Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Operation Summer Hair Rescue Part 3 - How To Make A Rose Hair Tie




I didn't intend to do a third part to the summer hair
accessories series, but I found this old rose elastic thingy
among my hair accessories earlier this week and it was
one of the more formal handmade things I've worn in my hair,
so I thought I'd share it with you all. I didn't have any black
silk satin (which was what I used for the original one - thicker
than regular satin, has a more matte sheen and used in
formalwear, generally) but I found some inky-black corduroy
scraps that would do for a slightly more casual version.


Here's what you need:


  • 2 pieces of fabric - each 9" x 2.25" (the ones in the picture are far bigger than that, sorry - I was experimenting)
  • Two circular calyx-shaped pieces of green fabric - mine were about 1.75" diameter and cut with a random number of sepals (the pointy things)
  • One double-leaf shaped piece of green fabric - each of my leaves was about 1" long.
  • A long piece of elastic hair-tie, or black garter elastic- the length doesn't matter.
  • Thread and a needle
  • Craft glue.
Note: For the calyxes and the leaves, I used some synthetic suede scraps I've had for a hundred years. It reminds me of the stuff they put on billiard/pool tables, but less radioactive-colored. You could use wool felt or anything that doesn't fray.


Step 1
  • Fold one of the fabric pieces in half lengthwise, wrong sides facing.


Step 2
  • Fold down a corner of the folded edge, and then fold a bit of the short edge over that. This is the middle of the rose bud.


Step 3
  • Thread a needle, knot the thread, and sew down your fold, at the unfolded edge of the fabric strip.
  • Begin making a loose roll around the folded bit, stitching along the bottom. Of course you should use thread of a matching color, not, say, white thread on black fabric like I did. My weird thread color choice is purely for visibility in the photos.

  • The top of the rose bud should be loose and irregular. It is the bottom of the rose bud that will be tightly gathered. So like this:

Not like this:
This is not a rose bud - this is sushi.
Which is what you will get if you roll too tightly.
So try not to.


Step 4
  • When you get to the end of the strip, tuck the short edge inwards and fold it down towards the bottom of the rose bud and stitch.

Set aside.


Step 5
  • Made two small slits about 1.4" apart in the center of one calyx.
  • Slip the double-leaf through the slit, right sides of leaf and calyx facing.


Step 6
  • Locate the middle of the length of elastic.
  • Slip the elastic through the loop on top of the leaf and position the calyx-leaf at the mid-point of the elastic.
  • Glue to secure.


Step 7
  • Flip the calyx-leaf-elastic assembly over, and spread glue on the wrong side of the calyx.
  • Place rose bud centrally on the calyx and wrap the sepals (the petals of the calyx) around the bottom of the rose bud. Hold for a few seconds to let glue dry.

Step 8
  • Make another rosebud from the other strip of fabric.

Step 9
  • Make another pair of slits in the other calyx.
  • Thread the elastic through the calyx and tie both ends of the elastic together in a knot.
  • Position the calyx as close to the knot as possible.
  • You can also tuck the ends of the knot through the loop and onto the wrong side of the calyx:


Done!


Tie a ponytail!
I've mostly used mine at the end of a french braid.


If you are younger than 20, you may also wear it on
your wrist when not in use, a la prom night.

This is a variation in Thai silk.
I love the two-toned sheen of Thai silk.
You can also make two smaller, separate elastic ties


or combine them

to achieve the same effect.

Happy tying!


OK, I am really done with the hair things now. Really.
I have lots of pictures of clothes to post over
the next few days, so drop by again soon!

2 comments:

  1. So fun. And yes, that Thai silk is incredible. Love the colors within it!

    P.S. I should maybe write this on the five stones post, but can't be bothered to find it right now. A friend was over tonight with her daughter; they asked about the five stones they saw on my kitchen counter and instantly the daughter was hooked. Well, the mom wanted to try her hand at it a few times too. So now I've added "make multiple sets of five stones" to my list of stuff to do before we leave for the weekend...

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  2. Oh wow! But lovely girly things to have. Sadly, I just gave my hair a nice good trim after I came back. Too hot! Good that I won't be tempted by any of your pretty hair stuff. But would you please make some of these for Adele when her hair grows out? :) In a year or two?

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