Wool Roving wig and the "circus"

I am going to Phoenix Comic Con next week to present a lecture and demonstration on 18th Century makeup techniques. In anticipation of both the audience and the look of the period, I wanted to make a wig out of wool roving that looked like cotton candy. Here are the steps I took to make it along with pictures of the process and final product

Making the Wig

I purchased 1 lb of natural white wool from EBay.

Dyed it with "rose pink" a union dye (RIT)

Laid each strand out to dry over night

Pinned each strand to Ballet Slipper pink elastic -- chose this for color and width

Sewed the elastic to a mesh wig cap -- I stretched the wig cap over a head block prior

At this point, i put the wig cap, now with wool "tentacles" if you will, back onto the head block.

Cut out a "U" shape pattern, a half circle pattern and a tube pattern

Fill the shapes with batting and sew open ends closed.

*These "pillow" like contraptions were for the inside of the wig to give the wool the shape i wanted and to hold it up.

Cut the patterns out of Bridal tool which is mesh and stretchy.

Sew the largest one in the center of the wig cap, then followed with the others.

At this point, I pulled the wool up and style the look i wanted.

I used Spray Mount in place of hairspray to secure the first layers to the mesh/pillow.

I did the same for the reoccurring layers except the top layer because this left it sticky.

To make the curls, I laid out lengths of wool

Put batting on one end, and rolled. *I used remnants of pink wool to camouflage the ends of the curls by tucking some inside the curl.

I used Spray Mount to adhere the curls to one another and to the wig.

Tack in place with thread and needle.

Hand made black velvet bows with b&w striped piping sewn to each one.

Pink trim sewn in place.

Set Design

I prepared a "scene" for photographer http://hardiephotography.blogspot.com to shoot the wig in.

Note: these pictures here are from my simple Cannon. I will post Whitney's professional and lovely photographs in my next post.

I used the makeup studio and lots of props.

The props included vintage makeup containers still filled with brightly colored face

powders, circus pictures, flowers, and much more.

The look i wanted to achieve were two seasoned circus performers getting ready at their makeup stations.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.