Tutorial: Glue Sueding

It's taken a while but someone had requested a tutorial on how I glue suede my dolls. So here it is.

What you will need:

Low Temp Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Cardboard cut into small squares or rectangles
Your resin doll



 I use a low temp glue gun because it isn't as hot as the high temp ones and in my experience it doesn't burn the resin. I've used this method to glue suede most of my dolls and have never seen any ill effects from it personally. Be aware that just because the glue gun is low temp does not mean it won't still  burn your fingers so please be careful!

 I start by un-stringing my doll as it is much easier to work with individual pieces than trying to get glue around elastic! After my glue gun is heated up, I spread out a glob of glue like in the picture onto the section I am going to suede. (Note: the glue dries quickly so you need to work fast.)

Next I take my pre-cut cardboard piece and use it to smooth out the glob of glue around the area. If there's a bit of texture still, it's fine. What you don't want is to have huge massive lumps as they will impede the joints going back together well. If you do happen to find some or go a bit out of the area by accident, you can just pick the glue out. This is why I love this method. You can remove the glue whenever you want and it's easy to do. You can just peel it away most of the time. Some stubborn bits you will have to work at to get off but it's not permanent. Strangely, I find it therapeutic when I have to re-do the glue suede on my dolls and pick out the glue.

The finished product. Okay so it doesn't look elegant or neat but it does the job. I tend to suede arm, elbow, chest, waist, leg and knee joints. I've found success just doing these areas. It depends if your doll has a two piece or three piece body.

You can also use this method on the area just under the head and around the head hole if you are finding the head of your doll just flops everywhere.  I have done this to my Dollzone Hid and found it works a treat.

It's as easy as that. I do tend to place the joints together after I have glue sueded that area to check the parts fit back together okay before moving on to the next area. That way if the glue is too thick, I can pull it off and re-do it then and there and not go to re-string and then find the parts don't fit back together properly.

This is how I glue suede my dolls. You can use pliver or thin leather but with that method, I've seen it done and after cutting out the pieces to match the area, you actually have to glue it on with a water based glue or something. I have not done this method but I've seen a friend do it and it works just as well, particularly if you don't want to mess with glue guns.

 While I had Resinsoul Mi in pieces anyway, I decided to add eyelashes to her and that turned out much easier than putting it on my Impldoll Gela. Smaller heads are hard!

I'm still trying to decide if I actually like her with a fringe or not. I've tried some of the fringe-less wigs I have here on her and I rather like that on her as well. I'm also now basing her more off a roleplay character I had in a roleplay about Gods. She's the Desert Queen and will draw strongly from ancient Egypt and Arabian style outfits. She's essentially the personification of the Sun Goddess. I've made Brunhilde my Lady of the Forest now. I think it suits her as I will draw from Norse and Celtic mythology for the outfit.

Hope the tutorial was helpful to someone. Enjoy the week ahead!