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Hair rats

MissHuff

A-List Customer
Messages
330
Location
Providence, Rhode Island
Ellie Jane said:
*MissHuffs hair rat escaped in the confusion and is now living comfortably in a dark corner, out of the way of bobby pin stickings*

:eek: now I'm not gonna shake the image of my hair rat peering at me from a dark corner planning it's attack to free the rest of the hair. lol
 

Madalene Laurae

New in Town
Messages
24
Location
Salt Lake
I am planning on making my first rat tonight and doing a little hair experimentation.

Any tips on making a good rat? I am using fake hair and old stockings. How do you use rats when doing rolls?
 

MarieAnne

Practically Family
Messages
555
Location
Ontario
My first hair rats!

I've been saving my hair for a few months now and I finally have enough for 2hair rats. I also got a new digital camera for Christmas!;) Here are some pics of what I did.

When I take the hair off my brush, I usually roll it in my palms until it forms a tight ball. Like this,
DSC00126.jpg


This made it really hard to get a nice even mass of hair that stuck together so I took a stiff bristled brush and brushed out all my little hair balls.
DSC00128.jpg

Now what....

I divided the hair, as best I could, into two even sections and lightly rolled it with my palms to get it to stick together and shrink a little.
DSC00129.jpg


Then I took the hair and stuffed it into the end of a very fine hair net. I held the other end of the hair net between my knees and rolled the hair into it, always keeping a bit of tension. I did my best to shape the hair as it was being rolled. Not too skinny and long and not too round. At the end I just wrapped the elastic part of the hairnet around the rat. I might sew them shut later.
DSC00130.jpg


The dimensions are roughly 7cm by 3 cm. I can't wait to try them out! I hope the pictures were helpful.
 

desi_de_lu_lu

Practically Family
Messages
871
Location
Tucson, Arizona
MarieAnne said:
I've been saving my hair for a few months now and I finally have enough for 2hair rats. I also got a new digital camera for Christmas!;) Here are some pics of what I did.

When I take the hair off my brush, I usually roll it in my palms until it forms a tight ball. Like this,
DSC00126.jpg


This made it really hard to get a nice even mass of hair that stuck together so I took a stiff bristled brush and brushed out all my little hair balls.
DSC00128.jpg

Now what....

I divided the hair, as best I could, into two even sections and lightly rolled it with my palms to get it to stick together and shrink a little.
DSC00129.jpg


Then I took the hair and stuffed it into the end of a very fine hair net. I held the other end of the hair net between my knees and rolled the hair into it, always keeping a bit of tension. I did my best to shape the hair as it was being rolled. Not too skinny and long and not too round. At the end I just wrapped the elastic part of the hairnet around the rat. I might sew them shut later.
DSC00130.jpg


The dimensions are roughly 7cm by 3 cm. I can't wait to try them out! I hope the pictures were helpful.


The things we do for beauty. Sheesh. lol

I am making my hair rats out of hair nets. Something about using the actual hair itself creeps me out.

I bought about 10 hair nets and rolled a few up in one and sewed it. it is good for holding bobby pins... whereas my real hair rat sort of slid all over.
 

Drrrty Blonde

New in Town
Messages
2
Location
Austin, Texas
Lookin' for rats

Hey there ladies,

Well I just discovered this forum literally days ago, and I already know I love it! Of course, I am all fired up and had to head to the beauty supply to look for the foamie-looking rats to give a retro rolled hairstyle a try.....but not a rat could be found (and yes, they all looked at me weird.) I checked my local Walgreens also, but came up zero (tho I stocked up on cold cream and witch hazel after reading the thread.....my skin thanks you all!)

Short of making them myself, which I know how to do but would rather not, can anyone turn me on to a good place to look? I'm in Austin, Texas so any local girls' suggestions are especially welcome! I am open to ordering as well, so post a website if you got em :)

You all are just amazing, thank you for posting such good info! :)
 

TheDutchess

One of the Regulars
Messages
209
Location
North Carolina
When I do victory rolls on my hair i use foam rollers I take the plastic part off and use the foam part as a rat. You cant poke threw them that well but they still do the job. If your on a budget you could always do it the old fashion way and collect hair from like your brush or comb and make a rat. [huh] Or go to the beauty store and buy some cheap hair and make a rat out of that. Ive seen that done as well. Good luck and welcome to the lounge!
 

KittyT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,463
Location
Boston, MA
When using foam rats, you have to pull the plastic coating off the end of the bobby pin that you'll be sticking into the rat. Then they work just fine.
 

MsChantillyLace

New in Town
Messages
11
Location
Roccity
At some of the beauty supply stores, they have mesh rollers meant to be used as rats. The benefit to this item is that it's quite easy to pin through. However, much like the foam rollers, they don't "smush" down quite so well.

The other option, should you be pressed for time (and it takes a good bit to collect enough of your own hair to make a rat) would be to get nylon netting, like tule, from a fabric or craft store. It's available in a variety of colors and is incredibly inexpensive. I roll it into a tube and stuff it with crunched up pieces, hand stitching the the seam. It blends well with the hair, smushes down, can be bent (perfect for the "behind the head roll") and because you've made it yourself, it can be any density or length you should desire.


Some of the celebrity stylists use synthetic hair pieces that they've ratted in a hair net. I've seen this technique implemented in a number of youtube videos, which are quite helpful in illustrating how to do various up-dos. I have seen videos for everything from Victory Rolls to Amy Weinhouse to Marie Antoinette. There are a few individuals that have made a number of great videos that I've found particularly useful. I'll find the links if anyone is interested-- I'm still new and I'm not sure how welcome posted links are here.
 

Miss Caroline

Familiar Face
Messages
97
Location
London
I am either going to buy some today, or make some....
I'm thinking the stocking and cotton (wool? is it) option is the best one....
i'm excited!
 

Sunny

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
DFW
MsChantillyLace said:
The other option, should you be pressed for time (and it takes a good bit to collect enough of your own hair to make a rat) would be to get nylon netting, like tule, from a fabric or craft store. It's available in a variety of colors and is incredibly inexpensive. I roll it into a tube and stuff it with crunched up pieces, hand stitching the the seam. It blends well with the hair, smushes down, can be bent (perfect for the "behind the head roll") and because you've made it yourself, it can be any density or length you should desire.
Or another fast and quickie is to get a $5 hank of synthetic hair from Sally's and make rolls from it. You can easily match it to you own hair, closely enough that if the roll shows through it won't be obvious. And of course since it's hair (albeit fake) you won't have issues with being unable to form it or pin through it.
 

LelaViavonie

Practically Family
Messages
675
Location
Old Town Orange, CA
These are all great idea ladies! I have been using a foam roller as a rat and just dosent sit right sometimes... I shed like there is no tomorrow.. so I think I will make my own rat.

Great ideas!!! :p
 

~*Red*~

Practically Family
Messages
874
Location
Sunny CA
You could also wrap a stuffing of your choice in a hair net. They have same color hairnets as well as invisible hair nets. you can find a ton of them at Sally's Beauty Supply, by where the rollers and bobby pins are. I am never without a few of every kind of hair net. No woman should go without! Especially if you are dancing! ;)
 

Tatum

Practically Family
Messages
959
Location
Sunshine State
I made one, and have used it once so far.... It was great. The last time I had my hair cut, I had my stylist save everything and I used that for my rat, rolled it up into a hairnet and then stitched it closed. I wanted some smaller ones (I think they might help my issue with being able to do top and side rolls), so I did get the $5 hair from Sally's, but I have yet to try it!
 

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