Directions to make beaded double hair combs by Jim & Sue

swgranny wrote

on Aug 19, 2009 1:52 AM

 I just got an e-mail from Jacque asking for the directions for the hair combs that my Husband and I made. I thought I sent it already. I have been looking all over the site and can't find it. I am so sorry that I may not have sent it at all.

These are the directions for how we made our first beaded double hair combs.

I haven't read how to do beading yet and don't know the terminology so I will use the sewing terminology that we know and use. I hope I haven't made this too confusing for you.

Plastic hair comb 3" to 8" inches long (we used 3" & 3 1/2" inch combs)                

Stretchy cord - 0.5mm - 0.8mm or 1.0mm (we use 0.8mm stretchy cord)

Beads - 2.5mm to 8mm (I like the smaller beads & Jim likes the larger ones)

Seed beads ( I think they are 1.4mm)

Drill 4 to 6 sets of holes into the spine of the hair combs using a # 1/16th drill bit. Drill slow as the friction of the drill will melt the plastic.

4 sets of holes, Jim drilled - 2 holes each at @(about) 1/16th apart. Each set of holes are @ 12/16ths apart. (Jim just starts at one end and evenly spaces them to the other end)

5 sets of holes, Jim starts in the middle and evenly spaces the sets of 2 holes to the ends.

Cut a piece of stretchy cord about 44 inches long. Do not stretch it out to cut, lay it flat and loose. (the patient directions say that the combs are 3" to 4" apart. We feel that is too wide a gap, so we go about 1" to 2 1/2" apart)

(We first tied a knot in the end and glued it. Then we tied a small bead to the end to ensure the knot didn't go through the hole. Now we use a crimp bead to secure the cord.)

You can start from top or bottom and from the left side or the right side. Where ever you start: Start with the combs teeth facing each other. Choose the colors and size beads that you want to work with.

We used:  3" inch plastic hair combs (for the 4 sets of holes) & 3 1/2" inch plastic hair combs (for the 5 sets of holes) - 0.8mm clear stretchy cord - Crimp beads (1.4mm) - Seed beads (clear) (the seed beads are the size of our crimp beads) - 3mm colored beads - 6mm clear beads

Jim is left handed so he started at the top left comb. I am right handed and I started at the top right side and they come out the same.

These directions are from left to right  and from top to bottom.

From the back side of the left hair comb, thread your cord through the first hole of the first set of 2 holes to the front.

Row 1: String :  1 (1.4mm) seed bead, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1   (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead - thread cord down through first hole of the first set of 2 holes on the right hair comb.

Row 2: Bring cord back up through second hole of the first set of 2 holes on the right hair comb. String : 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread cord through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) thread cord through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread cord through existing (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread down through second hole of the first set of 2 holes on the left hair comb.

Row 3: Bring cord up through the first hole of the second set of 2 holes on the left hair comb. String : 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread cord through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread cord through the existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread down through first hole of the second set of 2 holes on the right hair comb.

Row 4: Bring cord up through second hole of the second set of 2 holes on the right hair comb. String : 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead , 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) clored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread down through second hole of the second set of 2 holes on the left hair comb.

Row 5: Bring cord up through the first hole of the third set of 2 holes on the left hair comb. String : 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread down through first hole of the third set of 2 holes on the right hair comb.

Row 6: Bring cord up through second hole of the third set of 2 holes on the right hair comb. String : 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm)  colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread down through second hole of the third set of 2 holes on the left hair comb.

Row 7: Bring cord up through first hole of the fourth set of 2 holes on the left hair comb. String : 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread down through first hole of the fourth set of 2 holes on the right hair comb.

Row 8: Bring cord up through second hole of the fourth set of 2 holes on the right hair comb. String : 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, (center) thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, 1 (6mm) clear bead, 5 (3mm) colored beads, thread through existing (6mm) clear bead, 1 (1.4mm) seed bead, thread down through second hole of the fourth set of 2 holes on the left hair comb. Secure end with crimp bead and cut excess cord.

Note: You can make the space between combs wider by adding more beads and/ or use larger beads. You can make it more stretchy by using smaller cord, like the 0.5mm or smaller. You can make it less stretchy you using larger cord, like the 1.0mm

Again, I am sorry that I didn't get this to you sooner. I hope you enjoy making them as much as we do.

Here is Jim's favorite that he made.

JSmaz wrote

on Aug 19, 2009 3:20 AM

Hey, thanks for posting those directions, that was nice of you!  I might have to give that a try sometime.

Cat_P wrote

on Aug 19, 2009 5:53 AM

 Thanks for posting the directions! I've been looking forward to them!

MelindaB@14 wrote

on Aug 19, 2009 8:39 AM

Thank you, these will be fun to try

Cathy wrote

on Aug 20, 2009 8:53 AM

 Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  I can't wait to try for my niece.  Did I mention thank you?

Cathy

ChristineT@24 wrote

on Aug 20, 2009 4:15 PM

 OH MY GOSH!!! My daughter bought a set of these....and asked if I could make her some more...and my other girls wanted them as well...and me...of course....and now...we can make them together....THANK YOU for this....

Christine

http://BeadedIndulgences.etsy.com

Sheila H wrote

on Aug 20, 2009 4:38 PM

 Thank you for such specific directions! And for the hints to boot! I am going to have to give these a try too!

PatD3 wrote

on Aug 20, 2009 6:41 PM

Thanks from me too. My hair is currently growing back out after I had it cut from the middle of my back to shoulder length so I'm thinking these will help with keeping it up off my neck.

Gyspy Mary wrote

on Aug 20, 2009 10:05 PM

 Thanks a million for this "How to". I did make some, but they were a disaster. So, I will try again.

So very nice of you to share the directions.

Happy Beading!

Mary

Pam I am wrote

on Aug 21, 2009 6:45 AM

Wow, thank you Sue!!!!  I forgot all about these recently, but I want to try them sometime soon.  Super directions and much appreciated! 

Pam

CrystalCubeBead wrote

on Aug 29, 2009 7:24 PM

Sue & Jim:

Thankyou, Thank you, Thanks to both of you.

You made it simple !!!

all seasons crafts wrote

on Sep 8, 2009 7:19 AM

 These hair clips are wonderful. my daughter would like to make some for me but dont know where to get the Plastic hair combs. Can you help us please.

thank you

all seasons crafts

SCB1 wrote

on Sep 8, 2009 9:27 AM

You can get them at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Craft 2000, WalMart, Joanns or just about anywhere they sell craft supplies.

Hope this helps.

Cat_P wrote

on Sep 8, 2009 11:19 AM

 All Seasons Crafts- I just picked up 3 two packs of the hair combs in clear and brown at my Walmart for $1 a pack. They are in the hair section with the brushes and ponytail holders.

all seasons crafts wrote

on Sep 8, 2009 11:44 AM

 thank you very much . You just made our day.