Taobao DIY sewing kits – Leqi and others

Oh wow that sounds amazing! I've literally never heard of anything like this before but it makes so much sense, its kind of like dollhouse kits.

 

This is so cool!

 

Oh wow that looks amazing! You're doing a great job so far. I've never heard of these types of kits before either, but yeah they're kind of like dollhouse kits, with all the supplies needed to get the job done. Interesting.

 

I've never heard of this kind of thing before, but it sounds like it would be amazing sewing practice and a more cost effective way to build a doll's wardrobe, if you have the time to put it together on your own.

With all the extra fabric/trim, do you think you'd be able to get two outfits out of this rather than just one? Or is the extra just intended to be there in case you mess up?

I'm definitely interested in buying one (or several), so I'll probably get one when I have some extra money.

 

Those are really neat! I have the worst luck trying to explore Taobao, haha. I really wish I could order things from there, but it always signs me out! I think kits like that are a fantastic idea.

 

Wonderful work! Is fantastically beautiful!
My congratulations

 

Could you share the Chinese shop name for Liqui as well as the search term you used to find these kits? These are incredible, I really want to look for some to get!!

 

Those are amazing! I just wish I could make the links work.

 

This is so cool!! Especially love how the fabric isn't pre cut so you can modify the size for smaller dolls...def gotta check this out!

 

Oh that's a gorgeous kit!!

Personally, I have experience with Emily's Doll Fashion, which has a store on aliexpress, for people like me who struggle with taobao. I've gotten a few kits from them, and the experience has been largely positive. The kits contained all the necessary notions, the fabric was usually of pleasant quality (the only time I was less than thrilled was a female hanfu kit where all the fabric was an oddly texture polyester). The tutorials were in pdf (I think I had to ask them to send those via email) and were in english, with plenty of images. I sometimes had trouble understanding some parts of the instructions, but to be fair I often have that problem when I encounter a new type of contrustion even in human garments so that might just be me
I keep telling myself I want to buy more kits, but the problem is deciding which one I want most

 

Wow, I never even considered that this would be an option. I’m definitely filing this away for later. Thank you for sharing!

 

I don't remember the taobao shop name (though looking through this post it was Emily's and here's the kit) but I ordered one of these before and paid a non-bjd friend sew it for me since I didn't trust myself to do so. Mine is an aviator-esk set with a jumpsuit, jacket, and hat. And I ordered mine as a mature 1/4 size kit that I knew would need some adjustments made to the sizing. Plus I wanted the pieces for different dolls so had a few other sizing requests.

Here's the jumpsuit and a waist band thing the set also included. So glad I had a seasoned seamstress sew this because I would not have been able to get nice stitching details. Had this sewn to fit a slender model delf male.

Spoiler

The hat I requested to be made to fit my tinies with 6" heads. It's shared between a couple of them. My friend said this was the most difficult to make of the kit.

Spoiler

The jacket is my favorite piece. I wanted it to be able to fit not only 1/4 but big baby as well. The kit came with many little decorative pieces, some of which are actually literal pins that are stuck onto it. Also the collar is a bit wonky due to how thick that plaid material is for this scale, but I don't mind. The waist belt is also kind of useless, again due to the thick material it's made from.

Spoiler

Overall I'm very impressed with the quality of this and when I get brave enough may try to do a more simple one myself. My friend already told me she's never doing "one of those stupidly detailed tiny clothes kits" again.

 

Oooh that's really cool!

 

I figured it out! I believe their shop name is actually "Leqi," and they DO have a Chinese shop name: 乐其娃衣材料包

Here is a link that should work to browse what they have on offer! You can copy+paste the links for ones you are interested in into an agent like Superbuy!! (This is for those of you guys who can't use Taobao like myself)

乐其手工包-新人首单立减十元-2022年5月|淘宝海外

 

Thank you for all of these links and search terms! And the detailed review! I've not bought one of these kits before, but I've been thinking about it... This is all really helpful. I think I want to try one of the Leqi kits sometime soon!

 

Thank you so much, this is amazing!!!

If anyone sees more Leqi style patterns/kits in 1/4 and 1/6, I would love to hear about them. That lacy historical look is something I love.
I see Leqi has some patterns in those sizes but I am having trouble finding other shops of the same kind. Searching with the Chinese characters pulled up a lot of outfits, but i dont think they were kits.
Probably user error, I haven't looked at Taobao before and am definitely having trouble navigating.

 

Thank you!!! Once I figured out how to register my phone number as an account and use the verification system, I can see everything no problem.

Does anyone have any idea about shipping times for something like this, using an agent? I'm potentially moving in about 4 months, but I suppose I could have it sent to someone else and have them pass it on.

 

I got one of the kits from the Emily's Doll Fashion Aliexpress store and I'm impressed with the quality of the materials! I sent a request in for the English instructions. I can't wait to try putting it together. It's so nice to have a project again, and I'm really looking forward to working with it. It arrived pretty quickly too.

 

That's great to hear! I've been eyeing one of the kits from Emily's. Did it come with any sort of instructions in the kit itself or are the English instructions you have to ask them for the only ones?

 

No instructions were included that I could see. Instead they included two postcard sized papers with QR codes on them to reach out for instructions in either Chinese or English through a variety of platforms (WeChat, Twitter, etc). There are labels on the pattern pieces (which are printed on nice, thick craft paper), but that was it.

 

With taobao is there no English option or maybe a distributor that has an English page? I see so many pretty things but have no idea how to order or navigate. I am a little wary of using Google translate for everything.

 

Parcel up (used to be Taobao Focus) has an English page. They're a shopping service, so you do end up paying a little more than ordering directly from Taobao. I've used them for buying lolita items and it was a smooth transaction. You can copy the Taobao links into the search bar to bring up specific listings.

 

Thanks for posting the thread. I put in an order for a couple of kits since they seem pretty nice:

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=586697841412 wedding dress with veil and crown, ordered the 1/3 size
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=638466581282 dress with vest and hat, ordered the 1/4 size

I'll post pics when I get them in.

 

wow thanks for sharing this. once I get my taobao account back (it got locked after I didn't use if for over a year) I'll definitely give this a try.

 

Thank you for this detailed post! Was always curious about how these kits worked, but they seem to be very carefully made. Love historical dresses, but the ready-made ones are a bit over my budget. Definitely considering to try one out once I get a lot better at sewing.

 

These look really interesting, I'll probably pick one up just to see how clear the instructions are.

What's the fabric/thread quality like? Not expecting anything crazy luxurious, just mildly worried about colors running or staining.

 

Thank you for sharing this! They seem like an amazing idea, and the one you are working on is stunning would you say they are good for a novice sewer? I know the basics, and remember about half of what I learnt in classes as a teenager, but I really want to try my hand at something more intricate than a human size face mask lol. Now I just need to work out how to set up Taobao

 

My kits came in today. The one I got through Emily's Taobao store (link:https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=638466581282) didn't have instructions or card with QR code to request them. Does anyone have the link to where I can request them? Also the pattern was only one page. Does that sound right?

 

@coop52 My pattern was one one large piece, kind of some kind of brown craft paper? It seemed very sturdy and does require it to be cut out.

As for contacts, it says her Instagram is emilydiypackage, so maybe try there? Is there an option to message the seller on Taobao?

 

Thanks @Sephora I tried messaging. I'll try their Taobao shop next if I don’t get a response

 

Thank you for sharing this! These clothes look beautiful.

 

I've purchased from Emily's Aliexpress store, and once the kit arrives, you can send a message to her through the Aliexpress shop. She responded promptly and mailed me the PDF directions to my email.

 

Wow these kits sound awesome! Definitely more beginner friendly than trying to buy the fabric and everything from scratch

 

I wouldn't say that. The fabrics they include in the kits I have seen are very challenging to work with.

 

Oh really? I’m struggling to find anything in the sizes I need (75cm boy) so was hoping there might be a kit I could try but I actually haven’t found anything for that size.

 

I think they're certainly not a bad thing to try, but yes some of the fabrics are hard to work with when you're new to sewing overall (think slippery ones that will try to escape you!). I think they're especially good if you're still learning the feel and so on of fabrics that will "work", and it's nice to have detailed instructions when starting out. Mileage may vary.

 

Oh my this post confirmed that kits for BJDs existed! I've only ever ordered and tried kits for nendoroid dolls (off topic) so I had a feeling there should be for bigger dolls. I'm so glad I checked here and confirmed it!

I wonder if anyone has tried finding hanfu kits from Taobao before? More specifically, male hanfu?

 

Second Dream (link in OP) looks like they might have some.

 

Emily has some ID75 stuff. Here are some examples:
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=603906024259
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=629785812134
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=655743170893
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=667092907473

 

It’s a shame she doesn’t have these in her AliExpress shop too. I haven’t worked out now to buy from Taobao as I can’t create an account there ( tells me it’s blocked even though I’ve never used the site before )

 

These are very elaborate! The lace designs are interesting.

 

You can message her on Aliexpress, and she can list them for you if it's available in the size you want. I first bought from her on Aliexpress and then bought from her on Taobao through Superbuy, and honestly, with the shipping costs factored in, they were about the same.

Not to mention, I had a huge headache buying from Taobao with Superbuy since they had issues with the pens + glue because they were considered liquids. I had them throw them out as to avoid more problems on the shipping side. The shipping also got so expensive (even with the cheapest available option and trying to calculate it where I wouldn't be kicked into the next weight tier), that it ended up being similar to what I spent on Aliexpress.

I made one of her kits and am currently working on a second one. I need to post pictures of them soon. She's honestly so friendly and nice. The service was phenomenal!

 

Oh lovely thank you!

 

I would really love to see pictures! I am really tempted to pick up some of the ones she has available for OB27... Did you find there was enough of the materials in the kit to make small adjustments, by the way? Say, a longer hem or something? I don't know how much extra there would be since half of the point is that you only get as much as you need so you waste less.

 

Yes!! There is a TON of material in the Emily kits. I'll try to take some photos of the items I made + the extra mats I have. With some of them, you can probably make 2 of something minus some of the notions and embellishments. I actually messed up sewing the skirt panel since I put in french seams and reversed it when sewing, so I was able to cut another 2 panels out lol.

One big complaint I have is that sometimes the materials are the same regardless of scale, which can be annoying depending on the item. I made a top out of one of Emily's kits, and the mesh undershirt is just too... springy/dense for 1:4, and I personally didn't like the drape. Some of the embellishments, like the patches, felt larger than they should've been. In her demo photos, it looks like it was for a 65cm+ doll, so it looks a bit larger for 1:4. This should make a lot more sense one I have photos. xD

But overall, I'm super happy with the kits. Even if using just the materials, the patterns are worth it, and if I wanted to remake it in some other fabrics, I have the chance to do so too!

Here's the one I'm making now: Daphne

I've been obsessing over it lately because there are some things I didn't like on how I sewed it. Also, this is for my Doll Chateau girl, so the proportions are wonkier and the bottom cross panel isn't as flat or nice as in the image (I also ended up folding a pleat in the main skirt panel). I sent her measurements for my doll, and I was under the impression it would be adjusted for her, but it doesn't seem to be the case. That said, I don't think it's a deal breaker or a bad thing because I learn *a lot* putting them together!

 

I finished the Daphne kit!
Lots of mistakes but honestly a great learning experience.

 

Oh wow these look lovely!! I have been digging around on where to get clothes for my 1/6 Myou girl so maybe I can find some DIY kits to make nice clothes for her

 

Update on my order from the Emily's Doll Fashion Aliexpress store: they canceled my order after messaging me about difficulty getting things shipped to the warehouse due to ongoing lockdowns in China. I can believe their story but I'm not fully convinced they aren't scammers yet, especially since Aliexpress's cancellation policies heavily favor the sellers and at the moment I have no way to open a formal dispute for this specific order.

 

I finished another kit that I purchased from Emily. This one is called Tourist of Spring. It was very challenging in many ways as it uses numerous facings and finishes to keep everything nice and neat. Also, the button snaps/straps were... annoying, and some popped out, even after I carefully tacked them down and went over them with the the machine. That was a nightmare to fix a few times... I marked the closures as indicated on the pattern but could probably have marked them a bit further down/more evenly.

I think some of the directions don't always match up, but it's all right. It's worth figuring out and playing with them to see what works best for you. I also used some fabric in my stash since I didn't like one of the fabrics that was included for making the vest. (A straight up synthetic twill which would refused to be ironed - definitely not a fan.)

I had this pattern sized for my Ellana, and the fit was great. This did require me to be a lot more accurate when sewing, which I think is a good thing lol.

I had a lot of problems setting the eyelets, and the tutorial files I got referred to them but weren't included. I messaged Emily even though it had been many months after I had purchased my kit, and she responded in less than 12 hours. I've been really happy with the post-purchase service! Anyway, another kit done.








(I didn't press the princess seam too well on left side oops. xD)

 

update on this: the order was fully canceled and I got an automatic refund so I guess that’s the end of that. I don’t know if this is a thing that’s happening to everyone’s orders due to logistics issues but my other orders from AliExpress have arrived at a normal speed with no issues. I don’t plan on ordering from them again.

 

I've never seen these before, these are amazing! I think I could get one for a friend of mine and she might like these more than me making the clothing myself for her.

 

Shipping in China is really complex as most small businesses are unable to offer affordable shipping methods until they hit a certain volume, and those who ship large volumes can get priority over shipping. My friends and I use Superbuy when purchasing on Taobao, and after one lockout, they were still able to do a final shipment on SAL despite a proposed date cut off. These things are just less than transparent to buyers. China is still managing covid, unlike in the US where it's almost like it never happened - at least in my area.

I've purchased from Emily, but this was almost a year ago, so I can't really speak to their difficulties that they encounter. Sorry to hear that you didn't have a positive experience with them. I really don't see why they wouldn't send you the kits unless it wasn't possible or was difficult for them to do so. I ordered my other kits from Emily through an agent on Taobao, so that may be worth considering if you are still interested, or you can check out other sellers that were listed above. I recently placed an order from Leqi's shop to see how their kits are. Be warned of the international shipping cost, though, as for the bigger kits, the parcels *are* heavy.

Anyway, just to be clear, my experience doesn't mean it was your experience, nor does it devalue yours. Like I previously mentioned, If you're still interested, hopefully you can give one of these kits a shot from another maker. I plan to also try out some of the other kits to see how they are, but it's fun to make others' designs.

Everything I've received has been very challenging to make -- but in a good way! I feel like these kits are a wonderful way into more advanced sewing as a lot of patterns are usually at the beginner/intermediate level. The sleeve pattern on the Tourist of Spring was super creative and unusual, and unlike anything I've seen before. In my previous kit (Daphne), I worked with trickier meshy/lacey fabrics, stuff I would never work with before. I view them kind of like a baby master class. xD

 

I think you might be being a bit too quick to judge them? They did refund you and it's completely possible that they did indeed have shipping problems during the time you ordered.

The Chinese government often imposes Covid lockdowns in different areas with no warning at all, and they sometimes extend the lockdowns with no warning as well, so Emily's warehouse could have been in an area that was suddenly locked down. And they perhaps felt it was better to cancel and refund all the orders they got during that time as they did not know when they might be able to ship again.

It's disappointing and annoying that your order got cancelled, but I think it was responsible of them to cancel and refund when they knew they might not be able to deliver instead of taking your money.

 

My main concerns were AliExpress’ policies putting me in a bad spot (the buyer basically can’t do anything to get a refund or cancel an order without negotiating with the seller no matter how much time has passed) and the wording of the messages I got, which implied that they would re-open my order whenever shipping became possible again. Obviously that didn’t happen before the auto-refund kicked in so now I have no idea if it’s even possible for them to re-open the order on their end.

 

Bumping this as it's been awhile since I've sewn and decided to make the Pauline kit from Emily. I bought this one directly from her on Aliexpress.

This one was pretty challenging to make. Challenging because the best results I had were from doing a lot of handsewing.
I still have the coat to make, but we'll see if/when I get around to it because my lizard brain is getting a small headache from just reading the directions for the coat lol.