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Adel · Veteran Member

mohair lengths

Tina W. · Guru

Hello,
Some people root by folding the mohair in half and root from the middle. I personally take the cut end of the mohair and root from there, less frizzies. As for the length it's perference as to how long you want your baby's hair but remember you can always cut if it's too long after you root.

Hope this helps!

Adel · Veteran Member

thanks Tina, I'm just about to attempt my first rooting session.wish me luck!

Tina W. · Guru

Your welcome smile

. Taking a break from rooting myself bleh

. I woke up this morning and decided it was time to get back to reborning. I haven't done one in about 6 months!! He's all painted and now the rooting begins.
Best of Luck!

Adel · Veteran Member

ouch!!!!!!!!! its taken 5 broken needles and I,ve only managed to do the hair line around the head, It's a berenguer and I've been using a rice sock and 40g 3 barb needles. The last break really hurt, needle snapped in two places and one peice went through the fleshy part of my finger and out the other side. Rooting finished for today! Try again tomorrow but a little more careful I think. One sore fingered Adel.

Tina W. · Guru

Ouch is right! Those berenguer babies are tough. I only personally did one, with that one though I had to sand out lines so it made the head a bit more easier to work on. Don't give up, there are ladies on here who may be able to help you better with working on berenguer heads than I can.

Buffington · Guru

The Berenguers are one brand of doll who has really uneven molding thickness inside the head. This makes soft and hard spots. Glad you are using a rice sock (you are heating it, right? About 3 minutes beside a cup of water.). I'm amazed that it's that hard. I know there is 1 doll head harder and the rice sock works on her. Hmmmm.

Be sure you are not jabbing the needle in, just set it where you want it and push just firm enough to go into the head.
And make sure the angle of your needle isn't too steep and this makes where you enter the head with the tip of the needle way thicker than anywhere else. Makes for lots of broken needles. You might try finding or making a leather thimble for your finger.

I forgot to add: I usually go as far up to the cut end of the mohair as I can but still leave a little to bend in half when I root it. Remember, if you go in half of your hair and root there, the hair actually becomes 2 hairs and the hair shaft on one of them is actually upsidedown.

-- Edited by Buffington on Sunday 13th of December 2009 11:30:15 PM

Adel · Veteran Member

thankyou, I didn't think about about the hair shaft going in different directions when you root from the centre ,I will try your method and also raise the angle slightly so hopefully won't break so many needles. thanks again Adel.

Buffington · Guru

you're very welcome hun. :)

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Adel, it would be difficult for most everyone to root a Berenguer head that I think most 40G - 3-Barb needles will be very difficult to use without breaking on a Berenguer doll head unless it is a head from a Berenguer doll kit. Their doll kits are nice and soft but the doll heads used for their regular dolls are much more firm.

Have you tried the super strong needles? Someone on ebay advertises and sells them, and I think the name is Bloomers & Bows? (Anyone else know?)

You are right about direction being important. I think the most important thing I learned in rooting is to insert the needle on the same angle that the hair will naturally grow.

Hope you don't have any more injuries!

Tina W. · Guru

I've tried those super strong needles before. They are a bit stronger, harder to break and bend.

Buffington · Guru

Stephanie should probably have some too!

Tina, I see you took the hat off your avatar now. I just love that little reindeer outfit! It's just adorable. :)

Tina W. · Guru

Thank you.
He was getting a bit too toasty. The minute I took off his hat he woke right up! LOL !!! (he's a different baby then the one I had)

-- Edited by Tina W. on Saturday 19th of December 2009 01:22:28 AM

Buffington · Guru

You are so funny hehehe

Play Days Dolls · Guru

I didn't see the super strong needles on Stephanie's website. I would love to know the source for them so I can purchase wholesale for customers who complain about bent/broken needles.

Tina W. · Guru

Linda,
It's been awhile since I bought them but I'll look through my things and see if there was a website. I do know ebay has a lady who sells them as well. Just search extra strong rooting needle or something like that. Until then I'll still take a peek through my things and see what I can come up with.

I am starting to fall in love with the open eye babies. I just love this little guy!

Adel · Veteran Member

Hi Ladies,not been on here as too busy at work and with xmas aswell but would like to say a big thankyou for the advice. Since I changed the angle I was rooting in I have not broken one needle and I only have the crown to do which I'm hoping to be able to give a nice swirl.I did buy some crown rooting needles as the needle is shorter as I thought it might help with the breakage problem but have not needed to use them. as for the berenguer I think it may have been a kit as the head is uneven but not that hard, she was a reborn I purchased that went shiny and was not very well done (wasn't a bargain after all) filled with some wet dark sand in bags yuk! I chose to re-do her as my first attempt at reborning,all I can say is she already looks better than she did . :)

Tina W. · Guru

Linda,
I purchased my needles through Ebay a seller by the name of TINKERBELL CREATIONS. It was the best deal I found for the costs however she is in the UK. BnB has them as well but you get less for the money.

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Thank you, Tina!!!

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Adel, it is a good thing you are rehabbing that poor baby. No baby should be filled with dark wet sand. Will you post the photo in the Showcase area when you are finished? I am nosy and would love ot see.

Tina W. · Guru

Your welcome =)

That poor baby, Adel I can't wait to see the finished product myself. I hope you took before and after shots. I'd love to see the changes you made.

Buffington · Guru

I can't wait to see it either! YUCK is right, and customs considers sand a bio-hazard anyway. EEEwwwww!
As far as Tinkerbell Creations, I think that's Ruth's site. She is also a Secrist dealer. Wonderful woman, I met her at IDEX in Florida where I met our Danielle Z. Shipping shouldn't be too terrible much for them.

Glad your rooting is going better now. Yep, sometimes its just the angle :)

Adel · Veteran Member

unfortunately I didn't take a before photo but will post her when she is finished although don't expect too much she is my first and not without her faults. We all have to start somewhere. x

Tina W. · Guru

Ruth, yes, I believe that was her name. She's was an absolute angel. So very nice and helpful it was a pleasure doing business with her. Shipping was not that much either, extremely reasonable.

Play Days Dolls · Guru

I need to catch up... Are you speaking of Ruth Annette of SR
(Sorry, your link has been removed as it is another forum which is not allowed. Initials only please)? (I think SR is the group that originally began the online classes.)

Anyway... I always thought Tinkerbell Creations was the website of doll artist Jayne Seddon. She may be a member of Simply Reborn. Have they merged or something?

-- Edited by Buffington on Thursday 31st of December 2009 06:04:55 AM

Buffington · Guru

Yes, Ruth Annette of SR. That is her. I know it's tinkerbell something but there are several with similar nursery names so I get them all confused. And there is one run also by Hellen Jalland or something to that effect, no connection, no merging, etc. Everyone has their own tinkerbell something... hehehe

And yes, Ruth was one (if not THE) one who started the online classes. I am a member of SR for quite some many years now. Nothing there can be shared on the net, especially the rooting stuff from the classes and forum. Rules you know!

-- Edited by Buffington on Thursday 31st of December 2009 06:10:31 AM

Play Days Dolls · Guru

Oops, please forgive! So sorry about the URLs being listed. I didn't realize SR or Tinkerbell Creations were competitors, and wanted to make sure we were talking about the same Tinkerbell.

Buffington · Guru

It's always a learning experience, no matter what eh? lol

Adel · Veteran Member

hi ladies, my first is now complete and I have uploaded some pics in showcase. She turned into a he, the camera work is not great but hope it shows some of the details. His colouring is a bit pale as I only had limited paint selection but am learning as I go along.Please give honest critique I wont be offended in anyway as I think its the only way to learn. Thanks ladies Adel.

(This post should probably have been put in the misc chatter instead of mohair rooting hun, but I can't move it now.) Please be sure of your topic and where it fits ladies, before you post :)

-- Edited by Buffington on Sunday 3rd of January 2010 08:48:57 PM

Buffington · Guru

Play Days Dolls wrote:

Oops, please forgive! So sorry about the URLs being listed. I didn't realize SR or Tinkerbell Creations were competitors, and wanted to make sure we were talking about the same Tinkerbell.

SR and Ruth's Tinkerbell are not competitors. Ruth is actually both of them.
Its just our forum rules hun. :o Ruth is one of Secrist's dealers though. She came on board when I was Secrist's Field Sales Rep ;)

Adel · Veteran Member

sorry for that. x

Play Days Dolls · Guru

It sure is! I think I learn something new everyday whether I want to or not. LOL