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Iolite
June 24th, 2017, 11:13 AM
I've been thinking about making a paranda, but I'm not sure what kind of yarn to use. Any suggestions?

Aredhel
June 24th, 2017, 11:16 AM
You can pretty much use whatever you want to use (provided your hair likes it, some yarns are probably more/less tangle-prone than others), I just get the cheapest multicoloured yarn that I can find at Wal-Mart.:) I've been meaning to try with silkier yarn though, or silk ribbon.

Iolite
June 24th, 2017, 12:15 PM
Thanks Aredhel:)

MusicalSpoons
April 25th, 2019, 10:13 AM
Bumping this because I'm thinking about trying to make a paranda - I'd be buying any materials online though, and I have no idea what kind of yarn might be hair-friendly. Also for it to be long enough to braid beyond my ends *and* to grow into by another several inches I would need a lot of it, and I don't know what terms to search for and can't really afford to make buying mistakes.

I am starting to read through the main paranda thread (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=91490) but wondered if anyone had specific material suggestions. My main concerns to avoid are drying my hair out, depositing lint, and causing any kind of roughing to the cuticle. My very ends are still thinner than a pencil, the bottom half of my braid tapers from the width of my little (pinky) finger to almost nothing, and I really don't want to cause any damage to the very hair I'm trying to protect. (My hair currently lives in buns, and if I braided more the braids would still be bunned as they shred like nobody's business.) Inspired by meteor's description for tying off braid ends with ribbon woven into the braid I have done that but it doesn't protect the ends. I've also once fashioned thin ribbon into a sort of paranda for the ends, but being so narrow and my ends so thin it caused them to look and feel crimped rather than waves, and they honestly felt absolutely awful afterwards. A proper pranada I'm assuming would be thicker and gentler and thus better for the ends :)

SwanFeathers
April 25th, 2019, 01:34 PM
I love my kanekalon parandas most, they are easy for me to braid with and dont feel chunky when mixed with my natural hair

milosmomma
April 25th, 2019, 07:30 PM
I just made one out of 3 scarves. It is pretty heavy though, I am not sure if I like it.
https://i.imgur.com/KzUtxcGl.jpg
The scarves on their own are thin and see through, probably only 5 or 6 inches wide and feel very light. Maybe I can arrange them in a way that using just 2 scarves and somehow fold them together to make 3 strands and the weight would probably be much better.
I would also like to find some silky yarn, sometimes my hair feels dry after using my alpaca yarn paranda so I usually oil moderately when I use it.

purple_omelette
May 26th, 2021, 09:18 PM
I'm thinking of making some more parandas this year, but I didn't really like the feel of the acrylic yarn I used for the brown "hair extensions" paranda I made last April.
I might get some finer yarns in viscose, rayon or even recycled silk for a smoother feel.

What do people normally find is best for their hair in terms of softness/slip?

Kat
May 27th, 2021, 06:21 AM
I can't say I'm that happy with my acrylic-yarn parandi... yes, the yarn was cheap and comes in a myriad of colors, but acrylic yarn tangles with just *itself*... and yes, I've had to peel them out of my hair when removing them. (Luckily, though, I've never had them tangle into my hair.)

I'm thinking about experimenting in future with ribbon or nylon cord, but the ribbon especially could get expensive since it's not sold in such large quantities as yarn is. And of course, both are not available in nearly as many colors. I've considered cotton yarn as well. Mercerized cotton especially could work, but that could get pricey too, as they're usually not cheap, don't usually come in large skeins, and can be harder to find in stores, so add the expense of shipping as well.

purple_omelette
May 27th, 2021, 07:00 AM
I can't say I'm that happy with my acrylic-yarn parandi... yes, the yarn was cheap and comes in a myriad of colors, but acrylic yarn tangles with just *itself*... and yes, I've had to peel them out of my hair when removing them. (Luckily, though, I've never had them tangle into my hair.)

I'm thinking about experimenting in future with ribbon or nylon cord, but the ribbon especially could get expensive since it's not sold in such large quantities as yarn is. And of course, both are not available in nearly as many colors. I've considered cotton yarn as well. Mercerized cotton especially could work, but that could get pricey too, as they're usually not cheap, don't usually come in large skeins, and can be harder to find in stores, so add the expense of shipping as well.

I've found some etsy shops that sell large quantities of viscose yarn in a wide array of colours very cheaply. I haven't tried any of them yet, but I intend to purchase some in the next few weeks: viscose has a lovely softness to it and feels similar to silk, but is derived from plant fibres.

ETA I would personally caution against cotton: I have not tried it myself, but as a fibre it can be quite tough and abrasive (hence why so many of us opt for silk/satin pillows!)

MusicalSpoons
May 27th, 2021, 07:26 AM
Interesting.

I think mercerised cotton would be better for hair than plain old cotton, but it's stiffer than a lot of yarns. I guess to braid in that wouldn't matter too much - but it is expensive. I do like the idea of viscose. I wish my hair liked braids enough to justify trying a paranda ... but then again, maybe a paranda would help it not dry out as much. :hmm:

TatsuOni
May 27th, 2021, 12:53 PM
I have acrylic yarn parandas and they are super soft and doesnt tangle at all. I suppose that not all acrylic yarns are the same...

purple_omelette
May 29th, 2021, 10:41 PM
I have acrylic yarn parandas and they are super soft and doesnt tangle at all. I suppose that not all acrylic yarns are the same...

Yes I think it's probably a combination of yarn quality and also people's individual hair needs :) Mine is already very tangle-prone.

I finally made the leap and got some viscose yarn today! Started with two colours, I'll see if I like them, and then I might get more :D
Here is a link to the product:
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/275006504/silk-yarnviscose-yarnbright-yarnsummer

I bought colours 82 and 026

TatsuOni
May 30th, 2021, 08:25 AM
Yes I think it's probably a combination of yarn quality and also people's individual hair needs :) Mine is already very tangle-prone.

I finally made the leap and got some viscose yarn today! Started with two colours, I'll see if I like them, and then I might get more :D
Here is a link to the product:
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/275006504/silk-yarnviscose-yarnbright-yarnsummer

I bought colours 82 and 026

My hair's also tangle-prone, but luckily my yarn works :p

Kat
May 30th, 2021, 10:22 AM
Yes I think it's probably a combination of yarn quality and also people's individual hair needs :) Mine is already very tangle-prone.

I finally made the leap and got some viscose yarn today! Started with two colours, I'll see if I like them, and then I might get more :D
Here is a link to the product:
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/275006504/silk-yarnviscose-yarnbright-yarnsummer

I bought colours 82 and 026


Actually, that's not too bad of a price for yarn, especially if someone only wants one color (I like having multiple colors in my parandi, part of the reason I enjoy variegated colorways, so, yeah, buying several skeins could get more expensive). Even the cheap acrylic stuff can run $3-6 a skein. Probably you get more yarn with the cheap acrylic, but let's face it, you don't need nearly an entire skein to make parandi (and then what do you do with the rest... I'm still trying to figure that out, lol).

MusicalSpoons
May 30th, 2021, 02:48 PM
Yes I think it's probably a combination of yarn quality and also people's individual hair needs :) Mine is already very tangle-prone.

I finally made the leap and got some viscose yarn today! Started with two colours, I'll see if I like them, and then I might get more :D
Here is a link to the product:
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/275006504/silk-yarnviscose-yarnbright-yarnsummer

I bought colours 82 and 026

Oh boy I am DROOLING that is The Most Gorgeous yarn :thud:

If anyone buys too much and doesn't know what to with the leftovers, I'll happily crochet something for you from it! :inlove: ;)

purple_omelette
May 30th, 2021, 06:44 PM
Oh boy I am DROOLING that is The Most Gorgeous yarn :thud:

If anyone buys too much and doesn't know what to with the leftovers, I'll happily crochet something for you from it! :inlove: ;)

Hahaha if I have any left I will be very happy to oblige ;)

MusicalSpoons
May 30th, 2021, 06:57 PM
Hahaha if I have any left I will be very happy to oblige ;)

Thank you! :laugh:

I am seriously considering buying some for a paranda myself, but they don't currently have the colours I would most want considering I'd be spending reasonable money on it. They seem to be the cheapest suppliers of that kind of yarn that I could find on there though. Maybe I'll just have to be patient and see if the colours are restocked :meditate:

purple_omelette
May 30th, 2021, 10:10 PM
Thank you! :laugh:

I am seriously considering buying some for a paranda myself, but they don't currently have the colours I would most want considering I'd be spending reasonable money on it. They seem to be the cheapest suppliers of that kind of yarn that I could find on there though. Maybe I'll just have to be patient and see if the colours are restocked :meditate:

Yes I was quite surprised with how (relatively) affordable this yarn is :) which colours were you thinking of getting?

MusicalSpoons
June 5th, 2021, 10:03 AM
Yes I was quite surprised with how (relatively) affordable this yarn is :) which colours were you thinking of getting?

I would have loved the blue/white mix and the bright purple.

thatsideoflife
June 11th, 2021, 09:16 PM
That yarn looks amazing. Hope it works out well! I'm inspired to go to my local yarn store now...

purple_omelette
June 24th, 2021, 10:33 PM
Update on my new paranda materials!

I received the yarn (yayy!) and managed to make 2 parandas, one for each skein I bought (colours 82 and 026 as listed in the link - https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/275006504/silk-yarnviscose-yarnbright-yarnsummer ).

The blue one (3x15 yarn strands)
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45467&d=1624594712

The multicoloured one (3x25 yarn strands)
https://i.ibb.co/ScJCNmK/204842745-823310544989891-5937314457211587521-n.jpg (https://ibb.co/DYL24M7)

A few notes on this kind of yarn:
Pros: shiny, vibrant colours, fine nature means it blends well with the hair and could potentially be 'dressed up' (unlike thicker parandas, which in my opinion look more casual), very soft and luxurious-feeling, reasonable price.

Cons: OH MY GOD THEY TOOK FOREVER TO MAKE!!!! I spent 2 hours on the blue one and 5 hours on the rainbow one (both because I made it with more strands than the blue AND because I accidentally tangled the skein, resulting in 2 hours of untangling). Even with 25 strands of yarn per section in my multicoloured paranda - meaning 75 total strands (150 when folded over and braided in), these parandas are SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than my regular 10 x 3 strand paranda made from 8ply acrylic yarn.

Verdict:
I would not use yarn this fine for anything more than an accent paranda or a short paranda (since my hair is past classic, I made both my parandas knee-length and accounted for french or dutch braiding as well, resulting in each yarn strand being 2.3m long), or to make a luxury statement piece for special occasions. The time it took to make these is, in my opinion, not worth it for an everyday accessory.

The store I bought the yarn from does offer some thicker yarns in the same material and in a similar range of gorgeous colours. See link below
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/270259757/silk-yarnviscose-yarnbright-yarnsummer

I might try these thicker yarns for future parandas.

ETA: MusicalSpoons, if you would still like the leftover yarn (of which I have a great deal) I'm happy to send it to wherever you are! Just send me a message :)

MusicalSpoons
June 28th, 2021, 03:53 PM
Thanks for sharing your thoughts purple_omelette. A shame it was fiddly and ultimately not entirely worth it for you. They look good though :) the blue goes perfectly with your fork, and your hair is the perfect colour for them to pop wonderfully.

Thank you, and thanks for your visitor message prompting me to unbury the thread :flower: I will PM you.

Alexandrina
June 28th, 2021, 10:22 PM
Update on my new paranda materials!

I received the yarn (yayy!) and managed to make 2 parandas, one for each skein I bought (colours 82 and 026 as listed in the link - https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/275006504/silk-yarnviscose-yarnbright-yarnsummer ).

The blue one (3x15 yarn strands)
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45467&d=1624594712


I like this one! Esp paired with the fork, matches great

Kat
July 30th, 2021, 06:12 AM
Those of you who use Kanekalon or similar, how exactly do you construct the paranda? With yarn, etc. I can just double over the strands and tie a knot in the middle, but that won't work with fake hair "braid" as I see it called. I'm just imagining me dealing with individual strands of the stuff constantly pulling out, being all over my house, etc. Do you just wad it all together like a ponytail with an elastic at the end, or...?

(Or is it already doubled over? I've never taken any of mine out of the package because I don't want to do so until right before I make the paranda {so I don't get strands all over}, so I don't know how it works.)

Elodea
July 30th, 2021, 07:32 AM
I don't have any suggestions about the Kanekalon, but seeing this thread reminded me that I wanted to try making a fabric paranda. For the longest time, I couldn't decide on or think of what would be the most ideal fabric to use, but the other day I realized that maybe I could cut up a large, lightweight woven scarf into strips and make the paranda out of that. Once I find a scarf to use, I'll try it. I do expect that the edges might fray if I do this, which I don't mind to some extent, but if the fraying is too much then maybe it'd work better if I hemmed the cut edges.

Liz_H
August 18th, 2021, 05:11 PM
Here is a ribbon paranda from Etsy. She only makes short ones, but perhaps she could be persuaded to make longer. It's a new shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1032887142/pink-petals-braid-ribbons-paranda-hair?ref=shop_home_recs_1&frs=1

This lady makes kanekalon parandas. She lists them in hair colors, but can also make them in other colors, or at least the rainbow.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/266522923/paranda-hair-extension-to-extend?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=puppycatmeow&ref=sr_gallery-1-6&organic_search_click=1

Liz_H
August 18th, 2021, 05:16 PM
Update on my new paranda materials!

Your parandas are beautiful! Thanks so much for your notes and the nod to thicker viscose yarn.

Liz_H
August 18th, 2021, 05:20 PM
Ive read that some people use conditioner to soften their yarn parandas. I think it was discussed in the Show Me Your Paranda thread.

Elodea, you make me thing of a lovely scarf that was my Mom's. It hangs in my closet now, but I might wear it as a paranda. I would love to be able to use something of hers. I might just cut it into 3 strips though.


I don't have any suggestions about the Kanekalon, but seeing this thread reminded me that I wanted to try making a fabric paranda. For the longest time, I couldn't decide on or think of what would be the most ideal fabric to use, but the other day I realized that maybe I could cut up a large, lightweight woven scarf into strips and make the paranda out of that. Once I find a scarf to use, I'll try it. I do expect that the edges might fray if I do this, which I don't mind to some extent, but if the fraying is too much then maybe it'd work better if I hemmed the cut edges.

purple_omelette
April 25th, 2023, 12:11 AM
Anyone ever make a paranda with recycled silk ribbon? I assume it would be very kind to the hair, but I don't know if it would work aesthetically, with all the raw edges and bits of silk string falling off! I'm very tempted to give one a go, there's plenty of beautiful recycled silk ribbon in various colours on etsy for quite cheap.

Kat
April 25th, 2023, 03:52 PM
I might be afraid any little hanging bits would tangle with my hair, but otherwise I think that would be neat. Obviously would not worth aesthetically for someone who wanted a very tidy look, though, unless there was some way to cut off any hanging bits and maybe tidy up edges. If you do this, post pictures!