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a Great Tip!
Submit Your Tip to DollSupplies@aol.com!
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Hi!
Here is a tip for using e-patterns. I always print
out my entire e-pattern and pop it into a ring binder
for reference. Then I print the pattern piece pages onto
card stock paper. This is the pattern that I cut
out. The card stock is nice and heavy and it makes
it easy to trace the sewing lines right onto the fabric.
Because it is more sturdy than regular printer paper, it
lasts through many uses. I get a plastic page
protector for the cut out pattern pieces and pop it into
the ring binder with the rest of the pattern and this
keeps all my pattern info nice and tidy! Hope this
helps!
Amy Felske,Vermont
Hi,
I'm new to all this, but I've found a way to improve
Barbie's Bangs when then some sprucing up. I place a small
amount of styling gel on the hair, roll it around a Q-tip
and secure it with a mini spring clothespin. Leave it
overnight, remove clip and Q-tip and "fluff lightly with
your fingers.
Also, I've turned a "throw-away' into a glamour girl by
soaking her long tangled hair in a solution of Fabric
Softener and Water. I actually place full strength
softener on the hair and add enough water to a small bowl
to cover her head. Place her head in it overnight. Squeeze
dry with a towel and begin brushing with a Barbie brush.
It was amazing! Her hair is now full and silky and she
smell good too.
Diane
As a quilter, I was taught that quilts should not be
stored in a wooden quilt box and allowed to steep in the
natural acid fumes emanating from the wood. This causes
foxing and ultimately will rot the textile. The same
concern makes it advisable to back a sampler with acid
free paper or cotton fabric when framing the sampler. As a
doll maker 25 years ago, I used saw dust to fill several
of the dolls, and then wood excelsior to fill teddy bears,
both because the old ones were. I now feel that sawdust is
what rotted many antique doll bodies. Hair stuffed ones or
cotton stuffed old bodies survive in great numbers. I
suspect the wood wool is what rots old Teddys and will
ultimately destroy them. I would like to know what others
think of this. Edyth O'Neill
Tips for those new to doll making:
My name is Diane and I live in a
wheelchair and cannot often get out without help. When it
came to stuffing a baby rabbit I was making I needed
something smaller than my large hands. I looked in the tool
box and found a pair of very small long needle-nosed
pliers. They worked quite well for me and have used the\m
more at the sewing machine than for other projects.
Diane Steedly, Monrovia, CA
Look in unconventional places for
doll supplies!
I got my hemostats in Walmart's
fishing department. They also have nylon thread, lure
feathers, etc., often cheaper than doll supply areas.
Dollar stores are great too, for
little chairs and spiked platforms for mounting--which are
actually candle holders. You can also use scrunchies for
hair and take doll hair off other dolls for your own.
Make darling doll slippers from the
new wired ribbons. Just wrap and form around the foot,
and twist the top for a rosette on top of the shoe, or top
with a button.
No-sew skirt--take a plain elastic
hair band, which will fit around a small doll's waist,
loop lengths of cut ribbons around it the length you want,
trim diagonally, and fit on doll. This is great for
making fairies.
Kay in NC
There are many free patterns available online, and most that you purchase
will come with a "level" marked on it - Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced.
If you spend some time online, you will be overwhelmed with the different
kinds of dolls, patterns, styles, techniques, etc.
Now that I have made a few dolls I have come up with a tools list that I
wish someone had already packaged and had for sale when I started this.
This is just my personal list, others here will have their own and hopefully will add to this and make it better!
Other than the obvious Fabric, paint, various embellishments, thread, good quality scissors etc., there are a few tools that I did not already have in
my supplies that I had to search for:
Forceps/Hemostats: MUST Haves. You can find them online at doll supply
shops, or you can go to the nearest Medical Supply and purchase them in
various sizes. I have two sizes, 5" and 3." These are used for placing
stuffing in small places, helping to turn parts, and REALLY a necessity in
turning small fingers.
Stuffing forks: these are little pointed "forks" that are used to place
stuffing in small places. I have two of these, and personally don't use
them a lot, but I see their worth. I know that a lot of people swear by
them, so at least one needs to be in a beginners kit so that you will have
options available.
Turning tubes - I had a pattern that mentioned turning tubes, and I had someone explain the concept to me over the phone, so instead of purchasing something specific, I went to the hobby store and got some brass tubes from
the model airplane section in different sizes. One fits inside the other,
and that's what I have been using. I know that these can be purchased
cut specifically for dolls at online supply sites.
Anyway, you need these for turning small fingers, small legs, etc.
Other items that will be very helpful, but if you are on a budget, can wait
until you decide how you like to work:
Freezer paper: used for transferring templates - you can trace your pattern
piece onto the "dull" side, then iron it to the fabric to use to either cut
or sew around.
Sculpting needles - depending on what size dolls and how detailed you want
your faces to be, you may not have to purchase these right away, but you
will be glad you have them when you need them. I was able to find a variety
pack at Jo Anns.
Button or Carpet Thread - at least one spool of this - for sculpting faces
and body parts.
My personal Fabric tip:
As with any new fabric hobby, I always think "If I spend too much on this,
and it doesn't work, then I'll be stuck with it." One thing that I
personally wish I had *started* with is a pillow case that I bought - It
was a 300 ct. Pima cotton pillow case that I got at Wal Mart for about $6,
and then I tea-dyed it to make a better skin tone. Even if you just started
with the basic case fabric, it would give you an idea of how cotton fabric
works in dolls. It was cheap, and I still have enough of it left to make
some more dolls - small ones, at least. I tried muslin, felt, and various
versions of cotton before I finally found what I liked, but I think that
had I started with this pillow case, I could have saved myself some
headaches along the way...
That is not to say that you should take that as *the* fabric to use - there
are plenty of places online to get other kinds of fabric that work better
for doll making, and it's ultimately a matter of preference. That's just my"I wish I had started with this" $.02
And last, but certainly not least - you must have FUN! :)
Hopefully this helps some!
Good luck!
Susan Wallace
Houston, Tx
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"Hang Tags" |
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Hang
Tags and making them unique:
Gathering
your supplies:
But before you spend a small fortune on supplies, look
through the things you have on hand…items like buttons,
small rusty cutouts, fabric, yarn, etc., can all give
your tags your own special style! Surf the web for prim,
Victorian, folk art, modern, etc., pictures, graphics
and print them out.
I bought in Walmart ... 3 cheap but nice rubber stamps,
Dragon Fly, Hand Made By, Celestial Sun , Package of Vintage
looking stickers, pastel chalk,
All for under ten dollars.
Came home and created several Tags...I will be placing
them here to show you
Look
through an assortment of stickers, rubber stamps, die
cuts and other bits and pieces, You can also find CDs
of primitive and vintage graphics on line (check Ebay)
as well as great prim rubber stamps.
To age your Tags
Coffee/Cinnamon
Aged
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Tea
Aged
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I
used instant coffee/cinnamon strong solution in a pan
of water. If you'd like a lighter age/dye use tea bags.
Bring
to a boil. Turn off burner and place 6 tags at a time
into the mixture.
Then take tags out of mixture and lay on foil, or cookie
sheet, Take a paper towel and just wipe all the tags.
I usually do a dozen at a time or more, you do not have
to, you do any number you like. I at this time also add
my jute or string to be aged at the same time. I then
place them in a preheated oven of 250 for 8-15 minutes
watching them non stop.
Tie
some jute, yarn, homespun or ribbon or whatever else you'd
like to use for a string.
What
to do with the curl:
If your tags curl, you can flatten them ...I used canned
veggies and sat them on top of a (3-4)stack of the Tags:)
Using pictures I ran a hot iron over very quickly, and
they flattened out nicely. While some wrinkling and curling
is a nice touch, you will need them fairly flat in order
to work on them.
What
to Buy For Supplies:
- Tags…I
used bigger ones, 5" long and 2 -1/2"wide.
- instant
coffee/cinnamon or tea for dying
- foil
or old cookie sheets
- Jute
or string
- (Your
choice) Rubber Stamps, or Stickers or Letter Stamps
- Black
ink pad
- Rubber
Stamps and you will use Letter Stamps a lot
Get them at Walmart Lettering Stamps the whole alphabet
for $9.99
- Copies
of old photos and clip art…I printed mine out of
my computer, but you could also make digital copies
of actual photos. Stickers give you a huge variety of
creation also.
- Other
stamps, black permanent pen, etc. as desired
- Glue
Begin!!
Place Tag in front of you..
Now pick the picture.. stamp... sticker ...buttons what
ever you choose..
Place that beside your tag..
Now be clever and think what you'd like it to say...Use
a word or saying that you feel bests describes Item or
Doll, using a picture and or either stamped it on with
the letter stamps, or for longer sayings, or descriptions
I write them on with the permanent black pen.
Be sure to plan the saying out on your tag before actually
stamping or writing!
Small stamped or drawn doodles, stars or hearts can fill
in any blank spots
This is an Art Tag Vintage Style
I
took the dried, aged Tag. and create a back ground of
color. I used chalk with these. Then took a picture I
printed out and cut the pictures to fit on the tags and
glued them on. I glued with good OLE Elm er's. and them
used gel pens to high light the picture and chose a word
or saying and also descriptions I felt described the doll
I either stamped it on with the letter stamps
Or: or longer sayings, wrote them on with the permanent
black pen.
when finished I sprayed a sealant on the tag so the chalk
and gel pens will be sealed
Prim Folk Art Tag
Shown
here a Prim Folk Art Tag... which is aged...string attached...
No background. Used letter stamps for words: Fast n Simple
I hope you have enjoyed this "mini class" on
the basics of Tag Making.
Sherrie
Nordgren of SandSpurPatch
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"Pattern
and Fabric Tips"
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Sewing on Knit Fabric:
Having trouble sewing on knit fabric? You need a ball
point needle on knitted fabrics. The regular needles are sharp & are able to separate the threads on a woven fabric, going down into the hole the separations makes, & not cause the threads to break. Consequently smooth sewing.
With knitted fabric the needle needs to be able to basically do the same
thing, but because the threads are a continuous filament a sharp needle will break the threads, causing a run. The rounded point lets the needle slide down around this thread. Again for smooth sewing.
I know that Singer needles have a yellow band needle (all sizes) for knitted fabrics. And a red band needle, (again all sizes) for woven fabrics.
I'm sure the other brands carry those different needles also, as it is
necessary to use the right needle for any given fabric.
Also use the right size needle for the weight of your fabric. And adjust
your stitch length for different fabrics. There is a lot written about needles now. I'm sure you can seek advise from your local fabric store. And I'll bet there is an online source for such info. Try needles in your search engine, & see what comes up. Happy doll making.
Jackie
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1/8" seams:
Sometimes you can't sew before you cut and in those cases I put a piece of light-weight tear-away stabilizer under the pattern pieces. I use a fairly large piece - and it covers the feed dogs and also gives me a little bit more 'handle' to hold on to. This tears away cleanly afterwards. You can get this at most of the fabric stores, just ask for embroidery stablizers. It isn't an interfacing, please don't get it confused with that. I love this stuff - and I use it a lot when I have to sew little pieces together. Much easier than trying to fiddle with the little bits!
Judi W.
North Pole, Alaska
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Hints and tips for keeping patterns organized:
1. Redraw out your patterns on neon colored posterboard.....one color for each pattern. That way, if you drop or loose a piece, its easy to find again, and easy to match to the appropriate color pattern.
2. Use the large size zip lock baggies to store your pattern in. Because the little 5 X 9 bags can be difficult to restuff your work into, I transfer each pattern into a bag of its own.
3. File cabinets are a must. I buy the swinging files and file everything when I am through with it.
4. If you have a favorite pattern, take it down to Staples and reproduce it. Put the copy away for the future.
Shari Lutz
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Craft
Velour/Buck Suede information and tips:
The new Craft Velour from Cara, is actually better than
the "old" craft Velour from Guilford. No need
to wash it before use. The New Bucksuede from Cara, is thicker
than the old Doesuede from Guilford. I have found it to
be a bit stiffer too, and washing it in hot water, then
drying it in the dryer before use softens it a lot.
I was in Jo Ann's the other day and they have a LOT of fabrics
called suede this, or that, that are woven's. None that
I felt had any give in any direction...A death knell for
dollmakers. You don't want "Stretch", just give,
more in one direction than the other. You don't want something
that stretches like swimsuit fabric unless the pattern calls
for very stretchy fabric. Cotton Lycra is very stretchy
and comes in great skin colors, but for firmly stuffed dolls,
with a small amount of needle sculpturing, you want the
FIRM knits. I also do some clay stuffing doll heads and
they must be made from a fabric that is Fuzzy on the inside..Both
Bucksuede and velour fit the bill. If you try to use clay
stuffing with woven fabric, with no fuzz, the clay lets
go of the fabric as it dries, and ruins the dolls head.
Another note....For most doll work, you will want to immediately
turn your fabric with the FUZZY side out. Iron templates
to the FUZZY side. Sew on the FUZZY side. This is the hardest
part for many when using fabric that has a nap that is "considered"
to be the "right" side. For doll work the "wrong"
side is the "right" side. Another thing. I find
the best sewing machine needles to use are Schmetz Universal.
I use size 10 or 11.
Judi Ward of Judi's Dolls
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| Things I learned the hardway - Tips submitted by Trish Pellerito
Definitely cut and sew little things like hands out of a bigger piece of cloth. On my next project, I will also coat the seams with watered craft glue before turning them.
Fray Check works great on raw edges of the Dolskin. It won't discolor the fabric by much and prevents the knit from 'running' when it's stretched, or 'skinned' over a body base.
Turn-it tools would have been a good investment! I have since purchased both sets from CLOTH DOLL SUPPLY for future projects.
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Craft
Velour & Buck Suede
I use these fabrics almost Exclusively and I do not use
any special stretch needle or anything. It is wonderful,
does not fray and turning the fingers is a breeze! The velour
has a n=one way stretch, and the suede has a "give"
but not a real stretch.
Some use the fuzzy side out, but I like to use the smooth
side out as it is easier to paint on. both are a dream to
needle sculpt, and stuff. No crinkles as with muslin.
Patti LaValley of Patti's Dolls
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Use
Freezer Paper in your Doll Making:
There are still many dollmakers who have not tried using
freezer paper. Sewing around, leaving about 1/2" between
pieces. I think it really works well on any doll or size.
So for those who have not tried it, go for it!
Moyra in Canada
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Retracing
your patterns for templates!
Here is a really important, big tip that very few dollmakers
think about or do.When retracing your patterns for templates,
like for legs and arms, fingers especially…Cut the
lines you drew off. If you don't, you end up sewing around
the template which has gotten fractionally bigger because
you tend to cut Outside of the lines you drew, and then
you are also sewing outside of the paper. This makes the
fingers fatter and in some cases eliminates the space
between the fingers, which is the main cause for blowouts
and impossible to turn fingers.This is also the main cause
for a designers sample  dolls to be slimmer and
the dolls made from the pattern by others to have fatter
proportions and also shorter fingers.
Ditto
for noses on center face seam dolls!
Judi Ward - Judi's Dolls.
Milli by Judi Ward
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Techniques to do a black doll and aging:
I do a couple different techniques to do a black doll and aging, depends on my mood I guess, because I like them all equally. I'll list some of the ways I do them, just remember there's no right or wrong, sometimes accidents can create something wonderful.
1- sometimes I'll tea dye the sewn muslin and dry before stuffing, then I'll use black paint on the parts that will show, wait for it to dry and then lightly sand to give a worn look. I've even put some Burnt Umber in the black paint and just swirled it so that when I paint the doll it's a mixture of brown blended in with the black and still sand after it dries. Sand with fine sandpaper and be careful at the seams so you don't open up the seam.
2- I've stuffed the doll, then taken coffee or tea and painted over the parts of the body that will show and then while still wet, I've then painted the doll black, black/brown, whatever, then put in sunlight or oven to dry. This way it usually doesn't require sanding, as the irregularity of the thickness of the paint with the wet body already shows an aged look.
Something else that is really cool to do is sprinkle cinnamon along the seams (rub it in) and around the nose if it is needle sculpted. Makes the doll smell good and give it a little pizzazz, almost looks like rust, except we know it's a cloth doll.
Saundra from slower, lower Delaware
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Stuffing/Turning
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Neck Supporting Tip By Gail Wilson:
OK, giving away one of my best tips yet. This is about stuffing flat dolls well and so that the heads do not "nod" or get the telltale wrinkles. First, you must understand the concept that what is happening is the "sausage" syndrome. Or like when you have a fat tummy and fat thighs and so you get a wrinkle in your pants where they meet. This all comes from the fact that you are stuffing two adjacent areas that can get fatter than the connecting area (the smaller neck). So, first stuff the head to your satisfaction. I recommend SUPER FLUFF or PUTNAM BRAND TAN STUFFING for dolls who want the look of hard-packed cotton of older dolls. Do NOT use the slippery kind - this is good mostly for the squeezable softness of a baby toy or any doll with extensive needle-sculpting. It does not pack. Now, to get a good, non-lumpy stuffing job, push in narrow (neck width) but long as you can fluffs. Pack these by tamping evenly and so there are no hollows. Keep doing this. I have recently become a convert of Barbara Willis' stuffing forks. They will work as no other tool can (hemostats can too do this, but not as expediently - my old favorite tool). The forks allow you to MOVE stuffing around from deep inside to fill any hollows or empty pockets - feel for these on the surface. I love BW's Stuffing Forks so much, I just added them to my line of supplies, and some of my newer kits will ask that you own one for the best results.( I think they are the best thing since sliced bread).
Next tip is to iron the now well-stuffed head flatter with a maximum HOT iron. This further solidifies the stuffing and evens it out. It also means that heads that got too "fat" can now be brought back into more of the well-known "flatter" shape old dolls have getting there from ages of handling and time compacting. This is an important step that I myself didn't come to until a couple of years ago. Simple solution too.
Now the neck. The critical thing is to be able to support the neck. although there are many ways of inserting a stick, a covered stick, even a padded stick, I prefer not to do that. Not because it was not "done" - some dolls used this. I just feel it is a little bit of cheating (no one should take that as a judgment - it is just me and my need to always be consistent within the medium) and one other reason which any of you selling dolls should keep in mind. That is that even though you may think or even declare you are selling to collectors and not children, in a court of law if a child fell on such a stick supported doll and was injured, you would probably lose as a doll is a doll and could be construed as a toy even with proper labeling. Since I am in business, this is a real fear. To continue. If you are skillful, and it is hard even for veteran stuffers, you need to build a core (instead of a stick) of stuffing that begins up in the head and goes beyond and into the shoulder area. This means that the neck is best built out of one continuous snake of fluffy stuffing from BEFORE the neck to AFTER the neck. If there are any breaks in it, they will be the weak place where a wrinkle will begin and there is not much to be done to fix it once it appears. (There is one other trick that can be applied that can help fix neck wrinkles, but I will go into that below.)
So, here it is. The new GEM. Grab your felting needle (of course you all have these by now and if not, I sell them as well as other sources). Make sure to hold the doll with a leather glove or some other hand protection, because you really will inevitably stab yourself. Hold the neck circled by your forefinger and thumb to support it. Now jab, jab, jab, jab to create as hard a core as you want right in the neck - this will use up stuffing by compacting it, so you will need more, but you can felt it into the shape neck you want of whatever depth you want. Amazing no one has glommed onto to this yet. (They are too busy making whole dolls by the felting needle method.) It's very easy - except for the stabbing your hand part.
Now, here is my old trick to remedy creases once they are there (this will work either perfectly or at least be an improvement, depending on your skills). Pinch in the chest area and notice the wrinkles disappear or at least get better. So, the idea is to make a large stitch there to hold in the area permanently. The stitch should just pull in the fatness to the depth of the neck and not make a huge dimple. (Some dimple is unavoidable, so try to stay below any neckline of the dress she will wear). If you are painting the doll, once the paint has dried, you can remove the stitch (es).
Gail Wilson
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How I stabilize the neck of a small cloth doll:
First, cut a piece of thin all cotton quilt batting (you can use a cotton
flannel too) a bit wider than the length of the neck height - for illustrative purposes we'll say: 2 inches, by about 20 inches in length.
Roll/wrap - very tightly - the batting/flannel around the cardboard shaft of a Q-Tip (on which I have put a bit of glue on to hold the batting in place - don't cut the cotton tips off till later), forming a tube. As you're forming the tube make sure you do not make it bigger than the neck opening, you want a snug fit though.
Have ready a long needle, threaded with strong thread, to sew the raw edge of the fabric in place so the tube will not come unrolled.
Cut the protruding ends of the Q-Tip off with scissors or wire cutters. Shove the rolled bundle up into the neck area of the already stuffed head as far as you can to stabilize the neck.
Ann Hudson
Wilmington, NC
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Saw
Dust Stuffing
I
purchased some sawdust a couple months back and now can't
live without it. I have found that if I mix a little dried
lavender and rose petals from my garden with the sawdust,
my dollies smell wonderful!
Dolly
hugs,Kristen Strand-Tibbitts
Doll stuffed with sawdust,
made by Kristen Strand-Tibbitts
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Making
Fingers
When making fingers that you are going to stuff with chenille
stems, use the largest size you can get into the finger
when the stem is folded in half. Insert one folded stem
into each finger, guiding it down with a stuffing needle
or stuffing fork. The "tines" on the fork or needle
need to be very short, so they don't catch in the fabric.
Keep the full length of the chenille stems, and after they
are all in the fingers, wrap the long ends that are up in
the arm very tightly with thread to make a "bone"
in the arm. You can then pose the wrist and for some dolls
you can even pose the elbows, when the stems go past the
elbow. For some small dolls the long ends may be too long,
so you will need to shorten them so they don't go past the
shoulder area.
Dolly Hugs, Judi Ward- Judi's Dolls
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|
REAM
THOSE SEAMS!
I like to use a paint brush handle, eraser end of a pencil,
or similar object to ream out all my doll body parts before
stuffing. After the unit has been turned right side out,
 I take the handle and insert it into the opening
of the part and run it firmly along the seam. I try to
keep the seam to one side or the other, as you will be
able to see twisted seams after you stuff the part. If
a seam starts to turn, just push it back over with the
handle. your dolls will have a much nicer well finished
appearance!
Doll :)'s.
Patti LaValley of Patti's Dolls
Magen's Fairy
by Patti LaValley
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| Working with poly pellets or stuffing pellets can be a pain, they fly every where. I found that if you put them into an empty large coffee mete powdered creamer container, the kind with the pour spout, you can pour the pellets into you project without them flying all over place and it makes a great storage container. Empty koolaid containers work great for storing glue sticks.
Sam of Samantha's Angels
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"Working
on Doll Heads/Faces"
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Making Eyelashes for Dolls:
I don't know if any of you put eyelashes on your dolls. Mimi Winer shared a great way to make your own eyelashes, from silk organza almost a year ago, and I just got around to trying it. I was amazed at how well they turned out.
I couldn't find silk organza, so I used nylon organza (black)
cut a 1 inch strip and glue along the edge when glue is dry trim glue edge
unravel strip and cut to fit the eye glue strip to the eye
trim by pointing scissors toward the eye not parallel to it.
I am just finishing Arley Berryhill's LeFemme with eyelashes, and will send a picture when finished. Thank you Mimi, for only 3.99 a yard I can now make thousands of eyelashes.
Linda Peffley
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Holding
Doll Head:
Use
a metal doll stand to hold just the doll's head while
painting and arranging the hair do, etc. Simply take out
the wire that goes around the body, and push the doll
head on the part left sticking up. It is easy to take
the head off and work on it, turn it around to see all
sides, and keeps it in a safe place while you work on
the body.
Delores Straight
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Making
your own Doll Eyelashes:
I purchased fake hair pieces at a Dollar Store. I lay several
hairs out together, add a line of glue, then when it sets
I can then cut the lashes and stitch them on the doll. You
can put clear wrap (Saran) over a small vial or tiny bottle
to shape the lashes. This way you can make them any size
or length.
A note: The hair pieces are stiff, twice as thick as human
hair and they look great! They come in a number of colors
and one little hair piece will make lots of eyelashes! Hope
this helps someone!
Lucie
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"Working
on Doll Hair"
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How to Get "Raggedy Hair" from Old Sweaters:
Have an old sweater around? You might even find some at a
thrift store or tag sale!
Some sweaters unravel differently depending on the way they
were made.
This one in the pictures we started off with the bottom of
it.
First cut straight across the length of the entire piece:
Grab a hold of a strand and gently pull it to begin
unraveling it.
This is a mindless task to do while sitting around chatting
or watching a show...and you will have lots of one of a kind
doll hair for your dolls!
Submitted by Fran Banas and Kathy
Brennan |
Using Felting needles:
I
root wool, mohair, and alpaca into muslin heads all the time. I stuff the heads
with wool, but I know that others just stuff the heads with polyfil.
You can put a little glue like Grrip Glue near the roots to
add strength to the rooting.
Cheryl
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Attaching Wefted Spring Curls: - Click HERE for Instructions.
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Tibetan Wool for Doll Hair:
I tried Tibetan wool for the hair for the first time - using hair dye to get the colour. One point I did have trouble with was the fact that I had cut it in a T shape (the leg of the T running down the back) but this gave me problems with the side face edges as the hair was now running straight back instead of down - which didn't give a very good hang to the hair, even though I dampened it, bound it down and dried it. I eventually had to stick it in place with minute dots of glue! So it would appear that it is better to run a single strip of pelt (with the hair hanging down) from side face to side face and then add another piece to cover the crown. (I also had to add a thin sliver (facing forward) to make the bangs.)
Sue
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"Kate"
Doll with Tibetan Wool used for hair made by Sue for the ClothDollMaking group Challenge January 2004.
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| Making the wigs out of eyelash yarn is very simple. Eyelash yarn is great for doll hair. All it takes to make the wig is to knit a rectangle that will cover the dolls scalp. The knitting stretches so it isn't necessary to get an exact fit. When the yarn is knitted, the long fibers get caught up in the stitches. It helps to use a wig brush to lightly brush the wig to put the fibers free. I used size 10 needles because that's what I had. I imagine other sizes would work as well. Smaller needles would make smaller stitches and
that would make the long fibers thicker on the wig. Sewing the rectangle in place was simple to do.
Lucy Landry in La.
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Working
with Mohair
To make hair curly, I take the mohair and dip it
into a cup of water. After it is completely soaked I lift
it out of the cup, squeeze access water out of it, and spread
a liberal layer of gel over it. I use aloe vera gel on it
because the normal hair gel will leave small white flakes
on the hair after it dries. Then I brush the wet hair again.
This separates the hair into strands. Then I scrunch the
wet hair bunch and lay it on a towel to dry.
To make it more curly, take the scrunched hair and
place it on the towel straight down. Letting the bunch fold
in on itself. It looks like a mound of hair.
To make the hair wavy, not as curly, lay the wet hair loose
scrunched out on the towel in a straight line. To make the
wavy hair even straighter, don't scrunch the hair at all.
Lay the wet hair on the towel in a straight line keeping
it taught as you place it on the towel and pressing hard
with your fingers. To make the hair EVEN straighter, brush
the hair out when you first get it, then iron it. It will
get very straight!
Tips on making mohair straight/wavy :
I would suggest laying it on a towel to dry first, then
if it is still to wavy, iron it.
Lay the towel on a hard surface. Thoroughly saturate the
mohair with water and brush it to get the snarls out after
you dip it in the water. I would suggest twisting the top
of the mohair bunch and holding it very tightly as you brush
it. This will eliminate the chance of half of the mohair
being brushed out. =) Also, I use a brush that has less
spikes then a full brush. Douse the hair with gel then lay
it on the towel pulling it taught as you do so. Press your
fingers again the hair rubbing it as straight as you can.
The wet hair is pretty pliable and almost "grabs"
onto the towel, keeping it into place. After it dries, it
is straight with a slight ripple, wavy look. I think the
towel drying method would work. If it is still too wavy,
then yes, you can iron it to get a more straight/ripple
look too.
To iron the hair you can control the level of straightness
by the pressure that you place on the hair with the iron.
If you press the iron hard on the hair, pulling the hair
taught as you do so, keeping the hair taught as it cools,
then you can get a VERY straight look. The very straight
hair is harder to manage when you place it on smaller dolls
because it tends to stick out. It doesn't form to the dolls
face as well. I have still used it though and have gotten
a really nice effect. Here is a picture of one of my fairies
that I used the straight hair on. Notice the very slight
wave ~ I didn't press as hard on the hair. Also, the thicker
the bunch of hair you are trying to iron, the less straight
it will be, as it is harder for heat to penetrate a thicker
bunch versus a smaller one.
This picture below shows the different methods I've used
on the hair ~
The
hair on the right I scrunched and let it dry more loosely.
The middle hair I bought white, then dyed it with koolaid.
It came out too bright so I haven't used it. Anyway...
I ironed this hair to make it straight. The hair on the
left is the wavy hair that I ordered from pearl moon and
this is what is looks like fresh from the package. This
is one bunch of the 3-4 that come in a package. Sometimes
I don't do anything to the hair and just use it like this.
=)
Angela Drake - Artist, Emily's
Fairies - One of a Kind Sculptures
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More
Working with Mohair
What
I usually do is take a hank of mohair twice as long as
I want the doll's hair to be and then I measure the doll's
head from where her hairline should begin to where it
should end in the back. Picture parting a little girl's
hair in order to make pigtails, that is how long your
scrap of body fabric will be. Lay the mohair centered
over the scrap and put the unit under your presser foot
and sew the hair to the scrap.
Use tiny stitches, after all, you want it to look like
a natural part in her hair and not sewn stitches. Trim
away the sides of your scrap and tack the "wig"
to your doll's head. You will want to do this after you
have done your needle sculpting on the face. As you arrange
the hair, you may need to use more tacking stitches.
Of course, you may choose to use glue for attaching the
hair, but for the purist, stitching is always preferred.
Sometimes I just hold the mohair over the doll's head
and use tiny hand stitches to attach it directly.
Bettsi McComb, Tender Arts
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A
real good tip for hair and beards etc.:
I take a chunk of mohair and snip it into itty bitty pieces.
The finer the
better for a clean beard look and a tiny bit longer pieces
for a ragged
look. Then I put glue, (Fabri-Tac) on my dolls face and
roll and gently pat
the hair down. It's kinda like the way the old GI Joe
dolls hair was...
Have A Great Hair Day!
Becci Renfro
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A
tip for use with the felting needles:
I was taught that poking your wool fiber into a head that's
stuffed with polyfill is pretty much self-defeating. The
poly expands outward while you're punching inwards and
will over time tend to push the "rooted" hair
back out. So for best results, stuff the head with wool
and then the two fibers mix and tangle much better and
the hair will stay implanted. I know that some people
DO attach hair with a felting needle into a polyester-stuffed
head, and say that they have no trouble, but the insurance
of wool into wool seems better. I have never used any
of the synthetic fibers as hair, so I can't say how they
work, but the polyfill still will continually expand outwards
regardless due to its physical properties.
Nancy Gibbs
Jericho Mountain Folkart
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History of the "Make-Do"
 I have recently become very interested in make-dos and
their history.
Make do's were most prevalent in the 18th and 19th
centuries.
Typically, they were anything that was past it's
usefulness and repaired in an unconventional way (such as
putting a metal handle on a porcelain pitcher) or used in
an entirely different way (such as a broken candlestick or
lamp or a sugar bowl that had lost it's lid... a
pincushion was made to go atop the salvaged base). You may
find examples of these in some folk art and antique sewing
tools books.
There's also a book totally dedicated to this called
"Waste Not, Want Not: The Art of the Make-Do".
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Cleaning
Antique Clothing/Linens:
An antique dealer and a person who sells dolls in a Shop,
she owns the shop..... gave me this tip. To whiten antique
clothing and or whites, soak them in Efferdent Tablets...over
night or a for a few hours. It really does work as I have
used this many times.
Kat Lees
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Clay
or Sculpey Tip:
This is a tip for those of you who use clay or sculpey,
etc., in molds. If you want your piece to have a flat
back and have trouble cutting the excess off with a knife.
While the piece of work is still in the mold, cut a piece
of thread (approx. 30cm/12 inches long) and holding each
end, run the middle of the thread horizontally through
the clay to slice the excess off (starting at one side
of the mold where the clay sticks above the edge of the
mold, drag the thread through). This will slice off any
excess above the lip of the mold. Because the thread is
so thin it creates no drag and just slices straight through
the clay. This technique with the thread can also be used
very successfully to cut a cake in half so it can be sandwiched
back together with jam & cream - YUM!!! Thanks to
my Mum who showed me this trick with the thread and a
cake many years ago.
Kelsey Perth, Western Australia
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Gathered
Skirt
When
doing a gathered skirt for a doll, zigzag over a strong
length of cotton (upholstery thread or doubled quilting
thread) being careful not to catch the thread. Then place
the skirt on the doll and pull up the cotton that's enclosed
in the zigzag stitch and tie off. Adjust the gathers around
the waist and stitch the skirt to the doll. (This is instead
of the usual double stitched line of gathering stitches.)
I also use this same technique to do the gathered bits
on the top and bottom of gathered sleeves. Another way
is instead of using strong cotton, I cut a 1cm wide piece
of nylon lycra (swimsuit fabric) in a matching or contrasting
color to the skirt material, pull it so it rolls in on
itself (like a thin rouleau strap) and zigzag over this.
When you pull this up you can tie it in a bow and make
the skirt removable as you can undo it and take it off
if you want.
Kelsey
Perth, Western Australia
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Doll
Display
I have been making dolls I would guess you would say Professionally
(selling, doing shows, wholesaling etc..) since I was
21 and I'm 55 now... so having gone full circle from Porcelain
to Cloth and all around again... I learned a long time
ago that display was as important as the doll!
So
in this discussion I could write a small novel but I'll
open it up and maybe some others will jump in with there
methods.
My
least favorite is the metal ones!! YOU know the ones I
am talking about but if that is the only thing around
at least cover the base to match your dolls dress, padded
with a little batting or stuffing and a simple sleeve
of fabric on the rod in the back. It makes a huge difference..TRY
IT!!
My
favorite is to take one or two squares of wood ( I use
up to three depending on weight and size of doll!!) Ok
so say you have two squares of wood ( ex for a 18-20"
doll I would use about a 5 or 6" square of 1/2 wood)
take a ruler and find center , draw a "X" with
a pencil. Now about two thirds or behind that "X"
drill a hole to the size of a dowel rod ( 1/2" is
about average). now wood glue these two boards together
allow to dry overnight. If you are displaying a light
cloth doll then you only have to glue a dowel rod into
this hole, put if doll is porcelain or a heavy cloth doll
then use about a 1-1/2" sheet metal screw and predrill
a hole into your hole thru the second ( bottom piece)
and insert screw from bottom into the dowel rod with glue
and this will hold up any doll.
NOW to decorate I use a staple gun and fabric cut larger
than my square and a little batting ( cutting small X
to go over the dowel) and work over and staple on bottom
, then pressing a bottom piece or you can use a piece
of self adhesive felt to cover the bottom, then make a
simple tube of the same fabric and slide that over your
dowel rod which should be cut to about shoulder blade
height of your doll. now slip this rod up the back of
the doll and I use one or two pieces of elastic tied around
doll and rod ( this is under the clothes) and walla....done
doll is secure and all coordinated .
Sue Nance - Glittering Threads
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Have
a Great Tip!
Submit Your Tip to DollSupplies@aol.com!
Flapper Doll made for a
Vintage pattern
by Susan Daniel
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Edith
Flack Ackley Doll
from a vintage pattern
by Sherrie Nordgren
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Dolls made by
Sue Sizemore
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