Using Tulle and Netting to Make a Hair Piece

We are going to show you how to make a hairpiece with tulle and netting. This is the perfect way to go if you just have a little piece of fabric that matches your costume. It will bring a lot of volume so the judges cannot help but look right at your face.

Supplies:

1. Piece of fabric that
   matches your dance costume
2. Tulle or netting
3. Scissors
4. E6000 Glue in syringe
5. Needle
6. Thread
7. Paper plates
8. Ruler
9. Hair Clips
10. Rhinestone strip
11. Two clothespins
12. Paper plates for glue

Directions:

1. Choosing Your Materials

There are two kinds of netting – the regular net and tulle. The regular net gives the hairpiece the feel of an old fashioned hat. It is thicker and stiffer than tulle. Tulle is a finer net and softer than regular net. The thing we like about adding lace is that it gives a lot of wedding feel to it and brings a lot of elegance to your hairpiece. You need to choose the look you want and the net or tulle that will work best for the look you have chosen. You also need to choose the color you want.

2. Preparation of materials

Choose which type of net that you want to use and whether you want to use rhinestones or appliqués or matching fabric or both. An important thing to consider the size you want your hairpiece to be. Cut the net or tulle to the size you want to work width.

3. Creating the hairpieces

Small hairpiece with rhinestones – The first hairpiece we will show you is a smaller one with rhinestones. To start with, you will need to cut a small square piece of the thicker net. You will shrink it up to the correct size later on. You will then weave through the net. But, the knot will just pull through the net if you do not anchor it. The easiest way is to anchor the thread is to use a needle threaded with a double length of thread with a knot on the end, pull the thread through the net and then go back and slip the needle in between the two strands of thread creating a loop. An alternative method would be to pull the threaded needle through the net and then go back and tie it down to the net and the end of the thread. Either way, the thread is anchored to the net and the knot is secure.

First, weave the needle and thread through the net in a sort of half circle creating a fan effect. At this point, you will want to sew a clip underneath the net. Make sure that the clip is open when you sew the clip to the net or you risk sewing the clip shut. Sew all around the clip and make sure you cover up the edges so that the clip does not show through. Gather the net as you go so that it creates a kind of fan effect. Once you have completely covered the clip, you can tie the thread off. Cut the excess fabric off giving the net a rounded look on top. To finish it off, glue rhinestones over the area where the net is sewn to the clip and then, use two clothespin to keep the rhinestones in place while the glue dries.

Larger hairpiece using lace or a piece of your costume – With this hairpiece, you will use tulle and a piece of lace or a piece of fabric leftover from your costume. Then, take a rectangular piece of tulle and fold it in half. It does not matter if the piece of tulle seems too long because it will be adjusted when you are done. Anchor the thread to the tulle as described above. Start at the center of the tulle and weave in and out down the lengthwise down the center of the tulle gathering the material as you go. After you have gathered a length of the tulle, lay the lace appliqué or fabric piece on the gathers and see if the gathered tulle is long enough to accommodate the appliqué or fabric. Once you see that you have gathered enough tulle, tie the thread off and start sewing the appliqué or fabric down over the gathers. Starting at one end of the appliqué or fabric piece, sew down one side of the appliqué or fabric piece and then come back and sew the other side down. Even out the gathers as you sew so that you do not have clumps with more gathers than others. When you are all done, sew through the appliqué or fabric and tie off the thread so that the thread does not pull loose. Lastly, trim the excess fabric off on all three sides – first the length and then top and bottom. You want to make sure that it is aesthetically pleasing but you also want to consider the size of the girl’s head. You do not want to overpower her nor do you want the hairpiece to look skimpy. To finish it off, glue a larger clip to the back. If necessary, hold the clip to the tulle with two clothespins.

Whether you make the smaller clip with rhinestones or the larger one with lace appliqué or matching fabric, be creative and enjoy it. Have fun and make it the piece you want it to be.