amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

warneral · 03-12-2006, 12:27 PM

I'm feeling a bit frustrated and wanted to share and get some advice.

I have always been scared to try crocheting/knitting, but I am determined to try to figure this crochet'd wig cap for waldorf dolls.

I have 4 different crocheting books that teach the basics of crocheting. I have found a few sets of instructions here on how to crochet a cap.

I have learned how to do a chain. YAY! LOL

I think I did a slipstitch loop and began single crocheting in a spiral.

I have no idea how to increase and decrease to get the proper shape.

I don't quit understand how to fill in the center but I think I might wing it by taking the tail and doing some crochet loops and then just sewing it to the head securely?

Can anyone give me some suggestions or pointers?

I ordered the weir doll hair making instructions which should be here soon.

I'm thinking of buying the 29.00 instructional dvd to make waldorf dolls even. UGH! LOL. Here is the site that has it http://www.sarahs-dolls.com/dvd.htm

I just bought one of her doll patterns and am hoping to get another soon. I really like the doll body shapes.

Thanks for listening. Please, I could use some help or ideas or encouragement. I'm committed to figuring it out so that is a big plus, right???

Lori_Eustis · 03-12-2006, 12:51 PM

Hi!

I guess I am one of the crocheters on this list. Anyway, I can try to help you as much as I can via email <grin>. The idea is to increase for just a few rows, and then to crochet the remaining rows without increasing. Okay, so what you need to do is follow a pattern for a skull cap:

http://www.piece-by-piece.net/Patterns/fp45.htm

This is an adult size pattern, but you will be using the mohair and a smaller hook. This pattern gives you the correct amount of increases, etc, that will help you crochet the wig cap. Does that help?

Just remember that you are just trying to make a base to sew to the head, and it will be covered with long hair -- it doesn't need to be pretty! The hole in the center will also be covered by the wig itself, so no worries.

Does that help at all? Please let me know if you need any more explanation/help!

Lori

warneral · 03-12-2006, 01:14 PM

Thank you

However this is a baby so it won't have long hair

But hopefully with the mohair that covers up some of the imperfections?

What does increase mean exactly? In my book it says to add another stitch in the same space but I don't understand what that means LOL

TIA!

Lori_Eustis · 03-12-2006, 01:38 PM

Okay, let me try to explain. Once you have completed your slip stiched chain "circle", then you will start your single crochet rounds. Once the first round of single crochet (sc) is made, there will be a "v" shape on the top of each stitch. For subsequent rounds, you will need to insert the needle under the "v" to make the next sc. When you want to increase, you will simply make 2 sc in one "v".

http://www.wonderful-things.com/newcrochet4b.htm

See the first pic to show you the increase in one sc.

Here is a tutorial on crocheting "in the round" -- which is what you are doing:

http://barney.gonzaga.edu/~aburton/crochrnd.html

Here is a HUGE page of tutorials for crochet, if you want to check out some other takes on crocheting:

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com.../tutorials.php

Hope this helps!
Lori

warneral · 03-12-2006, 03:48 PM

OK the info on increasing really helped. And i realize that the purpose of the increasing is to help keep it a circle or a disk and not a cone, right? And that later I can reduce the increasing so it will start wrapping around the head? Am I going to be making a circle and not a kidney bean then?

Let me show you what I've done so far. I'm pretty happy with it so don't laugh LOL

Lori_Eustis · 03-12-2006, 04:12 PM

That looks like you are right on track! Keep at it.

You should be making a flat circle as long as you keep adding increases (not a kidney bean <grin>). You will stop adding increasing stitches once it reaches the diameter you need. Then keep going around with the same number of stitches to make it "cup" on the edge. Make sense?

Great job!
Lori

warneral · 03-12-2006, 06:29 PM

I guess what I mean is - I was originally thinking I was going to want to come up with a shape that was more like a kidney bean in order to follow the hair line. But all I need to do is do a circle - and the increasing and decreasing is to help shape it to curve to the head?

This above is just practicing of course. I wanted an easy yarn for practice before I try a loopy boucle or a thin mohair

Thanks so much!!!

Lori_Eustis · 03-12-2006, 06:48 PM

You are right -- you just want to make a circle with increases to fit the head. When you sew the crochet cap on, you can change the shape (stretching) to make the hairline. Keep going, and let me know if you need any help!

Lori

warneral · 03-12-2006, 09:52 PM

well I keep going (just practicing still - LOL I don't even have a doll ready for hair at the moment) and here I have it beginning to really take form. What do you think?

Lori_Eustis · 03-12-2006, 09:58 PM

Looks great! You are right on target! It is, of course, much bulkier than what you will get with the thinner mohair, so it looks like you figured it out! Yahoo!

Lori