Kristaleta/Suzon Armature/Weighting Tutorial

For Anonymous who asked for pictures of Kristaleta's head before work began. This is the best I could do.

Okay ladies, I first want to clarify that this is the first time I have used an armature like this in a reborn doll so I am learning as I go too. I feel I have done a pretty good job but sure am open to suggestions and helps if you have any to offer! Send a comment to me and I'll add it to this post.

I believe it takes a community to create the best reborn doll :)

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First I am going to show how I will be putting medium plastic pellet-filled bags in the crotch area of the doll. It is easier to show this without the limbs on the doll.

You actually will not be assembling the doll this way as first you will put the legs onto the cloth body. These pictures are only for teaching reference.

I have slipped the armature into the cloth body.

(you can purchase the 27-28" armature from Kemper Dolls OR Dolls by Sandie
After assembling Suzon, I am wondering if the 26-27" armature might be better.)


Here I have placed 3 medium pellet bags (purchased at Dolls by Sandie) into the crotch area. I've put two in the back and one in the front.

Another view...

To begin really weighting this doll for reborning, start without the armature. I used just plastic pellets in her feet just to the top of the foot and then FIRMLY stuffed fiber fill just up to where the armature will meet. It is really important to just stuff in small clumps of stuffing, pressing each clump down firmly before adding the next. One won't be able to fill in all of the gaps by putting a lot of stuffing in and then pressing it down~it simply does not work and creates hard spots and void spots.

Attach the legs to the body using zip ties. Here I show how her bum is going to look when I add the pellet bags later, after the armature is placed.

So without any stuffing/pellets in her body, place the armature inside the legs. Pull back the cloth body to expose one of the flanges of a leg. You will begin firmly stuffing fiber fill into all the areas surrounding the armature. Again, be sure to use small clumps of stuffing, pressing each as you go. You will need a firm pile stuffing, not the cluster stuff or very soft pile.

Begin placing small amounts of stuffing into the leg hole and using a strong dowel rod or large forceps, firmly fill the entire space around the armature with stuffing.

Repeat the process with the other leg.

So far, so good. She is standing on her own!

Begin weighting the body. I have re-placed the medium pellet packs into the crotch and bum area and then used a nylon of baby fat pellets (non-corrosive) along the back side of the body. Fill in any gaps with fiber fill. Because she is a standing toddler, you will need to firmly stuff her body.

She is halfway filled up and still standing!

Hmmm..I did not really take pictures of her arm assembly. It took me about 3 hours to get to the point seen below...I think I got tired! First I placed some plastic pellets in her hands and then firmly stuffed fiber fill up to where the armature will reach (I did take some links out of the armature for her arms as I did not want it to go into her hands~use a strong pier and just bend them until they snap off) There is not as much space in the arm holes with the armature in as there was with the legs. What I ended up doing is wrapping the fiber fill (quilt batting might work well for this) around the armature very snugly and then eased the fiber fill wrapped armature into the arm holes using different sizes of forceps to help. This took a long time to get it right, making sure that there were no gaps left without stuffing. Whew...it is a lot of work but worth it in the end.

So here she is with her body stuffed too. I added more nylons with baby fat pellets in the back to help balance her. Unfortunately, even after I placed her head on and re-adjusted her weight, I could not get her to stand completely on her own for more than just a few seconds. It might be the pellets in her hands. I might try to adjust this. Adjusting her and putting her head on took another hour so ladies, take your time and know that you are not alone in taking a long time to weight her. The more time you spend, the more realistically she will move and feel.

Both Kristaleta and Suzon have large, heavy heads. It is not necessary to add weight to their heads. I suggest stuffing the head with stuffing to add firmness to the head for a realistic effect.

Now...is it necessary to use an armature with Kristaleta and Suzon? No, I don't think it is, however, she may not be able to stand almost on her own. The armature sure does add a lot to her personality and posing ability. Look how cute she is in this picture with the armature bent this way and that:

I hope I have covered everything! If not, please send a comment and I will update this post.

Have an excellent day!

Kristaleta on eBay and let's talk armature

I am so proud and excited with all of the positive attention that Kristaleta is getting on eBay! I've gotten so many comments and emails regarding her~it's simply thrilling and has me hanging on cloud 9!

~Kristaleta's Auction~

Laura Tuzio Ross tells me that the kits should arrive to her on Tuesday~how exciting for the reborn artist!! Many of you will want to get an armature for her so that she stands and moves better. Again, it's the 27-28" armature from Kemper Dolls:

~Kemper Dolls Armatures~

I have taken pictures while I put her together and I will post a tutorial next week in time for the kits to arrive to artists. (I am seriously too tired to do it today and I have other pressures but I promise it will go up~and some time I will put up the post about dying mohair that I said I would do weeks ago!! I didn't forget, there are just too many other things going on)

Alright~have a fabulous Friday! It's raining here again. It does not do that much in my part of the state but it's been doing it all spring this year.

Hugs!

Jayden did it again!

He won me another Artist of the Month award~AWE!


I'll be working on Kristaleta's auction this morning. I took 95 pictures yesterday so I SHOULD be able to grab a few good ones for auction. I am a little bit beyond tired. These night time "naps" need to end soon...after all I can't go to Dubai being a zombi!

Quick pics of the finished Kristaleta Prototype

TaDa! Once again, it always feels like a miracle when I get a baby done. Kristaleta is no exception! But she is DARN cute!

I am doing her full photo shoot today and she will be up on eBay Thursday morning 11 am PST.

Hugs!

Rooting Marathon~Kristaleta is rooted!

But sorry, no pics yet as her glosses are drying on her mouth and eyes. I want to get this baby on eBay and hope to take pictures this afternoon.

Speaking of rooting....a while back I mentioned that I ordered the 42 gauge extra strong CROWN needles from Tinkerbell Creations in the UK. I am SO impressed! I have always struggled with what I call "Pokey-Ups"....little 1/4" strands of hair that poke up from the head. I never knew what caused them because it did not matter which way I rooted, they were always there, even when rooting tip to end. It was the needles I was using! These 42 g CROWN needles are just the best! I rooted Kristaleta's entire head with the 42g crown and I love how it looks and feels~and...no pokey-ups! Time was saved by not having to tweeze all those pokey-ups out of her hair. Ahhhh....Thank you Rachel Maynard for sharing which needles you use! I still really stink at the swirl crown. ~sigh~

This week will be a major baby making marathon week too! The twins are coming along and will start getting hair by the end of the week. These are the last three prototypes (including Kristaleta) that need to be finished before Dubai.

Speaking of Dubai. I've decided to take the dolls on the flight. The organizers for the show recommend that as well. I am starting to relax a little bit about the whole thought of it. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. Keep them coming and I really cherish them and...I'm not in Dubai just yet :)

Happy Tuesday. I am going to go and put a baby together and get some pics.

Hugs!

Memories~

To all of you who have served and lost. God bless you with peace.
To all of you who have loved and lost those who have served. God bless the memories you have of them.
To all of you serving today~Thank you.

Memorial Day 2010

May we never forget them and their sacrifice to our country...to us.

Need all the prayers and well wishes I can get!

Ugh. I've been checking shipping services to get my dolls to Dubai. For one, most services do not offer the door to door service that is required and the ones that do, I would have to take the dolls to Portland OR for shipping...a 5 hour drive from home. I don't have time to think right now let alone drive dolls to Portland.

And the fees are around $600 for a 50# box. 10 of the dolls weigh 42 pounds without their clothing and blankets so we know I will have to ship two boxes since I have 20 total dolls and clothing. Ikes. That is just one way. What does not sell will have to come home plus 10 of the dolls are not for sale anyway.

I think I am going to have to take then as checked luggage on my flight which is very reasonable in cost but oh my....it scares the life out of me to think of them being inspected (they never wrap them up right once they open the luggage) and also of the risk of being lost.

So if you are a praying person, please begin covering this situation with protection from the Lord above. That will settle my unraveled nerves about getting these dolls to Dubai.

Thank you!!!!
Many hugs~