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[personal profile] mamagotcha
After meeting a practitioner this weekend at a historical reenactment festival, I have found myself enchanted by the art of Victorian hairwork (jewelry braided from human hair, more specifically the table work).

It combines the materials of hairbraiding, the patterns of kumihimo, and the settings of beadwork... three things I'm already at least a little bit proficient at. I feel a little sheepish that I haven't really dipped into this before... I had heard about memorial hairwork, but thought it was more the clipped-and-curled variety. But there is SO MUCH MORE! (scroll down...) All the tubular-looking weaves are made on marudai-like tables, in the same manner as kumihimo, and those are the ones I really want to try.

It's just a wee bit ironic that the only museum entirely dedicated to this art is located in Independence, MO... just a few miles from where I lived for six years! At least I'll stop by and check it out on the way through to California in April.

I found the original instruction book online (hooray for reasonable copyright expirations!) and it was even available on the Kindle! (although there are a ton of typos and the graphics are super-sucky). I have long hair pieces from each of my kids, too (though I won't use them until I get much better at it).

Would there be, by any fantastic chance, an LJ friend willing to loan me a marudai until I can save up enough to make or purchase my own?

(no subject)

Date: 2011-02-21 04:26 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Wow. Those are amazing! If you need some hair, I still have a ponytail here from when I chopped it off. email me your addy (again lol) and I'll ship it to ya. :)
-Monica

(no subject)

Date: 2011-02-21 05:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mamagotcha.livejournal.com
You totally rock! Mail sent... xoxo!

(no subject)

Date: 2011-02-21 06:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jillcook.livejournal.com
Charlotte's been considering getting her hair cut for the summer, too. It's just about down to her rear end right now when it's wet. If you are looking for hair I could save it for you.

The pieces I saw in your links were really beautiful, but so fussy! I don't have the patience for knitting...I can not imagine the work involved in this stuff. I look forward to seeing your creations though!

(no subject)

Date: 2011-02-21 06:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mamagotcha.livejournal.com
That would be terrific... I suspect I'm going to need a bit of practice material (plus, I could make a piece of jewelry for either her or you to keep).

(no subject)

Date: 2011-02-22 02:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jillcook.livejournal.com
Oh, and I need to mention this now...since I saw this post I've had Karen Carpenter stuck in my head. "We've only just beeeeeeeeeeeee-gun...White lace and promises..."

(no subject)

Date: 2011-02-22 02:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mamagotcha.livejournal.com
Sorry for the earworm.... maybe go listen to Code Monkey for a while?

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