Thread-method reroots, MH/EAH, and finding the right needles

[WhiteDove01s]

Also known as I has the dumb and need help again. I ran into another wrinkle in my OOAKing plans... Me being stupid anout needles. For sewing, I always used to just buy the dollar store multipacks so trying to find a specific size of needle has been a confusing nightmare.

The "extra long" beading needles I just got aren't long enough for MH or EAH heads. I could have sworn they claimed to be 3", but they're 2". They're barely long enough to do Barbie, tho certainly thin enough. The "doll needles" I bought before are long enough, at 3", but way too thick (they did a Supersize Barbie safely, but I wouldn't use them on a smaller head). And I'd really prefer to do needle-and-thread method to the punch tool (tho I have one) and glue. (I like to brush doll hair a lot, it relaxes me, so security is important. And the ability to change it later if I really want.)

A couple dolls I'd planned to do wigs for instead anyway, but I guess I have to add more needle shopping to my to-do list as well. A downside of not being able to see the product in person before buying it (I have to get everything online, no store access). I've actually pondered making a 'thread rooting tool' out of a twist of thin wire, because finding just the right needles is something that seems to be eluding me. Do they even make them thin enough and long enough to reroot Monster and Ever After High dolls without causing head splits, or am I just going to have to suck it up and use the punch tool instead? If you use thread method on these, what exactly are the needles you use called?

[victoriavictrix]

https://www.michaels.com/beadalon-big-e ... 32392.html

They come in a 4.5 inch length.

https://www.limabeads.com/Beadalon-Elas ... gLwmfD_BwE

They come in a 10 inch length

https://www.amazon.com/10-Professional- ... 7821319376

This might be too heavy for your liking, but it is 10 inches long.

[WhiteDove01s]

Thank you so much. This has been driving me crazy. I've probably spent $20 on the wrong needles this year alone, and I have so many bald dolls giving me sad looks.

[DollyKim]

I've use "soft sculpture doll needles" by Dritz since the beginning. And a good strong thick metal thimble. I also did a knot head with those needles and one of those metal threaders.

The way I do it is to stick the eye of the needle thru the hole in the head and out the neck just enough to be able to thread it. Then I pull the thread out thru the head, turn the needle around and push the point thru the hole and out the neck leaving enough of a thread loop sticking out the head hole for the hair to be fed thru. Once the hair is thru the thread loop I pull the thread at the neck end and it pulls the thread into the head.

[WhiteDove01s]

That's how I did the reroot on the superstar, but the soft sculpture doll needles I got would barely go through those holes. Terrified if I even attempted to shove the fat ones I got through a smaller head, they'd split it open. They're somewhere between my regular sewing needles and embroidery needles in diameter. Hence the hunting when I started dusting off my OOAKing projects this year.

Update: New needles have been ordered. Again, thanks.

[DollyKim]

The only split I had was on a tiny Volks head early in my adventures. Knock wood the ancient Barbies and clones are holding up. Monster heads are pretty tough.

The only other long needles I can think of are used for needle tatting, those are graded by their diameter. Hobby Lobby carries those supplies so you can check them out before buying.