by Lisa A. Lawrence

Deb West was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, where the majority of her family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins, still live.  Deb is extremely close to her younger brother and sister, telephoning them weekly at the very least.  Deb lived in Charleston until she was 25 when she and her husband, Will, moved to Athens, Georgia while Will finished Veterinary College. 

Following this, they returned to a 'dot of a town' called "Bonneau" in the South Carolina wilds. After 5 years, they moved into a more modern town, Moncks Corner, S.C., which actually has a grocery store and a fast food joint!  Still, Deb remains a mere 40 miles from her beloved Charleston!

Deb attended the College of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina. She worked her way through college by working part-time during school and full time during Christmas and Summer breaks. She received a degree in Medical Technology which consisted of studies in Biology, Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.  While raising her first child, Erin, now in college, Deb returned to school and earned a Master's Degree in Health Administration with a residency in contract negotiations and Physician Services.  While she doesn't talk about it, she received this degree with high honors.

After college, Deb worked for 5 years in medical research before she got married.  Since then, she's worked in hospital labs, physicians office labs, hospital administration and has taught high school science.

As I've gotten to know Deb in the past year, I've found her to be the typical Southern Girl.  During the summer, whenever we chatted, Deb was canning fruits and vegetables and making her famous apple pie (apparently it takes 2 different kinds of apples to get it just right.)  Deb taunts me often with the minute details of the wonderful dinners she makes for her family, while I eat my bowl of cereal on days I can't get my hubby to cook for me!  I'm also not allowed to swear when talking with her. She gives me a little leeway there, but not much!

While I recognized instantly that Deb West was undercharging for her work, to my infinite regret, instead of hiring her immediately, I told her about the various doll boards, including Vicky's and Prego.  I told her I'd like her to sew for me but that I was still in the planning stages and wasn't ready yet.  By the time I was ready, Deb had already captured the attention of the doll collectors on the boards and had wisely, through the advice of Deb Simpson (my good friend and art editor), raised her prices.  

My opportunity to capture excellent work at dirt cheap prices was forever missed.  I'm still irritated at myself about this and remind Deb West frequently!  She just laughs at me.In June 2003, I asked Deb West if she would like to be featured in an upcoming issue of High Maintenance.  Normally, people are excited about this and just say "yes."  Not so with Deb!  She was, in fact, excited.  But, she was also concerned that she not be in the same issue as any of her close friends who were also doll clothing designers.  So, instead of just scheduling Deb for an issue, she made me tell who was in each issue and let her choose from there!

While Deb already had a nice little following on the doll boards and a small website, she really hadn't had time to do anything about promoting herself on a larger scale.  Deb Simpson and I decided to make Deb West our "summer and fall project."  Deb Simpson was going to build Deb West's website. I was going to put her in my magazine.

Well, if it takes a village to raise a child, it's taken a whole country to establish Deb W. as a new force in the doll design world.  I think, and many agree, that she is among the very best of designers.  Still, she's not that well known. 

As the deadline approached for this article, there were way too many loose ends to clean up before Deb W. could make her "Debut" into Doll Society!  For various reasons, Deb Simpson hadn't been able to work on Deb West's website.   I considered Deb West's new website to be critical to this article.  So, I took the website project away from Deb Simpson and started building it myself.  I finished it one day before publishing this article!  Check it out!!!  http://www.debwestdesigns.com  Meanwhile, Deb Simpson was on Deb West's back to learn to take better photographs.  Believe me, you don't want Deb Simpson on your back about anything!  She's relentless in her pursuit of making you "do better." (Read "nag".)

Deb West had been sewing and sent me pictures of her outfits.  We had two weeks to go before "publication" date.  The outfits were incredible.  The photography sucked!  I went into panic mode and declared that we had to find someone with great photography skills to show off Deb West's work to perfection.  Having also built the basic website for Deb during this time, I noted that, while the gallery of past designs was quite full, the current offerings for sale were non-existent.  (That's the problem when you're good and everyone likes what you do.  You sell out fast!)  Deb didn't have anything in her sales room because she had just finished a large private commission of several outfits.  Things weren't looking good.  How can you debut a website with nothing to sell?

So, I asked Deb, "Who has this commissioned wardrobe?"  Luckily, it was Maggie, my copy editor, who had it!  Instantly, Maggie was told she was responsible for taking the photos of those outfits which would become the leading featured top photo in the article!  Maggie, absolutely loving her new outfits and waiting quite impatiently to show them off (Deb West had forbidden Maggie from showing the outfits online until this article came out!), rose to the challenge.  Noting her next door neighbor owned a photography studio, Maggie decided to call in the chips and see if she could use the studio for the photographs.  (In editing this article, Maggie notes that her neighbor inconsiderately went on vacation, leaving Maggie to her usual "al fresco" style of photography.)

Meanwhile, I told Deb that she must create a bunch of new outfits so I had something I could put on her website.  I changed the publication date of this issue by a week, to give Deb time to do it.  Deb and I spent an evening IMing together, planning what these new outfits would be.  By the next morning, she had several complete outfits planned.  Everyday, she would report back to me on how it was going.  I pushed and pushed her to work like a banshee.  She did!  On November 16, she IM'd me to say she had completed 4 new outfits and those would probably be enough.  She asked if she could skip making the 5th outfit.  I IM'd her back. "No!" I stated, "I want the 5th outfit too!'  Knowing I meant business, Deb went right back to her sewing machine to start on it!

During this time, we also realized that these outfits needed to be photographed both for her website and this article.  I refused to let Deb take the pictures.  I wanted good ones!  So, Deb asked LeeAnn Bernard (a contributing writer to HM) if she would do the honors.  We'd all enjoyed LeeAnn's doll photos on her board, Prego, (see also her collection in the Sept 2003 issue of HM) and knew her photography skills would do justice to these outfits. 

Usually, putting together an article for HM involves just me and the artist.  Then Maggie corrects my writing and Deb Simpson does the art layout of the photographs  This particular article took a whole lot more work by three extra people.  It was frantic and somewhat fun (I got to boss everyone around!)  Deb West was very lucky that so many people believed in her and her talents that they volunteered their time to make sure this article and the pictures were the absolute best they could be! 

Deb started sewing for Tyler in August 2002, using the Tonner® patterns that were then available.  She soon found herself modifying the patterns, mixing and matching pieces from other patterns and picking up design elements from other human size patterns.  This progressed until, by October, she had developed her own slopers and she began designing her own outfits!  She now sews almost exclusively from her slopers.

Deb sews for Tyler, Gene, Alex®, CED® and Tiny Kitty®  She also has a big Kitty®, Silkstone®, Vintage Barbie, and FR Veronique® available for fittings.

As stated above, Deb accepts commissions. "I enjoy working with a client for an OOAK outfit that they want." Deb states, "I frequently also have requests for prior designs and I will happily make them for a client if I have enough fabric."

Deb is a full-time wife, home-maker and, most importantly, mother.    A few years after Erin was born, Deb and Will tried for another child.  For six years they went to infertility clinics until the Doctors determined that they would never have another child.  They recommended that Deb have a complete hysterectomy.  Deb and Will both rejected this plan.  Another six years went by.  One night, Will couldn't sleep.  Instead, he spent an evening on their front porch, praying for a son.  A month later, Deb was pregnant.  When she called Will to tell him the news, Will already knew she was pregnant and told her about his night of prayer.  The night before learning the news, Will and Deb had sat down to review their finances and to develop a plan to save for retirement and pay for Erin's college expenses.  

"We also discussed the approaching 'empty nest' and that we needed to develop activities and hobbies that would help us through that period." Deb recalls, "We also needed to learn how to spend time together alone …again.  I spent part of that evening in prayer because I was stressing out over the thought of my little girl being gone.  Little did I know how quickly that prayer would be answered.  Less than 24 hours!!"

When Russell was born 9 months later, they discovered he had Down's Syndrome.  "It was another total and complete surprise." Deb recalls, "We did not know during pregnancy.  To say that we were "reeling" is a considerable understatement.  Our lives have been forever changed.  Not for the worse...just different.  We have joy beyond measure with the life of our son.  He is truly a blessing and we understand what the gift of his life means.  To spend any time at all on the "what might have beens" is totally defeating.  It is sadness beyond measure."  At 5 months of age, Russell required open heart surgery. Another miracle; he recovered quickly.  At that time, Deb quit her job and became a stay-at-home mother.

While Deb started her sewing as a hobby last year, things quickly changed.  With Erin entering college this Fall and Deb no longer working, finances got tight.  Will told Deb that she might need to get a job outside of the home.  Concerned about Russell's welfare and not wanting to put him in daycare, Deb asked her husband if she could devote more time to develop her hobby into a business sufficient to meet the extra income they needed while still being able to stay at home with her special needs child.  "Working at home is not an easy thing to structure" Deb notes, "Sewing time is still in bits, pieces and spurts because of family commitments.  And family is the number one priority.  Erin made the decision to attend the College of Charleston which is only an hour drive from home.  She is devoted to her family and is especially close to her little brother."

If God had given Deb and her husband the strength to accept Russell's disabilities, God was also watching out for Deb's need to stay at home with him.  Upon learning that Deb West was no longer just sewing for fun, Deb Simpson and I (also Christians) both jumped into the mix in order to ensure that Deb's sewing hobby could quickly transform into a money making business.  The idea for this article was born.  We started taking over Deb's life to get her business upgraded.  While I know Deb is grateful for all Deb Simpson and I do for her, she'll also say that Deb Simpson and I are bossy and never let up on her for a minute.  It's true!

Both Debs and I believe that God brought the three of us together to help each other out.   While I had first contact with Deb West, Deb Simpson and she were friends months before I got to know either of them very well.  A few well timed emails resulted in an immediate bond between the three of us, with each of us offering the other two much needed friendship, support and know-how.  While they could each offer me advice on getting doll clothes made and standards to meet, I could offer them my writing skills, my business acumen, and my intent for all three of us to become successful in the doll community.  What they lacked in confidence and hubris, I had in spades.  While I know nothing about sewing, the two of them are experts.  We are endlessly doing favors for each other, resulting in our respective businesses growing quickly while maintaining an integrity that is important to all three of us.  God has blessed us as individuals and as a team!  We are all very aware of how he uses each of us to help each other.

Deb learned to sew when she was a child.  Her grandmother gave Deb her first Barbie as a Christmas gift when she was 9.  That summer, her brother was born and she and her sister stayed with their grandparents for a month.  As Deb puts it, "Out of exasperation, my grandmother taught me to sew.  We began with basic stitches, then gathered fabric and added a waistband...instant skirt.  We then got a pattern and I learned to cut pattern pieces and stitch them together.  I learned to sew on a machine when I was 12.  From that time on, I made all my own clothes.  It has only been in the last 5 years or so that I haven't made anything for myself to wear.  I  also have a few books that describe special sewing techniques, embroidery stitches, French hand-sewing, etc.  I refer to them as needed."

Deb gets her inspiration for her designs from the fabrics she finds.  "I can get lost in a fabric store for hours." Deb states, "I love to look at fashion magazines, pattern books and mail order catalogues.  But mostly, I sew what I want to wear myself or items I have worn in the past.  When I sewed for myself I tended to make tailored, fitted things."

When Deb comes up with a idea for a new design concept,  she spends a day developing the patterns.  The next day or two are spent sewing the concept and making adjustments.  Then, she'll spend one more day doing the detail work.. finishing, pressing, sewing on buttons, etc.  Her favorite part of this process is watching the idea take shape on the doll.  Her least favorite part is having to re-cut and re-sew the outfit because the design didn't fit the doll the way she wanted it to.

Deb enjoys sewing and isn't interested in just designing outfits without being involved in the sewing of them.  That's fine for Deb, but it doesn't do me any good!  I did manage to hire Deb to design some blazers for my signature line on Lisa's Doll Closet.  While she did make the first batch for me, I now have the patterns and can have them made by others.  I intend to continue hiring Deb for patterns.  She's not thrilled about this idea... but she knows I'm relentless in my pursuit of excellence for the outfits on my website. 

When working on a commission, Deb usually asks her client for a picture of the design that they are interested in.  "These are generally "people" outfits." she states, "I will then develop a pattern that resembles or provides the same impression as the photograph.  Sometimes I will research an outfit request on the internet.  I will send pictures that I have found to the client for their input.  They tell me their color choices.  If I have several options, I will send fabric swatches.  I often send two or three preliminary pictures during the development of the design.  If the outfit is something I have made before, I will send pictures at a sewing point where adjustments can be made."

Deb rarely sketches out an outfit ahead of time.  "Only if I really like a concept and can't get back to it for a while." she states, "I have the concept in my head, develop the pattern, then sew it."  Deb did have three years worth of art classes in High School and won awards for some of her pencil drawings but never pursued her talent.  Her sister-in-law, a professional artist, frequently told Deb that she was a three dimensional artist and suggested she take up sculpture!  While Deb never tried this form of art, she does consider her sewing to be "sculpting" fabric.  Her sister-in-law was correct in determining she was a three dimensional artist, she just got the art form wrong!

Deb's fabric sources are incredibly varied. She, her mother and her sister are all fabric- aholics!  Between them, they had an incredibly vast collection of vintage fabric.  Thanks to their donations, Deb is now the owner of this entire stash!  Her sister, as an antique dealer, will occasionally find her fabrics or decorations from the 1920s - 1940's.  Deb also has found great sources on eBay for her fabrics.  She uses Thai silks for her lining fabrics.

When doll collector Pat Stangel commissioned Deb to make her some doll outfits, Pat sent Deb some fabric samples.  "When I saw how fabulous the fabric quality was I asked Pat if we could work out a trade." Deb recalls, "I would make her an outfit in exchange for the left over pieces of fabric.  Pat replied that she had been praying about what to do with her fabric collection since she decided to stop sewing.  She asked me if I wanted it.  With finances tight in my household, Will had asked me to stop buying fabric and use up my inventory.  I had been praying about how I could afford additional quality fabrics.  We were both stunned!  Another prayer answered!  

God definitely wanted me to stay at home and was providing an opportunity for a home-based business.  It is now up to me to use the “talent” he gave me to make it work.  I received Pat's entire fabric collection.  I cannot describe how incredible it is and what a tremendous blessing it continues to be!  Pat has an exquisite eye for elegant and beautiful fabrics.  Pat is also a wonderful resource for miniature accessories.  Thank you Pat!"

This past summer, with her daughter Erin about to leave for college, Deb spent days helping her daughter pack and clean out her bedroom.  Deb Simpson was on a mission:  Erin's bedroom was to become Deb West's new design studio! While Deb West did suffer the "breaking of the apron string blues," her new design studio certainly softened the blow of her first child leaving for college.

When Deb first started selling her designs, she realized right away that she would need the appropriate business tools to be a success.  She used the first $100 she made to purchase a scanner and the next $150 to buy a digital camera.

Her advertising, or lack thereof, consists of posting her designs on the Prego Message Board.  Fortunately, what Deb lacks in advertising skills is made up for in her wonderful outfits!  They sell instantly.  Still, she needs to reach a bigger audience with her work.  Completely caught off guard by her success, Deb has trouble believing her work is sought after and that her success can be magnified tenfold if she actually gets her name out there.  Fortunately, she also has many cheerleaders urging her on.  As I stated above, several people pulled together to get Deb's website revamped and get this article published.  LeeAnn, who did much of the photography, also made sure Deb was written up in the Premiere issue of Fashion Doll Quarterly.  With so many people behind her, Deb's humility and lack of experience in running a business really don't matter.  We are all going to make sure she's a success.  Uh, I mean a bigger one than she already is!  Still, despite this community of effort, we'd all agree that it is part of God's plan for Deb.  Thank God!