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View Full Version : How do I make a hair rat?



restourceful
April 9th, 2010, 06:28 PM
I've been saving shed hairs to make a hair rat. I don't know how to go about doing it. How much shed hair do I need to have to make one that could function as a sort of bumpit for a pouf? If someone would point me in the right direction I would very much appreciate it. I don't know if there is already a thread or instructions somewhere on the forum because "rat" is too short a word for search. And if this is in the wrong place, please mods, by all means move it where it needs to be.

skarab
April 9th, 2010, 06:35 PM
I'm very interested in this as well. I've been collecting my hair for a few years now and have a pretty enormous amount. I'd love to finally make use of it!

GuinevereMay
April 9th, 2010, 06:53 PM
Here's what I do:

Take a simple hair net (in your color or close to it) and wrap it around the hair you've collected. Wrap it as tightly as necessary to achieve the shape and size desired. Make sure to wrap it at least a few times to keep the hair secure.

yellowchariot
April 9th, 2010, 09:14 PM
^ No no! You've all got it wrong. . . What you do is go the the hardware store and buy those BIG mouse traps, you know that kind that has the arrow pointing which way the trap will shut? Ok get a couple of those. Then come back home and load one with cheese :cheese:and the other with peanut butter. Go to bed, then wake up the next morning! It's like Christmas! Be sure to wash them off with bleach and let them dry very well! Now used some hose of your choice of color to wrap them up in. and seal both ends off with tape and burn the edges to complete the seal! Boom! You've got a hair rat! :tongue: J/K but it would work!!!

Which those instructions. . . someone might think that I've actually done that before. . . :suspect: LOL

I think I've seen them at Sally's for around a couple of dollars. That may be a cheaper alternative?

Heavenly Locks
April 9th, 2010, 09:16 PM
Here's what I do:

Take a simple hair net (in your color or close to it) and wrap it around the hair you've collected. Wrap it as tightly as necessary to achieve the shape and size desired. Make sure to wrap it at least a few times to keep the hair secure.

In addition to this ^^ (Great instructions!) you can use a small needle and matching thread to stitch up the opening. :) I like doing them this way instead of using a nylon or something because it's easier to stick a pin into.

xovictoryxo
April 9th, 2010, 09:58 PM
roll the hair between your palms until it forms a firm ball. thats it.

restourceful
April 10th, 2010, 02:11 PM
Thanks everyone for the good suggestions! I have a good idea of how to do it now.

Yellowchariot, I really would have a hard time finding one that matches my *many and varied* color. That's why I decided I should try and make one from shed hair, to get a better *snicker* match. And my concern with your method is that eventually the rotting dead rat would begin to stink. I don't really have a problem with that in and of itself, but I only wash my hair about every week to ten days. I wouldn't be able to wear that rat except on wash days. So you can see my dilemma with your method. It wouldn't be very practical at all for use on any other days. And besides, I don't really want a hair rat quite that big. I'm not trying to have mall bangs or a beehive, just a little pouf, you see? :cheese:

lilravendark
April 10th, 2010, 06:17 PM
I was thinking about this on the weekend since I saw a vid on youtube on how to do betty page bangs with a rat, I thought I'd just roughly do it by rolling the amount of shed hair wanted into a little tube inbetween my hands since they will be hidden from view anyway and spraying them with some hairspray to hold the shape.

TXbarbie
April 10th, 2010, 06:46 PM
:bigeyes: What in the world is a hair rat?

restourceful
April 10th, 2010, 06:49 PM
It's kind of a pad of wadded up hair to place beneath a section of hair to create height without teasing or back-combing.:)

IndigoAsh
April 10th, 2010, 08:13 PM
I have a jar I save my hair in. I can only imagine how gross that must look to people who have ever happened to have seen it.

julliams
April 10th, 2010, 09:10 PM
My only worry would be - what if it fell out???? How would you explain that to the group of people you were standing around talking to???:run:

Heavenly Locks
April 10th, 2010, 11:59 PM
My only worry would be - what if it fell out???? How would you explain that to the group of people you were standing around talking to???:run:

You could just say "it's my vintage bumpit!" :)

aisling
April 11th, 2010, 12:23 AM
I find it better to use a hair net, for small rats there are bun nets btw, than just roll the hair between my hands. I find it more secure with a net and my straight and slippery hair doesn't get very well tangled into a secure rat that easily.

And it won't drop out because you're supposed to pin it down, to secure it. I think a bumpit seem more prone to drop out. Also, if this peaks out, you see that a bumpit is plastic, a rat made with your own hair just looks like teased hair.

s-a-m-a-r-k-a-n
April 11th, 2010, 04:22 AM
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae358/samarkan13/DSC05340.jpg

I make it like this :D :eyebrows:

katha
April 11th, 2010, 05:55 AM
:cheese: awesome!


One question: I've never seen a hair rat. What does it look like, and what exactly would you be using it for? Pictures or it didn't happen please. :D

IndigoAsh
April 11th, 2010, 07:23 AM
Some one had mention it stinking. It shouldn't stink, and you should probably replace it every 6 months or so just in case. I was reading that you should wash the hair before sewing it into a net. I'm sure it's not necessary though as they suggest only gathering hair from brushing right after you've washed your noggin.

Beets
April 11th, 2010, 08:06 AM
I had no idea this even existed! But the idea must be ancient. I mean, the utter simplicity of it--save your own hair to do more and different styles with your own hair.
:p

restourceful
April 11th, 2010, 02:47 PM
s-a-m-a-r-k-a-n. NICE! :agree: You've taken Yellowchariot's idea and run with it. I think your hair rat will certainly not stink, though it doesn't really match your hair and therefore is not as invisible as I would hope mine will be. But you get first prize for originality! Five stars and a chocolate bar for you! :Star::Star::Star::Star::Star::chocolate:


Some one had mention it stinking. It shouldn't stink, and you should probably replace it every 6 months or so just in case. I was reading that you should wash the hair before sewing it into a net. I'm sure it's not necessary though as they suggest only gathering hair from brushing right after you've washed your noggin.

Please see Yellowchariot's instructions above for reason for reference to odor.


:cheese: awesome!


One question: I've never seen a hair rat. What does it look like, and what exactly would you be using it for? Pictures or it didn't happen please. :D

I don't have quite enough hair collected yet for a hair rat. So I don't have a piccy. Anyone else wanna share a piccy of theirs?

aisling
April 12th, 2010, 01:20 AM
Rats in a kitten household:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/aisling_stein/Hair/DCP_4277.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/aisling_stein/Hair/DCP_4278.jpg

Before using a piece of thread to close it.

No beauty exactly but you should have seen if after some kitten loving then :lol:

ETA: Small rat in use (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/aisling_stein/Hair/amy/DCP_4266.jpg)

Katze
April 12th, 2010, 05:48 AM
About two years ago I made myself a rat from my and DH's shed hair (he has a very similar hair color to mine). I kept shed hairs and hairs that came out while washing - the hairs in our brush tend to collect greasy fluff for some reason.

I simply wadded the hair into a pad about 2/3 the size of my entire hand, wrapped it in a light brown hair net, then reversed the net and wrapped it again. I only wore it a couple times and had trouble getting it to be covered by my hair, but I think with my new thickness and more experience with thicker crown hair I could do it better now.


My only worry would be - what if it fell out???? How would you explain that to the group of people you were standing around talking to???:run:

Mine fell out somewhere, most likely at work. :silly: I even posted a thread about it here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2316&highlight=hair+fell


I find it better to use a hair net, for small rats there are bun nets btw, than just roll the hair between my hands. I find it more secure with a net and my straight and slippery hair doesn't get very well tangled into a secure rat that easily.

And it won't drop out because you're supposed to pin it down, to secure it. I think a bumpit seem more prone to drop out. Also, if this peaks out, you see that a bumpit is plastic, a rat made with your own hair just looks like teased hair.

Mine was pinned with several pins but somehow slipped out - without me even noticing!


I had no idea this even existed! But the idea must be ancient. I mean, the utter simplicity of it--save your own hair to do more and different styles with your own hair.
:p

Yes, it is. The Victorians even had special hair collectors that sat on the dresser so they could make hairpieces. Lots of those 'dos from those days are made with fake hair. Same with the '60s. My mom told me recently that she was known among her friends as a hairdo expert when it came to 'bouffant' hairdos, and would often use a rat or something like those bun donuts you see in shops. I remember she had a fake ponytail kicking around back then too...

aisling
April 12th, 2010, 07:06 AM
Mine was pinned with several pins but somehow slipped out - without me even noticing!





That's why you first can make a mini bun where you anchor the rat, like in this tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVoxsRmZrC8

restourceful
April 12th, 2010, 07:16 AM
No beauty exactly but you should have seen if after some kitten loving then :lol:

ETA: Small rat in use (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/aisling_stein/Hair/amy/DCP_4266.jpg)

That's fantastic, aisling! I love that your kittens find amusement with a rat! About how big is your rat?


Mine fell out somewhere, most likely at work. :silly: I even posted a thread about it here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2316&highlight=hair+fell



Mine was pinned with several pins but somehow slipped out - without me even noticing!



Yes, it is. The Victorians even had special hair collectors that sat on the dresser so they could make hairpieces. Lots of those 'dos from those days are made with fake hair. Same with the '60s. My mom told me recently that she was known among her friends as a hairdo expert when it came to 'bouffant' hairdos, and would often use a rat or something like those bun donuts you see in shops. I remember she had a fake ponytail kicking around back then too...


Your rat escape story is hilarious, Katze! :rollin: I can only imagine the look on the face of whoever found it if they aren't a *hair* person.

I've seen hair receivers in antique stores in years past with dresser sets, but never singly. If I could find one singly, I would buy it. The plastic almond bottle that I'm using has too many escapees. I think the smaller hole in hair receivers for just a finger must make a difference. My almond bottle has a half flip top and the opening is just too big.

Luckysock
August 29th, 2010, 04:42 PM
whoops - sorry, my mistake.

MandyBeth
August 29th, 2010, 06:53 PM
First you let Mom and Dad hair rat share a cage. Then you will have baby hair rats. Once they are sized, wrapping them in panty hose keeps the size and shape of the rat, while allowing circulation to keep them fresh.

Teazel
August 29th, 2010, 07:27 PM
I've seen hair receivers in antique stores in years past with dresser sets, but never singly. If I could find one singly, I would buy it. The plastic almond bottle that I'm using has too many escapees. I think the smaller hole in hair receivers for just a finger must make a difference. My almond bottle has a half flip top and the opening is just too big.

I've found the best 'hair receiver' is a tissue box - after you've used all the tissues, of course. Poke your shed hair in with your fingers and the plastic 'lips' keep it all under control. :thumbsup:

redkdawg
August 29th, 2010, 07:40 PM
I've made a couple hair rats using the hair nets. I sewed a wig clip to one side so I could clip it in & prevent it sliding around in my hair.

ArienEllariel
August 29th, 2010, 07:47 PM
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae358/samarkan13/DSC05340.jpg

I make it like this :D :eyebrows:

:rollin::rollin::rollin: