Make Hair Wraps
A hair wrap, not to be confused with "wrapping your head with a scarf", is a colorful, fun way to add a temporary creative look to your natural hair. A hair wrap is not a "hair extension" but rather a way to wrap braided strands of your own hair, or a hair extension, with colorful thread. Creating a hair wrap adds a controlled colorful design in your hair without damaging your hair or making the color permanent. Even though the designs created can look very detailed and complicated, wrapping your hair with colorful thread is a fun simple activity that almost all ages can participate in. Even children that are very young can enjoy having their hair wrapped by older girls making it an activity that everyone in the family can enjoy. Hair wraps are an ideal activity to incorporate into a unique girls night, a fun birthday party craft, and are a definite for a boho music festival! Take your hair to the next level with a colorful, creative hair wrap!
Contents
Steps
Starting Your Hair Wrap
- Measure out the length of thread. Cut the thread or embroidery floss to your desired length. A good rule to follow is measuring the thread against the chosen strand of hair and make the thread 2-3 times longer than your hair or the extension you are wrapping. Measure out as many colors as you want to add to the first wrap and lay them out together.
- Select and separate the section of hair you want to wrap. Choose a section of hair that is no thicker than a pencil. Most who wrap their hair go for a subtle location at the base of their hairline (by their neck) to create a for a pop of color. If you want to go all out, pick a section at the crown (top) of your head. Separate the chosen hair section and wrap a ponytail holder around your remaining hair.
- Secure the selected hair. Braid the section chosen as tight and clean as possible, with minimal fly aways and unwanted bumps. Separate the small section of hair into three pieces. Braid the hair down as far down to the end as possible. Secure with a small elastic.
- You can chose to straighten the strand of hair but your don't have too.
- To smooth out the little frizzy pieces of hair that might be sticking out, lightly wet your fingers and slick down the entire braided strand.
- It is also helpful to secure a tissue with bobbie pins at the root of the braid to help prevent hair from getting into the wrap when you start.
- Gather the colorful threads and fold them in half. From the center point, tie the floss onto the base of the braid as close to the scalp as you can with a basic double knot (making a number 4 and sliding the end of the thread through the 4). Make sure the knot is tight and secure. Secure the thread again (or thread bundle of several colors) with another double knot. Cut off the excess thread at the top of the knot, leaving only a small knot and your colorful embroidery thread below.
- Choose your starting thread color. Choose one string color to wrap around the braid for the several colors you have in the bundle. This means separating one color strand of thread and holding the rest of the colored strands smooth with the braid.
- Have fun creating your hair wrap - be patient and be creative! Once you try these basic designs, you can try new ways to create different unique patterns on your own braids. Most commonly, people choose to wrap just one braid but don't be afraid to wrap several braid strands or even do your whole head! You can keep your hair wrap in for a couple days or an entire month.
- Most people decide it is time to remove the wrap when it starts to smell or feel funny.
- To remove the hair wrap, carefully snip the knot off. Be careful to avoid cutting your own hair.
Creating a Simple Wrap
- Start wrapping the braid with a simple wrap. Pull the first piece of colored thread clockwise tightly around the braid until you are ready to switch colors.
- Change thread colors. Wrap with the first color thread until you have gone about an inch or so down the braid. To switch to a new thread color, tie a knot around the wrap with the first color, then lay it down with the other strands and pull out another color. This will secure the wrap at the color change.
- The tightness of the first color will hold down the next color so you don't have to worry about it becoming loose. You can wrap down about an inch again or vary the length to create a alternating design pattern of colors.
- Next repeat the switch. Keep wrapping until you use up all the colors in your original bundle. You can get more creative by using two colors of thread and wrapping them at the same time to get alternating colors.
- To get even more creative, you can use three colors of thread wrapping them in together (which creates a alternating color scheme).
- Alternate and knot each color. Wrap one color using your knot choice down approximately one inch but instead of tying it off with a final knot you will loop the thread through itself and secure. Then take the additional two strings from the top of that one inch section, and make criss-crosses over the top of the one inch section you just created with the first color of the three. Secure all three strings at the bottom with a double knot.
- HINT: This is often a great place to add a decorative charm or bead. Use clear fishing line to tie the charm or bead into the thread bundle.
- Remove hair elastic and tie the wrap at the end. To finish the wrap, pull the current thread through the loop of the final wrap to make a knot. Double it with the other threads to make the knot extra secure. Trim any excess thread from the bottom.
Creating a Forward Knot Hair Wrap
- Tie each wrap with a forward knot. Do this by wrapping the thread around the hair, then taking the string on the left and crossing it over the string on the right and make a 4. Then tuck the end under and through 4 - pulling the end through the loop created (example at right). Pull the knot tight. This creates a half forward knot. Repeat to create a full forward knot. Continue repeating to create a series of knots that will work all the way down the hair wrap. This method will make a very secure wrap.
- Start to alternate colors. To switch the thread color, lay it flat with the braid and pick a new color. Begin tying more forward knots with one color until you are about a inch down and then switch to another color. Repeat this all the way down the braid until you have used up all the colors and reached the end of the braid.
- If you run out of string, just tie another piece onto the end of the last string / thread with a secure knot. Clip off excess thread.
- Remove hair elastic and tie the wrap at the end. To finish the wrap, pull the current thread through the loop of the final wrap to make a knot. Double it with the other threads to make the knot extra secure. Trim any excess thread from the bottom.
Creating a Chinese Staircase Hair Wrap
- Start the Chinese Staircase hair wrap. Take thread behind, hold it into a 4 with your hand and pulled of thread through like a knot. Then pull it all the way up to your scalp or the top to the braid.
- Repeat. After about 10-15 times of doing this same 4 tie knot, the wrap will be about an inch down the braid and you will start to see how the pattern is going around and around your braid.
- Tie knots in a circle motion around the braid. To make the pattern flow, when you are tying it, you will pull it in a circle for each new knot. Don't pull it too tight, just a light tug up, so that it is easy enough to get out of your hair when you are ready to remove the hair wrap.
- Remove hair elastic and tie the wrap at the end. To finish the wrap, pull the current thread through the loop of the final wrap to make a knot. Double it with the other threads to make the knot extra secure. Trim any excess thread from the bottom.
Tips
- The tighter the wrap the longer it will stay in.
- To remove the wrap, just snip the ending knot and unwind the embroidery floss. The forward knot wrap will be harder to remove, and might require delicately cutting through some of the knots until you can slide it off.
- To make stripes in your wrap, wrap with two different colored strands at the same time.
- The forward knot wrap will be more secure than the simple wrap.
- Holding knots can be used if you want to take a break from wrapping.
- Try specific color combinations for special events like Christmas and Halloween.
- To add beads or charms to any point on the wrap, thread them onto the embroidery floss then tie-off with a forward knot and continue wrapping.
- A secure wrap will last one week (minimum) up to three months (maximum).
- If you run out of floss or thread in the middle of your wrap, just tie a new strand of floss right under your last wrap.Then use one of the old strands to wrap over it so the knot won't show.
- Don't worry if your hair goes wavy on you when you wrap it, that just adds to the fun and creative look.
- Tiny elastic rubber bands are best for tying the end of the tiny tight braid which is easiest for wrapping. They can be found at the drug store in the hair department usually in a bag of 50-100.
Things You'll Need
- Scissors
- Comb
- Multiple colors of embroidery floss, thread, thin plastic thread. (available at any craft store)
- Hair elastic (preferably very small)
- Bobbie pins (optional)
- Fishing line (optional)
- Beads and charms (optional)
- Extensions, 4 inches or more (optional)
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