I have a new batch of Op Shop dolls at home this week for cleaning and repairing. This bunch has a few different issues that I’ll be trying to work through before going on holidays.

The alarming sight on the far left is a 1970s Baby Alive doll similar to one I have myself. I thought that she only needed a clean and to have her hair untangled. I noticed a small split in her head and suddenly while I was combing her hair her whole pate came away in my hand. I felt like I had scalped the poor thing

I should have taken a better picture of what is inside her head but to be honest I was a bit freaked out imagining what would have happened if a small child had done that. I don’t know if the top of her head was meant to come off but I didn’t want that happening at the Op Shop so I have glued it back on. Hopefully that will keep it in place for good.

The other baby doll is Mattel’s Baby That-a-Way.  She was just filthy and needed a wash and her hair sorted out.  She is supposed to crawl which is why she has articulated knee joints. If I can get the battery compartment open I’ll see if she still works.

The babies all had some clothing which is in the wash. When it is dry I’ll redress them and do some mixing and matching from my stash of spare outfits.

Later:

Here are the girls dressed in some new clothing from my stash. Sorry it is not a great photo. It was taken on my phone at night as they had to go back to the shop the next morning. The clothes are a little large for them but in a cute “She’ll grow into it.” sort of way not something that looks totally out of scale.

As you can see Baby Alive’s scalp was  not the only issue I had to deal with involving heads. At the front right of the top picture is a vinyl baby head. This was from a soft-bodied doll who also initially looked in good shape but  had tears in the seams and the material around the neck had frayed,  I decided the best thing to do would be to take baby’s head off repair the material and then re-attach it. I snipped through the cable tie holding the head in place.  As the material around the neck was fraying too badly to sew up I made a new casing and sewed it to the body. A handy friend gave me a couple of cable ties and I used one to attach baby’s head.  This baby already had a cute little outfit so that’s all I had to do.

The Barbie clone has been here for a week or two. She had purple marker freckles and a purple nose and some marks on her back. All cleaned off with Oxy 10. Her hair which is very cheap and nasty was matted and grubby. A lot came out when I combed it but I’ve done my best to make her look neat. I gave her a dress I made a few years ago, no shoes because the kids just lose them.  The other soft toys needed some marks sponged off and it is easier to do this at home than at the shop where we don’t have much workspace.

Generic fashion doll in home made dress.

The fashion doll tidied up.

So that is another batch of dolls ready for new homes which I am sure they will find next week.