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Some magizines where babies are photographed is a big help, especially newborns, Some of the sculpts themselves if you look at how they were rooted is a big help also, The DVD just gives you the basics. As you do more babies you tend to get the feel of how you want that baby to look and as all babies(real) are individuals, so are your reborns. XXXXXX June.

I sometimes use a strip of either clear tape (like Scotch brand) or a very light peice of that tan/yellow masking tape. Or you can pick them up with an old piece of sculpy clay. Either way, just don't press too hard or you won't get your hairs back without a fight lol
The cut end of a hairshaft is blunt and looks cut under magnification. I usually use an "opti-visor" when I root hair with a fine needle. It saves on the old eyes for me. And I really get a good look of where/how the hair is going into the scalp. But not everyone does this, maybe just me lol

Thanks for the tips, Patricia!  I've never used the optivisor for rooting, but I think I need to.

Cindy, when I first started rooting I had a tendency to make the hair a lot thicker than I think most babies have.  I tend to like the more sparse look best, but there are babies born with heads full of thick hair.  My granddaughter had lots of black hair, for instance.  There really isn't a wrong and a right way when it comes to hair thickness. 

A well done hair whorl makes all the difference between a realistic looking head of baby  hair and a doll that looks like a doll having a bad hair day.  Look at as many photos as you can find that show the hair of real babies or reborns that were made by the top reborners in the world--you know, the ones who are chosen to reborn the artist prototypes.  Study the way the hair appears to be growing.  When you root, remember to do what Andrea said--insert the needle so that it's angling in the opposite direction that you want the hair to lay.

Of course you will need to learn to cut the doll's hair.  I didn't have a clue how to do this so took my doll out for a visit to my hair stylist.  She showed me how to cut the doll's hair.  Nowadays, I like to root my doll's hair with strands that are going to be just about the right length so there isn't too much to cut.  I think you might get a lot of use out of one of those razor combs.  I sometimes use one of those to cut the doll's hair.

I don't cut my doll's hair as I go unless it is getting tangled up or something.  However, I do sometimes stop to glue the hair after each section is done.  I feel it helps to prevent the mohair from falling out when I move to a new section.

Yes, gluing sections takes longer, but so does re-rooting since I am s-l-o-w. 

If you poke the needle far enough into the vinyl, the hair will not come out very easily, even without glue. You ladies must not be poking it deep enough. Also, it will go in deeper if you root from the cut end, which by the way will also make the hair lie flatter, look nicer, and have less hairs per poke.

I reccomend the size 42 German forked needles. PM me for the link from where to get them. They root just one to two hairs at a time, are very small needles, but are still very strong. I do custom rooting, and these are the needles that I myself use. 

Also, another way to keep them from breaking is to heat up the vinyl, which helps even the softest vinyls. The vinyl is much more "elasticky" and 'pliable" when warm, so it is more likely to be gentle on your needles.

-- Edited by Miss Reborner on Thursday 21st of January 2010 04:08:29 PM

Ahh thank you both. I took out my last baby and tried again with one strand each along her hairline. Well it looks a tad bit better but I can still see the holes. The forked need eh? Okay, I read others say it was extremely hard to root with those unless you were an advanced reborner. Does it catch the hair any easier than trying to catch the hair with a 42/43? Andrea I'm not sure how to pm but I'm going to give it a try now. I'm happy you told me this thanks, I really appreciate it!

Thanks, I was able to send a message last night. Thanks also on how to use the needle. I need to buy more needles so I will order these and try them out. Thanks again

LOL yes definately slow and steady I will go I can't wait to get all of my supplies and start again. My daughter is home for the weekend and she was holding my first baby. She asks when I'm going to do another. Soon...I tell her. Soon....

Needle note:  For me, one size/style rooting needle does not fit all.  The size and style needle depends on the type of mohair, the hardness and color of the vinyl, and (unfortunately) how much time I have to root.

I like Ampro Clear Ice.  If you have a Sally's Beauty Supply, it is sold there.  I first found out about it from the Prilly Charmin website several years ago.  I just looked a minute ago, and they still sell it.  Their description of how to use the hair gel is as follows:

"You can apply Clear Ice to wet hair or dry hair. I like to apply it generously to dry hair until the mohair is damp with the gel. Then comb the mohair flat and put a nylon knee high stocking over the doll's head until the hair is dry. Clear Ice flattens the mohair on the heads of reborn dolls. Clear Ice is greaseless, not sticky, and not stiff. This gel does not leave residue on the vinyl: it's invisible. It is not like hair spray: this is not a type of hair glue. It is a special protein hair dressing for natural hair fibers. Clear Ice does give the mohair a soft sheen, so the mohair looks even more like shiny clean soft baby hair...."

Gel to style the hair? I didn't even know you could do that without ruining the mohair. Good idea. The rooting I will watch more tutorials, thanks.

lol Oooooo spikey hair on a goat! LOL Yes I can picture them now.......looking like the Madonna days of the 80's  Great idea though.