Dollieh Sanctuary

Okay, so I've just started rooting a head using the rooting tool from Dolly Hair (I love them so much!) I used this method while rerooting a couple of Volks Go heads, but this time I'm rooting an Obitsu head from scratch. In some ways, it's easier because I don't have to worry as much about scalp splitting or trying to stuff enough hair in the holes to make it look right. But it's also a little harder to aim the needle so that the first row is closely rooted enough. I think I'll make marks for the rest of it...but, when you're rooting using this method, and you've just rooted one plug, do you stop and release the ends of that plug from the rest of the hair you're holding or do you just keep going and try not to poke any of the previous plug of hair into the next root? I hope that makes sense. I kind of feel like I need to draw a diagram of what I mean.

And when you're making a part (a side part in this case) how wide do you want the part to be? I don't want there to be any gaping spaces and bald spots. And should I use gel to hold the hair down as I root the part, or can I just leave it until I'm ready to style it? And the part is rooted last, right?
How long does it usually take you to root a 1/6 head? Have you done anything different with your rooting (like sideburns, tendrils, etc.?) And if you root a ponytail, is the only way to leave most of the head bald? It really sounds like the easiest way to give your doll hair. XD Oh, and has anyone ever used flocking along with rooting? I was thinking about doing a mohawk or undercut, but I wanted buzz-cut hair instead of bald areas. Would that work?

Thanks for putting up with me!!

On parts I've seen the holes done as rows next to each other, the amount of skin is about the width of a plug of hair. If it's going to stay in a ponytail you might want to thin out the plugs towards the middle of the ponytail. I've seen the plan for the holes laid out in rings coming from the middle of the tail. Try tiny hair clips to keep the hair out of the way, the ones about the size of a finger nail they usually sell for kids or at cheap places.

I needle and thread so I don't know anything about tension.