Tutorial for ANH Leia hair buns

[ArtooAnna ()]

So finally I'm making my tutorial for the Leia hair buns My english gramar ain't that good, but I will do my best to explain my progress for you XD

This is what I used for ONE hair bun:
-1 meter long aluminium thread that was 2-3 mm thick. You can use another metal, but aluminium is the lightest and softest kind so it's very easy to work with.
-Two packiges of Kanekalon fake hair jumbo braids. It's thick and very good. I used two kinds of brown that would match my own brown hair, and mixed them up before use. For a more natural look. The risk is that the hair buns will look like stripy candy canes, so mix them good!
-One hair grip shaped "like a fork with many teeth". You could use some kind of a hair clip and click it on to your hair, but I found this to be the best solution.
-A roll of vulctape. I don't know the name of that sticky tape in english, but in sweden it's called like that. It's a very elastic plastic tape that things like hair/dust easy get stuck on to. In my opinion I don't think it can't get worst with any stickier tape!

This is the kind of hair grip I use. I bought it in a hobby store, but you could use an old one you got at home or get a new one in the local superstore.
We drilled some holes in the hair grip, and stitched the aluminium thread in it. It was a bit hard, but not impossible


Now we can go after this picure! Scroll down for the explanation. lol I thought I had moer photos of how we made the buns, but I realized I had to sketch up something XD


1) Take the vulctape, or any other sticky tape you think might work, and twist it around the aluminium thread. If you use the vulctape make it tight!

2) Take the mixed up fake hair and tie one of the ends by the hair grip, showing here:

In this case I started to tie the hair onto the aluminium thread before I twisted the vulctape around the aluminium. I used a rubber band to have more controll over the hair while I twisted the aluminium around it

3) And now you twist the hair around the thread! Try to make the piece of hair as "flat and broad" as you can, and spread it out. That will make your "limb of hair" more smoth and not so "bumpy" as the sketch is showing for example. Leias buns are very smooth. And when you've twisted the hair as far as you can on the thread you take the end of the aluminium thread and twist it hard arount the and of the hair, and cut of the rest of the hair.

4) This is how you want it to be: the hair grip in the middle of the bun. That means you have to start to shape the "limb of hair" into a cinnamon bun/snail house around the hair grip. At the end you hide the edn of the limb behind the bun. REMEMBER! If the hair is getting all wobbly an loose while your twisting it, try to twist the hair the other direction. It's hard to explain, but apparently it does matter with direction you twist the hair If you made the right bun one way, you do the other way with the left bun.

5) It's a bun. Now spray it with hair spray -as hell!!1 Too smoothen out the bun and hide loose hair threads, pat it while the spray hasn't dried yet.
Now your bun should look like this!



6) To make them sit in your hair, make small "bun" tassels out of your own hair. I made mine right above my ears, but it depends on where your hair grips is sitting in the bun. And with some help with some extra hair clips the buns should be stable

Now do the other bun, and it should be done!




Here's a video clip where you can see how tha har buns are in action Check at 6:35 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQJnOu1kRZE&list=UU553EolACDRSoLznlByXZcQ&index=1&feature=plcp

Hope this was to any help! Just ask any me if you're wondering about something!

[Obi Anne (Johanna Nybelius)]

this is the best explanation I've ever seen of how to make your own buns. Thank you. Now I only need to see how I can adapt it to my wig, since I don't use my natural hair at all for Leia.
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[ArtooAnna ()]

wow so glad to hear that! intressting, show us the progress/result

[TI-9827 (Tapio Komulainen)]

Thank you Anna!
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"Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement" RHCP, Californication

[Elith Dupar ()]

Great tutorial!

[ArtooAnna ()]

glad to hear!

[Obi Anne (Johanna Nybelius)]

I'm actually thinking about maybe buying a new shorter wig and then do as you with the loose buns.

I need some funds for that first, but since my Leia costume is in for total overhaul at the moment I can do with my old style buns until I've done with that.
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[Lora Skywalker ()]

Very nice tutorial!
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http://headoftheclones.proboards59.com/index.cgi -if you like FF of the crazy kind. Clone Leader

[Okami Dai ()]

Very good idea, and a very nice explanation!
Thank you very much for sharing this!
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Wolfgang Grand / Okami Dai
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RFT
A-Wing Pilot
Jedi Knight

[Ember ()]

This is a great tutorial!
I've just cut my hair, and have been looking for ways so I can still have the buns.

Could I ask which kanekalon colour you used?
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[ArtooAnna ()]

thank you so much for the comments! D Of course I want to share this -why should I keep it as a secret? I'm so tired of people being hush-hush about how they made this and where did they get that etc You're welcome!^_^

Ember: I just matched them with my original hair color. I bought them in a store I know