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Date: May 19, 2008

Question about weighting with glass beads

Buffington · Guru

Most times with the glass beads we suggest to double the stocking before putting it in the limb. Usually it doesn't go anywhere once it's in the limb and the polyfill is in there. Some people make a cardboard disc to glue into the limb openings just in case.

We usually use polypellets in the body with polyfil as otherwise it takes a lot of glass beads and if handled alot the glass tends to sift out. And since it's a cloth body there is a concern that it could sift out through the fabric.

The only thing I can suggest for the forehead is to take a cotton swab with either doll cleaner on it http://www.secristdolls.com/inc/sdetail/37958 or some acetone on it, gently rub it on the spot then smooth it with your fingertip. This should smooth out and allow you to paint over it. It's worth a try. weirdface

Date: May 19, 2008

Thank you for your help. I used your suggestion and tried the acetone. I have been touching up my paint and it's working beautifully.

Heather M · Senior Member

When I use glass beads inside a doll, I sew satin pouches for them and sew the pouch shut. Densa fabric like satin will hold even sand-like granules in. When I make micro preemies, I put the glass beads in balloons.

Date: May 20, 2008

I think I will try the satin pouches. When you weight your dolls do you only use the glass beads? Do you contain the beads in a pouch for the legs and arms or do you pour the beads in and put poly on top of that?

Thank you for your help.

Tesa

Buffington · Guru

Heather M wrote:

When I make micro preemies, I put the glass beads in balloons.

This would indeed hold your glass beads but the integritiy of the balloons will eventually break down and disintagrate inside the vinyl and has been known to cause problems.

It really shouldn't cause a problem if you just put the glass beads inside the limbs without anything and then put your polyfil and seal with something. If they were going to be played with I would say no to that then and put them in something to hold them.

I belong to many other forums and have heard the nightmares regarding lots of stuff we reborners do to our creations. You may not have any problems with the balloons but this has happened to others who have sold their babies and gotten a message from the adoptive mommies on problems and then have to try to fix them.

Just an FYI

Date: Jun 3, 2008

Hi, reborners, in Australia we have been told to use clean white sand heated in the oven to kill any bugs and to half fill limbs with the sand and then put in polyfill. then silacone openings. In the head after the glue for sealing the hair,I put a little pollyfill and make a rounded end sack from calico or toweling fabric and loosely fill it with glass and poly pellets and stitch open end with machine, the same for the body, then lightly fill the rest with poly fill. so far the seem to feel real. Today would have been my Dads 97th birthday, so I thought theres no better way to spend it than finishing aberringer doll, I named Marcie Ellen after my mum. should be finished by midnight, it has taken about 8-10 hrs so far to root the hair. I hope you all like my stories from Oz. June M from Oz. biggrin

Buffington · Guru

June,

I don't know if anyone has told you but the sand is not ok in you bubbas if you are going to have them travel out of the country. I know several countries (like the UK for instance) where the dolls with sand in them are confiscated and even cut open as they consider sand (baked, sterilized or whatever) a bio-hazard so are not able to go there.

We here in the USA have lost dolls to the other country's customs due to sand. It's ok if you're going to keep them but not ship over-seas. Just thought you might like to know that bit of info.

I can't wait to see your babe's link here in the forum. :)

precious_lullabies · Guru

I'm down under in Oz too June!! yay - another aussie :)

I don't use sand for a few reasons, the customs thing being a big one - and i do have my babies travel internationally, adopted by their new mummies in France, the UK, USA and New Zealand (you might be able to send to NZ from Australia with sand weighting though).

The other problem with sand is that it will compact and become very, very hard over time. If your using this inside of the body, its going to feel very lumpy and have hard solid bits in it. I'd also worry that overtime the sand will migrate through the fabric holding it and soil the doll body or just start to find its way out, leave sandy dust around whenever its moved, repositioned, or held.

Nomes xx

LovesDolls · Guru

I would not use cardboard in my doll as most cardboard has acids in it and it has the possibility of doing nasty things inside your doll after a while! If you want to continue to use cardboard make sure you are using archival quality with not acids or ligins in it!

Date: Jun 8, 2008

Hi Naomi,I,m a Queenlander and have a table in Brisbane next weekend the 14th June at the city hall, Winter Wonderland . Thanks for the info regarding sand . I will have to go glass and polly pelets instead. Might meet up with you one day if you go to any of the shows. We have Sara Zata Porcelain, and now reborn dolls and supplies. I have been pretty busy this year with a husband that was bed ridden for 16wks, with two broken hips and pelvis, now he has spinal problems. He used to do all the greenware pouring and helped me clean greenware. Hope to get back into that again soon as we are setting up a doll display as soon as the house is finished. Have been looking forward to it for a long time. Should be within the next few months. Hope i,m not boring you. I am a very close friend to Barry @Beryl Brown formally Lousia K dolls. June M from Oz.:

precious_lullabies · Guru

June all the best with the Winter Wonderland show, we had a quilt and craft fair over here (western australia) the end of last month. I contacted to see about doing a stall, but they were only keen if i had supplies as well as the finished dolls - maybe someday i might go into the supply side of things... especially given how few suppliers are in australia, but i'm only 25 and i don't have the kind of money needed for start up.

it would be nice to be able to maybe open a craft shop someday and do classes in reborning etc

hope your husbands recovery speeds along. My father broke his back 4yrs ago in a car accident - thankfully his spinal cord was not compromised and he recovered, he's been having some problems though again lately with the discs in the same area as the break was.

anyway

Date: Jun 8, 2008

Naomi ,I wrote a reply to you but backspaced once to often ,I think I need My beauty sleep and I,ll do it all again tomorrow. Four young grandchildren most have taken it out of me over the weekend. I don,t like thinking I,m as old as I am. 61yrs and I,m a Pices. Bye till yhe morning. June M from Oz. weirdface

Date: Jun 16, 2008

Naomi, I didn,t get back on line untill today ment to put your name on one that I posted about the show but didn,t so maybe you will come across it. My husband was in a lot of pain over the wekend and I feel bad letting him help doing the lifting. Noticed the nerve on the left side of his mouth is closing the corner of his lip so have been busy this morning trying to get his appointment spesded up with the brisbane spinal unit. all we can do is wait, hope it,s not to long. cry

June M from Oz