Faux Dreads
Just what it says.
You will need:
Kanekalon Fiber: Anywhere from two to six bags, and this really just depends on how long you want your hair. I’ve done eight once! You can purchase this online in several locations (for Americans, Sally Beauty Supply is your cheapest and most reliable bet), but you always want to check and see if there are any beauty supply stores in your area. Not only do you not pay shipping, but this way you know for sure what color you’re getting.
Comb: preferably a brush with metal prongs for pets. However, teasing combs work just as well, it just takes longer.
Heating Sources: hot water, electric kettle, flat irons/irons are all valuable here.
Chair, long piece of scrap fabric, scissors
Firstly, tie your scrap piece of fabric in between the two main beans of the chair. The scrap fabric is going to act as the base from where you loop the fiber over and tease from. You’re going to want loops at the top of the lock!
Next, cut open your fist package and loop it over the fabric. Next, section off about a 1/4th to ½ inch section of the fiber, and from there you need to start backcombing up towards the fabric. The more teasing and tighter the tangle is, the longer lasting it’ll be in the long run. Interestingly, this is what makes handmade so much more longer lasting than machine made. Machines only twist, you’re going to do both, which’ll add at least two months of wear (depending how long you want them in, and how frequently you wash your roots).
Once you’ve repeated this for everything (which’ll take anywhere from 1 to six hours, so space this out and watch some TV!) you’re ready to seal the fiber!
Begin by boiling a pot of water. You want it as hot as you can get it before it gets dangerous for your hands. If you’ve got the kettle, heat that bugger up too.
Next, take your first section by the loop (your finger through, or with some sort of place holder) and twist the rest firmly. While twisted, dip the center in the pot. Don’t worry about getting nice twisted ends, that usually shows other people anyways that your dreads are fake, real hair tends to unravel a little at the ends. Dip the rest in twisted sections in the pot until you’ve got everything but the loop. Finally, hang it over the chair to dry. It’ll take just under ten minutes. If you wish, you can go back and seal the loop bit with an iron or a flatiron.
Some further tips: Please, please, please don’t seal your dreads entirely with a iron. It sucks what itty bit of moisture is in these fibers out, and feels terrible while looking oily and frizzy. Some people try steaming their dreads to keep them fluffier, but this requires about twenty minutes per lock of holding it over a veg steamer. They also don’t last nearly as long.
The next step is installing them. And here you’ve got options. By securing to elastics you can create dread falls. By sectioning off your hair and braiding them in no one can tell they were synthetic. For me, if I’m going to be wearing them for more than a day then I braid them in (it’s easy to unbraid and take out).
A word on steampunk styling for the ladies. Once I make mine, I then style it into a Gibson girl or otherwise Victorian up do. Abney Park favours huge ponytails, and that I achieve with falls I can easily slip off at the end of the day. Ribbons tied at the ends or through the hair, jewels and clock bits sewn into the dreads, amber or gold coloured wool substituted for kanekalon are all great additions to steam this up further.
Just what it says.
You will need:
Kanekalon Fiber: Anywhere from two to six bags, and this really just depends on how long you want your hair. I’ve done eight once! You can purchase this online in several locations (for Americans, Sally Beauty Supply is your cheapest and most reliable bet), but you always want to check and see if there are any beauty supply stores in your area. Not only do you not pay shipping, but this way you know for sure what color you’re getting.
Comb: preferably a brush with metal prongs for pets. However, teasing combs work just as well, it just takes longer.
Heating Sources: hot water, electric kettle, flat irons/irons are all valuable here.
Chair, long piece of scrap fabric, scissors
Firstly, tie your scrap piece of fabric in between the two main beans of the chair. The scrap fabric is going to act as the base from where you loop the fiber over and tease from. You’re going to want loops at the top of the lock!
Next, cut open your fist package and loop it over the fabric. Next, section off about a 1/4th to ½ inch section of the fiber, and from there you need to start backcombing up towards the fabric. The more teasing and tighter the tangle is, the longer lasting it’ll be in the long run. Interestingly, this is what makes handmade so much more longer lasting than machine made. Machines only twist, you’re going to do both, which’ll add at least two months of wear (depending how long you want them in, and how frequently you wash your roots).
Once you’ve repeated this for everything (which’ll take anywhere from 1 to six hours, so space this out and watch some TV!) you’re ready to seal the fiber!
Begin by boiling a pot of water. You want it as hot as you can get it before it gets dangerous for your hands. If you’ve got the kettle, heat that bugger up too.
Next, take your first section by the loop (your finger through, or with some sort of place holder) and twist the rest firmly. While twisted, dip the center in the pot. Don’t worry about getting nice twisted ends, that usually shows other people anyways that your dreads are fake, real hair tends to unravel a little at the ends. Dip the rest in twisted sections in the pot until you’ve got everything but the loop. Finally, hang it over the chair to dry. It’ll take just under ten minutes. If you wish, you can go back and seal the loop bit with an iron or a flatiron.
Some further tips: Please, please, please don’t seal your dreads entirely with a iron. It sucks what itty bit of moisture is in these fibers out, and feels terrible while looking oily and frizzy. Some people try steaming their dreads to keep them fluffier, but this requires about twenty minutes per lock of holding it over a veg steamer. They also don’t last nearly as long.
The next step is installing them. And here you’ve got options. By securing to elastics you can create dread falls. By sectioning off your hair and braiding them in no one can tell they were synthetic. For me, if I’m going to be wearing them for more than a day then I braid them in (it’s easy to unbraid and take out).
A word on steampunk styling for the ladies. Once I make mine, I then style it into a Gibson girl or otherwise Victorian up do. Abney Park favours huge ponytails, and that I achieve with falls I can easily slip off at the end of the day. Ribbons tied at the ends or through the hair, jewels and clock bits sewn into the dreads, amber or gold coloured wool substituted for kanekalon are all great additions to steam this up further.
