Tantehilde.be

http://www.tantehilde.be/wrdprss

- Sewing: how to make dolls hair

Wednesday, 27 February 2008 22:22

I want to show you how I make doll’s hair out of knitting yarn.

First you need to draw a line on your doll’s head, starting from her forehead all the way over her head to her neckline where you want the hair to end. Measure that line (e.g. 15 cm). Then take some Scotch tape (= the same length as the line you’ve just measured) and put it with the adhesive strip up on your table.

Now measure how long you want the hair to be, e.g. from her left shoulder straight up over her head to her right shoulder (26 cm in this example).

Now place the yarn one thread at a time on the tape (don’t cut them!), as shown in the picture. Make sure they lie neatly next to one another.

Place a piece of paper tissue (I’ve used toilet paper) on top of the centre line.
Carefully turn everything around and start sewing over the tape with the paper tissue at the bottom. (Use little stitches!)

Remove the tape and the tissue. Do this very slowly and with extreme care to avoid moving any hair. You might want to use tweezers for this.

Place this ‘wig’ on the line you’ve drawn earlier on your doll’s head. Make sure you keep the right and left side separated so the stitched line is still visible. Now pin and sew it manually in place, starting from the forehead and ending at the neckline.

Once you’re done with this, you can use some fabric glue to keep the hair in place if desired.

Now draw a line on both sides of the doll’s head, as shown in the picture.

Take the first 4 threads and sew them on this line. Then take the next 4 threads and do exactly the same.

Repeat this until all threads are sewn in place.

There she is: one side is already sewn in place.

Once you’ve done both sides you can make pigtails and sew on a nice ribbon to render the stitches invisible!

You can make all kinds of hair using this method. You could make bangs (in this case you have to sew very short threads of yarn on the Scotch tape and sew it on top of the doll’s head before you sew the long hair!). Or you could use ‘ribbon-yarn’ or strips of fabric. I guess I must try that one out on my next doll.

33 Comments »

Thank you for this tutorial!!

Comment by Kuky — February 28, 2008 @ 11:13 am
you do very good tutorials my friend …

Comment by raggyrat — February 28, 2008 @ 11:21 am
Brilliant!!!! The only sewing I was allowed to do at school was for 6 months when is was 11. We made a rag doll and to be different I was the only one to do a boy! We used the sellotape technique then but I have never been able to remember exactly how it was done so THANK YOU!!!!!!! I can’t wait to try it out again.

Lucy xxx

Comment by Lucy Locket-Pocket — February 28, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
hilde - I love you - thank you!!!!

Comment by Katy — February 29, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
Thank you, thank you. I have been wondering how to do this. Thank you for taking the time to photograph it and write up the directions. Why do some things have to be such a mystery? I love people like you who are willing to share their knowledge. Thanks again.

Comment by Jenn — March 7, 2008 @ 10:03 pm
thank you!!

Comment by meg — March 12, 2008 @ 5:12 am
Hello!!!
I love this tutorial!!! I made my doll with this kind of hair!
If you want to see it, go to www.artlocrafts.blogspot.com!
I put there one link from your blog!!!
thanks a lot!!!!
Elo

Comment by Eloisa — April 21, 2008 @ 10:09 pm
Thank you so much for this tutorial !

Comment by tukta — October 20, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
merci beaucoup

Comment by claire k — December 14, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Thanks so much… this was just what I was looking for to finish the Christmas doll for my daughter’s best friend!!

Comment by Mairi — December 22, 2008 @ 8:25 am
Thanks so much for your clear instructions - I have 2 bald headed cloth dolls waiting for a big head of hair!

Comment by Connie — February 21, 2009 @ 8:01 pm
Thanks for the sweet and simple hair instructions!!! I usually dread doing hair because I put it in piece by piece, this is a great way to do it without all the struggle. Yeah!!!

Comment by UmmLayla — March 10, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
Thnx thangs so much it really helps me becuse i im gonna make a plastic doll and maybe i can make a yarn hair for it the plastic im gonna make is called casein out of milk a vinegar im gonna tried i don’t know if its gonna work but thanks any way

Comment by Ardita — April 12, 2009 @ 8:09 am
[…] Yarn hair tutorial from Tantehilde […]

Pingback by One Crafty Place » Doll Pattern Round-Up for Craft Hope — April 28, 2009 @ 7:38 pm
Thanks so much for this. I am making a rag doll for my 2 year niece and this is the perfect hair for it.

Comment by Lyla — April 29, 2009 @ 6:09 pm
Thank you so much for this info - great instructions

Comment by Ali — May 9, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
[…] on the sites linked by the original post, cutting out these shapes instead. And we are using this tutorial to attach hair. And yay for cute Japanese fabric with hedgehogs and mushrooms (Japanese […]

Pingback by dollyface » Tokyo Bambi: Starfruit Cafe Blog — June 3, 2009 @ 8:35 pm
This site was sooooooo helpful. First time I’ve ever attempted to make a doll and I had no idea how to do the hair. These are fantastic and easy-to-follow instructions ( the pics helped a lot) and my doll’s hair went smoothly and turned out just like the photos. Thank you so much!!!

Comment by Kelly — June 29, 2009 @ 1:35 am
Thank you for posting these instructions. Been a long time since I made dolls and I always avoided doing the hair because it never looked right. Had a hard time just finding the hair and it came with no instructions other than to glue on. Thanks again. Cindy

Comment by Cindy — August 14, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
These are very good for a girls heair bu what if it is a boys hair? Can you help me please!

Comment by Hannah — September 29, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
[…] Find the tutorial here: How to Make Doll’s Hair by Tantehilde […]

Pingback by Softie Making: resources for making handmade softies » Blog Archive » How to Make Doll’s Hair by Tantehilde — October 6, 2009 @ 4:06 am
Thank you!!! Hrm…one more thing to add to my To-Do roster.

Comment by Aunt LoLo — October 6, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
[…] Tantehilde shares a tutorial for making yarn hair for cloth dolls. Get the how-to. […]

Pingback by Tutorial: Yarn hair for cloth dolls · Sewing @ CraftGossip — October 6, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
Great information! I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-yarn-hair-for-cloth-dolls/2009/10/06/

–Anne

Comment by Anne Weaver — October 6, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
the tape is a great idea! love it! thanks so much for sharing!

Comment by Rachel — November 10, 2009 @ 6:56 pm
thanks, im making a haunted ragdoll and needed her hair in pigtails, so thnx!!!

Comment by gaby — November 28, 2009 @ 12:26 pm
Thank you so much for your very clear instructions on making yarn doll hair.

My doll gets the braid on each side but she also gets bangs. Can you tell me an easy way to do the bangs?

Comment by dot — December 28, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
@dot: I would make the bangs first (just some short threads of yarn) and sew it on the dolls head before the braids

Comment by hilde — December 29, 2009 @ 12:14 am
awww thank you for this tuto! I’ve been searching for it everywhere

Comment by Lia — January 6, 2010 @ 5:38 am
Thank you for this tutorial, the pics are excellent. I’ve done half my dolls head (with backstitching) but, it seems like it may be able to be pulled out from it stitches any suggestions?

Comment by umma — January 18, 2010 @ 5:26 am
@umma: once you’ve sewn the hair on the side of the head, it can’t be pulled out anymore. But if you do a doll’s hair like this: http://www.tantehilde.be/wrdprss/?p=277 you sew over the tape as shown on the pictures, then remove the tape, then fold the hair on the stitched line and sew again at 2mm from this line and then sew it by hand on the head. For this type of hair I place the wig on the dolls head not on the vertical line, but horizontally. And I make like 4 or 5 of these ‘wigs’ and sew them on the back of the head starting with the lowest, and ending on the top of the head. Finally just one more little ‘wig’ that you place horizontally on the forehead. I hope you understand this without any more pictures?

Comment by hilde — January 18, 2010 @ 10:04 am
Hi

Thanks for a great tutorial, i wondered if you could help, i have been asked to make a gran and grandpa cloth doll, could you help me with their hair. They want the gran to have her hair in a bun.

Hope you can help

Thanks

Mandie

Comment by Mandie — February 1, 2010 @ 12:17 pm
@Mandie: there are 2 options for a bun: you make a ‘wig’ with this tutorial, and sew it in a circle (just like your own hairline goes: on top of the forehead, behind the ears, in the neckline). Then you gather the hair at the centerpoint of your circle and make a knot.
Or you could do it with fabric, like i made this doll: http://www.tantehilde.be/v/tantehilde/poppen+en+knuffels/Afbeelding+126.jpg.html . I could make some drawings if you tell me which option you prefer.

Comment by hilde — February 1, 2010 @ 12:26 pm

« Back to the previous page
« Back to the main page

Thank you for this tutorial!!

Comment by Kuky — February 28, 2008 @ 11:13 am

you do very good tutorials my friend …

Comment by raggyrat — February 28, 2008 @ 11:21 am

Brilliant!!!! The only sewing I was allowed to do at school was for 6 months when is was 11. We made a rag doll and to be different I was the only one to do a boy! We used the sellotape technique then but I have never been able to remember exactly how it was done so THANK YOU!!!!!!! I can’t wait to try it out again.

Lucy xxx

Comment by Lucy Locket-Pocket — February 28, 2008 @ 2:18 pm

hilde - I love you - thank you!!!!

Comment by Katy — February 29, 2008 @ 3:49 pm

Thank you, thank you. I have been wondering how to do this. Thank you for taking the time to photograph it and write up the directions. Why do some things have to be such a mystery? I love people like you who are willing to share their knowledge. Thanks again.

Comment by Jenn — March 7, 2008 @ 10:03 pm

thank you!!

Comment by meg — March 12, 2008 @ 5:12 am

Hello!!!
I love this tutorial!!! I made my doll with this kind of hair!
If you want to see it, go to www.artlocrafts.blogspot.com!
I put there one link from your blog!!!
thanks a lot!!!!
Elo

Comment by Eloisa — April 21, 2008 @ 10:09 pm

Thank you so much for this tutorial !

Comment by tukta — October 20, 2008 @ 12:09 pm

merci beaucoup

Comment by claire k — December 14, 2008 @ 3:03 pm

Thanks so much… this was just what I was looking for to finish the Christmas doll for my daughter’s best friend!!

Comment by Mairi — December 22, 2008 @ 8:25 am

Thanks so much for your clear instructions - I have 2 bald headed cloth dolls waiting for a big head of hair!

Comment by Connie — February 21, 2009 @ 8:01 pm

Thanks for the sweet and simple hair instructions!!! I usually dread doing hair because I put it in piece by piece, this is a great way to do it without all the struggle. Yeah!!!

Comment by UmmLayla — March 10, 2009 @ 5:27 pm

Thnx thangs so much it really helps me becuse i im gonna make a plastic doll and maybe i can make a yarn hair for it the plastic im gonna make is called casein out of milk a vinegar im gonna tried i don’t know if its gonna work but thanks any way

Comment by Ardita — April 12, 2009 @ 8:09 am

[…] Yarn hair tutorial from Tantehilde […]

Pingback by One Crafty Place » Doll Pattern Round-Up for Craft Hope — April 28, 2009 @ 7:38 pm

Thanks so much for this. I am making a rag doll for my 2 year niece and this is the perfect hair for it.

Comment by Lyla — April 29, 2009 @ 6:09 pm

Thank you so much for this info - great instructions

Comment by Ali — May 9, 2009 @ 12:34 pm

[…] on the sites linked by the original post, cutting out these shapes instead. And we are using this tutorial to attach hair. And yay for cute Japanese fabric with hedgehogs and mushrooms (Japanese […]

Pingback by dollyface » Tokyo Bambi: Starfruit Cafe Blog — June 3, 2009 @ 8:35 pm

This site was sooooooo helpful. First time I’ve ever attempted to make a doll and I had no idea how to do the hair. These are fantastic and easy-to-follow instructions ( the pics helped a lot) and my doll’s hair went smoothly and turned out just like the photos. Thank you so much!!!

Comment by Kelly — June 29, 2009 @ 1:35 am

Thank you for posting these instructions. Been a long time since I made dolls and I always avoided doing the hair because it never looked right. Had a hard time just finding the hair and it came with no instructions other than to glue on. Thanks again. Cindy

Comment by Cindy — August 14, 2009 @ 7:57 pm

These are very good for a girls heair bu what if it is a boys hair? Can you help me please!

Comment by Hannah — September 29, 2009 @ 3:43 pm

[…] Find the tutorial here: How to Make Doll’s Hair by Tantehilde […]

Pingback by Softie Making: resources for making handmade softies » Blog Archive » How to Make Doll’s Hair by Tantehilde — October 6, 2009 @ 4:06 am

Thank you!!! Hrm…one more thing to add to my To-Do roster.

Comment by Aunt LoLo — October 6, 2009 @ 3:18 pm

[…] Tantehilde shares a tutorial for making yarn hair for cloth dolls. Get the how-to. […]

Pingback by Tutorial: Yarn hair for cloth dolls · Sewing @ CraftGossip — October 6, 2009 @ 4:19 pm

Great information! I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-yarn-hair-for-cloth-dolls/2009/10/06/

–Anne

Comment by Anne Weaver — October 6, 2009 @ 4:19 pm

the tape is a great idea! love it! thanks so much for sharing!

Comment by Rachel — November 10, 2009 @ 6:56 pm

thanks, im making a haunted ragdoll and needed her hair in pigtails, so thnx!!!

Comment by gaby — November 28, 2009 @ 12:26 pm

Thank you so much for your very clear instructions on making yarn doll hair.

My doll gets the braid on each side but she also gets bangs. Can you tell me an easy way to do the bangs?

Comment by dot — December 28, 2009 @ 11:22 pm

@dot: I would make the bangs first (just some short threads of yarn) and sew it on the dolls head before the braids

Comment by hilde — December 29, 2009 @ 12:14 am

awww thank you for this tuto! I’ve been searching for it everywhere

Comment by Lia — January 6, 2010 @ 5:38 am

Thank you for this tutorial, the pics are excellent. I’ve done half my dolls head (with backstitching) but, it seems like it may be able to be pulled out from it stitches any suggestions?

Comment by umma — January 18, 2010 @ 5:26 am

@umma: once you’ve sewn the hair on the side of the head, it can’t be pulled out anymore. But if you do a doll’s hair like this: http://www.tantehilde.be/wrdprss/?p=277 you sew over the tape as shown on the pictures, then remove the tape, then fold the hair on the stitched line and sew again at 2mm from this line and then sew it by hand on the head. For this type of hair I place the wig on the dolls head not on the vertical line, but horizontally. And I make like 4 or 5 of these ‘wigs’ and sew them on the back of the head starting with the lowest, and ending on the top of the head. Finally just one more little ‘wig’ that you place horizontally on the forehead. I hope you understand this without any more pictures?

Comment by hilde — January 18, 2010 @ 10:04 am

Thanks for a great tutorial, i wondered if you could help, i have been asked to make a gran and grandpa cloth doll, could you help me with their hair. They want the gran to have her hair in a bun.

Hope you can help

Thanks

Mandie

Comment by Mandie — February 1, 2010 @ 12:17 pm

@Mandie: there are 2 options for a bun: you make a ‘wig’ with this tutorial, and sew it in a circle (just like your own hairline goes: on top of the forehead, behind the ears, in the neckline). Then you gather the hair at the centerpoint of your circle and make a knot.
Or you could do it with fabric, like i made this doll: http://www.tantehilde.be/v/tantehilde/poppen+en+knuffels/Afbeelding+126.jpg.html . I could make some drawings if you tell me which option you prefer.

Comment by hilde — February 1, 2010 @ 12:26 pm

- Sewing: how to make dolls hair

33 Comments »

Leave a comment