Custom for Kristy

This doll for Kristy has such a lovely sweet face. She is 16"tall has fair skin, fawn brown Teeswater locks with medium brown streaks.

A Give Away to GIVE away

It is amazing that my fanpage on Facebook almost has 1000 likes while I just started this page 10 months ago! To show my gratitude I thought it would be a great idea to organize a Give Away for someone who has had a tough year and really could use some cheer up. The idea alone filled my heart with joy because I know life isn't always easy and there must be quite a few people who cannot afford a hand made doll. To make a doll for this occasion would be extra special for me.

After reading the first comments on Facebook, the joy disappeared fast to make place for sadness. I didn't realize it would have such an impact especially knowing the fact that one doll is just a drop in the ocean. Immediately I started thinking of making more dolls for the Give Away but the wise words of my husband put me down to earth. He said: "Esther, even if you make free dolls for the rest of your life, you wouldn't live long enough to make a doll for every person who could use it". I know he's right but I cannot shake off the sad feeling that I have to disappoint quite a few people when I draw a winner for the Give Away.

So, any doll maker who wants to provide an extra free doll for the Christmas Give Away, please contact me.

How great will it be if we can spread more joy together this Christmas!

♥ Esther

Customs for Laurie

 

These cute 12" dollies are for Laurie. They have mocca skin and the hair is dyed by Pinki Punki.

How to crochet a wig with weft mohair

It needs a bit of a study and a bit practise, but making a wig of weft mohair isn't as hard as you may think. I'll tell you my way of crocheting a wig.

For a wig for a doll with a circumference of 35 cm or 14" you will need appr. 100 gram of wefted mohair and a length of 105".

Top down crocheting:

For this wig I use as base for the crochet a brushed mohair yarn with thickness 5 and a crochet needle 3,5 (4 in the US) Start with a magic ring and crochet half treble (half double) till the ring is closed.  In the next (second) row you add the weft to the work, behind the just crocheted cirkel and you crochet the weft together with the rest of the rows along the way, using the DOUBLE CROCHET (TREBLE). By using the double crochet in the next rows you avoid a too crowded crown. 

                                      In the picture I am a bit further but you can see how the weft is behind the crocheting.

                                     You stick your needle through the weft, pick up the yarn and finish the stitch like usual

For those who want to see more than these pictures and like to see the wig & weft crocheting in action, there is a very good video available at http://fairywooldolls.blogspot.com.

In the second  row you double your stitches by crocheting 2 times in every following chain stitch. In the third and fourth rows you crochet every other stitch 2 times, so 1 x 1, 2 x 1, 1 x 1, 2 x 1, etc. In the fifth row you swith to the half double stitch again, so the space between the rows become smaller and the wig will be more dense. To make a nice transition to the (practically straight) sides of the wig, you crochet every 6th chain stitch double. The rest of the wig you crochet as it comes without increasing. If you think your wig is ending too wide, decrease the last rows by crocheting some stitches together. 

If you wish to make a wig of lighter hair or you want to use smooth yarn instead of brushed, I advice to use a thinner yarn like 3 or 3,5 (knitting needles as indicated on the yarn). Light wigs show more of the crocheting so when using a thin yarn, your stitches will be more delicate.

So summarized: you crochet your wig with half double stitches except for row 2,3 and 4 (those with double stitches) to avoid a packed and cluttered crown, you crochet the first 4 rows as a flat circle and you make a smooth transition to the sides of wig by increasing less than before. Always check during the process if the wig fits onto your dolls head; methods, used materials and crochet techniques can differ per person!

Bottom top method

When using a straight weft mohair, it is better (the hair falls nicer and jumps less) to start at the bottom of the wig and work your way up to the crown by decreasing in the same way as described above but vice versa ofcourse. You measure the circumference of the dolls head and you add 0,5"extra before you close the chain. You keep the weft also at the back of your crocheting. Decreasing at the crown is crocheting 2 or even more stitches together, depending on the need. 

Good luck!

♥ Esther

ps: I have some wefts available in my etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/nl/shop/StudioWoolwork

Limited stock unfortunately