In addition to the actual costume, wigs are a popular accessory for fancy dress at carnival. However, since many carnival wigs are quite expensive, you might also consider trying it yourself. You can easily make a wool wig yourself. You can choose wool in any color to make the right model for the costume you want. In this article we have put together some instructions with which you can make a wig yourself out of wool. There are also hairstyle ideas for various costumes that you can get inspiration from. Make your own wig for carnival and save money too!
What do you need to make your own wig?
You can make a wig yourself using a ready-made oneCapOr you can quickly make a cap yourself as a base using old children's tights. Put the tights on as shown and tie the legs where desired. Use the sewing machine to add a seam below the knot, then simply cut off the tights legs. The hat is ready! You can use this trick whether you are making the wig yourself for children or for adults.
Instructions for a red carnival wig with sewing diagram
First we would like to show you how you can make a wig yourself and then create braids. This type of wig will definitely remind you of Pippi Longstocking, which is why the accessory is perfect for a Pippi costume. A simple wig can create an impressive transformation, which is why it is such a great accessory for fancy dress costumes.
Above you can see the diagram according to which you make the wig yourself. The lines show you where on the cap you will add the seam, i.e. where the wool threads will be attached. These seams ultimately form the crown of the hair, so to speak. By the way, use a color for the cap or hat that is similar to that of the wool. A different color would shine through at the end.
First you have to make the bangs yourself. To do this, wrap wool around a box of the desired size. The middle of this loop is then sewn to the hat along the line shown in the diagram. Then, as shown above, lay out long tufts of wool with which to style the rest of the hair. Place it on the hat and sew it along the crown.
Next, you can cut the wool to the desired length and then braid the hair. Or you can braid the braids first and then cut off the excess. However, whether you continue processing the wig in this way depends on the costume you want to create.
Costume ideas for red wigs: Pippi, Pumuckl, Merida
If you make a Pippi wig yourself, you can also add wire to the braids at the end so that the braids stick out to the sides. Then add a few freckles and create matching clothing with stockings or buy a ready-made costume. The wig can be reused at any time and can also be used for other costumes such as a Pumuckl or clown costume.
If you make a red wig yourself, you can also do it for oneMerida-Costumeuse. However, orange is even better. The parting runs diagonally over the hat and there are no bangs. Use a lot of wool to create a lush head of hair. Combine with a bow and matching clothing.
Make your own Cleopatra wig
You can make the Cleopatra wig in a similar way. And although at first glance it seems to look like the Pippi wig, a different technique is used to achieve the straight cut that we know from Cleopatra and Pharaohs. Feel free to combine the wig with a gold headband.
Here you can see the diagram with which you can make this interesting wig yourself. Several rows of wool are required, which are best placed in a specific order. Viewed from above, several rings are created, which you then cut to size. Draw the diagram on your hat to make it easier for yourself.
Start with the bangs again. Once you have sewn it on, put the hat on so you can better estimate where to cut the bangs. After that, continue with the rest of the wig. Work your way up from the bottom. The many rows create a dense “head of hair”.
Make your own for carnival – heavy metal fan costume
Now you can finish with the wig if you are going for long hair. This variant is suitable, for example, for a heavy metal costume. In this way you can also make a Jack Sparrow wig yourself. But leave the bangs out or hide them under the pirate hat. You can also choose thicker wool to better imitate Jack Sparrow's dreadlocks.
Idea for Jasmin from Aladdin
A black wig with long hair is also suitable for the jasmine costume. Since the hair in the forehead area is worn back, you should attach the wool inside the hat so that the hat itself is automatically covered and cannot be seen. Divide the wool hair into three parts and add a headband as a hair accessory.
Complete Cleopatra costume
However, once you have decided on Cleopatra, you still need to carry out one last step and that is cutting the hairstyle to the right length. Up to the shoulder or a little longer is completely sufficient. Try them out again and again after the individual steps so that any defects can be corrected in good time.
Of course, it's not enough that you make a wig. The costume only becomes perfect with the other accessories and the right make-up. Cleopatra absolutely needs the eyeliner typical of pharaohs. You can also make a colorful necklace out of sequins or with rhinestones. You can use a collar wonderfully for this.
If you already make a wig yourself, you can also sew a matching costume to go with it. A simple white fabric, for which you can also use an old sheet, is great for the Cleopatra. Combine with a transparent fabric for sleeves and a gold belt. Design the headband with an elastic band so that it fits tightly.
Make a blonde wig out of wool
The blonde wig is another variation that can be used for many different costume ideas. A wig with an updo is suitable for a Cinderella or other princess costume. First prepare the cap again. This should best be chosen in yellow color.
Since you're tying the wool upwards for an updo, all you have to do is sew the wool to the bottom of the hat. Then create the same bangs at the front as for the Pippi wig. Prepare several pieces of wool again. About seven pieces should be enough for a child's wig.
This time the wool is sewn onto the inside of the hat, as we mentioned for the jasmine wig if you make this wig yourself. This way, when the wool is pinned up, the edge of the hat is hidden. Make sure that the wool threads are evenly distributed and that there are no gaps. If you want to wear the blonde wig open, just choose the scheme for the black wig.
Do not attach the wool parts to the entire edge of the hat, but leave an area that will be used for the bangs. However, this does not go to the inner edge of the hat, but is sewn on the outside like the other two wigs. For this reason the bangs are specially designed. However, before you do the bangs, we have another costume idea that you can skip the next steps for.
Dress up as Smurfette or Rapunzel
If you use a white hat, this wig is also perfect for a Smurfette costume. All you need is blue paint for the skin and a white dress. You can also make a Rapunzel wig yourself with very long wool. For this purpose, the wool is processed into a French braid and can finally be decorated with colorful flowers.
Bangs and updo for Cinderella costume
You design the updo after you have sewn the bangs in place. Ask someone to put the hat on your head or use a ball to make styling easier. Tie the wool into a high ponytail. While you are making the wig yourself, you can also shorten the wool threads a little if necessary.
Tie the ponytail into a bun. You can use some of the wool threads for this. Create an even and lush bun by gently pulling and plucking the strands. The updo is now finished. You can undo this bun at any time and use a simple ponytail.
Now find a suitable princess dress for the costume. Once you've put the wig on, you can decorate it with a headband. A crown can also be attached to the wig or you can use a tiara. As you can see, the projects are not difficult at all. That's why even sewing beginners can easily make a wig themselves.
Cool ideas for costumes with DIY wigs
Of course, you can use wool in any color to make a wig or combine several colors. You can make a Medusa wig yourself, for example, with different shades of green and by using thicker wool. For a Frozen wig you can choose between Anna and Elsa. At the bottom left of the picture you can see an example for Anna. Cosplay wigs are best made of light pastel colors. A cosplay wig in purple or light blue is suitable. You can also make a cyber wig yourself in these colors or in neon. The idea is particularly easy to do at the top left. The wig has a side parting and is perfect for dressing up as a doll.
You can create an Elsa wig with white, or better yet, cream-colored wool. The hairstyle is designed like for Rapunzel, except that the braid should lie on the side over the shoulder. You can also make a funny clown wig yourself with lots of colorful wool threads. To do this, use the Cleopatra wig version and cut the wool fairly short so that it sticks out from the head. You can make the grandma costume with wool in gray color. Create a center part and pin the back strands down to create a typical granny updo.
