Two doll knit makers Laib Yala and De Witte Engel make doll fabric (aka tricot, interlock or doll skin) in 100% cotton.
How does Laib Yala compare to De Witte Engel?
For LY I used the lightest tone in two weights; the stretchier and softer knit on the face, and the more rigid knit on the body. For DWE I used colour T114, which I call “Sunkissed”.
Using the same pattern I tried to make each doll to resemble the other as much as possible for the comparison. The LY doll ended up with a longer slightly narrower body than the DWE. The LY stuffed up nice and firm, but with the lighter tone you could see the stuffing more easily and I found I had to spend more time re-stuffing as a result. Each doll used about the same amount of wool. When sewing the LY didn’t seem as flexible going through the machine, the edges liked to curl a little, and I found I had to pay more attention when sewing~ but that could also be because I am new to using it!
With the same kind of handling the DWE pilled more; I didn’t try to prevent pilling, I intentionally handled both dolls a lot while making them just to see what the difference in pilling would be.
However using the 2 different types of LY knit (one for face and another for body) is noticeable, so perhaps just using the one type for the body also for the face is the way to go. You will sacrifice softness though, the DWE is softer. Also with the DWE you could make a much more plump doll. I tend to make mine more traditional “Waldorf” shape, so this was not a concern for me.
So, the verdict? LY is less stretchy and less likely to pill; and I think it’s also more dirt resistant, but mine only played in the snow (see below). DWE is softer, more likely to pill, and easier to stuff~ which would come in handy if making a chubbier doll for sure.
Is there a winner? Both make nice dolls, I think it comes down to preference in texture and colour. They both like to play and even made snow angels after they were done hanging out in the fir tree…
Both dolls like to play!
