Getting the Re-root Started

So I haven't been around for about a week and a half. I do have a pretty good reason. My 2 boys that are homeschooled had their state testing. Now that doesn't sound huge, but it is. They each had to take Math, Reading and Grammar. Each test takes about 3 hours and it has to be done on "my" computer. (which is hooked up to the internet.) Not only did I have to watch them and make sure there is no cheating, but I had to keep the student not testing and the 2 toddlers quiet and happy so the tester could concentrate. (whew!)

Then yesterday, I had to give up an afternoon so I could take a class and test for my food service card. (For our youth football program.)

So today I'm back on track! :)  When I left you and Miss Honey, she looked like this:

I had removed her bangs only for her partial re-root. I will admit it is slightly easier to remove ALL the hair on the doll but since Honey has a hair color I like, it seemed silly to remove all her hair and spend days (weeks) putting the same color back in one plug at a time.

I used  a re-root tool, crochet hook, and a pair of tweezers to help me remove her bangs only.

Here is what I did: using the tweezers, I pulled as much if the bangs out as possible. I grab a few hairs as close to the head as possible and pull. (And keeping pulling.) Some plugs loosen up this way and the whole plug will come out. But with Honey all I did was break the hair very close to the head. Then I cut first row of plug and the leftover  bang hair as close to the hair as possible. 

Then using the crochet hook, I pulled at the bangs. I was asked how I could tell if I had the bangs or not. And it is really hard to tell sometimes. I did look in the head and knew about where to place the hook. It took a while but finally a whole clump of hair came out of her head. I then used the tweezers again to remove any hair left in the holes.

 Now for the re-rooting. I ordered my hair from Restore.com. I ordered 2 shades: Platinum blond and Snow White. I've learned if I don't know the exact color of hair to order a couple of shades, so you can better match the existing hair. (Honey's hair BTW is a perfect match for Snow White.)

The Supplies: The Head you are re-rooting. A Long doll needle (I normally buy one when I order hair), a fine tooth comb, the hair, a towel and a cup of hot (boiling) water. (Yep, the towel and hot water are necessary for re-rooting a Silkstone's head b/c the heads are sooo hard. The water softens the head so you can re-root it. The towel helps catch the water from the head, which will go every where.)

First place the head in the water to warm up. The first time I do this, I let it set 4-5 mins.

 (the warmer the head then easier it is to re-root and the less likely the vinyl will tear.) Each time after, I soak for about a minute or so. (When it gets to the point, you are soaking after each plug and it is hard to push the needle through the head, it is time to warm the water up again.)

 While the head is warming, place a "plug" of new hair through the needle eye.

 Once the head is warm, let it drain and then place the  needle through on of the holes.

Being careful, not to pierce the doll's head, pull the needle through the head. Then remove the needle from the plug, knot the plug and pull it back up through the head.

 A couple of plugs in

 A few hours later she is done. I used about half a bag of hair for this part of the re-root. And I had to re-heat  the water 3 times, to keep her head nice and pliable.

While her hair was still damp. I combed a part into it.I used the fine tooth comb and the needle to make the part as clean as possible.  (This is so I can re-root a part tomorrow.)

One other note:

  

This is a "re-rooting" tool I purchased from Dollyhair.com. And I have used it for the purpose of actually rooting plugs into a doll's head. With this tool, you just poke the hair into the head and then add a nice thick layer of glue to the inside of the head when you are done. It does a fairly good job and with the glue, it hold very tight.  But I have found out is is very useful to have around for other re-rooting methods. Right now, I have the re-rooting needle backwards, with the sharp point out. With the point out, I can poke my own holes in the doll's head, enlarge holes, and part the hair for plugs. So even though I don't use it as intended very often (mostly b/c Silkstone and FR heads are too hard for the tool.) I still like having it around.