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How to Make Hair Wreaths

Artwork created from the hair of a group of people, such as members of a school, church or family unit, was popular in the 19th century Victorian period of history. Hair wreaths were popular during the Victorian period as a memorial for a deceased member of the family or as a way of memorializing a number of deceased family members. Hair wreaths were often displayed in a position of prominence within a home or public building, with lettering inserted into the wreath to detail the group memorialized within the wreath. If you want to replicate the process today for a project or for your own heirloom, the people whose hair you use don't necessarily need to be deceased.

Things You'll Need

  • Hair
  • Wooden horseshoe
  • Wire
  • String
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut a portion of hair from the head of a person, deceased or otherwise; enough should be removed to allow the wreath to be constructed. Hair from living members of the family or group can also be used to create a more detailed wreath design.

    • 2

      Form the hair into the required shape; in the Victorian era, flower shapes were often formed for hair wreaths. The hair can be weaved into shape and held in place using wire or string.

    • 3

      Attach the hair to the bottom center of a piece of wood shaped like a horseshoe, using wire or string. Around the rest of the horseshoe, the hair of other members of the family or group shaped into flowers can be positioned in a similar fashion.

    • 4

      Decorate the wreath as desired, leaving the top of the horseshoe open. In the Victorian era, the open portion of the horseshoe was thought to signify the ascent to heaven of the deceased.

    • 5

      Move a deceased person's hair to the outside of the wreath when another family or group member dies. The hair wreath can be a constantly evolving piece of art, with the hair of the most recently deceased person placed at the center of the wreath.

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