Friday, March 25, 2011

How to Make a George Washington Wig

Being the "crafty" one in the family sometimes has it perks and sometimes not.  When my nephew asked me to help him "look" like George Washington for a school program -- I didn't really know where to begin.  SO I "googled" it of course....LOL This is where I stand "true" to my name CRAFT JUNKIE TOO (plural) I do a little of everything!  I am posting this in hopes it may help someone else in the future.  



I started with a white Durag like this one.  It's very stable and I knew I could tie the strings around his head as tightly as needed.



Then I hot glued TONS of white cotton balls all over the Durag -- this takes a bit of time because it needs LOTS of cotton balls.  I used a butter cup for a "make shift" mannequin head -- works great! 
 

To add the "gray" to George's hair I dabbed gray paint all over...here and there.  I used a paintbrush to do the dabbing.

Then I used some curly ribbon bows (like you put on gifts) for George's pony tail.  I took out the silver ribbon and it was perfect.  I added this to the nape of his neck after putting the "wig" on his head to ensure proper placement at the nape of his neck -- otherwise you may get the ponytail too high.  Hot glue keeps it nicely in place.  



I used a pony tail holder to gather the ribbon and make it look more realistic.  

The ties on the Durag can be hidden under the pony tail and tucked inside the child's shirt or jacket.  

For the neck covering we used a large white flour sack towel I picked up in the kitchen section of the Dollar store.  We then used a handkerchief to position in the front for a more "George" style shirt.

Did you spot the $1.00 bill in George's pocket?  Pretty snazzy, huh?

  
If you need more specifics -- just email me.  




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26 comments:

  1. You are so clever and creative. Fabulous job!

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  2. LOVE it!!! I will totally have to remember this idea!!

    Hugs,
    Tanya

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  3. O.K. this is sooooo cool and I will forsure use this thank you :)

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  4. He looks adorable. What a cool idea.

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  5. You are so amazingly creative. Your nephew looks great as George Washington. You did an awsome job. The dollar in the pocket was the perfect touch. Thanks for sharing.!

    Lisa
    Scrappingpinklady

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  6. So creative!!! Parker had to be Thomas Jefferson in the third grade and I think we ended up dropping $20 on a colonial times wig!! Very thrifty and crafty my friend!

    Melissa
    www.disneydreamerdesigns.blogspot.com

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  7. Great job! I did something similar for my son 2 years ago when he had to dress as Thomas Jefferson. I used a shower cap and covered it with cotton balls while it was on his head...I worked quickly...patience is nonexistent in our house!! I stapled a long, thin piece of cardboard to the back for the ponytail and covered it with cotton balls too. We also attached a white, lacy curtain tieback to his white shirt. Great job putting a dollar bill in his pocket...a perfect touch!! TFS, crafty girl! :-)

    ~Sharon C.

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  8. Wow! Very good job. I can see why he asked you to help him!

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  9. Brought back memories of me doing costumes for 6 of my kids that were always needing one for some reason. Was a lot of fun though and sometimes they ended up looking pretty silly but we all got a healthy laugh out of it.

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  10. Great job and thanks for posting this for all those Moms out there who still have Presidents in their future. I have had to dress: Ike Eisenhower (just went with short hair); Andrew Johnson (just combed back); and George Washington (wish I had seen your wig first....that was so hard!). Lots of work being crafty...but lots of fun too...of course, I won't miss the Presidents gig. :)

    Rhonda

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  11. This is too cute! I am saving this creative project! Thanks!

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  12. Oh my goodness, you did a fantastic job!!! :) He looks too absolutely adorable!! :) TFS! And very well done! :)

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  13. WOW! I mean a GREAT BIG WOW! You did an awesome job. Really creative.

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  14. This is sooo clever and crafty! What a great idea! Absolutely adorable!

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  15. That is fantastic Tracey! He looks awesome and so proud to wear your creation !

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  16. Hi Tracy,

    I think you did an incredible job!! I love how you grabbed supplies from all over... that's how I craft... Dollar Tree is just as important as a big box craft store! :)

    Thanks for sharing, Cheryl

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  17. You are awesome. That is the cutest George I've ever seen.

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  18. It is amazing what we come up with sometimes when we are pushed to the max. You really came through on this one. Great job and thanks for shareing as some of us will likely be in this same boat someday.

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  19. Fantastic job. Watch out the school will be calling you over and over every year!!

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  20. Thanks for your share! very impressive!

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  21. Great work keep it coming, best blog on earth

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  22. Thank you so much for your post! You are a life saver! We will be using your ideas to recreate this costume for my son's George Washington presentation this month. :)

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