When you don’t want to install your dreads in your own hair, but you do want to create a dreadlook you can choose to make your own dread wig! Or maybe if you have a party for which you will be wearing a costume and a dread wig would be the finishing touch on your look! In this blog we will explain how you can make this wig with synthetic dreadlocks.
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Method 1: Braid dreads on to your wig
This method is fairly simple and basically the same as installing Synthetic Dreads in your own hair. Divide the wig hair into strands and braid one dread onto each strand of hair.
To visualise this method you can watch the video listed at the top of this blog. In the video we will show you all of the three techniques that we are explaining in this blog.
1ST STEP: PREPARING THE WIG
First, we need to mark out the dreads distinctly by braiding the hair. I pin the wig on the wig head using sewing pins, and begin to braid the hair around the face, because that’s where the dreads will be the most visible.
NB: With this braiding method, we also avoid the hair to tangle when we handle it.
2ND STEP: SHAPING THE DREADLOCK
- I hold the wig between my toes and start with the bottom row (the least visible).
- I undo the braid, and crimp the hair with a comb. I slightly roll the hair, and then crimp it again, and so on… until I get a thick tangled strand.
- Finally, I roll this strand between my hands to make a thinner dread; I tighten it as much as possible and stick it by twisting the end of the dread around the big toe of my other foot.
3RD STEP: “FIXING” THE DREADLOCK
- Once the dread is shaped out and steadied between my two feet, I dip a rag in a bowl of water and squeeze it. I place the rag around the dread (starting from the root).
- Then, I use a hair-straightener to iron the hair and fix the dread. I move the rag, iron the hair, move the rag again, and so on, making my way to the end of the hair. When the rag is dry, I dip it back into water.
- You may need to repeat this several times until the dread stays fixed.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each dreadlock.
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4TH STEP: FILLING THE “HOLES”
Once you brought all the hair together to make your dreadlocks, some holes may appear at the base of the wig (I have one on each side of the head).
We’re going to add wefts to solve this problem.
- Preparing the wefts: Arda wig’s wefts are strings of fibers sewn into thin strips. I cut 2 pieces, as I’ll have to make two extra dreadlocks.
- I make the two new dreads following the instructions on step 2 and 3.
- I lift the hair with clips to clear the holes.
- I sew each dread on the wig base with a needle and a brown thread.
- We remove the clips that keep the hair up… And that’s it!
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5TH STEP: DETAILS
Haircuffs
- I chose to make my own hair cuffs by shaping Worbla pipes around a pen (the pipes need to be thinner than the dreadlocks, but not too much to be able to put them on easily).
- I added decorations (borders, shapes, etc.), and painted them
Method 2: Crochet dreads onto the wig
This method requires a bit more time, but is also easily executed. Divide the hair on the wig into strands just like in method 1. When you have Double Ended Dreads you will have to cut these straight through the middle where you would normally attach it to your hair. Put the top part of the dread almost onto the base of the wig. Next, wrap a piece of hair around the dread and crochet the hair into the dread with your crochet hook.
Method 3: Make dreads by backcombing and steaming
This method requires the most time, but with some skill and patience you can carry out this option yourself. With this method you will not be using ready made dreads, but you will be using synthetic hair. You will make your own dreadlocks using this synthetic hair!
- Take a strand of hair from the wig in your hand and shove the dreadtool under it.
- Take a piece of Kanekalon hair, twist the middle of the hair tight and pull it through the dreadtool.
- Pull the dreadtool back and hold onto one of the strands of kanekalon hair. The other strand of hair will be pulled through the hair of the wig this way.
- Take both of the strands of kanekalon hair and the strand of wig hair and backcomb them with the teasing comb.
- Keep backcombing the hair until it looks like a firmly matted strand of hair.
- Twist this strand of hair and steam it with hot steam until it becomes a dread!