DIY Wig Using Yarn And An Old Swim Cap!

My son's class is doing a wax museum at school this week. Each kid picked an explorer, researched and wrote a biography about him (or her). Now they are dressing up as their explorer and parents, grandparents and other students will come to see them talk about their explorers and their discoveries and contributions. So, I helped my guy get a costume together and thought life is great. Not so. His explorer, William Dampier (a pirate AND an explorer; seriously, he's an interesting guy) has long hair. And we need a wig. In fact, we have to have a wig or we will fail. Or pass up 5 extra credit points, whichever is the greater catastrophe. My first option (in his mind) was to go to Party City and get a wig, which we can then use for Halloween (like that'll happen), therefore justifying the cost. I laughed, then I decided to make my own. 

I had a couple of swim caps shoved in a drawer that I will probably never use again. I also had two skeins of yarn leftover from a scarf I made a while ago. I bought four skeins to make a long scarf. I only used one and a half and it was pretty darn long. Anyway, I cut the yarn into 4 foot long sections. 

I took the strands over to my sewing machine and stitched them to the swim cap. Instead of pics, here's a diagram of the stitch pattern:

Starting at the front and top of the cap, I took the full stands of yarn and stitched them down the center, stopping about 2 inches from the bottom and back of the swim cap (1). For the next lines, I cut the rest of the strands in half. Then, about 1 inch away from the center, I stitched yarn (2 & 3). Then I stitched more yarn about 1 inch away from that on either side (4 & 5). Then I stitched the final hank of yarn across the back, intersecting the other lines (6). I eyeballed it, but It would've been easier if I had marked the lines first. 

I trimmed any pieces that were sticking out where I had sewn them to the swim cap. I put the wig on my son to trim it up. Which was no easy task, as he was busy channeling Willow Smith and whipping his "hair" back and forth while singing, "I whip my hair back and forth." Luckily, the wig held up to the abuse and I did not have strangle him with it. 

It was a little fuller than I expected; I probably didn't need to use that much yarn. But I thought it looked good and was happy. But, good old William Dampier had CURLY hair. So, I wet it, braided it and popped it in the dryer and let it sit overnight.

Since I don't have a mannequin head handy, I used a tall vase and an upside down ice cream bucket to rest it on. It had the added benefit of freaking out the dog (seriously funny to see a big bad Rottweiler growling and barking at a wig). I had to shut the door to my craft room or the idiot would've growled at it all night.

I unbraided it and it was wavier. Not as wavy as I had hoped, but it worked. Here's William Dampier in all his glory:

I consider this wig a success, considering I winged it.  Sometimes, I amaze myself. And he looked awesome at his wax museum. I was very proud of him. Even though he thought my suggestion to be authentic and use a British accent was "stupid."

Until the next project, 

Chris :)