to this. The patterns are sized for first issue Gene and Tyler Wentworth dolls. All the clothes are for ladies. This is not a how to design or draft book as some sellers represent it to be.
Lovely Pullip Magazine, has a few patterns for Pullip with a gothic lolita and visual kei look to them and pictures of models or band members.
Volks pattern books volume 1 and 2. Each has a few outfits specifically for the Volks brand of Dollfies, good for them but I can't say what other dolls can fit them.
Make Your Own Japanese Clothes, if you didn't get a doll kimono pattern with your sample of Tide or just about any moo you'll want this book. It has hakama and other traditional garments as well. There is a measurement chart in the book, which is different from Western ones, that guides you to drafting your own patterns for traditional Japanese clothing in any size.
Make Your Own Patterns, pretty good book and by in large useful for its drafting and altering. It also does a few things that many pattern books do that makes them irritating for dolls and anyone not an exact size, it uses measurements such as X amount of inches below a certain line for placement. Only works if your hips are that far below your waist. The altering directions are very useful and it has sample drafts in ready made sizes in the back.
The Doll Dressmaker's Guide to Patternmaking. I'd say it's a guide to pattern altering, and a good guide as it covers historically accurate blouses, bodices, and sleeves mostly for girl and lady dolls. It shows making the initial bodice by pinning fabric to a doll but I prefer to measure as dolls and fabric can move. See the link to my book store at the top of the page to get the Dolfie Littles book of pattern drafting to start then turn to this book for designs.
Patterns for Theatrical Costumes, for everything useful in this book, like scale drawings of patterns for garments that you can easily adapt, it misses a few things. The ancient and medieval sections are great, and there's useful instructions on making things but later on such as the 1870s have only one example of a bustle. A bit lazy and irritating as there were 3 major styles of bustle in that decade alone, for high fashion, and how high or low they were on the butt could tell you what year they were.
Authentic Victorian Fashion Patterns, make that authentic 1890s fashion patterns. These are the real deal being reprints of scale drawings of mostly bodices and jackets, and a few skirts that didn't change much, covering the whole decade. The method of drafting is done by recreating the pattern in full size, measurements are given, then altering to your fit. For the longest time this is how patterns were printed.
Three of Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion books. What is beautiful about these books is the author has had access to actual historic garments and has made scale patterns of how they were put together. There are details such as fasteners, how seams were done, and what fabrics and colors were used. You'll have to do some work to make them fit a modern person or doll but it's worth it.
A History of Costume, included because it has scale drawings of authentic historic garments and photographs of people in 19th century clothing. Once you get in to drafting it wouldn't be too hard to adapt the people patterns to your dolls.
Doll sweaters aside I've knitted and crocheted a few dolls, like the Teeny Tiny Toimelords, and a few toys for my dolls. There is an army of 1/6 scale plastic canvas furniture out there as well. Any pattern can be adapted to any size doll by changing the needle size. A Barbie sweater done on a 6 or 7 is easily made in to a ball joint size.
Rose Cottage, clothes, plastic canvas furniture, and doggies. The sheepdogs on the cover and Afgan hound instructions are included.
Barbie and Me Knitting. Matching sweaters and such for girls and their Barbie dolls. What's nice is the doll sweaters work nicely for Obitsu and Volks girls without altering the designs much. Where they don't it's easy enough to adjust. Use larger needles and you can make a sweater for your ball joints.
Crochet and Knits for Barbie, aside from sweaters and dresses there are blankets and a few things for Ken. Know your dolls' measurements to make sleeves long enough and you can make something neat. Again if you use bigger than suggested needles you can make things for bigger dolls.
Knit Your Own Dog, and why not? At the given sizes for small needles these pooches are just right for 1/6 scale dolls. Go with bigger needles to make bigger pets for bigger dogs.
Fleece Dog, there is an English translation of this book available. This teaches needle felting and has directions to make very realistic looking dogs out of roving wool, felting yarn, or even dog hair. Adjust the size as wanted to make your dolls cuddly pets.
Creative Crochet Dolls, this is the book where I found the pattern I adapted in to my Teeny Tiny Timelords. Some of the dolls are flat, some fat, some have clothes you can change. Why not make a doll for your doll?
Storybook Crochet, small dolls with fairy tale and international costumes.
Two of Jan Messent's books, seriously, who doesn't want to knit their own pony? There are plenty of animals, people, plants, and forrest critters to create. The fields and gardens are a greet idea for a warm and cuddly blanket. Having tried a pony I can say it comes out about just right for a Yo-SD size or smaller tiny to ride.
Knitted Finger Puppets, there's a crochet one too. Finger puppets are the perfect size 'full size' for your 1/6 scale puppeteer and just about right for many larger dolls to stick their hands in.
Stumpwork Figures. There are several stumpwork books out there, in short it's a form of dimensional embroidery that's been around for centuries. Many of the stitches can lend themselves to doll clothes and environments.
Learning to be a Doll Artist by Martha Armstrong-Hand, just about the best doll making book ever. It trumps the Yoshida book, especially if you know the styrofoam innards air dry skin method (what a give away), by teaching you how to make joints which the other book neglects. Design apexes, materials, and other things including some basic shoe making are included. The only draw back is the book is slightly dated to only using fired porcelain for the final dolls, it could use a materials update.
"The Yoshida Book" with step by step pictures showing how to make your own Asian ball joint doll down to the eyes and teeth. The real deal, you're going to spend as much making one as you would buying a "cheap" BJD, more if you have no sculpting experience. It's not cheap, it's not easy, it shouldn't be taken lightly. And he doesn't even show you everything, like body joints, but he gets to arms, legs, and neck. In my opinion as a doll maker this is not the be all end all book, Doll Artist and Pop Sculpture work much better.
This is a very short and to the point take on the Yoshida Ball Joint Doll making method, or at least the basic idea. it does a few things differently but you'll still get a doll out of it. It will do if you can't find the Yoshida book.
The Doll Book by Estelle Ansley Worrel, this makes a rag doll family and their rather historically accurate clothes. The sizes are close to Littles but not designed for a hard body doll, but they might fit with some alteration.
Designing the Doll, not pictured yet Finishing the Figure. Sussanna Oroyan books are great for inspiration and meditation on doll making. The designing book brings up all sorts of things doll makers must ponder as well as some techniques for making different types of dolls.
The How-To Book of International Dolls, not as how-to as one might like but it has a few interesting dolls from around the world including Oshee from Japan, the ones made form pieces of fabric that are slightly raised as on the top of the cover. This book is a treasury of traditional doll forms from around the world grouped by continent and region. It also explains where those dolls in folk costumes that haunt antique shops come from.
Cloth Dolls How to Make Them, a good 20 or so cloth doll patterns, some with clothes and stuff, to ponder making. The big princess in red has wired fingers like those Bradley/Lovely Pose dolls.
Five of the 20-odd Wish Booklets. This is an eye popping series of soft dolls, or soft bodies for porcelain heads, and well researched historic clothing. With the First Ladies and Men book you need both as only the first has the doll. I added the kids to make a family. I found time to make one guy and he came out about 13-14" tall and his clothes seemed sized right for a good start for the Orientdoll Dae.
The Complete Book of Stuffed Work, on of the more interesting books of soft dolls and other things I've ever found. It's crazy 70s with some of the looks but it teaches trapunto and soft sculpture in a clear strait forward way, covers many methods of soft doll construction, and throws in stuffed boulders to boot.
Who's Your Dada? This is a great inspirational doll making book for someone with a junk drawer and a knack for finding things. It makes you question what it and isn't considered a doll and push limits. This is available as an E-book.
Dollhouse Miniatures, the "checkerboard" books. There are seven in total and prices can vary but they can be worth it. Each has step by step photographs or diagrams for making the things, out of wood, polymer clay, or casting resin. Some of the supplies aren't found as easily in the US and in Japan but are worth seeking out for such things as water in a fish tank or glass bottles. All books have some sort of display room.
Light blue book- furniture and environments. Light pink book "200"- mostly food, fruits vegetables, meals. Light green- zakka, accessories and some food for different times of the year and different festivals like New Year, Doll Festival, or a summer's night. Orange book- food, restaurants and displays. Dark pink/mauve book- gardening supplies, plants and flowers. Yellow book- food, more western and special occasion meals. Red book- interiors, corners of rooms with furniture and things.
The Polymer Clay Techniques Book, there are several how to polmer clay books out there but this one has how to fake wood and precious metals and some gem stones. It has some food, like a ham with a bone in it, and making a figure with an armature you can bake.
Jean Nesbit books are full of eye candy and inspiration but they aren't quite how to make miniatures books. The big book I suspect is an anthology or greatest hits from some other books, could be mistaken, showing what pieces and decor are for different historical times. There's a few decorating how-tos sprinkled through out. The shops and cafes book has wonderful pictures and tips on creating different locals, a few historical and a few international, and what goes in them.
Making Miniatures, this book is more hands on with furniture, rooms, and stuff. There's a traditional Japanese room, an Arabian tent, shops, and unusual things like a tiny Mr Gumby relaxing on a beach contained in a handkerchief.
This was described as Laura's dollhouse, I don't know the exact translation, but the Laura is from Little House on the Prairie. There are plans for the Ingles' house, Olsen's Mercantile, and a post office among other places and many of the things inside the rooms.
Miniature Food Master Class and Making Miniature Food and Market Stalls. If your dolls eat you want these books. Re Ment is yummy, the Japanese books are fine and dandy, but they don't get Western food like these books do. How she makes fish scales alone is worth it. All the work is done with polymer clay.
The International Dolls House Book, gypsy wagon, traditional Japanese house gypsy wagon, Swiss chalet, gypsy wagon, and a gypsy wagon with a hinged lid. Six homes and their furnishings with full plans.
Fashion Doll House in Plastic Canvas, this means it's 1/6 scale. It's a sizable piece of work, some reinforcement is sandwiched between the PC layers, and sure to keep grandma busy making it while you don't have the heart to tell her your dolls don't want to live in a yarn house. Seriously there's some interesting designing going in to this and your dolls might like it.
McCalls Pretty Apartment, hot glue, cardboard, and ribbon. This is a simple project that kids could enjoy helping out with, the design isn't bad for the more creative types out there who want to take the project further.
Showa Era dollhouse, interiors and stuff from 1926-1989 of emperor Hirohito in Japan. Rather interesting for those curious about Japanese design, there are places from shops and restaurants to a bath house shown. It doesn't have how to make too many things but it's interesting to look at and get ideas from.
Miniature Works by Takao Kojima. This is a mind blowing collection of locals giving an impression of New York City, corner hot dog stand, barber shop, book store, artist's loft and so on. There are plans for the rooms and many of the pieces inside.
I don't have an exact translation for this book. Dimensions and basic plans are provided for Japanese rooms and the things in them, restaurant, tea ceremony and a tea master's house, Hina Matsuri set up, food displays, and other things. Lovely in how lived in all the setups look.
Roughly Japanese houses thought the year. Plans for the rooms and a good part of the stuff, each display marks a different traditional Japanese holiday, New Years, First Day of School, Boy's Day, Girl's Day and so on. More complex than many others with the actual house units as some are two stories tall.
Dollhouse Dolls, a book full of eye candy of tiny little dolls and environments. It shows you how to make everything and has some pages to copy and print to make backgrounds. The dolls are simple and made out of clay, the clothes are stuck on so they don't change. The displays range from a toy shop to shadow boxes to fans with miniatures on them to rooms in a house.
I don't have an exact translation of the title of this book but it has plans for very realistic looking dollhouse furniture.
Resix, there are at least two of these books. They appear to be catalog of molds for a miniature food making company and a painting guide with text in Japanese. Neat to look at but sadly useless if you don't have access to the molds and stuff.
Dollhouses to Dream Houses, booklets put out by a dollhouse company showing off how people have customized their kits from bashing two together to making a rocky bluff for a house to sit on. A few patterns like a magazine wrack have been put in and there are pictures of the construction of the bluff and other things that have been done.
Growing up I had, and still have, more paper dolls than regular ones. Heck I even made paper Doctor Who's and have toyed with the idea of making paper versions of my dolls. Fashion designers and historians will love looking through collections to get ideas of new designs and see a mix of ideal designer clothes from the past and what people actually wore.
Artful Paper Dolls, a great exploration in remaking or designing your own paper dolls that are off the beaten path. Inspirational for reusing old paper dolls in new ways. Great fun for a paper artist.
Terry Taylor has written quite a few wonderful books on altered art and objects, a personal favorite is The Artful Storybook
Beyond Paper Dolls, this is a nest step in exploring paper dolls and what can be done with them. A bit more 'out there' than APD but inspirational.
Mixed Media Dollhouses, there's nothing that says you can't be inspired to make houses for your 3-D dolls from what you see here but it's geared more towards environments for paper dolls. This is ideal for the artist with left over bits of this and that they want to use. This is now available as an E-Book.
Paper Dolls of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The occasional price guide weasels its way in. Aside from making you wonder where your child hood went old paper dolls are great references for fashion historians.
Precious Paper Dolls, this is a semi catalog of antique paper dolls. Gives a peek in to the history of them in the 19th century, again a great help to the fashion historian. The only downer is not enough of the pictures are in color.
Those Fascinating Paper Dolls, more antique paper dolls to drool over and be inspired by.
Unoa Freak 1 & 2. Okay, if you have a Unoa the patterns in here are great. There are tips on customizing, doing face ups, assembling, and making jewelry and stuff for them, all text is in Japanese. If you don't have a Unoa and never seeing yourself getting one you can slow down. These have been some of the most over priced books ever and they aren't worth it. You aren't missing much but pictures of Unoas.
The Ball Joint Doll Orbyanium. This is a great book if you're very new to Asian ball joint dolls or you have a Liebchen. It was a good idea, the listing of ball joint doll makers and their websites is helpful, the interviews with people in the doll world are interesting. The binding is very loose. There's a lot about the Leibchen who's on the cover and a couple of patterns for her. Sadly this book leaves me with the feeling they could have done better or made it more interesting.
A program from the Salzburg Marionette Theater, found at a library book sale. Jointed Doll or God? The booklet asks. The marionettes are used to perform operas with sets, costumes, and theatrical staging and lighting, many on stage and several back stage pictures are shown. Little gems such as this can be hidden anywhere and are a unique addition to any doll library.
Price guides, I like them for the inspiration and the though of recreating a dolls's clothes when I don't feel like buying, especially for my poor Darci. These are great time capsules of design for clothes, shoes, and accessories as it seems to me vintage fashion dolls wore clothes more like those of real people.
World Colors Dolls and Dress, this is pretty much a catalog of a collection of dolls in authentic folk costumes. Most come from the country or region they depict. Fascinating for those who study such things.
Made to Play House, it examines the history of the mass marketing of dolls in the 19th and early 20th century and the creation of the doll world where little girls used their dolls to practice social graces. Not for the casual doll person but for those wanting to delve deeper in to the history and Western attitudes towards dolls.
500 Handmade Dolls, pictures of artist's dolls for inspiration and eye candy.
Dolls manga, stories about 'plant dolls' and the people who care for them, some tales are cautionary, some are sad, some are a bit weird. Not for those who are freaked out by dolls.
Twelve Inch Figures, an interesting guide for kitbashing WW2 soldiers. Printed around 2001 it's an early snapshot of Dragon, Sideshow, 21st Century, BBI, and a few other companies at the beginning of the 1/6 scale recreation hobby. Interesting as well to the WW2 enthusiast as care has been taken to make the uniforms and weapons as authentic as possible.
Although it's a bit of a give away the classic Twilight Zone episode Five Characters in Search of an Exit and the later version episode The Collection are doll related. The Collection is a must for any 1/6 scaler who wants to freak the crap out of someone as I discovered when I gave a presentation and had an audience member wondering when my Littles were going toÉ I don't want to ruin it.
The 1987 Dolls movie directed by Stuart Gordon is another way to freak people out but don't let our dolls watch. They don't need any ideas.
Robot Chicken, adult humor sketches starring toys. Don't let the tiny dolls watch.
Phantom of the Paradise, not doll related but where the Phantom doll comes from. Still a good move.