GB2152827A

GB2152827A - Making dolls heads

Info

Publication number: GB2152827A
Application number: GB08401439A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Josephine Mittelstadt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-01-19
Filing date: 1984-01-19
Publication date: 1985-08-14
Also published as: GB8401439D0

Abstract

In making a doll's head, an outer skin is fitted over a head member and stuffing material is placed between the member and the skin to form facial features. The facial features may be accentuated by drawing together particular points on the face with thread stitched therebetween. Separate elements to form ears and/or a nose may be provided.

Description

SPECIFICATION Dolls' heads This invention relates to dolls' heads.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of making a doll's head comprising taking a generally head-shaped member, fitting a generally head-shaped, flexible skin over the head member, and placing stuffing material between the inner member and the outer skin to form facial features on the head.

By forming facial features by stuffing beneath the outer skin, the doll's head can be given a very realistic appearance.

A specific embodiment of the present invention and an example of the method will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa pattern for a side piece of an inner skin of a doll's head; Figure 2 is a pattern for gusset piece for the inner skin; Figure 3 is a pattern for nose piece for the outer skin; Figure 4 is a pattern for an ear piece for the outer skin; and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a stage in the formation of an outer skin of the doll's head.

Referring to the drawings, an inner skin for a doll's head is formed from two side pieces 10 (Figure 1) and a single gusset piece 12 (Figure 2), which are cut from a slightly stretchy fabric. In the drawings the arrowed solid lines indicate the straight grain of the fabric and the dotted lines S indicate the direction of main stretch. The gusset piece 12 is cut from a folded piece of fabric so that the cut piece is twice the size of that shown in Figure 2, whilst the side pieces are cut from single thickness fabric.

The side pieces 10 are sewn to either side of the gusset piece 12, with points 18,20 of these pieces matching. The neck, formed by a neck front edge 22, side edges 24 and rear edge 26 is left open. The skin formed by the pieces 10, 12 is then turned inside out, filled with stuffing, and then the neck is tacked closed.

Referring now to Figure 5, in order to form an outer skin of the head, a rectangular piece of fabric 36 is draped over the inner skin 38. Front and rear portions 40,42 of the fabric 36 are then drawn together and pinned at the sides of the head, and darts 44 are made at the chin. The fabric 36 is then removed from the inner skin. Seams are sewn where the fabric was pinned, and the darts are sewn. Excess fabric is then trimmed; the outer skin is turned inside out, and then it is replaced on the inner skin.

Referring to Figure 4, for each ear, two of the ear pieces 16 are stitched together around the curved edge 28. The ear is then turned inside out, lightly stuffed, and the pieces 16 are stitched together along the dotted line 30. The ear is then sewn to the outer skin in the appropriate place along the straight edges 32. The ears may be sewn into the side seam of the outer skin when that seam is sewn.

The nose piece 14 is folded in half, and the curved edges are stitched together, but leaving an opening.

The nose is then turned inside out through the opening, lightly stuffed and then the opening is slip stitched closed. The nose is then ready to be sewn onto the centre face region 34 of the gusset piece 12 with the fold of the nose piece lowermost.

In order to form facial features, small amounts of acrylic stuffing are inserted between the inner and outer skins. The stuffing may be moved between the skins by poking with a long needle from the neck or through the outer skin. The facial featureswhich may be formed in this way are, for example, a rounding of the forehead, the bridge of the nose, the cheeks and the chin.

The face of the doll's head may further be worked by drawing together points on the face with thread, for example as follows. With a long needle and double thickness of heavy thread, the needle is inserted into top of doll's head leaving a 5 cm long 'tail'. The needle is brought out half way down face and about 6 mm to the right side of the centre of the face. A tiny stitch is taken and then the needle is inserted into the same place and brought out 12 mm to the left, i.e. 6 mm to the left of the centre, and pulled tightly to raise the bridge of nose slightly. The nose is then slip stitched to the face just about at this point half way down face using a further needle and thread. The further needle is then inserted at the top of nose and brought out where a nostril is required.

The needle is then taken back throuh, pulling tightly to form the nostril. This operation is then repeated for a second nostril. The first needle is taken back to and through the top of the head. The needle is then re-inserted at the top of the head and brought out about 6 mm to the right side of the bridge of the nose. The thread is then taken across for 30 mm on the outside for the bottom line of the eye. A small stitch is taken and then the needle is reinserted and taken out 25 mm below the nose and 19 mm to the right of the centre of the nose. The cheek area is then squeezed to accentuate the cheek. A small stitch is taken and then the needle is re-inserted and brought out at the inner corner of the eye. The thread is pulled to form cheek and then the needle is re-inserted and brought out at the top of the head and tied to the original 'tail'. The operation is then repeated for the other cheek.

The mouth may be formed by pulling out the top lip with a large needle and embroidering with, for example, rose pink silk. A single stitch may be used for the bottom lip. The eyes may be formed from pieces of felt of various colours, and the eye-lids and eyelashes may be formed by embroidering and stitching. Hair may be added by stitching lengths or loops of wool to the head.

Although it is preferred that the inner skin be formed by a stuffed bag as described above, alternatively a moulded plastics inner head member may be used.

The head may be used for a doll and also for a doll-shaped pyjama case.

1. A method of making a doll's head comprising taking a generally head-shaped member, fitting a

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Dolls' heads This invention relates to dolls' heads. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of making a doll's head comprising taking a generally head-shaped member, fitting a generally head-shaped, flexible skin over the head member, and placing stuffing material between the inner member and the outer skin to form facial features on the head. By forming facial features by stuffing beneath the outer skin, the doll's head can be given a very realistic appearance. A specific embodiment of the present invention and an example of the method will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa pattern for a side piece of an inner skin of a doll's head; Figure 2 is a pattern for gusset piece for the inner skin; Figure 3 is a pattern for nose piece for the outer skin; Figure 4 is a pattern for an ear piece for the outer skin; and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a stage in the formation of an outer skin of the doll's head. Referring to the drawings, an inner skin for a doll's head is formed from two side pieces 10 (Figure 1) and a single gusset piece 12 (Figure 2), which are cut from a slightly stretchy fabric. In the drawings the arrowed solid lines indicate the straight grain of the fabric and the dotted lines S indicate the direction of main stretch. The gusset piece 12 is cut from a folded piece of fabric so that the cut piece is twice the size of that shown in Figure 2, whilst the side pieces are cut from single thickness fabric. The side pieces 10 are sewn to either side of the gusset piece 12, with points 18,20 of these pieces matching. The neck, formed by a neck front edge 22, side edges 24 and rear edge 26 is left open. The skin formed by the pieces 10, 12 is then turned inside out, filled with stuffing, and then the neck is tacked closed. Referring now to Figure 5, in order to form an outer skin of the head, a rectangular piece of fabric 36 is draped over the inner skin 38. Front and rear portions 40,42 of the fabric 36 are then drawn together and pinned at the sides of the head, and darts 44 are made at the chin. The fabric 36 is then removed from the inner skin. Seams are sewn where the fabric was pinned, and the darts are sewn. Excess fabric is then trimmed; the outer skin is turned inside out, and then it is replaced on the inner skin. Referring to Figure 4, for each ear, two of the ear pieces 16 are stitched together around the curved edge 28. The ear is then turned inside out, lightly stuffed, and the pieces 16 are stitched together along the dotted line 30. The ear is then sewn to the outer skin in the appropriate place along the straight edges 32. The ears may be sewn into the side seam of the outer skin when that seam is sewn. The nose piece 14 is folded in half, and the curved edges are stitched together, but leaving an opening. The nose is then turned inside out through the opening, lightly stuffed and then the opening is slip stitched closed. The nose is then ready to be sewn onto the centre face region 34 of the gusset piece 12 with the fold of the nose piece lowermost. In order to form facial features, small amounts of acrylic stuffing are inserted between the inner and outer skins. The stuffing may be moved between the skins by poking with a long needle from the neck or through the outer skin. The facial featureswhich may be formed in this way are, for example, a rounding of the forehead, the bridge of the nose, the cheeks and the chin. The face of the doll's head may further be worked by drawing together points on the face with thread, for example as follows. With a long needle and double thickness of heavy thread, the needle is inserted into top of doll's head leaving a 5 cm long 'tail'. The needle is brought out half way down face and about 6 mm to the right side of the centre of the face. A tiny stitch is taken and then the needle is inserted into the same place and brought out 12 mm to the left, i.e. 6 mm to the left of the centre, and pulled tightly to raise the bridge of nose slightly. The nose is then slip stitched to the face just about at this point half way down face using a further needle and thread. The further needle is then inserted at the top of nose and brought out where a nostril is required. The needle is then taken back throuh, pulling tightly to form the nostril. This operation is then repeated for a second nostril. The first needle is taken back to and through the top of the head. The needle is then re-inserted at the top of the head and brought out about 6 mm to the right side of the bridge of the nose. The thread is then taken across for 30 mm on the outside for the bottom line of the eye. A small stitch is taken and then the needle is reinserted and taken out 25 mm below the nose and 19 mm to the right of the centre of the nose. The cheek area is then squeezed to accentuate the cheek. A small stitch is taken and then the needle is re-inserted and brought out at the inner corner of the eye. The thread is pulled to form cheek and then the needle is re-inserted and brought out at the top of the head and tied to the original 'tail'.The operation is then repeated for the other cheek. The mouth may be formed by pulling out the top lip with a large needle and embroidering with, for example, rose pink silk. A single stitch may be used for the bottom lip. The eyes may be formed from pieces of felt of various colours, and the eye-lids and eyelashes may be formed by embroidering and stitching. Hair may be added by stitching lengths or loops of wool to the head. Although it is preferred that the inner skin be formed by a stuffed bag as described above, alternatively a moulded plastics inner head member may be used. The head may be used for a doll and also for a doll-shaped pyjama case. CLAIMS

1. A method of making a doll's head comprising taking a generally head-shaped member, fitting a generally head-shaped, flexible skin over the head member, and placing stuffing material between the inner member and the outer skin to form facial features on the head.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the facial features on the head are accentuated by drawing together particular points on the face with thread stitched to those points and extending between those points within the outer skin.

3. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the head member which is used comprises a flexible bag filled with stuffing material.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the head member which is used comprises a rigid or semi-rigid shell.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the step of fitting the outer skin over the head member comprises the steps of placing a piece of fabric over the head and drawing portions of the fabric together down the sides of the head.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein elements to form ears and/or a nose are placed between the inner member and the outer skin.

7. A method of making a doll's head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A doll's head made by the method of any preceding claim.

9. A doll's head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.