Wig Cutting and Styling

As well as my passion for wig and hairpiece making, I have a more general 'all things hair' obsession too. This isn't even something that developed due to my hair loss, but is deeply rooted in my childhood. I have been pretty crazy on hair since I was a wee one, because hair was my thing, that I liked about myself and that people knew me for - rather ironic, given that it then started to leave me!

Anyway I digress, but the point of this is that to me, there is so much more to the whole wig making process than just making a wig or a hairpiece. That is just the starting point. Once the wig or hairpiece is completed, the magic needs to happen - someone has to turn that raw state into a hairdo. So there is the original styling of whatever has been made - what cut/style you wish to achieve for yourself or the wearer - and then the ongoing care & maintenance of the hair. For me, this aspect of being a wig maker has pushed me to further develop my hairdressing skills. What I have lost in being able to do with my own hair, I have gained in being able to do with other people's bio hair and with the wigs and hairpieces. I enjoy the styling and cutting aspect as much as making the wig or hairpiece itself.

One such project I recently completed:

1. Take one virgin European human hair wig in the style of a mullet (eek!)
2. Wash & deep condition the wig
3. Cut the wig into a bob (as that was what was required, plus it got rid of the mullet)
4. Blow the wig dry into desired style

So yes, I took the horrendous mullet wig style and rendered it into something more sleek and sophisticated (I think). Pictures below...

This wig needed serious styling help due to it's mullet style

The result is a far more comfortable wig, that looks rather chic. It can be worn in the classic bob style, roughed dried as shaggy layers, or even flicked out.

Wig Making Progress Pictures

As promised, here are the pictures I took with my digital camera the other day. It is so hard to get good light for photo taking at the moment, as Britain is enveloped in a continual grey fog. Using the flash when photographing wigs and hair is not the best option really as it creates a false sense of colour and shine. Anyway, I took these photos of the 3/4 finished wig on a brighter day than today - it is snowing at the moment, so no hope of taking any nice sunny pictures today! - and they have come out fairly representative. I have tried to take some pictures of the ventilation/knots close up so that anyone interested in that can see - it's amazing how the lace looks a lot whiter and bigger once you zoom in, than it does in person.

I am really pleased with my progress, although it has taken me ages and I do feel a bit like a snail or tortoise, as one friend has pointed out to me in the past: 'the tortoise wins the race' - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tortoise_and_the_Hare - and I would like to think that she's right.

I am not sure if I am being optimistic, but I am pressing on with this project and hoping that once it is finished I will have broken through my 'first wig' barrier. It does feel a bit like a barrier, because you have to motivate yourself to keep going, and only you can motivate yourself; no one else in my family is particularly interested in wig making and/or whether I actually ever finish this wig. Plus I have noticed that ventilating large chunks of a wig is quite laborious and time consuming. Therefore, I am always keeping the end product in my mind while doing it and I set myself mini-challenges, such as: finish up to 'here' by a certain time. That does seem to help. I feel like my own coach/personal wig trainer.

Hopefully (and here's the optimism again), I will have picked up the impetus and increased my speed by the time I start my next project. More about that when the time comes!

Lastly, I have decided I am unlikely to wear this wig, even if it does fit me well, as the hair is so poor I feel it will just be tangly and horrible after about 1 hour on my head. Maybe I will wear it, just to try the cap style on, but the problem is I can also already see things wrong with it and that bothers me. I plan to review those things (to remind me as much as show anyone reading this) when the wig is finished. As such, I am intending to use this wig as a wig to experiment with cutting and styling. If I do it wrong, I won't be crying about it! I know one thing I really want to do with it - pin curl it and then do a half up, half down style. I may also cut a side bang into it too... hmmm exciting... Okay, so I really must finish it now or I will never get to try all these things out!

 

Wig Grips - part two: A Review

I originally decided to buy the Milano WiGrip; however, I ended up buying The Hair Grip as this was the wig grip that my friend tried.

Product: The Hair Grip
Website: http://www.thehairgrip.com/Home.html
Colour: Dark Brown (black is available and nude will apparently be available soon too)
Price: $20 for one, with discounts for American Cancer Society Patients and those buying 3.

Buying from Abroad - the shipping was incredibly reasonable and speedy. As someone from the UK who buys from the US a lot, I was really impressed by the shipping costs for this item.

Packaging and Information - the product was well packaged, and included an information leaflet on how to use/wear the Grip and how to care for it. The website is well designed and informative with a couple of video tutorials.

Construction/Quality - The Hair Grip appeared well made and looked smart (not that anyone sees it!).

This product is designed to be worn with head covers or wigs.

Use with Wigs - I found the Grip gives a reasonable amount of security when wearing it under a sheitel (regular style, closed wefted wig with a silk top and no lace front). Its main function is to prevent the wig from slipping. Initially I found it worked very well for stopping the wig from slipping backwards as I moved about, or from moving when I bent down or forwards. It is a pleasant feeling to feel that your wig is pretty 'rock solid' and I was confident that if my wig had been pulled on by accidentally getting caught on something or by a child tugging at it, it would not have budged.

The problem I am finding is that with time and wear the grip seem to be provding less adehsion/friction. I am going to wash it and see if the pile of the material (which is the part that is actually providing the friction to stop the wig slipping) fluffs up and grips better again. I will update on this after I have washed and worn it.

Unfortunately, due to the design, this type of grip is unable to address the sideburns/ear area 'flap' that many women who wear wigs struggle with, so it will not stop your wig from flapping around at the sides! The Grip is also unsuitable for wearing with a wig that has a mono or lace top or part line (i.e. a top/part line that shows through to your own scalp/hair) as there would be nothing to conceal the appearance of the Grip showing through the wig foundation (base). This is a shame, as I can imagine a lot of women would love to be able to wear this type of accessory with their lace front and full lace wigs while doing minimal or no bonding (and perhaps using some bobby pins to keep the sides held down). It would work for a lace front or full lace wig that has a silk top, and it would work for the cheaper lace fronts that have only a small inch or two of lace before the wefted top starts, as well as for the cheaper plastic skin top type synthetics.

The Grip itself is fairly comfortable, as the material is very soft. Potential issues with wearability and comfort stem from the fact that the Grip can be a little itchy (as can wigs), a bit hot, and a little bulky. The design is such that you have two open ends on the band at the back of your head and these ends have large velcro areas stitched to them. This enables you to adjust and close the band at the optimal point for your individual head size. Where the two ends overlap is quite bulky, and depending on where you place this between your occipital bone and your nape, it may or may not poke the back of your wig out a little. You also have to be careful not to tighten the Grip too much when putting it on, as this can cause headaches (both myself and my friend found this). The Grip needs to be firmly fastened so that it does not slip back on your head (and ping off!), but not too tight so as to cause discomfort.

As such, I have found that The Hair Grip requires a little practice to get right. You have to work out where is the best position for you to place it so that your wig holds on, the Grip does not move and you do not have a bump. There is a related issue at the front - in my case, if I place the Grip too far forwards, I raise the profile of my wig too high so that the front edge of it is not flush to my scalp. I am unsure if this is a problem for me because of my head shape and whether other women would not experience this issue. I tend to place my Grip a little further back than I would have thought would be correct. I do find that it still raises the profile a little, but it is definitely not as bad. I think this issue is compounded by the fact that I still have the wire zig-zag comb at the front centre that the sheitel came with. Although I do not use this comb, I have yet to remove it. I believe that because the comb is stiffish (as it is metal), this may be preventing the wig from laying as flat as possible and flush to my scalp. Again, I shall report back once I have removed that comb and see if it is any better.

I am slightly concerned that the Grip is stretching over time. I think that this is inevitable with the material it is made from. As it is not too expensive, I think I will be budgeting to buy 1 every 6 months.

Use with Head Covers - I have found the Grip is excellent when used with slippery scarves such as satin and silk material. It not only helps when wearing them, but also when tying them as it provides enough friction to stop them from slipping. I would not wear a silk or satin scarf without the Grip now as it is that good for this purpose.

Overall:

I definitely think it is worth getting one to try and see how you find it. For me, it has become a good accessory for wearing with wigs. I wouldn't say it is perfect and has resolved all my problems with wig security, but it is good enough that I feel more confidence when wearing my wig out and especially around children. I am not sure how well I will manage in the summer, as the Grip and my wig sounds like a pretty boiling hot combination; however, for Autumn (Fall) through Spring, I can see it being used every time I wear my wig. I give it 4/5 for wearing with wigs.

When it comes to head covers, I feel the Grip really comes into its own. For those women with alopecia who do not like wearing head covers, especially scarves, because they feel that the material sits too close to their scalp and thus shows that they are bald underneath, the Grip is a good choice. It helps to add a little bulk there, as well as giving an unparalleled feeling of security to traditionally slippery materials such as satin and silk. I give it 5/5 for wearing with head covers.

Wig Grips - part one...

Today I want to talk about something partially related to wig making, but perhaps of more interest to the wig wearer. As I am both a maker and a wearer, matters relating to both are relevant to me.

Wig grips.

I find it amusing how the latest new thing (or fad), just springs onto the market and within a short time everyone is talking about it. It happened with full lace wigs, then with silk tops, and I have later watched as the wig grip emerged and this process also happened.

I might be wrong, but I get the impression that the Jewish sheitel (wig) company Milano were the original company to produce a wig grip. Theirs is called the WiGrip. Now more and more wig companies seem to be bringing out their own versions under different names and selling them as an accessory. Essentially they all seem to be exactly the same design:

Some form of velour (a bit like panne velour) in a headband shape that is doubled - 2 - layers (so that the pile of the velour is on both the top and underside of the headband), and the band is closed with adjustable velcro ends. It is seamed on both sides with an overlocker, and quilted across the middle to keep the two layers tightly bound together.

The idea behind this is to facilitate the easier, securer and more comfortable wearing of wigs. The fabric's pile on one side creates a degree of friction between itself and the inside of the wig base, at the same time as creating friction between your hair or scalp and the band. Thus preventing the wig from moving around and providing the 'grip'.

I saw a couple of alopecia ladies wearing them. Then my best female friend got one and I knew I had to try it. When I got my new wig, it seemed like a perfect time to try one myself. In my second post on this theme, I will write a review debating the pros, cons and effectiveness of this accessory.

My Challenge

Following on my last blog post, I have set myself the challenge.

I want to get to the markers (see photo below) by this time next week - so Thursday 23rd. It should be a little challenging as I have quite a lot of things on over the next week. However, I shall give it a go and report back.

Mini Challenge & Eventual Wig Cutting and Styling

I did some ventilation today in the comfort AND WARMTH of our office/studio room. It's far warmer in there than in the house right now (don't even ask!). We are still getting snow. Brrrr.

So I was looking at my wig block... and I keep moving a small pin up the back of the head and aiming for it, but it's like moving the goalpost... so I never quite get there! A while ago, I set myself the challenge of doing x amount of ventilation by a certain date. I can't even remember if I succeeded.

Anyway, on to my point. So I have decided that tomorrow I am going to go in the studio and create a new sparkly marker with a heart shaped pin (more visible that way) and set myself a target of ventilating to that pin by a certain date. I shall document it on here with some pictures... I like to challenge myself and motivate myself... no one else is going to!

I also think it is really important to set yourself targets with the wig making, otherwise it is easy to stop or to get bogged down and progress becomes really slow. I want to get this finished so I can move onto the next project! I have lots of wigs and hair pieces I eventually want to make.

My second topic of the day is: cutting and styling...

As I have a type of alopecia that results in partial hair loss, and I am not currently shaving my head, I still need to get my own hair cut/styled so that when I am around the house, I don't look a complete fright! I have a really nice stylist who does this for me; she runs her own salon. I have been talking to her about my wig making and she has agreed to cut the wig for me when I finish it. I think it will be a good experience for her and for me. If the wig doesn't fit me properly, I will get her to cut it on the block, otherwise I will get it cut on my head.

Have a great weekend y'all.

Snow... & Wig Making

Overnight we had 6 inches of snow. Mmm... leading to pics like this...

Don't worry, I picked the snow balls off her and dried her by the fire and she's back to normal now!

So days like this...

Are great for doing this...

I am getting there... slowly, but surely!

The Wooden Wig Cradle & An Alternative! Plus, needle safety...

A few posts ago, when I was talking about ventilating position, I mentioned the wig cradle. It is made from wood and looks like this:

For those of you who are interested, it can be purchased from the wig making supplier, Banbury Postiche: http://www.banburypostiche.co.uk/shop/home/C-264.aspx
They are located in the UK and do ship abroad, although you may need to email them for a shipping quote due to the bulkiness of the item.

For those of you who do not want to purchase one or, as in my case, do not have the funds to spend on one (I need to save the money for other things!), I have come up with a pseudo wig cradle idea....

I use a stiff cardboard box! I have two of differing sizes; both of which were originally packaging boxes for items I had bought from stores. They are stiff sided (corrugated cardboard perhaps?), which helps to keep the wig block stable and the box rigid.

Block face down - so I can work the back and crown

Block standing up - suitable for working on a hard surface like a desk or table when ventilating the top/vertex

Block on the side - so I can ventilate at this angle

I also have another box like this that is a little narrower. Of course, if I wanted to, I could cut the V shapes into the ends, but I find that the block rests okay in the box as it is and does not move around. I then use the box on my lap (sometimes raising the height if necessary by putting a cushion under it). I don't always use it, but I found it particularly helpful for ventilating the first few inches of the nape. It is also useful to safely store your ventilating needle, comb and scissors should you be called away from your work (e.g. if the phone rings). On that note...

Ventilating needles are quite dangerous as they have a catchy hook in them, which is designed to catch the hair in so that you can knot it. Unlike a crochet hook, which has a rounded end to the catchy part of the hook, a ventilating needle is quite sharp. It can catch soft furnishings, clothes and skin. I am always really conscious of this around pets and small children. One aspect I had not thought about at first was how dangerous this needle/hook can be around eyes! It would be lethal if the needle got stuck in someone's eye as removing the catchy part of it (which gets stuck in things) would cause untold damage. For that reason I urge anyone reading this who is thinking of ventilating or already ventilates wigs to please be very careful with the needles. Wearing glasses is a good way of protecting your own eyes, but remember the eyes of pets and children and other people around you.

Progress in Pictures

Last time I posted, I was at this stage:



Here is my latest update on wig making progress...

I am continuing to keep the density light and will progress to light-medium by the time I am an inch or two below the crown. I am pleased thus far! P.S. I just realised I did not take the picture of the "alternative wig cradle" as I had promised to do in my last post... so I will definitely go do that and will add it tomorrow.

A Quick Update

I have to admit to having had a few rest days recently. For a while there, I was going for gold and doing some work each day on the ventilation. However, I caught some 'bug' or fluey cold thing and eventually had to just take a proper time out to recuperate.

The good news is that I am slowly on the mend. Unfortunately - due to medical reasons - I tend to take a while longer to shake viruses off than the average person. So finally today, I picked my needle up again and indulged in a little knotting action.

I am hoping tomorrow to get down to it properly and put a few hours of hard work into it. I shall take another set of updated pics because I will have progressed to working on the honeycomb tulle - by itself - section and will be figuring out density.

During my down-time, I have continued to experiment with styling techniques. I did a whole tutorial on Wigs and Head Covers on how to do pin curls on a wig. I acutally used the section of hair I have added on the wig I am making as my demo wig hair - it was useful as not too much hair to lose clarity for close up pictures of what I was doing. So I had a go at doing them on a shorter wig. I realised that I prefer the effect on longer wigs - so hair that is approximately 12 inches or longer. I don't really like the way they come out on shorter wigs as you don't get enough 'repeat' of the curl or wave.

Here's a few pics of my experiments with shorter hair...

I prefer the end result on longer hair - this was showing half a section done, and I had only left it for about 2 hours to set (normally I would leave it overnight):

The good thing about pin curls is that I don't need to use any heat to do them. For me, learning to style wigs is equally as interesting as learning to make them. I am very much a person who enjoys working with hair - no matter what... so I guess I will be doing more of these experiments in the future!

Video Update

For anyone who does not find this blog from my YouTube channel, here's my latest video:

Working Position - Ventilating Position

I thought it would be a good idea to talk about the importance of having a good working position or ventilating position. I touched very briefly on this issue a while ago in this blog, but I have done enough of my own work now to be able to comment more in depth on it.

Obviously wig making is a time consuming activity to engage in and because of the nature of the beast you can find yourself sat for incredibly long periods looking at something in very minute detail. This type of work can have quite a negative impact on your body if you are not careful and mindful. There are several things to think about:

1. The position you sit in
2. Your eyes
3. Breaks

The position you sit in to work - I have tried quite a number of positions now, ranging from the obvious one of sitting at a surface such as a table, workbench or desk through to the less obvious of sitting in a squishy armchair with lots cushions and a beanbag to rest my legs on! I also have ventilated in bed, on my bed, sitting on a couch and probably some others I cannot even remember.

One thing I have noticed is that it depends on what type of work I am doing as to which position is more suitable and comfortable. For me, hand sewing tends to work quite well with the block on a clamp at a table/desk/bench or with the block in my lap while I am sitting on the couch or in an armchair with my feet on the ground.

When ventilating, I need to be able to change the position and height of the block more easily and it varies quite markedly as to what angle/height I need the wig block to be at, depending on which area I am working on. For example, if I am working on the right side of the foundation, I like to swivel the block so that this side is primary to me rather than twisting myself to reach it/look at it. In addition, ventilating for long stretches is definitely more comfortable, for me personally, if I am sitting in a comfy seat rather than at a table/desk/bench. So I have been finding it more comfortable to sit with my legs supported by something so I can have them higher up (not on the ground), either resting on a large beanbag or a footstool. That way I can have them bent or crossed and prop the wig block up on them. I have also been using a cushion on my legs and then putting the block on that (the cushion is like the scatter type you use on a couch and is feather, so it moulds to the block shape if I press down on it a little bit and stops it from rolling side to side or away from me).

Side note -  I know I am not the only person who ventilates in a position where their legs are raised (if they are not using a clamp or stand). I once watched a video of a theatrical wig maker who worked by sitting on a high stool with her legs propped up on a high level work surface/bench! The block was placed in her lap. She spent hours ventilating like that - so I guess what works for you really does depends on your body and any physical issues you need to overcome/compensate for (e.g. if you already have a back or neck problem to bear in mind).

If I want to ventilate on my bed, I usually sit cross legged and then rest the block on my legs, again using a cushion to raise the height of the block. I put lots of pillows behind me to support my back and shoulders. You can get a wig cradle to put your wig block in, as this helps to stabilise the block when working with it in a horizontal position. It functions regardless of whether you are working at a table or with the cradle resting on your lap. It looks like this:

Available from Banbury Postiche.

If you are working at a desk/table/bench you may want to get an adjustable chair that allows you to adjust the angle of the backrest and seat, as well as the height of the seat to an appropriate level. Office chairs are good for this purpose. If you don't have one or can't afford one and find you are sitting too low, then use some cushions or seat pads to raise the height of your chair seat. If your work surface (and thus the wig) is too low, then raise the level of the block by using an adjustable clamp or put something large (phone directories, old shoe boxes filled with books) under the block/cradle to raise the height of the block so that it is nearer your eyes/hands. 

To sum up...

- Vary the position you sit in as this can help prevent muscle ache 

- Use props, if necessary, to support your body - e.g. cushions under arms or against your back or under your bottom (!) to raise you to the right height when working at a hard surface or a footstool or beanbag to support your feet/legs

- Ensure your block is at the correct angle so as to prevent neck strain/pain and shoulder tension


Your Eyes - Lighting is important because it can make so much difference to how well you are seeing the area you are working on. I have even thought I was seeing quite well until I turned extra lighting on and then realised that I was actually straining a little bit to see clearly. This is especially a factor if working during the winter or in the evening/at night. You can get specialist daylight lamps and magnifyer lamps that are free standing on a table top, clamp to a surface or are free standing on the floor. If you can't afford one, using a desk lamp to spotlight the area you are working on can be helpful. I sometimes use one like this:

Glasses are another factor - I do think it is worth getting your eyes checked if you have not recently had an eye exam and mentioning the close work you are doing or will be doing. I wear glasses for mild short sightedness and astigmatism. I have noticed that when I am doing any close work (not just wig making, but crafting etc.), if I look up after focusing on an item close-up, I cannot focus properly for distance vision. If I wear my glasses, I don't have this problem, so to avoid eye strain and complete blurriness when I look up, I have been wearing them for wig making.

Use a contrasting backgroung colour to help your eyes see the difference between hair and lace/foundation material. Bright blue paper or blue painters tape helps to create contrast between the lace and hair. This can be very important if you are using less 'visible' hair. For example, I am currently using dark hair against a pale/translucent lace, which is fine if the lighting is good as the dark against light is fairly obvious. However, when doing repair work for someone else, I was working with blonde hair on a translucent lace. The base colour of my block is a kind of of taupey grey and is not very useful for helping anything (dark or light) to show up. In this instance (when working with lighter hair) I would definitely use some kind of brighter colour behind it - the blue works well and is favoured by wig makers. You can cover the block (or styrofoam head if you are using one of those) with it fairly easily or, if you are in a pinch and have some bright blue paper, you can use that by pinning a small section of it to the block or head under the area you are working on. I have used both and they work equally well visually. Although in the long term, the tape works better as you can cover the whole area you will be working on. If you use the paper, it's not practical to cover the whole area as you will find you have pins holding the paper down which get in the way of your work and could potentially snag your foundation.

To sum up...

- Ensure adequate, bright lighting is illuminating the area you are working on
- Create constrast between the hair and lace if necessary
- Wear glasses, if needed, and/or use a magnifyer to prevent eye strain

- Make sure to keep your work close enough that you can see it well - use a cushion, wig cradle, clamp or stand to get the block at the correct distance


Breaks - it is easy to get sucked into the wig making vortex and end up ventilating for hours with no break. It is a good idea to change positions every so often - get up and walk around for a few minutes, have a drink, look at something in the distance (good for your eyes to focus on far away if you have been focusing on close-up work for a while - according to my optician)... stretch! Give your hands a wiggle - they can get a bit stiff (in my case) and sore from holding the hair under a certain amount of pressure and from holding the needle holder. If you struggle to remember to take a break, set a timer to go off periodically.

Wig making should be fun! As it takes quite a long time to make a wig from scratch (especially if you are a beginner and learning how to make the foundation and to get into a ventilating rhythm), it is worthwhile taking a little time to figure out a good position so that you can enjoy many happy, flexible and pain-free hours of wig making!

New Pictures... Finished the Nape

Here's some pictures to update the blog - I have finished the extened nape. I will perhaps add more hair to the edge (where the galloon is - to conceal it more effectively) and at the end of making the wig, I will ventilate a couple of rows to the inside to help conceal the edges. Sorry they are not the best quality - I shot them with my phone and the lighting was not the best! I think you can get a better idea of density from these versus the braided shots of the post before. There's not as much hair as one might think!

I am now working on the mid-section where I have the wide galloon. In this area, I have lace overlapping tulle, so it's quite hard work ventilating it. The lace holes are on top and small, so I am ventilating into that rather than aiming for the tulle. I hope to finish this section in the next couple of days and then move onto ventilating into the tulle by itself.

Lastly, and for fun, I set the hair I have ventilated into pin curls - they came out well. After I defined some of the frizzier ones a little better:

The Next Step - Sorting out the hair...

The next step in the wig making process, for me, is ventilating the hair onto the main body of the wig. In order to do this one needs some 'spare' hair. Beyond deciding such things as - the hair origin (European, Chinese, Indian, Mongolian etc), hair type (virgin, cuticle, processed), hair texture (wavy, straight, curly, body wave etc) and length, you have a few choices. You can either use hair you already have (old wefts, old wigs etc) or buy some new hair (either as wefts or bulk/raw hair in ponytails). As mentioned in my last blog post, I already had some masses of hair on the most ridiculous wig known to man. Due to my novice status, I decided that this was the msot appropriate hair to use. I think that in the earlier stages of wig making it is probably a better idea to use less expensive hair. Then if you go completely wrong, you won't be as devastated as you would if you were using virgin cuticle European hair, for example.


Side note - I do have better hair - raw and wefted, which I hope to use later when I am more proficient. Certainly if I were choosing hair, I would be inclined to go for raw ponytails of caucasian/European origin - because that texture is the same as my bio hair.


As the hair is already attached to a wig, I set about the process of brushing the wig out, separating the hair and removing some. I decided that first separating the hair in half (to effectively create two 'tails') was a good idea as there is about twice the amount of hair I want in my new wig. On the left hand side you can see half the hair has been braided; to keep it neat and out of the way. The right hand side represents half the hair and is what I am going to use on this wig.

You can see just how much hair is in half the wig in this next picture, where I am holding that braid in my hand.

At this point I have the half, to be used, hanging loose ready to be sorted.

As the hair is already ventilated onto this wig, I don't want to just cut it off as a ponytail/braid. If I did this, I would lose a lot of the upper length. In order to keep this length, I need to remove the hair in the stages I am going to use it. As most people start ventilating at the bottom of their wig foundation, I need to take the bottom lengths to use on the bottom of my wig foundation. So, I braided the rest of the hair and only left free the part I want to remove from the bottom right hand nape.

I then clipped this braid up. The hair hanging down is only half of the hair at the bottom of the nape of the wig.

I have drawing cards ready to place the hair into (they are the flat brown and grey squares to the right of the wig two pictures above). This helps to keep the hair neat whilst I am ventilating and enables me to remove small amounts of hair to work with. If you do not have drawing cards and get a pair, remember to write "Root" on one end of them (I wrote it on both sides) so that you know which way up your hair is! You put the loose hair into the drawing cards with the root end of the hair at the end you have designated "Root" and the tip should be hanging out the opposite end. This enables you to keep it cuticle correct. 

I carefully cut sections of the loose hair away. I tried to keep fairly near to the wig cap so that I could keep most of the length. I just used regular scissors for this.

Then I placed the hair in the drawing cards.

After I close them up, I always put an elastic band around them. That way, if I (or anyone else!) ever knock them onto the ground, they won't fall apart and ruin the hair (because if the hair gets mixed up, it won't be cuticle correct anymore).

Now I am ready to start ventilating.

Lastly, I want to wish those celebrating Chanukah:

חנוכה שמח

Here's my donuts, that I made:

For those of you celebrating Christmas in a few day's time...

Happy Christmas! 

I will be back with more pictures soon!