Monday, January 9, 2012

Buttons, Snaps or Dreaded Velcro

While you are smocking on your insert, it is time to give closures some thought.   I like using snaps and for the button look I sew a little button on top of the snap.  Now, there are places where only Velcro will work but if I can stay away from Velcro I will.  The stuff sticks to everything in the house, almost like the Velcro is a magnet for lint, dog hair, and also sticks to dolly's hair.

Genine posted this topic on ES and I would also like your thoughts on the subject.

I do have a question for the mums and grandmas on the board ...

I've been asked by two customers why I put buttons and skirt seams on the dolls clothes, rather than leave the dress open and use velcro all the way down the back or the front. I am told by these customers that "children don't know how to do buttons these days". 

My question about this is "Why not? Why are people bringing up their children not to use buttons?". Surely every baby/toddler has a busy book with buttons, zips, snaps, shoe laces etc in it? 

Bearing in mind that the AG dolls are aimed at, say 8 year old girls, why would a child need ALL their dolls clothes to fasten with velcro? How can someone not be able to use buttons by the age of 8? 

I can totally understand a child of 5 not having the manual dexterity to find buttons and buttonholes easy, but a child of 8? Is that normal? Yes, buttons might be fiddly, but practice makes perfect! Surely by the age of 8 a child can button up their school shirts and tie their own ties? At the age of 5 I had to dress myself for school or go to school in my nightdress, so I learned about buttons very quickly! Mind you, we do wear school uniforms in England, and even very young children may have to wear proper shirts and ties for school, although these days the ties are usually clip ons for safety reasons. 

If you're going to answer this one, please bear in mind that I don't have any children! lol. 

For the record, wherever possible I do provide an alternative fastening method, but sometimes only a button will do! 

Rant over! :rotflo: Seriously though, I do want to understand this "no buttons" situation so if anyone can shed any light on this I'd be grateful!

Have a wonderful day everyone. 
TTFN
Genine


























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6 comments:

  1. GoosegirlJanuary 9, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    I used velcro on doll clothes when the girls were little. But by the time they got their 18 inch dolls, they could both do buttons and snaps. I USUALLY put snaps on doll clothes because I don't like to make such tiny buttonholes. And the snaps are just easy but don't mess up the doll clothes or collect lint.

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  2. nonie everythingsewingJanuary 9, 2012 at 11:14 AM

    I so agree with you. I know Genine will value the feedback.

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  3. JudyJanuary 9, 2012 at 6:57 PM

    Nonie,I make few doll clothes but also find it difficult to make the tiny button holes. When I make something for one of the grand's dolls I usually use a snap or velcro.gotta agree velcro sticks to everything and then looks so dirty.

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  4. nonie everythingsewingJanuary 9, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    Judy, what do you think of sewing a button on top of a snap for a button look. I am not good at making tiny buttonholes either.

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  5. Breathing In GraceJanuary 10, 2012 at 10:42 AM

    I personally do not like velcro....gets all linty and yucky!!! ;-)

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  6. CamillaJanuary 11, 2012 at 8:01 PM

    I think "do up buttons on the cuffs of own shirt" is the equivalent task to doing up buttons on doll clothes, due to doll's clothes having less ease.

    My boy suddenly decided to master shirt buttons at 3 1/2, but I doubt he can do the cuffs at 5 (he's only got short-sleeve button shirts).

    I didn't master cuff buttons until 11, but I got it quick enough when I had to. No doubt it does happen much younger, if the clothing is everyday wear.

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