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Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Easy Rapunzel Ponytail!

Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder ready to go!

Naomi had been going back and forth on what she wanted to be for Halloween...  From Jasmin to Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), to finally Rapunzel.  But where can you find an appropriately long wig on short notice (i.e. 10pm the night before it's needed)?  Frankly, if necessity is the mother of invention, then procrastination is surely the father.
Starting to attach:  Make a ponytail.


The night before Naomi's Halloween party, Dave and I were discussing what to do about her costume.  I was putting the finishing touches on a shawl that included instructions for making a twisted cord, and he started asking what colors of yarn I had on hand.  A strange question for him to ask, but after a few minutes, I started to see where he was going.  If we made enough of these long twisted cords in the right color, they could be attached to Naomi's hair for a non-tangling, extra-long, Rapunzel-like ponytail!


Place on top of ponytail.
Once the yellow yarn was hunted down, we started measuring, cutting, and twisting.  The way we went about making this really requires two people, but we're thinking the process could be sped up and simplified.  If/when we get around to trying our other approach, I'll make sure to re-post.  :)


So, without further ado, our take on a Rapunzel ponytail:


Supplies Needed
- Scissors
- 12-ft tape measure
- 440ft (147y / 134m) of yellow acrylic yarn
Getting ready to attach the elastic.
- Drill (optional)
- 2 hair elastics


Will Make
- 6 twisted cords that when put together make a 12-cord pony tail approx. 2.5ft long


Instructions
- Measure 6 strands of yarn 144in (12ft) long.

Attached!
- With you and your partner holding the strands together at each end and standing far apart, both of you twist right until the cord is tightly wound.

Optional Method:
If you have a drill, feed one end of the cord into the drill.  One person operates the drill and the other holds the end until the cord is tightly wound.

- Put the ends together while holding the middle and allow the cord to twist.
Next step, make it extra secure.

- Knot the end.

- Repeat this process 5 more times.

- Place all 6 cords together and tie in the middle with a matching piece of yarn approx. 1ft long.  You now have a Rapunzel ponytail with 12-cords.

If you are particular like me, arrange the cords so that each end of the ponytail will have three knotted ends and three non-knotted ends.  Or take it one step further and have knots on both ends of each cord.
Wrap extra yarn around...


To Attach
- Make a ponytail and secure tightly with an elastic.

- Place your Rapunzel ponytail on top of this ponytail, with 6 cords laying on each side and the knot of the yarn used to tie it together at the base of the ponytail (by the head).

- Take the 2 middle cords closest to the hair in the ponytail and hold them tightly together WITH the ponytail.  Secure them tightly together by using a non-slip elastic.
Tie in a bow.

- Take each side of the strand of yarn used to secure the middle of the Rapunzel ponytail, and wrap around the base of the ponytail in the hair several times and tie in an easily untied bow.  This just further secures the Rapunzel ponytail to the hair.

Voila!  You have just created your very own Rapunzel and she is sure to be a big hit at whatever Halloween function she attends.  And the best part about this "wig" is that it won't get "Tangled".  :)


To Unattach
Untie the bow in the yarn and unwrap.
Carefully cut the elastic that is securing the Rapunzel ponytail to the hair.

Perfect!