Chibi Jack Instructions
Jointed Doll, Home-made joints
Sat, 31 Mar, 2007
Lee Thompson-Herbert
I'm already modifying this entry. If you notice that the photos aren't complete or that they don't entirely match the descriptions here, it's because I've discovered that my original joint technique works well for smaller, lighter dolls. For dolls as large and heavy as Chibi Jack, I had to make some changes or the joints would pull apart. The finished doll that's photographed on this website is the second jointed doll I made, and his joints were partially retrofitted to fix problems that only became apparent after he'd been dragged around to half a dozen events.
Take the Leg pieces, and get out the TOE template from the pattern pack. Mark the foot end of one Leg as a Right foot (template right-side up) and one as a Left foot (template wrong-side up).
Pin the foot down flat
Sew around your newly-marked seam line
Remove the pins, flip over and sew the seam again, as close as possible to the original seam, then paint the entire seam with Fray Check. When it's dry, trim one seam-allowance width
Finish the body. You must close the neck. Sew the top circle to the open neck with a strong stitch (either by hand or by machine). It's okay if your seam shows, you're going to cover it later. You just need that opening closed up before you insert your joints (I know this doesn't jive with the photos below, I assembled the first and second dolls by a slightly different and more difficult method)Leave the gap in the side seam open.
Your first pass with the patterns sewed the Head Fronts and Head Backs together. DON'T joint front-to-back yet)
Flip the Head Front pieces over and mark a sewing line on the unmarked side.
Cut out the head pattern pieces and paint them with Fray Check.
NOW you will sew the Fronts to the Backs.
Open up the pieces and join the Front to Back, meeting at the triangular notch and the center point
Next pin the two outside corners, then pin the rest, taking care to make sure the edges match
Flip the piece over and pin the other side, using the same method
Sew carefully along your sewing line starting near the top of the crown, taking care not to catch a fold of fabric under the seam. Be careful to especially follow the seamline at the bottom corner, as that's what forms the doll's chin.
Unpin and pull the piece slightly open. You should be able to see the head shape (it'll seem sort of malformed right now)
Paint edges with Fray Check and allow to dry
Now, clip the seam allowances of each piece. By doing so, you'll make it easier to turn the piece rightside-out without wrinkles or puckers. If your piece has puckers at a corner, gently stretch it a little, the wrinkles should ease out. Don't pull so hard that you pop the seam.
Insert joints
The fabric reinforcements can either be several layers of muslin sewn together, or one or two circles cut out of felt with a hole cleanly punched in the middle for the button loop to go through. If you're using layers of muslin, be sure to paint the edges of your work with Fray Check before sewing or cutting out.
Paint the center of your reinforcing circles with Fray Check and allow them to dry. Use an awl or carefully-placed punch to cleanly cut a hole in the center of your circles. If you're using an awl, it may be neccessary to use small embroidery scissors to carefully open the hole up wide enough that the button loop can slide through all the layers of fabric.
Pull the cover off the ball button (if it isn't already in two pieces). Make sure the wire loop is firmly wedged in place and centered.
Pour epoxy or E6000 glue into the ball button to secure the wire loop and preven
t it from pulling out under stress. Replace the cover and allow the adhesive to cure
Use a pencil to mark where the shoulder, hip and neck joints should go on the torso. Paint those spots with Fray Check. When dry, use an awl to punch a small hole in the fabric of the torso being careful not to damage your seams.
Partially stuff your arms and legs and mark, paint with Fray Check, then punch holes for the shoulder and hip joints.
Insert your first shoulder joint into the torso and bring the loop up through the hole you made.
Put your awl or something thin (like a toothpick) through the loop to hold it secure for a moment. You're going to put a safety pin through it to hold it untilyou're ready to secure the joint. You're seeing the backing on the outside of the fabric here, that's a photo taken before I started filling the joints with epoxy. You want to put a metal washer or button protector over the loop instead (the cover is glued shut, after all).
Put your protection piece on now, then close a safety pin through the button loop to hold it securely in place until you need to complete the joint. Repeat process for the other shoulder and both hips.
Insert a button joint into the hip area of the Leg. Secure it with your awl, a pin, or a safety pin.
Place a metal washer or button reinforcing plate (they're used for big metal buttons on heavy coats, your local fabric shop may not carry them) over the button loop. Secure once again with the safety pin until ready to use.
Partially stuff the head (you should have done this already), mark the neck attachment point, paint it with Fray Check and allow to dry. Punch a small hole with your awl.
Insert one of the large button joints with a reinforcing pad in front of it, loop already stuck through the reinforcment pad. Bring the button loop down through the hole you've made in the base of the head. Put a washer over the loop, then secure with a safety pin. Finish stuffing the head.
Stuff the Body.
Make sure you start at the hip level and work up. Chibi Jack's body takes a LOT of polyfil, especially if you pack it as firmly as it really needs to be. Be especially sure to pack the shoulders entirely full without gaps (your stuffing tools will help here) and the neck as well. If the neck and shoulders sag, Chibi Jack's head will never hold up straight.
Stuff body parts
The Legs
Stuff the leg by starting with the Toe. Carefully pack the Toe with stuffing, then the heel. This will leave you with a gap in the midfoot. This is okay. Mold the foot a little at this point to give it the proper shape, then continue stuffing. Keep on til you have the midfoot and ankle firmly packed. Keep working, occasionally molding the foot and ankle in your hands to keep the shape correct. When you get above the ankle, you won't have to worry about shaping so much. Pack the stuffing in until just below the knee. Work carefully, making sure you're satisfied the lower leg is firm enough. You can't pack the stuffing past narrow spots in a limb or you'll risk ripping out your seam, so spots like the ankle, knee, wrist and elbow are places of No Return. When you've gotten the whole leg stuffed and almost overflowing, use your strong sewing thread and curved needle to close up the opening halfway. Tie off, but do not cut thread
Leg almost stuffed
Make a knot anchored at the edge of your opening
Take a stitch or two to anchor your work
Carefully work either a ladder stitch or a whip stitch to close the opening. You will be pulling the seam closed against tension, so expect your first couple stitches to gap open until you pull everything tight.
Stitches pulled tight.
Tie off seam halfway across, but do not cut thread. Continue stuffing with a now smaller opening.
When there are no more gaps or sags in the leg, finish sewing up the opening.
Finished legs
The Arms
Stuff the arms. Be careful to pack the hands and thumbs full first before attempting to stuff any further up the arm. The wrist and elbow are tight spots and the seam can easily tear at those points if you aren't careful about not over-stuffing narrow areas of the limb while trying to jam more stuffing in.
Finishing the Neck
Cover the neck seam with 1/2" or 5/8" white grograin ribbon.
pin the ribbon in place
Use a curved needle to whip-stitch along the bottom edge of the ribbon
And then whipstitch along the top, making sure to catch the overlap and secure it as well
The Head
You can use a cotton pom-pom to stuff the very point of Chibi Jack's chin. Just make sure that the pom-pom stays in place while you're stuffing the rest of the head.
Front View
Side View
Connecting Joints
Use 1/8" grosgrain ribbon and a curved needle large enough to allow the ribbon to pass through the eye (probably at least a 4" needle). Make sure arm is facing correct direction and is on correct side, then run ribbon through loop of shoulder joint on the torso. Remove safety pin. Run ribbon through loop of arm joint. remove safety pin. Draw ribbon in tight. Begin to pass the ribbon through both loops while pulling the joint closed as tight as you can. Make at least four passes, more are preferable. I try to make 5 or 6 passes. Remove the needle and tie the two ends of the ribbon together (while holding the joint closed tight) with a Surgeon's Knot. Paint the knot with Fray Check, as well as a small length of both ribbons to either side of the knot. When dry, snip ribbon off,leaving 1/4" to 1/2" tails of ribbon (it keeps it from unravelling). Repeat for other shoulder. Repeat for legs, making sure you have right and left legs on their correct sides.
Connect the head using the same method. If possible, take more passes through the joint loops with the ribbon. The tighter you can make this joint, the better.
Correcting Wobbly Head.
If the neck joint is too wobbly, you can use ribbon straps to reinforce and stabilize the joint.
strap from underside of chin to neck front
straps from occipital area to neck back
Rear view of both back straps (head seam still open)
Finished Doll
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