Let's Talk Back and Belly Plates

I have a customer wanting me to do a front and back plate for her Emmy newborn. It looks like BB is out of the back plates that might fit her, so what’s everyone’s other go-to for plates? I’ve never actually done or attached plates to a baby, so this is really new to me. Any thoughts or tips on what to look for, what to avoid? In your experience, what’s the best way to attach both of the plates so that they best work together? MacP’s has a wrap around belly plate, but the only image is just of the front of the plate…do they just mean it wraps around the sides further than a traditional plate?

I’m super excited about working on this and just want it to look as nice as possible!

Thanks SO much for all of your help!

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Yes, the wrap around ones just wrap farther around the sides, they don’t include a butt or back. You may want to get a torso instead if she wants the whole thing. It would definitely be more natural looking than trying to connect a front and back plate, in my opinion.

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Thank you, Emma! So there is something that is just one piece? That would definitely be preferred!

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Like this?

Do you think it would be okay for the 1/4 limbed Emmy body? I know some of the cloth would still show at some areas…

Just realized the above is a kit with the limbs…so maybe this?

Yes, I’m not sure how you would use them with a cloth body, I know people do, I personally have not. I hope someone else can chime in and give you suggestions on exactly how to use it with a cloth body.

So my Esme came with a torso. She was the first Eagles kit to do that I think. It is kinda fiddly to put one together. You put the cloth body inside it first. Next you pull each leg casing out enough so you can attach your already weighted legs then do so with the arms. Once you have used the body slack to do these, then you can fill and weight the body that is inside the torso through the neck. Next you will attach your weighted head. The body will not be stuffed as much as you may otherwise. These bodies are great for posing but hard, cold and do not allow nice cuddle of the baby. A year later I took mine off Esme and I like her much better now without it because I rather hold her.

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Emmy have 1/4 limbs, if I am not mistaken. I guess you will use different limbs with her ? Because belly plate or torso would look weird.
There’s no torso that I know of that comes with limbs.
Like anjsmiles said, torso are realistic but not cuddly and you will need a body inside to attach limbs. A belly and back plates can be easily removed if your customer want to. They are mostly used for photos.

I just did this for my cousin not for Emmy but for aria I painted a belly plate and a back plate and they did not go together they did not look good together there was no way for them to be worn together because they were too big to fit around areas little body Emmy being a 1/4 limb would look really weird with a tummy plate and back plate unless you did a full head swap with saying maybe Maggie kit that could work but Baby would not be cuddly at all. After painstakingly making a belly plate and back plate to match a doll head that I already painted turned out my cousin didn’t like it after all because it wasn’t cuddly I knew that was gonna happen because it was for her 10 year old daughter and belly plates and back plates are really only good for pictures not for keeping on the doll because they don’t look right :thinking: even when tied together… was just awkward

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The best option I have seen was a lady took one of the LLE torsos and split it down one side then punched holes on each side of the split and sewed in big hooks like what goes on a corset. So now the torso can be taken on and off and it hooks on the sides to close so the belly and butt/back is still pretty for photos.

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I did the hooks for partial torso Charli Winters.

That looks great. I can’t remember who did the LLE baby I saw like that but I think I may go back and fix my Esme’s torso that way. I can’t remember if they cut it in her crotch too or just the side. I think it was someone on ARC. Do you remember Pia?

I think it was Susan VanOrman? Or Cathy King?

Cathy King has done it I found threads of her talking about it on my search but I could not find the photo she had posted that I saw.

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Laura Lee Eagles posted a split on both sides…

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That’s it! That is the one I was thinking of. Thankyou!!

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I tell my clients that a baby is lovely for posing but honestly will most likely be wrapped in tissue in a drawer, they are bulky and take away the cuddle factor (assuming that is what they want the doll for). I don’t send my babies laced in. A front and a back plate will be 50 extra bucks to paint not including the cost of the plates. Most times they opt out if I give them the choice. I don’t do customs but I use to get requests for them. I try not to do any with genitals, I had some uncomfortable emails about them. I have them, once in a great while I will make a baby with one but I won’t put it in the description usually.