Elfdoll Catsy

Reviving this thread!! I have this Elfdoll Adel, but she has the weirdest stringing I have ever seen.

She has elastic, but only up to her waist and then it's... yarn? And it has a twisted wire attached to it too, that goes from her neck to the headcap hook O_o

Needless to say, I can't wait to take this girl apart to restring her, cause she's really floppy too, and that wire in her neck is just... eek >.<

Can anyone show me how is the elastic attached to the headcap in your elfdoll tinies? Or what can I use?

I bet I have to buy new elastic too ^^;;
Which one should I look for?

 

(Caveat - I am certainly no expert, and the dolls seem to have come strung various ways)

I got my tiny doll elastic from various sources.

On the wall at a Joanne's Fabrics I found some thin round prepackaged elastic, and the two thinnest were the same brand. The very very thin size was useless - did not stretch at all. The slightly thicker size was good.

I also got some here - scroll down past body wrapping kit to Stringing Elastic.
http://www.minidolls.com/Doll_Supply.shtml
I think I got 1mm and 1.5mm - I believe the 1.5 was more useful for Banji's wider stringing channels but I do not remember for sure - maybe get both.

And in the past I have picked up 1.0mm and 1.2mm elastic on Ebay (sometimes called shock cord)

Elfdoll stringing is also usually partly done with clear but strong nylon thread or very very thin nylon fishing line. The hands and feet (or boot lower legs) are tied onto the loops of elastic the bodies are strung with. See Elfdoll's tutorials I linked to further up this page.

Some tools you will need -
- 2 small tweezers can be helpful - flat (or slant flant) end, and pointed, mostly for trying to hook or unhook darn headcap loop
- strong round toothpicks (uncolored) or plastic dental toothpicks
- you may wish for a small hemostat sometimes (it is like a scissor-shaped locking tweezer). I got mine on Ebay - I just look for the smallest. With Elfdolls I usually only use one to stretch and clamp elastic at the neck to provide more slack in the head for get headcap on or off. But they can also be useful as a third hand to do things like hold tensioned elastic that you want to knot.
- wire to pull elastic through. Some people use stiff wire and make crochet-hook-like things to pull elastic. I use a different method. I use long thin flexible single-strand-copper insulated wire - to get thin types you may need to separate the strands of an insulated ribbon wire from Radio Shack. I look for wire that will hold a sharp bend, but stiff enough that you could direct one piece through the body, arm, or leg pieces. I cut a long piece - maybe 16 inches long, and fold it in half, squeezing the folded tip to make it pointy. You can poke the folded end through body parts and tie loose elastic to it and pull it back through. If you have a loop to pull through, use it like a big hairpin and hook it on your loop of elastic then poke the unfolded ends through the body and pull the loop through.



Is your Adel a new one? And bought new? The stringing sounds different from what I have seen in the older ones.

Arms - the harder way (I think)
In the older ones (and probably yours), the arms have their own elastic loop which may be thinner elastic than the head/body/legs loops. One loop of elastic (tied to itself) runs through one arm then the body then through the other arm. At the wrist ends the hands will be tied on with loops of fishing line. I think optimally you want the switch from nylon thread to elastic to happen inside a body part, not at a joint. For that reason, your elastic loop should be too tight when pulled out the ends of both wrists and held temporarily with toothpicks. Then you tie a hand on the elastic loop end at each wrist, and the nylon thread loop you tie attach the hand with should hand some length (about 1/2 the length of the lower arm, maybe less, depends on how stretchy your elastic is.) After tying the both hands on, you remove the toothpicks and hopefully you got the tension right and all works. This can be very hand to get right if you are not familiar with the stratch properties of your elastic. Elfdoll uses the same elastic type for a long time so they know how long to cut each piece!

Arms the way I think is easier:
Another way to do it is backwards - tie the nylon thread loops onto the hands first. Make the final tied nylon thread loops about 1/3 as long as the body part they will be pulled into (the lower arm in this case). String it all together with a single length of elastic than is longer than it needs to be for the loop. Have both elastic ends come out between the chest and upper arm, at a shoulder hole. Tie your elastic loop there and get the tension exactly the way you want it. When your elastic loop is tied securely, trim the loose ends shorter, then work the knot into the chest (you may need to shift the elastic all the way around to get the knot to stay in the torso).

The rest - legs, body, head - is crazy. Some people have given up on ever being able to make that headcap loop and just tack their headcap on with Aliphatic Glue (white craft glue, usually Aleene's Tacky Glue). I have ZERO idea which (if any) of these possibilities would produce a better posing less kicky Elfdoll). Many people and wire or thin white pipecleaner in addition to the stringing to aid in posing.

I have seen 3(?) stringing methods for the rest.
1. Two Elastic loops - one goes up through one leg, up through the body into the head. The other does the same but starts in the other leg. In the head they are tied in a knot and somehow a loop is also made for the headcap to hook to.
Good - independent leg tensions.
Bad - BIG knot in the head, hard to change eyes or get head off.

2. Two elastic loops - one goes up one leg and down the other, going over the inner crotch in the lower torso. The other one loops around the first one in the lower torso and goes up through upper body and into head. (this option need a torso joint)
Good - head and torso movement is independent from legs and can have a smaller knot in head.
Bad - don't know

3. One elastic loop - the elastic travels down one leg, back up into lower torso, over the inner crotch, down the other leg, back up that leg, up through the upper torso, through the neck and into the head where a knot and loop are formed, down back through the neck and torso to tie to the other end of the loop.
Good - I think this is easiest. I use a long piece of elastic, and start with the head knot and loop placed about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way along the long piece of elastic. I want the final two loose ends of the elastic to end up coming out the torso joint or shoulder joint, where I adjust the tension with feet already on, tie off well, trim ends closer, and push knot into upper body.
Bad - don't know

However you do the legs/body/head you have to deal with the same tension issues the arms had. For that reason, you may want to use a backwards method and make nylon thread loops on the feet first, and attach them while stringing the elastic.

Carolyn

Note - my Dodo thinks little of my stringing skills. I bought her secondhand with several limbs off and it took me 10 months to fix her - I kept trying to fix the old stringing that was stuck in her limbs, and I could not. It took me 10 months to bite the bullet and finally cut all of her stringing and redo it from scratch.
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65510

 

Wow, Carolyn! *bows down to you*

That was really helpful!! While I can restring Delfs, and mini resin kids as if it was nothing, a tiny is a WHOLE new thing.

Me: *pulling her apart easily* Wheeee!! Tiny little parts! Look at those tiny arms and hands!! And legs... and feet... and... O_o ... OMG how am I gonna do this? She's really small! *panic*

Well, she's not new, I adopted her here on DoA not long ago, but I'm tired of her being all floppy all the time. And I seriously want to get rid of that yarn and that wire! O:

Her arms are fine, luckily! It's just the head, the torso joints and leg parts that I need to restring.

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to type all day, I really appreciate it!!
You deserve a daisy, a cake and also a pile of hamsters just because they're cute XD

I think I got it now, and I try it as soon as I get new elastic. I'll look for some tomorrow XD

PS.- I loved your story! Poor neglected little thing

 

Phew!! I have finally restrung her, thanks a bunch!!

Not the easiest task, but she's finally better (and not floppy at all!!)
She can even climb other's heads too



Thank you

 

Hi!
I purchased my first bjd this year and it's a Catsy. I have a number of questions about her that perhaps earlier collectors may be able to answer for me. Can anyone tell me when Catsy was first made available? Was she released in limited editions? Were all the Catsys dressed in the same outfit - the black and deep pink dress? Anything you could tell me about Catsy would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!
Susan

 

catsy was only released in her black and pink dress, and she was an open edition... she has been discontinued... Elfdoll stopped making all mature tinys when they released hannah, then rereeased catsy as a special edition, and shes no longer avalable as far as i know... she was my fist doll too

 

Hi! I'm pretty sure Catsy has been around since the elfdoll elves have been available-- and though they may have "discontinued" Catsy for now, they had also "discontinued" the elves, then brought them back this year in different outfits and hair. Elfdoll will be releasing their tinies as limited editions-- so Catsy I'm sure will be back as a limited in time.

I searched through the News archive, and the 1st mention of Catsy is 12/22/2004-- so she's been available since then.

 

Thank you both for your taking the time to answer my Catsy questions! I really appreciate it!! It was fun to learn more about her - thanks again!!!

 

Congrats on getting a Catsy! She's just a gorgeous sculpt and extremely itty-bitty!

Yeah-- I did an initial search, and out of the three hundres items it pulled up the oldest date I found was April of 2007 and I knew she'd been around a lot longer than that. Sometimes navigating around the forum can be a challenge, but getting the question out there can lead to some pretty great info finding!


Enjoy her!

 

This is from Elfdoll archive
Special edition Catsy - October 2005
and nothing about the first edition ((

 

Thank you, Manic, for that link to Elfdoll's archive! Nice to read the order details like "snow white skin", "8mm eyes". I really enjoyed learning more about Catsy!

I also want to thank everyone again for all the info you provided!! Much appreciated!!!

 

2005 was when the first Catsy was released. She was released after the original Elfdolls (Dodo, Adel and Sylph) - I am not sure when they were released (late 2004 I think) and Dodo was discontinued around when I joined DoA in April 2005. They may have changed Catsy's box during the time she was sold but she remained unchanged. After she was discontinued, some leftovers were sold by Elfdolls and they were the same. But they also stated that she would never be sold in that form again - so that may mean that if she is ever re-released she will have different makeup and clothes just like the brief re-releases of other 14cm Elfdoll tinies.

Re boxes - there have been 3 different boxes for 14cm Elfdolls. The earliest box was wood (that box may have ended before Catsy was introduced). The next was a vinyl-covered box hinged on the long side. And the third box type is rust colored cardboard box.

Catsy shipped with painted boot legs and came with separate human lower legs and feet. Her outfit has a white furry fabric tail.

I own and love Catsy. I know some people think she is weird but I don't. I do wish that cat hands and feet had been available for her as an option.

If you Advanced Search just the Tinies section, in Titles Only for Elfdoll* (and ignore the threads about Hana and Doona who are a different size), you should find a lot of threads about what Elfdoll tinies can wear. You can do the same kind of search for: Catsy or Catsies (with the or) to find Catsy threads.

Here is a thread about Catsy eyes (default is 8mm):
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60760

My two favorite Catsies convinced me to get Catsy. They both had a bit of makeup added. Some others did heavier repaints, wigs, etc. I prefer Catsy close to her original look.

Here is one of my favorite Catsies - Melancholy Kitties' "Nettle" (click on each for more):
http://www.melancholykitties.com/g_ball_joint.html#nettle

And here is my other favorite - Koko:
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65805



Grats on your Catsy!

Carolyn

 

Wow!! Thank you SO MUCH for all that great info on Catsy, Carolyn! It's EXACTLY what I was looking for! I also love seeing all those terrific pics in those links you included. Some of the customized Catsies are amazing! I don't have that kind of talent, so mine will stay true to her original look. However, I would love it if Elfdoll came out with a new Catsy or two some day. Perhaps in a different color resin. For now, I'm just very happy to share my home with the one I have. Thanks again, Carolyn, for making my day with all that great information! Really appreciate it!!
Sincerely,
Susan

 

Elfdoll is releasing a Black Catsy!

I thought the little furball could use her own thread.

And I caved....

Here is a siggy icon for anyone that wants to use it
(just please upload it to your own photostoring system )

 

She's really cute. I'd love another Catsy, but I don't think I can afford her at the moment.

 

That's why I'm gonna see if I can swing layaway.

I just wish she came with normal hands... The paws are kinda cute, and she does also come with fists, but I love the Elfdoll tiny hands!

 

I wonder if she's actually made of black resin, or just painted? It seems ridiculous to even consider that she'd only be painted, but the photos really look like a painted doll. She seems very shiny, and the color doesn't look natural. Is it just me seeing this?

 

I think she is black resin. I think I can see some sanding marks on her arm in some of the closer shots. ::stares until eyes go wonky::

 

She looks like she is painted... does anyone know if she is made of black resin? Anyway she is still really beautiful!!