Rolled Curls 3 - Softy Hair

Rolled Curls 3 - Softy Hair - Technique

- January 29, 2016

You'll need

corner molding, or tool of your choice
yarn
finishing tool - yarn needle and yarn, or crochet hook and yarn, or needle and heavy thread

Yarn - this technique is brought to you as part of a restoration, so the yarn needed to be very close to original color and texture. This was the best match:

Step 1 - Starting the wrapping. I used a knitting "cast on" sort of thing for the first three wraps. It mostly provides stability so that the end of the yarn doesn't fall off of the end of the tool.

Step 2 - Wrapping. Wrap the yarn around the tool. There's no need to pull it tight, just a single layer around and around and around. Note that my corner molding is about 21" long. It's a little unwieldy, but I don't have to make very many lengths of rolled curls to finish a softy head.

Step 3a - Anchoring the curls. The idea is that the rolls need to be anchored only around one side and the easiest method I've found to date is to just crochet in the angle of the corner molding. You could backstitch with yarn or with thread - but yarn and crochet hook was handy, so that's what I used.

Step 3b - Anchoring, continued. It doesn't need to be tight, just anchored.

Step 3c - Anchoring, almost done. All of the curls are anchored together, but they will ravel crazily if they are not tied down. Knot the just-finished end.

Step 4 - Remove from tool. Slide the curls off of the tool. They will be tight, and they will curl up on themselves.

Step 5 - Tie off the end. Again, the curls are anchored to each other, but they'll ravel unless the ends are tied. A couple of overhand knots will suffice.

Step 6 - Finished length of rolled curls.

Step 7 - This is the whole skein of yarn pictured above turned into rolled curls. It's much easier to pin the curls, once you uncurl the strand, and then transfer to the head.