I first got in contact with Sue Coyle of mohairhouse.com on Google+ of all places. We got chatting and I discovered that Sue was well acquainted with Blythe dolls and their needs when it comes to mohair for re-roots. Describing herself as “just a country girl”, Sue first got into mohair when she was restoring vintage troll dolls. After months of work devising her own process for turning raw unwashed wool into a finished, combed product she started selling her left over mohair in her online store on etsy. Sue cares for a pack of 21 angora goats that provide all of the mohair available in her store. Mohairhouse sells mohair in natural or vivid colours including Sue’s own original colour blends.
As I can’t be the only Blyther that is a mohair newbie, Sue has kindly agreed to answer a few questions about Blythe and mohair:
How did you get involved in farming angora goats?
First of all, thank you for wanting this interview, it’s a real pleasure!
I actually started selling my refurbished trolls in 2005.
As I started selling to more and more reborn artists, I found I needed more mohair. At the time I was buying it from other breeders. In October of 2007, I finally decided to buy a Registered colored buck and a Registered colored doe to breed so I would have a few goats and wouldn’t have to buy any more mohair. At that time the natural colored mohair was in high demand.
This is how I got into mohair. After I had my first kid (baby goat) I was hooked on these wonderful animals, working with their hair is also addictive! I had to have more of these goats! So the next year I found a few more. I bought a Registered brown doe (Reserve Champion), 1 white wether (castrated male), and a Registered white buck. At this time I was just getting into dying the mohair with human hair colors. But the brown one was a color that people were asking for.
So, I bred these and got more babies! What fun this is! A couple of years ago I bought a few more goats from a lady that lives only a couple of hours from me. She had a couple of white ones for sale and one that was a taupe color. When I went there she had a young buck on offer for a very affordable price also out of Grand Champion bloodlines. Again, I couldn’t resist! He is a beauty and the sweetest guy ever! So I have him and his brother and I am picking up another brother of his.
I kept buying and have been very selective in my breeding program to make sure I have all the colors and textures I need for my dolly people.
Photo used with permission from 2tMargarett
As a supplier of mohair to many Blythe customisers can you tell us a bit about your involvement with the Blythe community?
I first learned of the Blythe doll when I sold some white mohair to a gal from Australia. Unfortunately, I can’t remember her name. This was, I think, in 2007. She showed me the doll as I had never heard of or seen one. I was amazed at those big eyes! To be honest, I wasn’t too sure if I liked her or not. But the more I found, the more I liked her. I started looking and checking into these big eyes girls and found info about rooting. After her I got a few more people inquiring about my mohair and it just progressed very rapidly from there. So I had to start having the longer mohair for sale. The past few yrs. there has been a huge increase in business for the longer mohair for these girls. So the inquiries started rolling in and sales and that’s pretty much how I got involved in this community. The dolly community has some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life! I’ve made a few awesome friends along the way too. In the reborn baby world also.
When buying mohair for a Blythe re-root, does the wool come coloured already or do you have to dye it yourself?
The mohair comes in natural colors. White, brown, blonde, red, black, grey, silver. The base dark colors normally fade to the blondes and the silvers and grays.
It all can be dyed as well using human hair color or acid dyes. But, for best results, you should use protein fiber dyes. Protein fiber is a fiber that is grown on an animal. Some mohair takes dye better than others. I would have to write a book to explain.
Photo used with permission from Funky Punkey
I’ve noticed that mohair is listed by weight in ounces. Is there a guide to the number of ounces of wool that you require for a Blythe re-root?
Most people use 1.5 oz. – 2 oz. for a Blythe re-root. I do know a couple people that use only 1 oz. I know 1 person that uses 1.2 oz. She has it down pat! A lot of people buy extra just to make sure they have enough in case there’s some waste. I prepare mine so you don’t have much waste at all.
It really depends on how thick you want your hair on the scalp. For example: if you buy real curly mohair, you won’t need as much because the natural curls are going to help fill in. If you buy the finer straighter hair, you will need more because you don’t have the curls to help cover. TIP: I’ve learned from doll artists that you don’t have to root every hole. If you don’t, you will also use a little bit less mohair.
Recently I tried to buy mohair for a re-root and when it arrived it was not what I expected. It was clumpy and very short. Clearly I had not bought the correct wool. What things should I be looking out for when buying mohair for re-rooting s to make sure I buy wool that I can use?
For a re-root, make sure you are buying hair that is combed completely clear through from top to bottom and has been completely washed clear through the locks. Of course, this may mean something different to other sellers. Also, make sure the sheared ends are lined up together, not upside down or mismatched. >>the cell structure on mohair is different from the top to the tips. If the sheared ends are mixed with the tips, it will felt together. Make sure the hair has been conditioned or it will be dry and may break off when combing. (This is a whole other subject)
Can mohair be styled like real human hair using water, heat and hair products?
Yes, mohair can be styled just like human hair. Be very careful using curling irons or flat irons. It will burn just like human hair and can felt very easily. Once it’s felted it’s pretty much ruined.
Conditioner actually relaxes the mohair. If you want it back to the original curls, just spray some water on the hair and scrunch it up and let dry naturally. NEVER blow dry mohair…it WILL frizz terribly.
Hair products: NEVER use heavy chemical products. I only use products that have natural oils in them. The dryer or courser the hair, the more you need. I am developing my own this summer specifically for mohair.
Does a mohair re-root require any aftercare?
Natural colored mohair: you can wash with hot water, but there’s no need to use real hot water. The natural yolk (grease) has already been washed out when processing. Use a shampoo with natural oils in it, same for conditioner. ALWAYS condition after washing. I welcome any questions about this for the different textures of mohair.
Dyed mohair: DO NOT use hot water, only temped (just a bit warmer than room temperature). No dyes are guaranteed not to run or fade…regardless of what anyone tells you. To help keep your dye set, use some white distilled vinegar in your shampoo and conditioner solution.
Store your doll out of direct sunlight to help keep the hair from fading or bleaching. Even the natural colored mohair can fade over time.
Are there any other mohair specific terms that we might find useful to understand?
The most common terms for the grades of mohair are:
Kid: (first clip) the softest and finest strands
Yearling: (1-2 yrs. old) still very soft, fine
Adult: (young adult 2-5 yrs. old) still soft but strands are getting thicker
Adult (5 +): strands are thicker and some people like them thicker for easier handling. Adult can still be very soft and nice. The hair gets straighter as the goats ages (in most cases).
Microns: for show goats and mill production they go by what is called “microns” which is the measurement thickness of the strands of fiber.
Mohair: on the Angora goat only (often called the diamond fiber because of its shine)
Angora fiber: rabbits
Wool: sheep (many different kinds) much dryer and always more course than Angora mohair but some species have the same type of lock formation.
Yolk: natural grease on the mohair
Raw: right off the goat after shearing, not washed or processed at all
Skirting: removing any nasties or bad hair, short 2nd cuts after shearing
Bulk: not combed and often times not separated or sorted by size or texture
Mohair color mix (my own definition): mohair that has different shades or colors mixed in on the locks.
Bulk mix: different colors mixed in not combed or sorted
Blend (my own definition): locks with different colors or shades on the locks at random from top to bottom
Rainbow: different shades of solid colors from top to bottom
What range of prices would you expect to pay for fully treated, pre-dyed mohair?
I have my own prices according to length, dying process, and how many colors for the order per oz. I allow up to 3 colors per oz for multi colors. A little more for the rainbows. The longer the mohair is the more time consuming it is to comb and process.
My prices for dyed range from $32.00 (shortest) per oz up to $50.00 per oz. (longest)
It also depends on if I need to use human hair dye or acid dyes (acid is the vinegar).
Some people charge the same for all lengths, but I know what time goes into it. Most people I sell to on a regular basis know how I process and will pay a little more knowing it will be what they want in the end and never have to worry.
Prices can also be reflected for supply and demand. For example: some natural colors are not common so they cost a little more.
Are you aware of any countries that don’t allow the import of mohair due to quarantine restrictions?
I am not aware of any countries not allowing mohair. Most people who buy I’m sure already know what can be imported.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your insights with us Sue. I was very happy to hear that you had good experiences dealing with the Blythe community and know where I will be going next time I attempt to buy mohair.
Thank you Katie for asking for this interview and the dolly community for all of your support of my goats buddies….and me of course! Love you all and love working with you!
Sadie Sprinkle – May 2013 Neo Blythe Photos Released
Photos of the upcoming Neo Blythe for May have been released by Blythedoll.com. Her stock is absolutely adorable. Those pink shoes, in the same style as Phoebe Maybe’s are to die for.
My name is Sadie Sprinkle, I love to make cupcakes! My favorite thing is to decorate my cupcakes cutely with sprinkles. My cupcakes cheer up any special event. My sprinkles have a special power to make everyone happy! Her sweet full skirt dress is covered with cute cupcake illustrations. She wears a fancy headband with big hair bow on top. Her tall socks have sweet ribbon patterns and her strappy shoes complete her look.
Jackie Ramone Middie Review by Miniature Life
When I saw the drawings and promo photos for Jackie Ramone, I was excited! Punk is her middle name, after all! I have a much-loved Punkaholic People and I felt they’d be a perfect pair of sisters, although Jackie Ramone wasn’t marketed this way (unlike the previous release Parson Grace, who is ‘little sister’ to 2010 Neo Vinter Arden).
Upon receiving her I was admittedly a little disappointed, peeking through the box’s clear window to notice that her bangs were cut crookedly. That’s common these days, as quality control is notoriously slipping, and I can fix that, so I continued unboxing her, determined to love her. Her hair is a dark chestnut brown with a lot of warm red tone. Her bob haircut is a little layered in the back, which is not the Takara hairdresser’s strength.
She has pale grey shadow and brown eyes (how I wish they’d been dark grey), with eyelashes that are not as angled down as the incredibly insolent Melomelomew. That might have given her the extra edge of punk disdain. As it is, her expression is open and with that trademark middie innocence. Her cheeks are medium-blushy, lips pink. I noticed that her head is not as tiltable as my other middies; possibly just my individual doll.
Her stock is pretty cool, I have to say. Kudos and also my sympathies to whoever had to sew that infinitely tiny mock-leather jacket; it must have been hell. The finish is a little rough on the inside, with loose threads etc. but its overall appearance is effortless cool; already the arms have started to get little creases like a real worn-in leather jacket.
Next, her dress. A yellow plaid bodice and a union jack skirt, held up by thin ribbon shoulder straps. Middie seems a little hard to fit properly. I’ve noticed their dresses can become dangerously low cut. The dress itself is neither good quality or poor.
She had no socks underneath her engineer boots, which are big enough to fit neo blythes. They’re black with red details, and do lend her some additional tough-girl factor, but if they’d made them black with yellow stitching it would have been more in keeping with the Doc Marten style that punks are famous for.
We can’t forget the glasses! Jackie Ramone comes with red cats-eye sunglasses which I don’t necessarily associate with punk fashion. The arms fall out of them so much- with almost every re-adjustment of her pose- that I’ve just put them away in a drawer. Unless they are glued, they’re virtually unwearable in my opinion. Completing her kit is a black stand and some red undies.
Standing next to Punkaholic People, Jackie Ramone does look the part. They both have the edgy don’t-care vibe, but I can’t help but think that they’ve fallen a little short with her. Middies are expensive- often more so than Neos- and I think longer term, Takara would do well to either lower their price significantly or consider releasing middies with an extra set of stock. As it is, makers of good middie clothing on Etsy etc are hard to find, and I simply don’t play with mine enough because I don’t have enough clothes.
Jackie Ramone would have benefited from some added inclusions- a little guitar, black stockings, a skull hairclip, tiny black fingernails or lower-angled eyelashes… something to give her that extra oomph. As it is, she is a decent doll, but unfortunately did not completely tick all the boxes for me, and hence she will likely be my last middie purchase.
Behind the Doll: Doronjo x Blythe
With her long, golden blonde hair and sparkling pink eye chips – not to mention her elaborate stock outfit – Doronjo x Blythe is certainly one of the most striking Neo Blythe releases ever. And it doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous beyond belief. Released in early 2009 as a limited edition of 3000 dolls, her price on the secondary market quickly doubled – and even now, she’s far from cheap. She’s a beautiful doll – but what’s her story?
The Doronjo doll was modeled after one of the villains in Yatterman, the longest and most memorable anime series in Tatsunoko’s Time Bokan franchise. The plot is relatively simple – thirteen-year-old Gan-chan, the son of a famous toy designer, and his girlfriend Ai-chan are the heroes of the show, masked crime fighters who call themselves Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2. Their nemesis is the Doronbo Gang – and its leader, Doronjo. As Doronjo follows her boss’s orders to find the Dokuro stones – mysterious stones which are said to have the power to reveal a very valuable treasure – her plans are consistently foiled by Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2.
The original Yatterman television series debuted in Japan in January of 1977 and ran for two years. The show was enormously popular, but it wasn’t always the heroes the audience was cheering for – it was the hilariously inept Doronbo Gang.
The Yatterman animated series was remade in 2008, followed in 2009 by a live-action feature film directed by Takashi Miike, known primarily overseas for gruesome films like Audition and Ichi the Killer.
It makes sense, then, that a collaboration between Yatterman and Blythe would result in a doll bearing the likeness of arguably the most popular and memorable character of the franchise, the stunningly beautiful – yet vain – Doronjo.
Doronjo x Blythe
CWC Limited Edition – 3000 dolls
Release Date: January 2009
Price: ¥16,590
Face Type: Radiance (RBL)
Skin Type: Natural
Make-up: light brown eyeshadow, light pink lips and blush
Eye Color: vivid pink (center / with heart-shaped hologram), dark green (left), cobalt blue (center), brown (right) – all special colors
Hair Color: two-tone yellow and blonde
Monique Magnifique Neo Blythe Photos Released
Photos of the April Blythe release, Monique Magnifique were released today.
Her stock outfit is adorable and she has a new style of shoes. She has a special light blue, front facing eye chip. She has brown eyeshadow and dark pink lips. She has fair skin with Radiance face type. Her specialcharm point is the cute beauty mark by her mouth!
Release date: 19 April 2013
For more photos and information visit Blythedoll.com
University of Love – Review by 222am
The University of Love Neo Blythe was released in November 2012. Firstly, I love the name University of Love – it is meant to be a university where people from all around the world come to learn how to love each other.
I ended up buying University of Love because I was after her scalp and my friend was after her stock. What I wasn’t planning on was falling in love with her and finding it hard to sell her body/head. University of Love is an RBL with a blonde permed hairstyle and bangs. She has green eye shadow and orange/peachy coloured cheeks and nails. She looks very similar to Angelica Eve and has a similar hairstyle however her skin tone and makeup gives her a much brighter look.
Her bangs are in a newish style that looks like one bunch of hair from a centre part, cut shorter and moved to the front. Ayanami Rei came with the same bangs. Many people have complained about the quality of her hair and her haircut in the Blythe community. Some people I know have sold her right after buying her. What I’ve found is that although the bangs are all bunched in the centre in the box, once you open the doll they spread out like regular bangs and look fine. Her curls were slightly frizzy but after one treatment (of fabric softener and foam rollers) they are beautiful, shiny and bouncy curls. This is one doll I recommend you do NOT brush her hair. I have also had to treat other dolls with curly hair such as Enchanted Petal, PD Amaryllis and Angelica Eve like this.
The stock that University of Love comes with is a striped school blazer, a pretty white and green dress, pink hair bows, argyle print socks and wingtip shoes. The stock outfit as a complete look is adorable and would work on many dolls.
Each piece on its own is also very versatile for use with other dolls and outfits. The jacket is very well made, my only criticism being that the button is really hard to open. Her green and white silk dress could be worn on its own or with another jacket, different shoes, a petticoat or a wrap. The possibilities are endless. I’m a sucker for stock socks with patterns on them so the argyle print socks are must have items for any dolly wardrobe. The pink hair bows are well made and useful to have around. She also came with blue satin underpants.
This doll is incredibly striking in person, much more so than is captured in her stock photos. I have found photographing her very easy as her blushy cheeks and special green eye chips are so photogenic that it is hard to take a bad picture of her. If you are after a doll that will have perfect hair, straight out of the box, then she may not be for you. If you are looking for a girl so good looking that your heart thumps, then enroll in the University of Love – treat this girl (and her hair) just right, then she might just be… the one.
The commercial that started it all…
In December of 2000, Blythe starred in a Christmas commercial designed by CWC and Gina Garan for Parco, a chain of Japanese department stores. Blythe’s popularity in Japan skyrocketed, and the following summer CWC teamed up with Takara to produce the very first Neo Blythe – Parco Limited, a limited edition of 1000 dolls – all of which sold out in less than an hour!
Watch Parco’s 2000 Christmas ad:
