Dare to be brave with wigs?

[TheSpyderDuster]

If you had to choose...

A.) Buy a Volks straight white wig and dye it with Rit, hoping that not only it will be the right length but that it will take the dye without ruining the texture and be the color you want.

OR

B.) Buy the hair the right color, texture and length but have to make a wig cap and meticulously glue impossibly tiny wefts and make your own custom wig.


Unfortunately these are my choices unless I can find the wig I need.
Which would you choose?

[maywong]

What is the color are you trying for? Making a wig cap isn't that hard or you can buy one. You can also buy hair already in tiny wefts.

[richila]

I would buy the hair and make the wig, if the color is available. Wig caps are easy to make:
Methods of Making Wig Caps
Cloth

Cloth wig caps for doll wigs are made from lightweight muslin or stretch knit. The fabric is generally dyed a flesh color.

The fabric is either cut using a dollmaking pattern or by draping. Even if the wig cap is made by a pattern, the wig cap must be adjusted to exactly fit the individual doll’s head.

To create your own pattern, place a round piece of fabric larger than what is needed on the head. Mark any darts needed to make the cloth sit flush to the scalp. Mark and leave an appropriate seam allowance for sewing. Registration marks should be made on the middle of the forehead and the center lower back so you will be able to exactly reposition the wig cap on the head once it is sewn. Sew the darts and sit the rough cap back on the head so the hairline can be drawn on the cap leaving a sewing allowance. After cutting the hairline, a small flat hem is sewn or you may glue/sew this hem. Replace the wig cap on the head right side out and check the fit.

It is now ready to apply hair to the cap.

These are my favorite instructions. I find stretchy cotton from a stretch t-shirt best. I got the instructions from here http://dollmaking.lotzstudio.com/lmak_dollhair2.html

[DollyKim]

I've seen wefting instructions that involve a sewing machine and tissue paper. As I remember you line up the hair in the right direction (like a grain line) for the weft and fold a strip of paper over the scalp end and sew a few strait lines along the paper. Tear the paper away and you have wefts. Might be worth experimenting with craft store hair first. Or if you get your hands on the right color wig in a bigger size would it be possible to take the wefts off?

Pending on the color you want Monique sells wefts.

[TheSpyderDuster]

I've seen wefting instructions that involve a sewing machine and tissue paper. As I remember you line up the hair in the right direction (like a grain line) for the weft and fold a strip of paper over the scalp end and sew a few strait lines along the paper. Tear the paper away and you have wefts. Might be worth experimenting with craft store hair first. Or if you get your hands on the right color wig in a bigger size would it be possible to take the wefts off?

Pending on the color you want Monique sells wefts.

I have heard of this technique but never seen it done. I fixed an antique japanese doll once using wax paper and hot glueing the wefts. I discovered the hot glue melted the wax on the paper and making it difficult to remove the paper from the weft. Furthermore, the wefts ended up being ginormous and looked terrible on the head! I ended up removing the whole thing. I ended up following the traditional technique of that doll and picking up strands of hair and literally gluing them to the head using clear cement. And it actually turned out perfect. However it already had a hairline from the old hair so it was easy.

I am trying to make a wig for my character Lephisten. When I went to Volks I picked up a Boyfriend Yamato that has a GORGEOUS body. Conveniently it came with a open eye head too. I had originally planned to root Lephisten using Dollyhair.com since her Nylon fibers are beautiful. But the Yamato comes with a resin head so now I must wig him. (Sounds naughty) : D

Thank you guys so much for the tutorials. They look very promising. I gotta figure out how I'm going to do his hair line and bangs though. Also, do you think the wig can be "sueded" with hotglue to help it grip the crown of the head or should I use a wig cap or velcro/snaps to hold that puppy down?

[maywong]

Parabox sells hair weft. You can also get them in a beauty shop. The doll on the bottom left, I had to make a wig for him because no other wig would fit him. BTW 'Dollyhair' sells wigs too.

[TheSpyderDuster]

Thanks for the tip Maywong. A wig may be the only way to go.

Nice kimonos by the way, expecially the green and grey one. Really nice line up.

[leopardessmoon]

Pupa paradise sells both doll hair and premade wefts for reasonalble prices. I have one of the wefts and it is really nice. the hair is 35cm long and the weft is 90cm.
http://www.pupapa.com/shop/