Barbie Fashionista leg helps

[kittyasauras]

So for Mother's Day I'm making my mom a custom doll of herself. She really adores my customs so I thought it would be cool for her to have a 'mini-me'. It's going to be a hybrid of three different dolls, but the thing is I need the doll to be able to sit on a horse. ...So she needs to have elastic in her hips... BUT I didn't know this but the current Fashionistas' legs are connected by pegs, NOT by elastic like the old ones. The legs I want to use run through with elastic.

So, how do I get the pegs out of the torso? I tried heating it up in water and then trying to pry it apart, but mattel cements the darn seams together and I started cracking the plastic.

I don't have anymore ideas. Any help, please?

here's a photo so hopefully I make more sense:

[ArtCresc]

I know exactly what you're trying to do; I actually went through the process of removing the peg pieces from the swappin' styles bodies and putting them into the elastic-run torsos (before the current run that has both the torso joint and the ball-socket thigh joints which I find more stable than elastic). This involved splitting the bottom apart (cutting or breaking through the inner peg holding the front and back together in addition to the heat glue they used to fuse the parts), and partly splitting the sides of the torso along the seams just above the thighs. The hardest part is pulling the piece loose from the body without destroying the body or your hands.

The elastic-attached legs can fit back into where the thigh pegs used to be, though some trimming along the inside edge may be necessary for the legs to fit flush.

This was an arduous process, and I don't really recommend it unless you're planning to re-use the inner thigh joint piece (and it's one piece: a vertical rectangular plate of very durable plastic that fits into two slots, one in the front torso/pelvic half, and one in the back torso/pelvic half, and the two ball pegs protruding from each flat side).

If you're not planning to keep the plastic thigh piece, then cut it out with preferably plastic sprue cutters used for model kits; maybe cut off the pegs and drill a hole through which to a thread the elastic for the new legs. Someone recently added a tutorial on how to attach legs to a monster high torso with elastic. It'll be a lot less painful, really.

[kittyasauras]

I don't really think I'll need the pegs later...
It had also occurred to me to try and snip out the pegs and drill through it. I just wasn't sure that would work, mainly on just me though. I'm afraid to do it! lol!

Thank you very much on your suggestion! I'm going to try it tomorrow I think. Or at least soon! Mother's day is getting closer!

[kittyasauras]

Woah. That was so super easy. I didn't have any snippers so I just used the 'pinecone' shaped bit for my dremel. Got the nobs off and then with the same bit made little divot on both sides. Then used the drill bit to go through~ Was so easy. xD