Waldorf doll wig

[mattjule]

I found a free pattern for a waldorf doll on-line, but it doesn't come with instructions about wigs.

So I was wondering if anyone knew how to make one out of yarn, like if I got a skein, how to make it into a wig and how to attach it to the doll's head.

This is so much more affordable than buying a kit or pattern or already-made wig and I want to make 4, so I need to cut corners!

TIA!

[reeseccup]

PLEASE POST THE LINK ...to the free pattern :LOL ...you can try wool yarn, not sure how it'll work, or at the local craft store they may sell synthetic doll hair...or i've seen some natural mohair ffor doll making.

[Jessviola]

did you see the craft workshop link at the top of the forum?

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...hreadid=114070

there are a couple ideas for doing hair there. one is very simple and the other can be crocheted. hth!

[mamak]

I actually have made a couple of the dolls from the sleeping bean pattern w/ the hair in the simple two ponytails like they describe, not ideal but great for just starting out...I've also made one where I just put the pointed hat on sewing to the face like a little gnome (my daughter loves it) I have since bought a book on Waldorf doll making and it talks a lot about sewing hair right to the head (though I haven't tried, it looks easy enough just time consuming...good luck, love to hear if you find any wig ideas

[mattjule]

I didn't see the link-thanks!

[michelle1k]

more on hair...

... another solution is to crochet (or fingerknit) a chain and sew it to the doll's head (coiling it around and around until desired coverage is reached). Then you hook the individual strands (for long or shorter, shaggy hair) into place, by hooking it like you would hook a rug: fold the strand in half, push the folded part through the loop, pull the two free ends through the folded part and pull tight. This way you create a really full, luxurious head of hair which can be multi-styled, with the original sewn-on "cap" completely covered. You can also go down quite low on the forehead to create bangs this way.
My next project is to create a full head of dredlocks this way with unevenly felted strands of wool - I am *sooo* into this, can you tell?

Warmly,
Michelle in NY

[mattjule]

oooh! That is such a good idea! Thanks!

[love bug]

Hey Julie,
any chance you could share the link to the free pattern you found?

Many thanks,
Sue

[mattjule]

Sorry, it took me a while to check this thread again. Here is the link I found:

http://webarchive.afsc.org/doll/hs~doll.htm

[love bug]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Sue

[mattjule]

http://premium.xanga.com/skin.asp?user=mattjule

Thought you'd might want to see how it turned out. This is a bit bigger than the pattern. Also I found that the neck in the pattern is wobbly no matter what so I am going to find a different way to do it next time to make it stronger.

This was my prototype, so I used stuff I had around the house. I used an old t-shirt for the gauze tubing, worked okay if a bit more hand sewing, dental floss instead of string-a supplies website actually suggested this and I thought it worked really well-and non-pill fleece for the skin. I didn't have anything around the house for skin and I couldn't find a skin tone knit at any of my local fabric shops. Plus I love the soft warmth of the fleece. Also, I stuffed it with polyfill. Not my first choice, but what I already had. I really had to adjust the amounts-seemed to use twice as much polyfill (in sheet form, not loose) than the pattern said it would require in wool.

I went with the chain crochet and wrapped it around, then used a latch hook to attach short pieces of yarn for the hair. It took quite a while, but he has a very luxurious head of hair now.

Oh, one other thing I encountered: When making the face, (which I must say was really disturbing to be poking a needle through something's head and watch it come out in it's eye. EWW!) I ended up flattening the back of the head a lot pulling the stitches tight. I coiled a lot of yarn in the back trying to get it to resemble a head shape again. So that is something to watch out for. Other than that, it was pretty straight-forward. I did end up making my own pattern for the arms and torso/legs. My printer kept squishing them.

[love bug]

I love 'crazy hair man' he is SO cute. I can't wait to get started on my first one... I am thinking of doing like you have and making a prototype with whatever I can find. I to am having problems finding skin and stuff so I might as well dive in.

Thanks for sharing - I am pumped!!

Sue

[mattjule]

I forgot to say that the fleece isn't as stretchy as knit so I had to measure and make the piece for the head bigger. (my head ended up being 11 1/2" in circumference so it was already a little big. I ended up making the piece 8x11 instead of 8x8, but could have used an extra inch or two on the bottom so squaring it is a good idea)

But I didn't have to double it like they tell you to do for the knit, so there are trade-offs.

And thanks, he's a pretty funky guy. I like him.

[mattjule]

Oh, and I ordered supplies from magiccabin.com. Their skin was $1 more expensive than other sites, but everything else there was cheaper and the shipping costs are so high that it is better to order from only one place. I ordered gauze, skin, and stuffing for 4 dolls and it cost me about $60, after shipping costs. I plan on finding hair yarn somewhere local and I have embroidery thread already. The dental floss worked great so I am going to use that in future projects.

I am excited to use the "real stuff" but am really glad I am working out the kinks with cheap stuff.

I think my total cost for crazy hair man was $8 (skin and hair). It took less than a 1/4 yd for the skin (b/c I didn't double it).

Now that I finished him, I wonder if I should have bought the skin fabric or just gone with fleece. I guess I'll see how it goes, but I really do like the fleece a lot.

[michelle1k]

He's awesome - well done! That hair sure looks great... and wild, lol! I've never had someone follow directions I have given so well and with such spectacular results! *So* glad it worked for you. I can't really see it in the pic - did you use a string to tie an eyeline to "divide" the head in half?

Oh, the trick with the neck is to make a "muff" by keeping a thick wadge of stuffing sticking out from the bottom of the head (below where you tied off for the neck). Sew up the bottom - add more stuffing if you need to. Then you attach the arms onto the back of the muff and insert the arms / head piece into the torso (left open at the top)... this really secures it well and avoids that dreaded "head wobble".

Making dolls is great, ain't it?

Warmly,
Michelle in NY

[mamak]

wow, he looks great!!! I have found the way to get around the wobble-head problem is to use the tubing for the head and center body, you make a neck in the middle, then when you sew the body on you can add more stuffing if needed, but it's much sturdier this way...there is a great website weir dolls they have great supplies at great prices.
enjoy

[mattjule]

Michelle-The pattern I had did do that. It said to use 2 strips of 4" wide wool, crisscross them over the head and let the tails hang down. I am curious to use wool, b/c the polyfill compressed down to nothing when I did this, hence wobble head. So I will either make a thicker tail, or the point will be moot. We'll see.

I did use string to make the eye-line, but I think I wound the head a little too tight and it doesn't really show, again hard to tell with the polyfill. Also, my attempt at a mouth was pretty interesting and that made the lower face suck in (pulling tight on the thread) so that also kept the eyeline from showing.

I did check out weirdolls, BTW, but since I was making 4 dolls, the gauze tubing was a better price at magic cabin (5 yds for $5.95 as opposed to a flat $1.25/yd) and their wool was cheaper. Magic cabin's skin was only more expensive by $1/yd, so I went with them. I think weir is where I got the tip for using dental floss, though. Children's floss might work better, mine is waxed glide and really thin and small, perhaps another contributing factor to the invisibility of my eyeline.

I also made the arms a little too long, but hey, when you are crazy hair man, everything about you is a little strange! (Just want to reiterate that I am REALLY glad I made a prototype). Oh, my bro (18 yr) lives with us and said he thought crazy hair man's hair was so soft he was going to sleep with him last night. He didn't, but it was still fun. I told him I'd make the doll a little black outfit (my bro is a heavy metal guy) for him.

Aside from the little things, I am really impressed with my free pattern. The supplies are expensive enough, I am really glad I don't have to buy a pattern to get good results. Oh, and in case anyone is interested, I found the pattern by following a link on the official Waldorf webpage so obviously they don't have a problem with giving it away for free, which kind of irritates me that other people make you buy it (the link didn't work so I had to run a search on the website it linked to, but it was there).

I know I am babbling, but this is so much fun! If I had known it could be so affordable and interesting, I would have started making them a long time ago.

Thanks for all the advice and support!