How to Make a Blonde Wig
Specialized companies have been making wigs and other hairpieces for centuries, but with the rise of the do-it-yourself movement, some people have taken to making their own wigs. Making a wig is a somewhat laborious and costly process, especially if you use human hair. But whether you want to make a wig for a patient or just for fun, with enough precision and focus, you may find that you can produce a professional-quality wig on your own. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Natural or synthetic hair
- Hackle
- Drawing mats
- Tape measure
- Cotton wig ribbons
- Wig block (model head)
- Scissors
- Stapler
- Wig lace (match hair color)
- Water
- Sewing machine
- Ventilating Needle
Instructions
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1
Find enough blonde hair to make a wig, or buy synthetic hair. If you want to use natural hair, be prepared to pay a few hundred dollars or more if you want a long wig. However, synthetic hair rarely looks real up close, so you may feel the extra cost is worth the trouble.
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2
Clean the hair and let it dry. Sort it through the hackle and place it between the two drawing mats.
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3
Measure the hairline of the person for whom you are making the wig. If you are working with a bald scalp, imagine where you would want the hairline to be and trace it with a washable pen until it looks attractive and proportionate.
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4
Cut the cotton wig ribbon to hairline size. Staple them to the wig block.
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5
Wet the wig lace and drape it over the wig block. When it is dry, cut loose edges and sew the wig lace to the wig ribbons. Try on the wig and make adjustments if necessary.
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6
Decide how many hairs you want in each section. This will depend on the texture of the hair. If the hair is very fine, you may want to use more. When in doubt, see how many will fit through the eye of the ventilator needle.
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7
Make a loop at the root end of the first hair section. Weave this loop through a hole in the wig with the ventilator needle so it goes ends up on the outside of the wig. Pull the rest of the hair through this loop to make a knot. You may make a double-knot or a series of double-knots in this manner. Use both hands to maintain adequate tension. The knot must be tight enough to hold for several years, so be sure to test it by gently tugging on the hair.
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8
Tie the rest of the hair into the wig with the ventilator needle, working from the back to the sides and finishing at the top of the wig. Use single-knots closer to the top of the wig.
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9
Make sure the hair faces away from the desired part. Turn the hair inside out, and knot hair next to the edge ribbons to make the ribbons invisible.
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10
Turn the wig right-side in again and apply water. Cut into the desired shape.
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Tips & Warnings
Test each hair knot before moving on to the next.
As with anything, use caution when bidding for hair.
You may want to avoid "temple hair" for ethical reasons. Temple hair is collected from women in India who shave their heads as a religious rite. Many of these women are impoverished, but none are paid for their hair.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
