TOOLS/MATERIALS:
  • Doll, with head removed (following repaint if desired).Start with a practice doll the first time. For this demonstration, I am using a sad Golden Dream Barbie® who desperately needs to visit the salon.
    • Thick long needle - a darning needle or small upholstery needle. Needle should be long enough to reach from the outside of the doll's face and out the opening of the neck hole. 

      • The hole should be large enough for fiber as big as embroidery thread.
    • Eyelash fiber - Hair used for hair-weaving made from Kanekalonis ideal. Many artists use thread. As shown in the second picture, trimmedhair from another doll's hair may be used as well. For this demonstration I am using black Kanekalon hair so that it will show up well in the photos.For blonde dolls try using a medium brown fiber rather than black for a more natural look.
    • Thimble - comes in handy for dolls made of harder vinyl
    • Needle-nose pliers - These can be used to pull the needle through if needed.
       

      STEP 1. Make sure you have a large work area, with very little draft, to prevent 
      the hair from blowing away. Separate out about 10 strands of hair. For thicker 
      lashes use up to 15 and for thin spidery lashes use 4 or 5 strands. You 
      may find it easier to keep your section separate and intact if you wet it a bit
      before cutting it. Cut a section about 6-8 inches long. If you are just starting
      you may want to use more. There are several ways of rooting eyelashes
      and of tying off the strand, and some do not require as much hair. I have
      found out that this method is the easiest for beginners, however, it does
      waste more usage of hair.

       

      STEP 2. Thread the strands of hair into your needle and pull the ends so that 
      they are even.Starting at the outside corner of the eye, poke the needle
      from the doll's face, until you can see the tip of the needle coming out
      of the neck hole. 

      STEP 3. Pull the needle though until there is about 1/2 to 1
      inch of the hair still coming out of the doll's face. This should give you at least 2 inches sticking out of the neck holeTie the hair into a single knot at the end.
      At first it will be easier with the needle still attached. Once you are 
      more practiced you may cut the needle away first.

      STEP 4.  Pull the knot tight and trim the excess.
      Pull the lashes that are coming from the eye back up so the knot is securely against the inside of the doll's face.

      STEP 5. Some people prefer to do one lash on each eye as they
      go, to keep them symmetric. I usually do one eye at a time. For the next
      lash, you need to place the tip of the needle as close to the previous
      lash as possible, but you should be able to see a very small bit of vinyl
      between the two holes. If you are too close, the needle may go into the
      first hole and your lashes will be irregular.


       

      STEP 6.  The number of eyelash plugs is highly variable and entirely
      determined by the artist's preference. Many people root the entire upper
      lid, some include the lower lid as well. I generally root until I am even
      with the doll's pupil, or about 1/2 to 2/3 the length of the eye. This
      usually takes between 6 and 8 plugs. This seems to give a more natural
      root, as human lashes that are closer to the nose or shorter and thinner
      and not as well seen.

      Do not trim the lashes until you have the entire eye rooted.

       

      STEP 7. When trimming the lashes, cut them at an angle, so the
      lashes at the outer edge are longer than the lashes towards the inside.

      You have now successfully rooted eyelashes on your doll.!!!
      Below are pictures of example eyelashes. One doll was rooted using thread
      rather than hair. As the thread frays, it gives a soft effect. It can also
      be found in a huge variety of colors, for fantasy or specialty dolls. The
      other doll is an example of rooting lower lashes. She has some depth to
      the eye, without having overwhelming hairy lids.


     
     


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