Need a little help with using my fork.....

[millyaulait]

So, my fork basically looks like this:

http://img2.etsystatic.com/002/0/6320148/il_570xN.395202226_hzlw.jpg

I've been trying to do SO MANY different up-dos and I'm getting nowhere.

I love this fork but I am really struggling with placement, styles, etc. I'm only BSL but I'm trying out lots of buns with no success.

I'm so used to using Ketylo sticks that maybe it's just going to take me a bit of experimentation, but I need help! :o

Any tips/ideas?

[WaitingSoLong]

I have no clue how to help you since I am a stick user myself, but I just bought a lovely fork from the swap board and am nervous I won't be able to use it, either. I will be watching this thread!

[millyaulait]

Wishing you more success than I've had, WSL! :D

[spidermom]

I find the Nautilus and Gibralter buns to be very easy to secure with a fork. It isn't a lot different than using a stick. I point the fork through my bun at one side straight at my skull, then scoop under the scalp hair, and out the other side of the bun.

[millyaulait]

Thank you, spidermom! Off to google I go... :)

[Ocelan]

For me forks are alot easier to use than sticks. They're much sturdier and hold like a rock. I usually have to use two sticks even to get near the sturdiness of fork buns.

Do you use the fork the same way as you use the sticks? Sticking the fork towards the outside of the bun first, catching some scalp hair and then turning the fork to go to the right direction? Forks aren't really different to sticks. They just happen to have more prongs. All of mine are 2 prong ones though and I haven't even tried more.

I advice you to try two buns with the fork first: One of them is the lazy wrap bun and stick the fork in like the stick in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTt771qkO24). Another good bun is the pha bun and again use the fork like in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsF9Kp5W9Ig). Be aware that when using forks you may have more issue with making buns too tight so you might have to try a few times to get the buns feeling comfortable. I do my fork buns with quite a loose touch and they still hold very well.

I hope that helps :)

ETA: It seems Spidermom just gave similar kind of advice with different bun recommendations. I might have to try those myself to get more variety in my do's. :)

[pogo0685]

I prefer forks to sticks any day, they hold my hair so much tighter, that being said I have found that not every fork works well in my hair. I need a fork with skinnier prongs in order for it to hold my hair, while your fork is beautiful I could never get it into my hair, im not sure why. A lady at the renaissance festival about 4 years ago helped me figure it out. I am not much help, sorry but I do hope you figure it out!

[millyaulait]

Thank you soooo much, ocealan!

I think maybe part of the problem is that I don't have enough hair length (?), when I try to do the lazy-wrap bun one of the loops unties itself and becomes really, really lose.

But, AH, I just got the Pha Bun to work! I could only do the first part since my hair isn't that long, but it's..... so secure! And it's something to build on!

Thank you thank you thank you! :D

[millyaulait]

Thanks, pogo! I am planning on treating myself to a few different styles of forks next year... :)

[torrilin]

My current default buns are all knot buns, either the Celtic variety (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og3VfxAf-jA) or a plain knot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiGTXkUhFKE&list=PLF3508F6411A91FDE&index=55&feature=plpp_video). I use the same basic method as Spidermom, where the fork acts like a stick. I also tend to really like cinnamon bun variants like the infinity bun, figure 8 bun and flipped cinnabun done with forks.

The one maybe tricksy bit is that if you're not used to doing a given bun and getting it to stick, a fork is maybe not the easiest way to learn a new style. If you're more comfortable with some other tool, use that instead.

[millyaulait]

Wow, those buns are amazing, torrilin! (+ So is the hair! :thud:)

[torrilin]

The videos aren't me :). They're two other members here whose videos have helped me tons in learning to keep my hair up. I always try to link videos because written style descriptions tend to send me off in crazy directions.

If you're worried about length... my hair is about 2.5-3" thick ponytail, and I can do a plain knot bun when my hair is about 25" long. Cinnamon bun variants all start working at around that length too. The Celtic knot bun works on me starting around 27-28". If your ponytail is thinner than mine, you'll be able to do various styles sooner than me. If it's thicker tho, even what seems like a tiny amount, you may find it takes 6-12" more of hair to do the same style.

[millyaulait]

Thanks! My hair is 27" and i/ii thickness. I do have some long layers though which I think make things a tiny bit trickier.... :(

[torrilin]

Eh, my hair is long enough that there will always be some natural layering from the shed/regrowth cycle. Yours should be too. I'd guess it's just that the new styles are not yet comfortable. I find it's easiest to learn new styles that are based on ones I can already do. The first bun I learned was the cinnamon bun, so a lot of my early fancy buns were cinnamon bun variants. If some other bun was your first, look for related styles to try.

For a lot of new hairstyles, it can take me 15 or 20 tries to learn to make the shape and get it to stay up all day. Don't feel bad if it's hard and takes practice!