I am really liking rerooting vintage repros. I am too scared to touch a vintage one. I do not alter vintage dolls… in general.
I am true Rocker generation; yes I know there are stigmas related to post vintage and mod generations. To be completely honest I don’t get the hype of keeping hair color exact, or not restyling. I, however, RESPECT the tradition of dolls and original form. I bought a box of heads, that sounds odd, to re-root and re-style. I just couldn’t bring my self to do it. Give me a 1990’s mass-produced doll with bushy hair, generic face, and ill-made clothes and I will gut the hair, acetone the face, and redo as I see fit. The box of heads has sat for two years now…. Out of respect I just couldn’t do it to them. All reroots will be repros.
My Style
I use the knot method. I have used the reroot tool. It is effective, but I am not patient and I wasted a lot of hair.
1. I make plugs. I DO NOT knot one end. Instead I fold the hair and knot it so there is a loop in the middle. It is quicker and less messy -- my kind of method.
2. After doing a chunk of the hair I start to root to see how much more I need.
3. Depending on the style I have two methods for rooting. For Ponytails I do the forehead first, and then work from side to side the back point. For Color Magics or American Girl syles I start (generally left side) in the back section. I don't work in a row. I sort of create a triangle from the back point. I DO NOT use all holes on the repro heads; doing so creates the troll doll look. I rubber band sections as I go for full roots. I use seran wrap around the head and hair when I reach the part.
4. I style. With the head on the doll I either put in a ponytail or boil settle. Then I trim.
2011~ Well seven have been completed! 3 Color Magic styles, 2 Swirls, 1 ponytail, and 1 center part.
2010 ~ I hadn't done a reroot in about 10 years. My sister and I redid several dolls. About 6 years ago I bough hair and a few garage sale dolls to make over. I knotted hair, started... and our then puppy found the head while I was making dinner. She dropped it when I screamed, but the damage was done. I haven't been motivated since. Each year I'd buy some Saran thinking I'd get to rerooting again. Last year I even bought 20-30 dolls, cut hair, plucked and washed. I painted scalps to go with hair. I started one and she still lays in the bin with a few rows rooted. I doubt she'll ever been finished. I have in one week rooted two dolls this year, 2010. The Color Magic is the first time I ever did a part. The swirl's part is MUCH better. I didn't want to poke additional holes in her head when I am just reving up. I did a bang root and styled it into a swirl.
Complete dolls may become available for sale, however, I do not do requests on dolls. Sorry!
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