doll repair class

Doll Seminar and Doll Repair Class

The doll repair class and seminar are set up to target key skills that are essential for doll repair. This allows for practice time in techniques that you will encounter the most often in your doll repairs. To stay on target, the syllabus includes daily tasks that must be completed so that your dolls will be restored within the number of days for your class.

Be SURE to bring at least two sets of old work clothes for the doll repair classes! Sanding, epoxy materials, and painting may permanently ruin anything you wear. Bring or wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and ruining. Two sets of old clothes would allow you one to wear and one to wash the other.  Most of your time will be spent in the shop working, so you won’t need much in the way of good clothes. If there is time, we may go out to eat one evening.

In winter, the shop is really cool in the mornings so sweatshirts are ideal to start the day. Summer classes to learn doll repair may be hot all day, so prepare for either.

Bring List for 5 day Composition & Hard Plastic Repair

  1. One or two all composition dolls 18″ – 22″that have light crazing, no paint lifting. You need at least one that has a mohair wig, crackled eyes that need replaced, and lashes that need replaced. Dolls can have seam cracks, but no paint lifting elsewhere, as this class does not include full strip and redo of composition.
  2. One composition doll 18″ – 26″, with light crazing, that has painted hair and a cloth body. Eyes may be scratched or crackled and need lashes replaced. It may have missing fingers or toes and head may have a crack that needs repaired. Body can be stained or torn.
  3. One or two hard plastic dolls 14″ – 22″ that have a seam split and may need repainted, iris replaced, wig cleaned and styled, or need other repairs. Do not bring dolls with a strong odor. These have hard plastic disease and there is no known cure.
  4. Saucy Walker with sunken eyes, or eyes that have rolled up in her head and she doesn’t walk well.
  5. One or several deeply soiled doll dress, bonnet, etc. We will whiten and restore these.

Bring List for 10 day Compo and Hard Plastic Seminar

You will need to bring the following dolls to work on during the doll repair class. If you own several of one or more types, send pictures and let me help you decide which one you will get the most learning experience from. If you do not have dolls, I can help you choose dolls on eBay or elsewhere.

  1. One composition and cloth doll that is 18” to 25” long with sleep eyes that needs FULL restoration. This doll should have cracked and peeling paint. It should also have missing or damaged fingers, toes, etc.
  2. One jointed ALL composition doll that is no smaller than 18” long. The old paint should be so cracked and peeling that it will need to be removed and be completely repainted. Either this doll or one above should have crackled eyes that need an iris transplant. These eyes look like they have cataracts.
  3. One composition doll that looks pretty good except for a cracked and peeling seam on top of the head, or on the side of a leg.
  4. One composition doll that is in fair condition with no paint lifting, just dirty and has general crazing. You will learn to do craze control on this doll.
  5. One ALL Hard plastic doll at least 14” tall (all hard plastic from the 50’s, not later plastic or vinyl and plastic ) — such as Sweet Sue,Nanette, Toni, etc.) It might need repainted, have seam splits, or need eye lashes, etc.
  6. One Saucy Walker with sunken eyes, or eyes that have rolled up in her head and she doesn’t walk well.
  7. One larger 20”-25” vinyl doll with broken or crackled sleep eyes and rooted hair that needs cleaned and styled. Choose a doll with a torn, dirty cloth body that must be replaced. It may also have stains on the vinyl.
  8. Optional – You may bring an all paper-mache doll, a broken celluloid doll, or a Minerva tin head for repair. The celluloid doll should be the hard celluloid, not the soft kind that dents easily. There may or may not be time to complete one of these, but you will be able to start it and have instructions on how to finish on your own. If you have another kind of doll in mind, please ask and I will work with you on what you want to learn.
  9. You will need at least one GOOD but messed up mohair wig. It can come on one of the above dolls or be separate. You may also bring a good but messed up human hair wig. It is better if they come on the dolls.
  10. If you have good sewing skills, you may bring one older plush stuffed animal that is in good to fair condition, but is dirty. It may be missing eyes or the nose. DO NOT bring a Steiff or other mohair animals.
  11. One or several deeply soiled doll dress, bonnet, etc. We will whiten and restore these.

If you don’t have some of the above dolls to bring to the doll repair class, let me know and I will help you find them. If you have a doll that doesn’t exactly fit the criteria above, let me know and I will see if we can work it in. The doll repair class will be in held Oklahoma City. I will provide transportation for you to and from the airport.

Bring List for Full 14 day Seminar

This seminar covers most types of dolls that you may encounter. You will need to bring the following dolls to work on during this doll repair class. If you own several of one or more types, send pictures and let me help you decide which ones you will get the most learning experience from. If you do not have dolls, I can help you choose dolls on eBay or elsewhere.

  1. All the items listed on the 10 day seminar above.
  2. Two or three Antique bisque shoulder heads with damaged shoulder plate, with a kid body. The kid body should need some minor repair. One doll should need glass sleep eyes reset or be missing.
  3. Two or three antique bisque head doll with a 5 piece compo/paper mache body. The head may be broken or cracked. The body should not have major composition loss, but may need patching of cracks and rebuilding of missing or damaged joints, fingers, or toes.
  4. One antique bisque head doll with compo/paper mache ball jointed body. The body should be jointed at the elbows and knees, and have 11-17 pieces with knee and elbow joints. The head should have a crack or be broken, or have a missing part (no facial cracks or breaks). The body should not have major composition loss, but may need patching of cracks and rebuilding of missing or damaged joints, fingers, or toes.
  5. 1-2 Antique china head dolls to learn doll repair on. At least one must have a damaged shoulder plate. You will not have time to do face breaks requiring painting the features in this class. The cloth body may need repaired or replaced.

Bring list for 5 day Bisque and China Doll Repair

This seminar will cover most repairs for bisque and china head dolls. You will learn to do invisible repairs on the heads; repairs for bodies; clean/set/style of wigs; setting sleep eyes; and leather body repair.

  1. Two or three Antique bisque shoulder heads with damaged shoulder plate, with a kid body. The kid bodies should need some minor repair. One doll should need glass sleep eyes reset or be missing.
  2. Two or three antique bisque head doll with a 5 piece compo/paper mache body. The head may be broken or cracked. The body should not have major composition loss, but may need patching of cracks and rebuilding of missing or damaged joints, fingers, or toes. The heads may be missing or need repair.
  3. One antique bisque head doll with compo/paper mache ball jointed body that is 18″ – 24″. The body should be jointed at the elbows and knees, and have 11-17 pieces with knee and elbow joints. The head should have a crack or be broken, or have a missing part (no facial cracks or breaks). The body should not have major composition loss, but may need patching of cracks and rebuilding of missing or damaged joints, fingers, or toes.
  4. 1-2 Antique china head dolls to learn doll repair on. At least one must have a damaged shoulder plate. You will not have time to do face breaks requiring painting the features in this class. The cloth body may need repaired or replaced.
  5. You will need at least one GOOD but messed up mohair wig. It can come on one of the above dolls or be separate. You may also bring a good but messed up human hair wig. It is better if they come on the dolls.