Have you seen the announcement from Doll Crafter stating that the October 2010 issue will be the last one? I guess I’m not too surprised after that pitifully small last issue, but I do admit that I’m extremely disappointed. It seems to me that the magazine’s decline started when it began to broaden its scope to include other types of doll making. Many porcelain doll makers said that they felt deserted when articles that pertained to their interests became fewer and farther between and many began to look elsewhere to find something that was more satisfying for the money.
Doll Costuming was such a great addition to the doll world, especially for those who had an interest in reproduction dolls, but it seemed like it barely got started and then it was gone. And it didn’t completely take the place of Doll Crafter for those more interested in modern dolls.
Some of these changes took place when I was away from doll making, so I can’t really say if the decline in interest in porcelain dolls adversely affected the magazines in the beginning or if the changes in the focus of the magazines played a big part in the loss of interest in doll makers that had looked to them for new ideas and techniques, but whichever way it went, the sad thing is that the craft as a whole was in a severe downward spiral.
When I got started in doll making and was first introduced to Doll Crafter, I couldn’t wait until each new issue arrived. And like other doll makers, I was disappointed when articles on other types of doll making began to replace articles in which I was interested. Porcelain dolls completely held my attention, and I had so much to learn about the craft, and so many things that I saw in Doll Crafter that I wanted to try that I really didn’t have time or energy to develop an interest in these other areas as well. It’s not that one is better than the other, it’s just that my area of interest was all consuming, so I too was disappointed in the changes. And when I was finally able to get back into it after making a home for a bunch of grandkids for several years, the magazine was hardly recognizable.
Maybe the loss of Seeley’s, Doll Artworks, and now Doll Crafter were inevitable given all the other changes in the doll community during these past few years, but each one has been especially hurtful at a time when we are seeing a slow but steady revival of interest. Maybe things had just gone too far for all of these to be able to turn things around, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t rebuild. Of course it takes time, but just keep doing the thing we all love, just keep making dolls.
So what happens to the Doll Crafter subscriptions that we’ve paid for? According to Sue Martens, subscriptions, as well as some topics, will be rolled into DOLLS Magazine and we will be included in any relevant DOLLS communications, including upcoming as specials.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I was a devotee to Doll Costuming and it was like losing my best friend and still is. I have kept every issue. I was a doll maker but rarely used doll crafter…I did not like most of the dolls they featured but i have 2 or 3 saved where there was actually something i could use. In costuming, i missed the sewing section and the gorgeous photography…i make my own patterns from pictures so rarely used the patterns. Oh how i wish my “friend” was still alive!
Judy, many of us mourn the loss of this magazine as it once was. I have a number of copies myself that I know I’ll treasure for years to come, but as I already mentioned in response to Patsy’s comment on this article, we are anticipating the E-zine that The Porcelain Place intends to put out, hopefully around the first of the year, and which will feature a lot of things for the makers of modern dolls.
I can’t truthfully say that I will miss the current version of Doll Crafter/Costuming. Like Karen, I too am consumed with the desire to make only porcelain dolls. When the magazine began to feature more of the fabric, artistic inspired, or BJD dolls than porcelain, I lost interest. Could it possibly be that the reproduction porcelain doll makers sustained the magazine financially more than the more recent doll makers did? Don’t mean to cause a debate over this, I just feel that when the focus of the magazine changed from porcelain dolls to its current content, the advertising dwindled, the content shrank, readership disappeared, and now the magazine is ceasing publication.
I have an almost complete collection of Doll Crafter, and Doll Costuming magazines, including its first edition. I refer to the old issues often for education, doll projects, and inspiration. I read and reread articles by some of today’s foremost porcelain doll artist, written when they were just starting out, but their articles were wonderfully complex, and they shared everything. I am so glad I had the vision to collect the early editions of a once inspiring doll maker magazine.
Patsy, I’m sure you’ll be more and more thankful for the copies of Doll Crafter that you have saved over the years. They are wonderful for reference, and so full of good ideas! But cheer up! The Porcelain Place is planning on starting an e-zine for porcelain dollmakers that may help fill the gap left by the loss of this magazine. More about that in the future when it’s closer to becoming a reality!
Patsy,
I was glad to hear there are doll makers that have held on to their back issues of Doll Crafter magazines. I had a few of my dolls featured in these magazines and have been searching for an issue that I was unable to get years back. If you would be interested in parting with an issue or two, please contact me. I think the magazine has gone through many changes that has disappointed many of its faithful. Doll making has also taken a hit that will cause many of us to re-evaluate how we see doll making in the future. I was a member of three different doll clubs in the Denver area that boasted more than 34 members collectively. Now, there is only three of us left still making porcelain dolls. So sad. Glad to know there are still doll makers in search of good articles and magazines to guide them through this creative process. All the best.
Hi Patsy, nice to know there are still doll makers there. What issues of Doll Crafter are you looking for?
How sad. I raised & supported 4 kids making doll clothes & porcelain dolls. An inexpensive Doll Crafter ad brought me more business than I could handle. This was a wonderful magazine and it’s sad to see it deteroriate and then fail. I honestly think we can credit it to the outsourcing of jobs. My doll making bottomed out when the artisans started selling their molds & the rights to them to merchants who made cheap copies in Hong Kong & other foreign locations.
Things continue to change in the doll world. but new things are coming to replace the old, and new people are joining our ranks as doll lovers and are learning to make dolls, so just hang in there. Someday we hope to have an even stronger doll community. Let’s remember to keep sharing our interest with friends and family.
I just bought a large collection of doll molds and am in the learning process. The lady that sold me the molds recommended Doll Crafter as a source of information that would help me learn the art of porcelain dolls.
I’ve worked with stained glass, panels, 3-d, fusing, and slumping and I am planning to add porcelain dolls to my collection of skills. I’m retired and enjoy doing things with my hands and teaching is where I want this to lead. But it is impossible to teach without the knowledge to do it myself.
I’ve been looking at online catalogs of molds and see that even the molds are heading toward garbage curios and away from the beauty of the porcelain dolls.
I would enjoy hearing from people on source(s) of information that will help me in the learning process.
Hi Jim, welcome to the doll world! Doll Crafter did have a lot of excellant onformation about the craft at one time, and we are all sorry it is gone. We are looking forward to a new magazine – actually an E-zine since it will be online – that we hope will take up the banner and prove to be a source of that type of information in the near future. The Porcelain Place is the company working on it, and I will be announcing progress toward publication as it happens, so keep coming back. There are several inter-active on-line classes in doll making, but not really for the beginner. And as far as molds go, I think we will be seeing new ones on the market soon to make up for the loss of Doll Artworks, so don’t dispair. I have mentioned some good books for beginners in articles here on this website and will be happy to answer questions. I would suggest that you find a class to attend until you are comfortable with the basicshere is a lot to be learned in a good class.
It is unfortunate to lose a magazine such as Doll Crafter,especially when artists are beginning to re-explore porcelain as a medium for their dolls.I am fortunate to have learned MANY years ago when Bell,Seeleys and Doll Crafter was around.There were doll shops almost on every corner.I absolutely agree that the industry “crashed and burned” when artists sold the the rights to their dolls to HSN and importers. ( I don’t even want to get started)
Things are beginning to look up,though,especially since New York Doll Products purchased Seeleys and they are ‘up and running”…Jean and Ken Nordquist is ,thankfully, still here with their mold company…and God Bless our artists who are always willing to share information and give support to anyone wishing to learn the craft…all you have to do is ask…
Hi Mary, nice to hear from you. Yes, things are looking up a bit. I feel like maybe these last few businesses that have folded have cleared the decks for action, and things are starting to take off slowly. Trusting that this new year is a good one for porcelain doll makers all over.
I was just checking to see if Dollcrafter magazine was still available since I hadn’t seen it in stores. I was disapointed when so much of it was on cloth dolls and dropped my subscription. My daughter and I wanted to start doing more porcelain dolls now so I don’t have any idea what magazines are out there now. I used to subscribe to several of them. I would like to know if there are any left to subscribe to. Joretta Rains
Hi Joretta,
If you look on the left side of my web page, you’ll see magazines listed. Click on that and it will show you a list of magazines that we can still get. There may be a new on coming out soon that can be read on your computer, but it seems like the start date has been pushed back. If it comes out you’ll hear about it here. You can get some of the issues of Doll Crafter that you missed at doll shows and on ebay, and sometimes on the Porcelain Doll Bulletin Board at http://wwvisions.com/craftbb/porcelaindolls.html
I began making porcelain dolls over 20 years ago and was totally immersed in in every facet of the subject. I had a subscription for
years, but got away from it…as I had over 100 dolls and no room for
more.
I have a Sugar Britches mold that I used only one time and held on to it as it was a favorite of my 9 children. I was hoping to be able to advertize it for sale and wonder if there is a suggestion of a magazine where it might be appreciated.
Delena Jones
Hi Delena, I really don’t know what magazine you would hope to list your mold in, but Sugar Britches is a very popular doll and often included in lists of molds that people are trying to sell. I currently have three different people trying to sell theres on the Sell Your Molds Bulletin Board on my website, and I’ve seen it listed in other places as well. You’re welcome to list yours here on Yakkity Yak Dolls if you like, but no buyers have turned up for the others, and I’m not sure that you would have better luck anywhere else.
a few years ago I came across a doll magzine that had a woman who took barbi dolls and turned them into the most beautiful faries.My son is getting married and I would love to find this person to see if its possible to have a boy and girl fairy made.
I’m sorry, but I haven’t been able to get even a hint about who this might have been. Maybe someone will read your comment and be able to help us.
Hi, I cam across this site whilst researching the Doll Crafter Magazines I am selling. Dates ranging from 1993 – 1998.
You came to the right place. You may find interested people here.