Waldorf doll hair: centre back seam clarified
A couple of people have told me they had problems covering the back of their doll’s head when using my tutorial, and since I remember having the exact same problem when I first started making this kind of hair, I thought I’d clarify!
I haven’t got my original model Lina here at the moment, since she’s still hanging out at my friend Stefanie’s house, probably drinking Summer cocktails and thoroughly enjoying herself! 
Fortunately, Mina offered to take her place. Thank you Mina!
The trick with getting the back of the head covered is to add enough yarn as a whole, especially at the back. Also, having more than one layer helps.
What I do is this: my first layer of yarn, spread out from the front to the back of the head, covers the doll from forehead to about halfway down the back of her head. I stitch this down in the middle, until just below the crown, bunching up the surplus yarn at the back as I stitch (because it originally went halfway down when spread out, and I’m now securing it until just below the crown, I’ve got some extra yarn). After it has been secured, I fingercomb this extra yarn down the back of the head, starting at the crown. Unfortunately, I can’t show you any pictures of this part right now, as most of my dolls-in-progress are still in boxes waiting to be unpacked! But I hope my description will be sufficient for now.
The next step is to stitch this first layer all around the head as usual, starting at the side, at eye level, making sure to gradually dip down a bit when you reach the back of the head, and up again to the other side. Like this:
And seen from the back:
This should leave you with a well covered head!
A ‘regular’ second or even third layer of yarn, stitched down just in the middle, will make it look even better.
See?
And combed down, it’ll look like this:
I hope this helps! Please let me know if there’s anything that’s still unclear, and I’ll do my best to clarify things a bit more!
© Meike, August 2009.
**Feel free to link to this tutorial , but please do not upload it to your own site / duplicate it in print. **
on augustus 15th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
you are awesome
thankyou so much for helping me! still trying to work out the first bit but photos work so well and I totally appreciate it! mina and lina have a great stylist 
on augustus 16th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hi Meike,
just wanted to apologies – when I saw this tutorial today I noticed that you ahd requested not to use it for commercial purposes. I have sold a few dolls that had Lena’s hair style having not noticed your request before. I am very sorry, and promise I won’t to it again!
Hope you are all unpacked and settled soon.
Michelle
on augustus 16th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Hi Michelle,
No, please don’t worry – you are more than welcome to sell dolls that have this hairstyle! After all, it’s not some earth shattering unique invention; I think there are several variations to be found of this particular style of hair all around the world. What I meant was I’d rather not have someone use the tutorial itself, either in print or on their website, without linking to me and/or asking permission, that’s all! So please, do continue to use it for your dolls, by all means!
My apologies for not being been more clear! I have changed the wording, but suggestions are still more than welcome! (This is one of those times that it’s a bit obvious that English isn’t my native language!
)
on augustus 17th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Hi Meike
no, you were clear now that I have gone and read it again. Thanks for letting me know.
Michelle
on september 24th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
thanks a ton for both of these tutorials and definitely for this one. I didn’t discover it until this morning and I am so glad because I have been trying to figure this out.
on januari 7th, 2011 at 4:34 am
[...] Starry Sheep has a 2nd tutorial on the hair back seam. [...]