The Best Online Reborn Help Forum!

Date: Jan 7, 2009

In the "thin" of it

sara zata · Guru

Are you able to post pics so some of the better reborners can make suggestions.
XXXX June.

Date: Jan 7, 2009

i will try to but it may be a while. thanks!

Buffington · Guru

First... you can post "links" here in this section (pics are only for the artist showcase).

Next, what size needle are you using and how many barbs does it have? This will tell me a lot about your situation.

Then... do you have or have you seen Secrist's Rooting DVD? This will be immensly helpful for you and will answer a LOT of your questions. Stephanie goes over many things in this dvd. I suggest you see it :)

Date: Jan 8, 2009

ummm, i'm not sure what size the needles are, all i know is they came in a pack of 10 in my begginers' rooting kit. i have not yet seen the rooting dvd and hope to see it soon. thank you!

Buffington · Guru

They're probably 38 guage 6 barb. That will give you lots of hair on your baby.

Aviva · Senior Member

Hi,
I just wanted to say that most babies don't have alot of hair and sometimes a full head of hair can make the baby look more like an older baby. I own a baby that has very fine light blonde mohair that is an inch or a bit more on the top, but you can see the pink scalp all over. It was Secrist Jody and she got more attention than any of my babies and she looks almost bald. She looks so real and I know because I worked in the Nursery in about 5 hospitals over a l9 year span. I was the nursery nurse in the Delivery/OR room that the dr. handed the baby to. Most babies don't have a whole lot of hair and about half or close to it had very fine hair about 1/2 to 1 inch long. Once in awhile it would be 1.5 inches long..just enough to make a curl. Oh..once I admitted a AA baby and he had an afro just like they wore in the 70's...I swear....it looked like he just came from a salon...it was exactly 1.5 inch long.,...everywhere and you could not see his scalp...I wish I would have had a camera on me..lol it was so cute!!!!! biggrin

Buffington · Guru

My first baby had just sparse hair but all over her head (but she was 2 mos premature). Not even a half inch long but dark. My second one had hair over 1" long and it was so thick that the nurse had to wash it 3 times to get all the birth gunk out of it and she still had some in after that. You couldn't see her scalp unless you oiled or washed her hair. But now she is 19 and has ok hair, not thick but very nice.

That part about the baby with the afro was funny. My sister thought her babies were going to be like that but they weren't. But her daughter had about 2" long hair that was straight.

Go figure, eh?

lchristie · Member

I'm having the same issue. It seems like I'm only getting a few hairs with a lot of work. I also bought the Secrist beginners rooting kit so I know they are size 38, but I have no idea about barbs. I keep looking at the needle and thinking I see only one barb. I'm afraid that my doll with have nothing but a bunch of holes in her head and no hair.

Buffington · Guru

You might want to root slower. I have seen people who just jab the needle into a pile of hair on the head and there is no rhyme or reason to it. I hold the hair like Stephanie in the rooting dvd and then pick out a few hairs with my needle, get them positioned where I want them and then slowly stick the needle in the head pulling the hair in. You have to make sure the flat side of the needle is facing up so the barb is actually down toward the scalp.

freewaybaby · Member

Hi. I'm spending days rooting my second reborn. I didn't spend quite as long on the first one, but I don't want them to look like some I've seen where there are actually plugs of hair that look like hair plugs for men, so I'm using the 43 needle for this one. My main problem is that I don't know how to cut it after I'm done and after I brush it, the next time I look at it it's fly-away again. I don't know what kind of conditioner or whatever you're supposed to put on it. Please someone tell me that. I'm going to try a different kind of mohair next time too.
I guess I'd rather spend the extra time to have it look more real, but I noticed right as I was finishing up on my first reborn, that inside the head, close to the crown, the vinyl had started to spider-vein split. Maybe I was pushing too hard on the head or maybe the dolls I'm using are soft, but thank God it didn't come through to the outside and when I put the glue inside to hold all the mohair in place, I'm sure it strenthened that area, so no harm, no foul.
Basically, I'd like to know how people get their hair so thick too, because it seems like if I keep poking holes, I'm going to weaken the vinyl.
Thanks for any answers.
(sorry, your photo has been removed per the terms of the forum. Only links may be posted, except for in the "artist showcase").

Pat B. Moderator

-- Edited by Buffington on Wednesday 18th of March 2009 06:06:11 AM

Tina W. · Guru

Hello
I use a mixture of leave in spray conditioner and water for my mohiar. I have heard some people use water and fabric softner as well.

freewaybaby · Member

Thanks. I'll try that. I've just gotten some more mohair that is so silky. I think I will have better luck with this too. Appreciate your response since it's a long endeavor to root a baby and then wonder why it doesn't look like you thought it should.

Buffington · Guru

Secrist has silken child spray that you can leave in. It works pretty well. I wash mine with baby shampoo, then rinse, condition with carefree curl moisturizer and conditioner. Then I comb and leave it alone.

As far as the cutting, they also have a razor comb that you can get. Try watching the rooting dvd and see what Stephanie does.

freewaybaby · Member

Thanks so much for your reply. I'll try all.
Marcy

Buffington · Guru

You're welcome! :)

Poisonivy14 · Senior Member

in the end, i kept the hair the way i had it. even though it's a little thin thin, it's pretty good for a 22 inch. i love how her hair looks when it' s wet. her blonde hair looks very nice with her peaches and cream skin tone and blue - green eyes. i love her!!

Buffington · Guru

I'm glad it all worked out for you ;)

Miss Reborner · Senior Member

Ladies, the Secrist rooting kit is probably not the best if you want realistic hair. To be truly realistic, you need very fine needles, and very good mohair, neither of which that kit has. The big needles can be better to start with because they don't break as easily, but they will not give you the results you want. I used the German forked needles in size 42 on my 2nd baby that I rooted, and got much better results. I personally recommend them and think you will all love them.

Buffington · Guru

If and when they ever get their top of the line premium mohair in you should get some of that. That stuff is really PREMO!! Beautiful color and feel, great rooting!
I do agree, the beginner and medium quality mohair kit isn't the best but you do get what you pay for. Their 42 guage needles are pretty good though and I get sparce hair.