Silkstone Barbie doll gowns from Bintulu sold all over the world

BINTULU (Bernama): Over the past few years, a mother of two can smile in satisfaction as orders and requests from all over the world keep pouring in for Barbie doll gowns stitched by her.

Erpha Ahdayani Othman, 41, has always admired the fineness and beauty of dolls' dresses since childhood, and had even secretly used her mother's sewing machine to stitch doll gowns when she was just 10 years old.

Sharing her experience with Bernama, Erpha said she was focusing on producing gowns for Silkstone Barbie dolls

These are not the usual toy dolls for children but are instead a collector's item that are more exclusive.

.“The interest in sewing doll dresses was always within me, but this hobby was long abandoned. But in recent years I have been keen on dressing Barbie dolls. Not only that, every dress I produce is a record in terms of size and design,” she said.

Erpha said she has produced hundreds of Silkstone Barbie gowns with the largest order received from customers in the United States.

“To sew a small gown you need skills, if one millimetre is missed the gown will become big. I can stitch one gown in a day but I need to be fully focused during sewing. The stitching pattern should be correct so that the quality is maintained,” she said.

Erpha who hails from Kampung Dagang, Bekenu, said besides the stitching techniques used, attention should also be given to each order.

“I use a wide range of fabrics including silk and cotton. The type of fabrics used should take into account the dark and light colours. The mechanical pencil used should also be bright so that the strokes will be clear so there will be no inaccurate cutting of the fabric,” she said.

Erpha said the types of fabrics and patterns also play an important role so that the stitched gown suits the Silkstone Barbie doll.

“Among the designs I usually sew are pencil skirts, vintage gowns or classic gowns. Each garment I sell is between RM150-RM200 and the price depends on the type of fabric used.

“Designers for dolls' clothes are not many, the design may be the same but the type of fabrics used and the sewing differentiates the handiwork of each tailor,” she said. -Bernama