Troll hair

[buckshot]

ok...you all know what the hair on a troll doll looks like, right? i'd love to have something similar to that for a few of my puppets. i like the bright colors and the way it stands up. any suggestions on what to use to get this look? thanks in advance!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

You just want deep pile shag fur. Sometimes, sheets of it is available on ebay. I use the same depth of fur for Muley's mane. Hard to find much of that kind of fur, though. Not a huge seller at fabric stores, but sometimes they have it. you might also find some at hobby stores.

 

[buckshot]

thanks. i'll definitely check out the shag fur at the local fabric stores. is shag as whispy as the troll hair?

 

[trooper_trent]

thanks. i'll definitely check out the shag fur at the local fabric stores. is shag as whispy as the troll hair?

Look at the hair on Mangey's head Here . Is this kinda what you are talking about?I got that at the hobby store in the craft section. I also found some at hancock fabrics.
Good luck

 

[buckshot]

Look at the hair on Mangey's head Here . Is this kinda what you are talking about?I got that at the hobby store in the craft section. I also found some at hancock fabrics.
Good luck

yeah...something like that. i have a hancock fabric nearby, so i'll have to check it out. i know that there's a "fun fur" yarn out there that i might try, too. i think a sheet of fur would be easier to attach though. thanks guys!

 

[scarylarrywolf]

If you want it to be "whispy and stand out", I think the fur only appears that way because it's only a small quantity on the trolls. That's the problem I ran into when I upgraded Scary Larry and made him bigger -- his eyebrows "shrank".

 

[Buck-Beaver]

The longest deep-pile shag fur you can find is usually only 2 - 3 inches long. The more expensive and harder to find varieties are certainly whispier than the cheaper long furs you find in most craft and fabric shops.

I'd guess that the best solution to get a "troll hair" look would be to purchase some carded wool. This is real sheep's wool that comes in long, straight strands. A bag will probably cost you about $20 or less. The great thing about this wool it is that it can dyed to any colour and cut to almost any length that you want.

You can cut and glue the wool on to your puppet's head and it should stand up straight fairly well. You might need to use a little gel or hairspray on it. Another technique (I haven't used it, but I hear it works well) is to mix white glue with water and carefully brush it in to the wool. Leave the hair 24 hours and when the glue has dried the hair will be stiff.

Carded wool is normally used for weaving and should be available at any store that sells weaving supplies. Some higher-end knitting shops might sell it too. If you live near a rural area (or a farmer's market) there may be local sheep farmers who can sell you a bag of this cheap. I'm sure you could find some on the Internet too.

Just be sure you get CARDED wool. The uncarded wool is sold exactly as it is when they shear it off a sheep and it's much more difficult to work with.

I hope this helps!

 

[Qrhia]

any length any size achievable - use long haired wool to make pom poms - once made tease out with wire brush - the type used for suade? 'spelling???'shoes - give the look without stiffness and no individual strand attatching