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Jaden · Veteran Member

Reborn roll-sleep eyes and sewed on limbs

precious_lullabies · Guru

i had the problem with one baby that i did with sewn on limbs... the first one i made rings around the limbs with super sculpey poloymer clay... the second one i actually ordered different limbs for as they were a bit too dolly looking anyway. You can get new limbs from about 20$ a set.

As for eyes i've not played with the open-shut dolly eyes yet myself, but i do believe they can be removed and replaced with normal reborn eyes. the other alternative is to use super-sculpey and close the eyes, sculpting closed eyes yourself. *there is a link somewhere in the artist showcase of a knoops Hannah that i resculpted with closed eyelids from the usual open eyed Hannah*

sara zata · Guru

On the Berenguar with sewn on limbs, I filled them then put roof and gutter sealent in them to make them firm, waited till it dryed firm enough and then took out the plastic ties out and used .09 galv wire, to tighten them on. After they are stable you use a two sided lace and quick glue it over the join, actualy the two in artist show case as crappy are the Berenguar, so you can see the eyes are OK. June M from Oz

Miss Reborner · Senior Member

I haven't done the open and shut eyes, but I have done sewed on limbs. I had a soft vinyl doll that was 9" long that I reborned with sewn on limbs. Use a seamripper (yes, the kind you use for sewing), and rip out the stitching. Then paint your baby, root your baby, etc... When you're done, weight the limbs as usual. Don't fill them to the top, leave at least 1/2an inch or so just vinyl. Then align it the way you want with a cloth body. The body shouldn't have cable ties in it. When the limb is set the way you want it on the arm, get a sturdy sewing needle and some strong thread that matches the cloth body. And then literally sew it on! I used a backstitch. It does help to warm the limb first. Sew on all the limbs, and use a cable tie for the head as usual.

sara zata · Guru

Thats a good way too Andrea, but the way i did was quick,but I don't intend to make them anymoreI'll go the easy way out with the cable ties June M form Oz

Jaden · Veteran Member

Thanks Naomi!! That polymer clay that you're talking about--it's available thru Secrist, isn't it? I would have never thought of using it for that purpose! And the idea of converting roll sleep eyes to closed eyes with the same stuff, very creative. Got any advice for someone who has never used that clay before? Thanks again--Jaden

Thanks for the info June!!

God bless you too, Andrea D.!!! Any advice on the specific size or type of the sewing needle? Since I'm not a sewing guru, how do I determine the thread I use for such a procedure is strong enough? Thanks again--Jaden

-- Edited by Buffington at 05:15, 2008-09-16

Buffington · Guru

The old time sleep eyes used to be attached with a staple sort of thing and you would remove those and the bar with the sleep eyes would come out easily. I have done several Berenguers with the sleep eyes. Those don't have the bar and are really, well, um... I don't care for them to say the least. You just make your slits inside the head on the back of the eye socket and remove as usual (pop them out from the back), then measure either the flat back of the eye or measure right on the doll eyehole itself measuring from the inside corner to the outside corner (in mm). Then how ever many milimeters it says, that's the size eye you want. Also, be sure to get a half round not a full round eye. Insert them in the way you took the others out and glue with E6000 craft glue over the back of the flap on the eye socket. Make sure you set the head face down in a cup or bowl to make sure the glue runs straight down otherwise it'll run down the face inside. Leave it set up for 24 hours, add lashes and you're done with the eyes! :)

sara zata · Guru

I don't care for them either, Secrists or a few other brands are lovely, let the kids have the old dolls , just wash them up. June M from Oz.