Neighthan Rot Review

 

Here's one of my favorite guys-- Neighthan Rot. If Mattel had sent a representative to my house and asked me what I'd like to see in their doll line, this is pretty much it. More boys, more zombies, maybe a unicorn or two, some rainbows, more spikes, more glitter. This guy is like a cheap Frank Frazetta knock-off spray-painted onto the side of a van, come to life. And I love him dearly. 

 

I mean LOOK at that handsome face. Look at those big horsey ears.

 

 

For those who don't know, Neighthan Rot is a character in the Monster High TV Special / movie "Freaky Fusion". He's a hybrid monster. His mother is a unicorn, and his father is a zombie. So, on his right side, his body molding shows detailed exposed muscle and bone, while his left side is just an uncommonly muscular teen boy. His body parts are patterned and divided; multiple parts are zombified opposite healthy limbs. He has an opaque blue horn spiralling out of the top of his head, two large horse-like ears, and black hair as well as a tail accented with red, yellow, and blue streaks.

 

 

This is everything included with signature Neighthan. You'll notice his pants retained his body shape after removal. This definitely speaks for the quality of the fabric. Many fans and collectors have raised holy hell over his outfit, both for its design and for its cheap construction. He has a 3/4 sleeve shirt in primary colors with a skeleton and internal organ design. His pants are divided, with one black leg and one leg continuing the shirt pattern in an enlarged form. He wears yellow spiked boots and a yellow spiked baseball cap, both flecked with blue and green glitter, and includes brush, stand, and diary. 

 

Neighthan's tail had somehow gotten twisted and tucked up inside his shirt (!!) during packaging. It remained kinked like this for a few days, but after some brushing, it has calmed down and now his tail only has a minor bump in it to show where it got messed up. All of this hair was fully rooted and I had no shedding issues with him.

 

 

I noticed, while removing him from the box, that several strands of his tail were abnormally long. These were fully rooted and had to be trimmed to match the length of the rest of his tail. I had the same issue with his hair, which was uneven and, for the first few days, very coarse.

 

 

The Freaky Fusion line (and movie) may have their own flaws, but this guy, as I said, is one of the favorites in my collection. I always love it when they come out with new boys, and I have an unhealthy addiction to everything unicorns, so this is perfection. It's the doll I wanted when I was seven. I'm glad he's finally here. The doll itself is well-made and includes all accessories expected of a signature doll, except possibly a pet, but sig dolls have been lacking pets for close to a year now so that's nothing new. All in all, worth the money, especially for those who collect every new character or those ensuring the future of Mattel's boy lines. 

Super Simple Monster High Clothes, Pt 3

Okay, so we all have socks, right?

Is it just me, or do we also all lose one along the way somehow?

I don't know about you but I have a tendency to lose socks. Especially my favorite ones, or the nifty new novelty ones I only wore once. What to do with all these random unpaired lonesome socks?

I've kept a bag of unmatched socks for over a year now. It's handy when I just need a sock real quick, or when I want to do a craft project but am lacking other supplies. They're clean and wearable. Just mismatched.

Which makes them perfect for Monster High clothes!

Today I'll show y'all how to make a hat and sheath dress out of.. yep.. a sock. There are infinite variations on this theme, and once you learn it you'll never look at socks the same way. I certainly don't!

Materials:

- any random socks you've got laying around, clean and in decent shape

- scissors, needle and thread

- measuring tape - a cloth or flexible plastic one is best

* Some basic sewing skill is required for this project. Don't worry - it's nothing fancy and if you don't succeed at first, just try again until you do!

* This tutorial will work with ANY sock, but I found childrens' socks (size 9 - 11) the most fun to work with. There are many colors and patterns to choose from and the fabric isn't bulky.

Step 1a: The Hat

This is the easiest hat in the world. See that toe section on your sock? Lay the sock flat, measure four to seven centimeters from the toe, and snip it off. That's your hat. You can customize it further by stitching it to a band of elastic (which might be at the top of the sock), a loop of ribbon, or even a ring of cardboad cut from a paper towel tube. You can hem and shape the edges, add a brim, or just let it be - a loose, comfy, beret-style sock cap. The best thing is, it already matches the dress you haven't yet made.

Step 1b: The Dress

Lay the sock flat sideways and cut a straight line through the foot, removing the heel section. You should now have two straight tubes: the foot and the ankle.

Step 2:

Measure the length of each tube. This will be a bit longer than your finished dress. Between eight and ten centimeters is the ideal length. To get a good idea of how this will fit your doll, slip her into the tube and pull it as tight against her body as you'd like it to fit. If it's too short, no problem - set it aside and you can make it into a shirt or a skirt later. If it's too long, snip off as much as you'd like.

Step 3:

Now, if you're like me, you want your doll's clothes to fit well but not too snug. Cutting each tube in half makes four equal pieces, all of which will fit quite tightly. Cutting off about a quarter of each tube makes two equal pieces and two smaller leftover pieces, which you can use later. Your choice. Cut them now.

Step 4:

Turn the fabric inside out, so that the "raw" side with all the seams and loose threads is facing you. Stitch the two open sides together to form a new, smaller tube. This should fit your doll closely. If it's too loose, use a seamripper or the blade of your scissors to tear out the stitches, cut off another strip, and stitch it up again. Keep trying until you've got it just the way you like it.

Socks are one of my favorite items for creating doll clothes, because they're so versatile. The fabric is usually soft and plush without being thick or bulky. They're small and pre-made into a tube, so I only have to cut out the size or shape I want.

You can make almost anything for a doll from an unwanted sock - a skirt, sweater, coat, shorts, leggings, pajama pants. And using them makes me feel good because I'm using up a small fabric stash that mostly gathers dust!

Extra Ideas:

- Trim the neckline and / or base of your sock dress with ribbon in a contrasting color or texture. Shiny satin ribbon sharpens up the fuzziness of cotton, and bright colors jazz up mellow or neutral tones.

- Stiffen the hat or skirt by painting over it with liquid white glue or nail polish.

I bet you have some snippets and scraps left over after this one. That's why Next up: is all about crafting skirts and tops from sock material. See ya!