[alaska]

HI all
I finished the dancing rain "my baby" but she's still bald and DD's birthday is on Sunday and I still have a few other birthday gifts to finish so I need some help!

I'm having a LOT of trouble making a crochet cap. I understand the mechanics of making it, but I just can't seem to do it - especially with the fuzzy mohair!
I searched here for tips, but to no avail.
but in reading, I thought I saw that the majority opinion is that sewing the yarn down in individually is the way to go over looping the longer threads through a crochet cap? Is that true?
If it is true, is there a "pattern" I should follow as far as hair "follicle" placement, or do I just start tacking pieces down willy-nilly until the whole head is filled in?

if it's not true, and I should crochet a cap, I'll keep messing with it - maybe I'll take it to my lys for help. (how embarassing - I'm a knitting teacher there!

)

thank you in advance!

 

[E.V. Lowi]

What are you having trouble with, specifically? I always use a size larger croche hook than is called for, as the mohair really tangles on itself. If you are making a baby, a cap is all you need, not the long hooked in strands or crochet loops.

 

[alaska]

I think DD would much prefer hair though - I guess I could try just a crochet cap and see if she likes it.
the dancing rain pattern says to use a size G hook - so I should use an H? - I'm having trouble seeing the loops actually when I get started, and figuring out when and where to increase. I can do my chain of 4, I can join them, and then it becomes a tangled mess!

Would this work? what if I made a longer chain than called for, something I could sew down in a spriral shape for the top, then after making the initial chain, going in somewhere in the middle of it (again, leaving enough "tail" that I could sew down to fill in the middle) and start working around from that?

or could I just make a single chain long enough to spiral around and sew it down in a spiral shape? That way I don't have to worry about making the "cap" shape.

 

[E.V. Lowi]

I would start out with the larger hook. This will make it easier to see what you are doing. It's not an exact science- if you make a mistake, it's no biggie, if you make a hole you can always fill it in later. I wouldn't try to chain a spiral- I don't think you can fluff up the fibers to get that fuzzy baby hair if you put a bunch of stitches into the yarn. You want to chani 4 then join. Then increase in each stitch for the first couple of rounds then increase in every other stitch, then every third and so forth. This is to keep the cap flat on the top. Once you reach the correct measurements you leave out the increases and just crochet down the sides until the cap fits the head, and sew down. You can switch back to the smaller hook once you get past the first couple of rows of increases.

 

[alaska]

Oh - that makes a little more sense
How do I know when I'm at the beginning of a round?
and when I do an increase, does that mean, I insert the hook into a stitch, loop the yarn around, pull through and then do it again through the same stitch, but this time, pull through both stitches that are sitting on the needle?

Is this method better than using:
http://www.heritageshoppe.com/herita...es/turkey.html

 

[E.V. Lowi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaska Oh - that makes a little more sense How do I know when I'm at the beginning of a round? and when I do an increase, does that mean, I insert the hook into a stitch, loop the yarn around, pull through and then do it again through the same stitch, but this time, pull through both stitches that are sitting on the needle? Is this method better than using: http://www.heritageshoppe.com/herita...es/turkey.html

When you crochet in the round, it is a bit hard to tell when you come to the end of a round. I used a safety pin, in the beginning, but now that I have made a whole lot of cap wigs, I o longer need to use it. Just put the safety pin at the biginning of the round and move it down with each round. When you car making a plain crochet cap wig, you just make a single crochet stitch, no loop-- so fo an increase, you make 2 complete single crochet stitches in one stitch.

The style that you linked to, is used to make a multi style wig. It can be left looped or you can cut the loops, AFTER it is sewn down to the head and then it is called a cut loop cap wig. The loops can be short or very long, if you wish, but it's harder to keep the loops even as a novice. It's not the easiest wig to make. You trim the wig after you sew it onto the head.

With the crochet cap. you are not making any loops, just single crochet every stitch, and then you go over the finished cap with a bunka brush or a carding brush and pull the mohair fibers to the outside of the wig and fluff them up. With a quality mohair yarn this fluff can get long enough to pull into tiny baby pigtails or a baby tuft mohawk.

 

[alaska]

thank you

I also just got off the phone with Amy from dancing rain dolls - she told me the same thing about the increases (I'd been doing it wrong - thinking like a knitter!) I really like Amy, I'm glad you recommended her in some of your threads - I think her c/s is fantastic.

 

[E.V. Lowi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaska thank you I also just got off the phone with Amy from dancing rain dolls - she told me the same thing about the increases (I'd been doing it wrong - thinking like a knitter!) I really like Amy, I'm glad you recommended her in some of your threads - I think her c/s is fantastic.

That's so good to hear!

 

[alaska]

IT WORKED! YEA! I've got a 2 inch round circle so far. thank you for all your help, EV

 

[E.V. Lowi]

Good for you! I know you can get it finished on time- Good luck!

 

[alaska]

it's not working - I got the shape down, but it's too small and the weave is too tight. B'day is tomorrow; I think I need to abandon the crochet cap and sew the hair down. If anyone has any pointers - please shoot them my way!

 

[E.V. Lowi]

You can make a "pate" wig-- You will need a piece of cardboard that is double in width of the length you want your hair to be. Wrap your yarn around this cardboard until you have the amount of fullness you want, keeping the wraps parallel and within a 2" width. Slip this yarn off the cardboard and sew down through the middle with a short machine stitch keeping the yarn in the 2" width. This will be the center part of your wig. Place this part on top of the head where you want it to be and pin into place, then stitch it onto the head with a doublethreaded 2-3" doll makers needle, sitiching all the way down this center seam part. Remove the pins. Then take three strands of yarn the same length of the hair and wrap them around the wig from the center front, back around to the center back of the head at the nape and tie in a knot. This strand should pass over the "ear" on each side of the head- Pin at each ear at center front and at the knot and then adjust the wig yarn that should now be held under the strand. Using the doublethreaded needle, stitch the strand through the wig yarn down to the head all the way around, at least three times, being sure to keep the wig yarn pulled taught under the strand. You can slip a few short pieces under the wig at the forehead center front, for bangs before attaching the center part. After stitching the strand, stitch the wig down all around, to reinforce and keep the yarn from shifting and exposing the scalp, underneath. Remove all the pins! Then you can clip the loops on the ends of wig yarn and trim as desired. You can pull the hair into pigtails and braid, at this point, or leave it long and flowing. HTH.

 

[alaska]

thank you EV! I didn't see this reply until just now - 2:25 a.m. - it's been a LONG day. I did do something like that for the hair - I wrapped the yarn around a book, snipped one side, took bunches and sewed them down the center with some blank pattern paper behind it to save my machine from jamming... then sewed one of the pieces from front to back, two more pieces from side to side (stretching ear to ear) and one under that in the center, and then one last piece in the front for bangs. It worked well and now this baby has a LOT of hair LOL. I'll post pictures tomorrow when I get a breather. (along with pictures of the cake, dress, doll clothes to match, and two bucket bags I made today!)

 

[E.V. Lowi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaska thank you EV! I didn't see this reply until just now - 2:25 a.m. - it's been a LONG day. I did do something like that for the hair - I wrapped the yarn around a book, snipped one side, took bunches and sewed them down the center with some blank pattern paper behind it to save my machine from jamming... then sewed one of the pieces from front to back, two more pieces from side to side (stretching ear to ear) and one under that in the center, and then one last piece in the front for bangs. It worked well and now this baby has a LOT of hair LOL. I'll post pictures tomorrow when I get a breather. (along with pictures of the cake, dress, doll clothes to match, and two bucket bags I made today!)

WOW you worked so hard! I know your dd will love everything. Can't wait to see the photos when you get a chance.

 

[cinnamama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.V. Lowi You can make a "pate" wig-- You will need a piece of cardboard that is double in width of the length you want your hair to be. Wrap your yarn around this cardboard until you have the amount of fullness you want, keeping the wraps parallel and within a 2" width. Slip this yarn off the cardboard and sew down through the middle with a short machine stitch keeping the yarn in the 2" width. This will be the center part of your wig. Place this part on top of the head where you want it to be and pin into place, then stitch it onto the head with a doublethreaded 2-3" doll makers needle, sitiching all the way down this center seam part. Remove the pins. Then take three strands of yarn the same length of the hair and wrap them around the wig from the center front, back around to the center back of the head at the nape and tie in a knot. This strand should pass over the "ear" on each side of the head- Pin at each ear at center front and at the knot and then adjust the wig yarn that should now be held under the strand. Using the doublethreaded needle, stitch the strand through the wig yarn down to the head all the way around, at least three times, being sure to keep the wig yarn pulled taught under the strand. You can slip a few short pieces under the wig at the forehead center front, for bangs before attaching the center part. After stitching the strand, stitch the wig down all around, to reinforce and keep the yarn from shifting and exposing the scalp, underneath. Remove all the pins! Then you can clip the loops on the ends of wig yarn and trim as desired. You can pull the hair into pigtails and braid, at this point, or leave it long and flowing. HTH.

That method sounds cool. Do you have a picture? I am having a hard time conceptualizing the 3 strands of yarn. Is the purpose of that yarn to hold the wig down?

For my last doll I wrapped the yarn around cardboard covered with tissue paper. I cut the strands and sewed the yarn down each side. Then I removed the tissue paper and sewed the strips down onto the head around ina circle. Wow, that made a lot of hair and took forever. I used over a 50g ball of yarn for one head!

 

[E.V. Lowi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cinnamama That method sounds cool. Do you have a picture? I am having a hard time conceptualizing the 3 strands of yarn. Is the purpose of that yarn to hold the wig down? For my last doll I wrapped the yarn around cardboard covered with tissue paper. I cut the strands and sewed the yarn down each side. Then I removed the tissue paper and sewed the strips down onto the head around ina circle. Wow, that made a lot of hair and took forever. I used over a 50g ball of yarn for one head!

I tried to find a photo with a close up of the strands and how they tie down the wig, but every shot I have has a headband or a garland tied over the strand, so that you can't see it.-

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p...rent=Pic1b.jpg

Think of the strand more like a hippy headband and maybe that would help to visualize it.

 

[cinnamama]

Ok - I think I get it. Do you always cover it? Does this work with non-mohair wigs?

 

[E.V. Lowi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cinnamama Ok - I think I get it. Do you always cover it? Does this work with non-mohair wigs?

It works with all yarn types, including cotton floss.
No, I don't always cover it, but I do use a lot of head wreaths and bands, crowns and hats and veils in my doll designs and these make it hard to see the strand, but it looks fine when these items are removed. In another modified version of the pate/strand wig, I tie the strand over the yarn hair, as usual only leaving a layer of yarn up on top of the head out. Once the strand is tied down and stitched, I then arrange the top layer of yarn over it and tack down a little bit around the crown. It hides the strand and looks more like a multi-style wig with a lot of movement and styling potential, but much quicker and easier to create than the crochet/hooking method. It also holds up to rough play a lot better than a crochet loop wig and doesn't get the shopworn look like a hooked wig does when you are pulling all those yarn pieces through the cap. Here's a photo of the modified pate/strand wig-

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p...ent=Queen1.jpg

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p...ent=mer5-1.jpg

 

[cinnamama]

Thank you! I will have to try that. When you say cotton floss - do you mean something like DMC cotton floss? I would love to make doll hair out of it but was afraid it would slip out of stitches...

 

[E.V. Lowi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cinnamama Thank you! I will have to try that. When you say cotton floss - do you mean something like DMC cotton floss? I would love to make doll hair out of it but was afraid it would slip out of stitches...

Yes, DMC floss works great for small dolls 8" or smaller.
Just make sure that when you machine stitch the part, use very tight, short stitch length and sew back and forth over the part at least three times. Once you sew the part down to the head, and you straighten the floss hair out around the head, use a rubberband to hold the floss at the neck. It is so much easier to tie down the strand and arrange the floss hair when the rubberband is helpin to hold the floss taut. After you stitch the strand down, you may have to cut the rubber band to get it off the dolls. Good luck with it.