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The thread will be true embroidery thread (as opposed to sewing thread). Inferior, mass-made dolls and ornaments will be done by sewing machine,
using a kind of embroidery thread called "machine emproidery thread", which is almost as weak as sewing thread.
You can recognize true embroidery thread because of its thicher, glossier aspect.
Check our section on materials for more information.
A quality handmade doll will be sewn using the backstitch techique, that is difficult to achieve using sewing machine.
[back to top]A quality handmade doll will be hand painted, upon close examination of the painted features and details you will notice the strokes, and recognize the artist's style. Mass-made dolls usually have stamped motives in one or a few colors.
[back to top]A good-quality handmade doll will usually combine several types of clothing in order to present a pleasant, soft contrast of colors and patterns. The artist can add petticoats, tulle or aprons that not only convey a rustic look but also help combine colors. A mass-made rag doll will not normally use more than one dress color or pattern.
[back to top]Mass made dolls usually come in one piece, because it is easier to cut and stuff one pattern instead of three or five. A handmade doll usually will have a piece for head and torso, and independetly sewn stuffed pieces for arms and legs. This makes the doll more flexible and the clothes fit better and look more natural, giving it more ornamental value.
[back to top]Every handmade doll is unique in terms of how the dress fits the body, how much movement is allowed to the clothes. This is because the artisan normally makes several attemps until she finds the right balance. She can correct the amount of stuffing or alter the dress, and she can improvise which sewing techniques to use. Fancy appliqués, pleats and other decorative sewing techniques are harder to find on mass made dolls, basically because it is complex and expensive to achieve the same result in a small amount of time or by using a machine.
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