The Start of a Homesteader Mom

Instructions on how I make Hair Korkers

I had to make hair korkers for my SIL. So I thought I might as well document how I make them to share with some friends.

How To Make Hair Korkers.

Sorry to those on dial up, if you want to learn, come back an hour later once this page loads!

**Disclaimer** I am hard at work, I did not have time to think about giving myself a manacure! Sure I know I need one badly!!!

Supply List

3/8 inch Gosgrain Ribbon

French Clips (Alligator or others are fine too)

Floral Wire or String

Hot Glue Gun

Hot Glue

Dowel Rods

Clothes Pins

Cookie Sheet

Alum Foil (optional)

Oven

First things first. You need to choose your ribbon. I buy mine from www.ribbonsandbowsohmy.com. Some people call that site RABOM when they are talking about it. The prices are pretty much unmatchable if you are not a big bulk buyer. Buying more in bulk, I am sure you can get them cheaper.

You need to choose 3/8 inch Gosgrain ribbon. You can buy it by the 5 yards or 100 yards. Of course the 100 yards is a WAY WAY WAY better deal but you decide what you can afford and how much you need.

5 yard ribbon

100 yard spool of ribbon

Set out a clean cookie sheet. If it is not free of cooked on yuck, line it with aluminum foil. Then you need to take your dowel rods and clothes pins.

Clip one end of the ribbon to the dowel, on an angle, with the clothes pin.

Wrap ribbon around the dowel rod until you reach the end.

Then secure again with a clothes pin.

Place them on the cookie sheets and repeat wrapping dowels.

Heat oven to less than 200. My dial only starts at 200 so I just do it a hair shy of it.

When you have all your dowels filled or all that you want done, put them in the oven.

Cook them for 25-35 mins. Make sure you don’t singe them. But if you do you can WASH them and re-kork them.

Take them out and let them cool.

When cooled take the ribbon off the dowels

You want to cut them about the size of a lighter.

I normally count 5 curls but if you kork tighter or looser than me that will not be exactly the same. Use your judgement on how long you want them. I think lighter size is good.

You then want to seal the edges. You can buy fray check to do this. I used to. Then you have to drip on the fray check and let them dry. I have now found that burning the edges with a lighter works faster.

Once sealed you will want about 30 give or take some per clip.

Some people use fancy L brackets to do this. I WISH I had that set up. I use whatever I can to prop them up. This is the HARDEST part of doing them imo. Might be easier if I even did get the L bracket set up like the instructions I learned off of had.

I rigged mine up with my clothes pins.

Take Wire or string

Cut a piece and lay it where you are going to stack your ribbons.

Then stack your ribbons ON the wire/string.

I have done everything from glueing the wire to the cookie sheet to the silly way I  have it on here now, just anyway to get the ribbon tied.

Then you have to tie the string/wire around the korkers. This it the tricky part. You can do it!

Even out the ribbon by pulling on the short strands. Make it look good here.

Then you need to take your French clips.

You are going to remove the middle thingy. Don’t ask me the technical name of it but it is here in my picture off to the right.

You will hot glue some ribbon to it.

Cut the ends

Then glue them secure

Then put a dab of glue or a strip of glue on the ribbon

And glue it to the korker

Then twist the wire or string around it

bend the twist over if it is wire

and hot glue it secure.

Then you are going to take matching ribbon and cover that up

Then once you tie it once, cut a small strip of the ribbon and glue it length wise over the clip to cover up all the exposed wire. Then tie it secure.

Cut off ends of that string and hot glue it secure

Then replace the middle part of the French clip

Then TADA! You have a pretty korker

Untitled Comment

02:16, October 1, 2006 .. Posted by thatday

These are so very cute!! Thank you for the instructions and great pictures. My granddaughters are 13, 8 and 6 so know they would just love.
Will have to make some soon.
Barb

Untitled Comment

03:08, October 1, 2006 .. Posted by shelley43022

Thank you so much for posting this! I bought a whole bunch of ribbon at walmart a few weeks ago in hopes of making some hair bows like these.

joyfull homemaker

Thank You

08:41, November 17, 2006 .. Posted by Glenda from Ohio

I wish I would have found your blog days ago. I just purchased directions on ebay on how to make these and the directions are good but not as good as the one you have listed here. Thanks for putting all the pictures to show how things are done.
God Bless,
Glenda

Untitled Comment

01:16, March 25, 2007 .. Posted by meme21713

So that is how it is done...Thanks for the post..Off to Wal Mart so I can this a try.....Debbie p.s. I added you to my list so I can find you again..lol