Showing posts with label acrylic yarn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acrylic yarn. Show all posts

Monday 31 August 2020

Vintage 1980s Knitting Patterns - Part 9

Time for instalment number nine of my vintage 80s knitting patterns. 

This post features numerous Alafoss and Wendy knitting patterns, plenty of batwing and dolman sweaters, pastel shades and headband accessories, with some entrelac and colourwork thrown in for good measure.

Enjoy.

All my other vintage patterns can be viewed via this link.


Vintage 1980s Alafoss Lopi Traditional Sweater Knitting Pattern  - Booklet No 2
Vintage 1980s Alafoss Lopi Traditional Sweater Knitting Pattern - Booklet No 2


Vintage 1980s Alafoss Lopi Traditional Sweater Knitting Pattern  - Booklet No 2
Vintage 1980s Alafoss Lopi Traditional Sweater Knitting Pattern - Booklet No 2

Thursday 12 December 2019

Finished Monster High Yarn Wig Projects

I have been busy creating yarn wigs from brushed acrylic yarn for Monster High Dolls and my instructions on how to make these are available here and here


As already mentioned in my previous posts, brushing out acrylic yarn creates a lot of waste. To minimise this waste, I wanted to experiment and make a wig, incorporating wefts made out of the waste acrylic.

When I recently completed another wig, I essentially followed the same steps, but utilised some of the brushed out waste acrylic yarn in the lower layers of the wig. Looking at the finished wig (photos below), I am quite pleased with the result. Whilst these 'waste wefts' are certainly not suitable for the top layers of the wig, they make for nice padding and add overall bulk to the appearance of the wig. 

Here are some images of my waste yarn wig: 

Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 

Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 

Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 


Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 

Saturday 5 October 2019

OOAK Custom Doll Wigs - Tips on how to make acrylic yarn wigs for Monster High and other dolls

Doll wigs made from brushed acrylic yarn


Yes, it is possible, very straightforward and fun to make doll wigs from brushed acrylic yarn. 

Not only is this an effective stashbuster project, if you wish to use up left-overs and odd bits of acrylic yarn, but - as I explained in a previous post on doll customisation - I believe, this is an excellent project for those wishing to get started with doll customisation.


OOAK Custom Monster High Doll Wig in Progress (made with brushed acrylic yarn)
OOAK Custom Monster High Doll Wig in Progress (made with brushed acrylic yarn) 

Since last posting on custom doll wigs, I have completed another Monster High doll wig and what follows below are a few hints and tips for those wishing to make their own doll wigs with brushed acrylic yarn. 

Without further ado, let's start talking OOAK (one of a kind) custom doll yarn wigs.

OOAK Custom Monster High Doll Wig in Progress (made with brushed acrylic yarn)
OOAK Custom Monster High Doll Wig in Progress (made with brushed acrylic yarn) 


Monster High OOAK Custom Acrylic Yarn Wig
Monster High OOAK Custom Acrylic Yarn Wig 


Acrylic Yarn Wig - How to

  • Removing the doll's factory hair

Removing the hair from and cleaning the doll's head is by far one of the most time-consuming steps in the process. I managed to 'be-head' and 'de-hair' my Monster High with the help of warm water and a pair of tweezers, which I used to remove the glue from the inside of her scalp. 

This process involves a lot of scraping against the inside of the doll's scalp and should be done with a great deal of patience. Other doll models may behave differently, and I would advise not to apply too much force, giving this process time. Once I had all the hair successfully pulled from the scalp of my Monster High, I proceeded to make a simple wig cap.


Monster High Doll Wig Cap
Monster High Doll Wig Cap

  • Making a wig cap

I have seen a number of ways, in which customisers make wig caps, utilising both silicon or hot glue guns. Yet, I decided to opt for the simplest route, requiring an old pair of tights, a rubber band and several (at least three) applications of PVA glue.

Before making the cap, ensure the doll's head is wrapped in a thin layer of cling film. Proceed to cover the head with the tights, pull them neatly over the doll's head and secure the fabric with a rubber band underneath the ears. The rubber band will serve as a guide when applying the glue to the head.

Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig Cap
Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig Cap 

I chose the most easily available, run of the mill PVA glue, which is stocked in my local Tesco's. Though there are superior brands available online, it did the job just about fine, even though its consistency is clearly more on the lumpy side. 

Next time, I will opt for another brand with a smoother liquid. Especially when it comes to preparing the yarn wefts, you will want to make use of a glue that is as smooth as possible when brushed onto the wefts. This one was just a bit too lumpy for my liking.


PVA Glue by County Stationery


I applied four coats of PVA glue to make the cap, letting the glue dry completely between applications. This resulted in a sturdy, yet flexible cap, fitting the doll's head like a glove. Waiting for four glue applications to dry may sound somewhat lengthy, but it's vital to ensure that the glue is dried completely before proceeding to cut the wig to size. When the wig is ready, you will need to cut away the excess fabric, using the rubber band as a guide. The rubber band itself will usually peel off or can be carefully removed by hand. You will also need to cut out the area where the doll's ears are located. I used the outline of the ears in the dried glue as a guide, but you may wish to trace the outline with a marker pen when the cap is still on the doll's head.

Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig Cap
Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig Cap


Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig Cap
Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig Cap

  • Making acrylic yarn wefts and reducing waste
A good-looking wig starts with well-made yarn wefts. To ensure the wefts are uniform in size, the yarn should be cut into equal strands, each between 19cm and 25cm long. Bulky acrylic works best. 

Before brushing out the yarn, I separated the individuals strands of the yarn. This makes the process of brushing a lot easier and, I feel, reduces waste. I secured an equal number of strands on a knitting needle and proceeded to brush these with a carder.



Acrylic Yarn cut for Yarn Wefts
Acrylic Yarn cut for Yarn Wefts

When I made my first yarn wig I was overwhelmed by the amount of waste when brushing out the yarn. And at first I was reluctant to really apply the force necessary to brush out the yarn properly: Firstly, I was afraid that I would destroy all of the yarn and, secondly, I was horrified at the waste I was producing in the process. (The below photo shows the waste acrylic from just one weft.) 



Waste Acrylic Yarn when brushing out acrylic yarn
Waste Acrylic Yarn when brushing out acrylic yarn

Unfortunately, the wastage cannot be helped. There will be a lot of waste. (More on that and how to utilise the waste acrylic for the wig below.) Yet, once you start brushing the yarn, you will not destroy the individual strands of yarn completely. At some point in the process, you will end up with a yarn weft that resembles the picture below.


Acrylic yarn weft, brushed before straightening
Acrylic yarn weft, brushed before straightening 


  • Minimising waste when making acrylic yarn wefts
In order to minimise waste, I tried to make a weft out of the waste acrylic by simply brushing the yarn with the carder for a second time. I'm pleased to report that this method works and it is possible to make small wefts out of the waste acrylic. The 'waste wefts' are shown in the following two images both before and after heat treatment. 

These smaller, 'waste wefts' will look inferior when compared to the others, but can still be utilised in the  less visible bottom layers of the wig, providing added bulk.


Yarn wefts made from waste acrylic yarn (before straightening)
Yarn wefts made from waste acrylic yarn (before straightening) 



Yarn wefts made from waste acrylic fluff after straightening
Yarn wefts made from waste acrylic fluff after straightening (used for lower layers of wig)  

For an overall smooth appearance, the wefts should be heat treated with a hair straightener. Individual results will vary, depending on how much heat is applied and for how long, but I would recommend starting off with the lowest setting and regulating up.


Yarn Weft after straightening

  • Glueing the yarn wefts
When applying PVA glue to the wefts, I ensure that a small amount of glue equal to the length of the weft is applied to a plastic sheet (multi-punched pocket or other plastic surface). I place the weft into this area, pressing it firmly into the glue. I then proceed to deposit a very small amount of glue over the top ends of the wefts and carefully work the glue into the acrylic with a brush. 

In this step it's important to use just the right amount of glue. Too little and the weft will not be held together. Too much glue will result in the top of the weft being too stiff and too bulky, making it harder to fit it onto the wig cap. I let the glue dry overnight, ensuring that the wefts can be easily removed from the plastic.


  • Assembling the wig
The scariest part in the whole process is assembling the wig itself. The challenge here is to place the wefts in such a way that the glued ends are not visible. How you assemble the wefts on the cap largely depends on the look you want to achieve, but I would recommend starting off with the front of the head working your way round the entire wig once, placing smaller wefts (cut to size) around the ear area and then proceeding to work your way up from the back. 



Arranging the yarn wefts on the wig cap

When the wig is completed and all wefts have been glued, I keep styling to a minimum and ensure that the wig is left untouched for at least 12 hours, giving the glue a chance to dry. As PVA glue is water soluble, all contact with water should be avoided.



OOAK Monster High Custom Wig
OOAK Monster High Custom Wig

Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig
Monster High OOAK Custom Doll Wig 


Monster High Doll Custom Acrylic Yarn Wig
Monster High Doll Custom Acrylic Yarn Wig 

Monster High Doll Custom Acrylic Yarn Wig
Monster High Doll Custom Acrylic Yarn Wig 

Saturday 28 September 2019

Doll Customising: Easy Beginner Projects - Acrylic Yarn Wigs

Getting Into Doll Customising 

Regular readers of my blog will have noticed that I have been busy creating a number of custom outfits for Monster High and other dolls over the past months. I have to confess, by now my interest in doll customisation has become a bit of an obsession, judging by the time I spend marvelling at the many fantastic custom creations available on the web. 

Though I have been aware of the existence of custom or ooak (one of a kind) dolls for a number of years, especially since many Blythe doll collectors roaming the craft scene are very accomplished knitters and crocheters. Yet, I didn't feel confident enough to launch into my own custom projects for a long time. 

What's more, doll customising sounds like a bit of an obscure past time, especially for grown-ups. For this reason, I felt reluctant to admit to myself that I actually felt intrigued by it. So intrigued in fact, that I would want to give it a go myself.

Despite its growth over the past decade thanks to social media platforms such as Tumblr, Pinterest and Youtube, the community of doll customisers is still comparatively small and the number of  tutorials and readily available information on techniques, tools and materials is consequently rather limited, especially when compared to mainstream crafts such as sewing, knitting, or crocheting. Due to their familiarity with materials and tools in use by doll customisers, all those familiar with model-making are likely to have an advantage when branching into the custom doll sphere. For a knitter like me, doll customisation is entirely new territory.

Monster High Acrylic Yarn Doll Wig
Monster High Acrylic Yarn Doll Wig

Sunday 16 March 2014

The Garter Stitch Brain Cleanser ...or Can you Block Acrylic Yarn?


Baktus Scarf



Update: Project notes for a modified brain cleanser baktus are now available here.

Strikkelise's Baktus pattern  has been on my "to -knit-list" for quite a while, but I had never quite gotten into the right state of mind for a project knitted entirely in garter stitch until now. Knitting in garter stitch throughout can be quite a repetitive endeavour, which I highly recommend as a brain - cleansing activity. To incorporate a little more of a challenge, I decided to knit my Baktus in two colours and I wanted to use the most inexpensive yarn I could find in my cupboard (...and still achieve a presentable look).

The yarn for this project was a charity shop find. I was unable to ascertain the manufacturer and only have a vague idea on the composition. A label on the inside of the heather - coloured cone tells me that the yarn contains 30% wool, with the remainder being acrylic. I assume that the same applies to the grey cone, but I could be wrong. I also assume that  Yeoman's are the manufacturers of the yarn. (Yeoman's produce machine knitting yarn, which is sold on cones.) But I could be wrong on this, too.