I can’t believe I’m having to ask a newbie question at this point in my reborning “career” but, where do you put the holes for the strings on the belly plate? Can anyone post a picture of a finished belly plate with ties attached? I actually just did my first belly plate and have sold the doll, but the belly plate has no strings on it yet and I’m hesitant to poke holes in it without being sure they are in the right place. Also, people say they use a paper punch to do the holes. The vinyl seems to thick to do that. What should I use instead?
This is where I normally punch holes (I do use a hole punch…but it is a leather hole punch like this and it works really well - makes nice clean edges -
I also use ribbon instead of string. normally in a natural light peach tone…some ladies use elastic and I have seen string used as well… 
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Thanks Starr. I think I have one of those punches somewhere. I’ll have to check. So how do you attach the ribbons? Put them through the holes and tie a knot??? I can’t believe how this has me hung up. This is the easiest thing ever and I’m scared to do it for fear I’ll ruin the belly plate.
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Hey Helen, I just did a belly plate for Serenity and I don’t have any holes in it either (yet). Would it be possible to use two longer ribbons and just kind of “lace” them like a shoe lace and that way you wouldn’t have to tie them and knot them at each hole? I don’t know, haven’t done it yet either.
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Well I did it. I followed Starrs suggestions and it came out just fine. Whew! We won’t talk about the glue I got in Autumn’s hair this afternoon and paniced like crazy! I finally got it all out without ruining anything but STRESS!
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Sorry Helen, just getting back to you…I had toddled off to bed after posting the first comment…
Yes…you can either just cut the ribbon and feed it in through the front…some people put a knot in the back (inside) so that it doesn’t pull back through or you can actually knot it around the vinyl like you are tying a shoe lace…you can also do the shoe lace thing that Lynn mentioned, I would only do it that way if you are sending the doll with the belly plate in place. Also if you opt for the lacing style, make sure that you leave enough ribbon to loosen it enough to slid it on and off the body so if the new mom wants to remove it she doesn’t have to fully pull the ribbon out…and last but not least…if you opt for lacing it…make sure that you put knots on the ends of the ribbon so that when the new mom loosens the lace to remove the plate…the ends don’t accidentally pull out…they are a pain to re-lace back through… 
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Hey at least you knew they needed holes! I never even thought about that… 
Glad it worked out well!!
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Of course my knots are on the good side, but they are very tiny and don’t look too bad so I think I’ll leave them. I hope it’s not a horrid faux pais. (Did I spell that right you folks who speak French?)
I’m sure they look fine…You do lovely work so I bet your tiny knots are as neat as can be too… 
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Just curious.did customer request strings? Never really had one that wanted them. Hmm perhaps ill include some.
Is it okay to not put strings? I would have done that if I knew I could. If I were doing a plate for myself I would just set it in place…no strings.
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I just tuck it in the diaper.
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I don’t normally add them either but have had ladies ask for them so probably could go either way…
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