Rats

**neko_kawaii** · September 30th, 2011, 03:08 PM

I probably don't know the right terms to search for. I saw these instructions for making a doughnut rat (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...&articleid=208) and wondered what other shapes people use and how they use them.

I'm curious about using rats to add bulk to various updos, but would love to learn more about them in general.

Thanks!

**lillikins** · September 30th, 2011, 03:47 PM

I've never heard of these.

Kinda cool though

**Rtzgrl** · September 30th, 2011, 04:01 PM

I'm currently saving up my shed hair to make a rat to use for a Gibson Girl style updo. I'm growing out bangs at the moment, so it's going to be awhile before I can pull it off, but at the rate I'm shedding (not very much, thank goodness) I might just have enough for the right size rat by the time my bangs are long enough to go over it and get caught in the bun in the back.

I haven't been able to find any instructions for doing this, but my Grandmother told me many times how she used to do hers, and I think I can manage to figure it out based on fuzzy memories of her stories. Basically, you make a long, rather narrow rat that drapes across the top of your head. She said she preferred to make hers a little narrower around than some people did, so it wouldn't stick up quite so high. She wrapped hair net around hers to hold the rat together, and then pinned it across the top of her head, about where you would wear a hairband, with the hair in front brushed forward. She said her hair poofed enough on the bottom half that she only needed a rat on top, but some people put rats all the way around their head. Anyway, once the rat was pinned in place, she would bring the front hair up and over the rat, and then tie all of her hair in a high bun. Simple as that. Can't wait to try it.

**neko_kawaii** · September 30th, 2011, 05:47 PM

I should ask my MIL, and take notes. You have reminded me she once told me about saving her hair for rats as a child. I wonder if she still remembers how to make and use them.

Anyone else have rat info?

**Pierre** · September 30th, 2011, 06:08 PM

I have several oblong rats as long as the shower shelf, and I'm trying to make a patty rat. It's hard to get the new hair to tangle into the old hair. The only thing I've actually used a rat for, though, is to keep my neck warmer when wearing a Polar Buff. I'm not into big buns.

**lapispimpernel** · September 30th, 2011, 08:13 PM

Ha, I was just going to post something about rats tonight!

I've got a huge horrible glob of hair saved up and have no idea what to do with it. Thanks for the mini-instructions, Rtzgrl. Your way sounds more useful than a doughnut.

**Teamouse** · September 30th, 2011, 09:50 PM

I saw a documentary once where they were talking about rats. Where the women would keep their shed hair in containers to pin under their hairstyles to give their hair more volume. Especially because back then hair would be so damaged and thin from all the heat styling.
I'm sure you all know that already. But I thought it was so weird and kinda gross to be honest.
Until recently when I started to collect my own hair for strand tests.
It's still seems weird but I do it anyway!

I didn't know people still used hair rats. I think that's really cool. It's a way to have teasted hair without actually teasing it... I guess. Can you tell?

I don't know if I could handle it myself though. Not yet.

Let me know how it goes! Pictures?

**neko_kawaii** · October 1st, 2011, 08:43 PM

For those who were also interested in this topic here are the results of my diligent searching for more info:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ad.php?t=11979

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ad.php?t=43063

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ad.php?t=46035

**QMacrocarpa** · October 2nd, 2011, 09:11 AM

I made one of those felted doughnut rats recently. It's interesting, but I find it a bit of a pain to use because it's not stretchy at all, and, not thinking about the implications of that, I made mine with a center hole not much bigger around than my ponytail, so getting my hair into the middle of the doughnut is a hassle. A Topsy Tail tool might help.

Getting my hair-wad to felt was pretty easy, the surprisingly tricky part was making the central hole in the wad of saved hair to start with. Scissors were required.

**neko_kawaii** · October 17th, 2012, 02:30 PM

A year later I finally thought I had enough shed hair saved and followed the instructions for the donut rat. Here is my lopsided result. (My hook wasn't small enough to help with the shaping and I couldn't be bothered to go buy another.)

Now to practice using it.

Next year it will be sausages!