Parents Hair Bun advice

[MaryA]

We do not use bobby pins. Instead we use a C needle and thread (fishing line or embroidery thread works well) and sew the bun in. This flattens it and secures. We never worry about it falling out. Works for us.

What an interesting idea! Do you sew it to the sock or just to the bun itself? I guess I'm wondering if it would work for a regular bun (no sock). I'm wondering what I would secure the thread to, both at the start and at the end of the sewing process.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I have one gymmie and one ballerina... As you can imagine, I have extensive bun making experience with my ballerina! She now does her own hair, but I have done hers for the past 9years and every now and then gymmie wants a bun or even better, two buns Leia style..!
The key to a good bun in fine hair (really in any hair) is bun pins.
Link Removed
Thickness of hair dictates which size you get, ballerina dd has waist long, fine hair and we use the 2" size.
Make a ponytail, nice and tight (use whatever goop you want, it also helps if hair is damp)
Separate hair into two or three sections (two is normal but extremely thick or long hair might need three)
Twist one section, pin it once or twice, drop. Twist and pin second section once or twice going the same way as section one. Pick up section one again and do another pin or two, drop and pick up section two, pin, drop etc. keep switching sections, twisting the section itself and winding it in a circle radiating from the center like a pinwheel. Eventually one section gets put together with the other as it gets down to the ends where it's thinner, twist both together,keep pinning in the circle and secure the little ends with regular bobby pins (it only takes one or two at that point). Wrap a hairnet around if needed, spray and done. It will look like a cinnamon roll when done, is very secure and the pins do not poke or fall out like regular hair pins can. The trick is in the pins, the way they are shaped... They go in "backwards": you hold the pin with the open end facing the hair piece and prongs curving downward. Now, as you insert it into the section of hair, you stand it on the open pron end and flip the prongs forward, pushing the pin in so the curve lays along the curve of the head. If you do this correctly, the flat closed end of the pin is nice and horizontal to the scalp and practically invisible, all you see is coils of hair. It's much harder to explain than to show, once you have seen it done correctly it's super easy, I promise!
Oh, and buns made this way stay pretty close to the head, they do not stick out like doorknobs the way some bun making devices buns do, so much easier to actually do gymnastics in. Gymmie dd prefers the two bun style because there's really nothing touching anything at all during any gymnastic move, but even a large bun done like this would not be a major bump for rolls etc.

 

[GymMom67]

My DD uses the twist pins in her hair. They work great.

 

[MaryA]

Separate hair into two or three sections (two is normal but extremely thick or long hair might need three)
Twist one section, pin it once or twice, drop. Twist and pin second section once or twice going the same way as section one. Pick up section one again and do another pin or two, drop and pick up section two, pin, drop etc. keep switching sections, twisting the section itself and winding it in a circle radiating from the center like a pinwheel. Eventually one section gets put together with the other as it gets down to the ends where it's thinner, twist both together,keep pinning in the circle and secure the little ends with regular bobby pins (it only takes one or two at that point). Wrap a hairnet around if needed, spray and done. It will look like a cinnamon roll when done, is very secure and the pins do not poke or fall out like regular hair pins can. The trick is in the pins, the way they are shaped... They go in "backwards": you hold the pin with the open end facing the hair piece and prongs curving downward. Now, as you insert it into the section of hair, you stand it on the open pron end and flip the prongs forward, pushing the pin in so the curve lays along the curve of the head. If you do this correctly, the flat closed end of the pin is nice and horizontal to the scalp and practically invisible, all you see is coils of hair. It's much harder to explain than to show, once you have seen it done correctly it's super easy, I promise!
Oh, and buns made this way stay pretty close to the head, they do not stick out like doorknobs the way some bun making devices buns do, so much easier to actually do gymnastics in. Gymmie dd prefers the two bun style because there's really nothing touching anything at all during any gymnastic move, but even a large bun done like this would not be a major bump for rolls etc.

If you have a moment, can you see if you can find a youtube video showing what you are describing?

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Ha, I thought for sure that would be an easy task... Or not. I have watched several, and so far not one is showing it the way all the experienced ballet moms do it at our studio. Some are close, but not exact. I will keep looking when I have a chance but for now I must go work!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Ha, I thought for sure that would be an easy task... Or not. I have watched several, and so far not one is showing it the way all the experienced ballet moms do it at our studio. Some are close, but not exact. I will keep looking when I have a chance but for now I must go work!

Get the video camera out !

 

[gwenmom]

Thank you everyone! You have given me some great ideas

 

[momofcrazygymmie]

What an interesting idea! Do you sew it to the sock or just to the bun itself? I guess I'm wondering if it would work for a regular bun (no sock). I'm wondering what I would secure the thread to, both at the start and at the end of the sewing process.

You can do either. If you sew without the sock just make sure you are going through the tied back hair and under the hair tie. As for the thread... I don't secure the end until I've went all the way around the bun. Then I just tie the end to the beginning. Hope that helps.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I will try to shoot me doing a bun on one of the girls tomorrow or Friday so you can see it. It's really not difficult and it's nice and secure. I was a newbie too at some point, now I'm one of the moms who is either helping with younger girls buns or showing their moms how to do them... Paying it forward.

 

[krisnkids]

Sew the bun.

1. Pony Tail
2. Wet the hair, wrap and twist it around base of pony tail, get a hair net, double it up, put it around the twisted bun.
3. Get a plastic needle, Michaels has them, thread with yarn. Starting at the middle bottom, put the needle up through pony tail holder, bring around and down, moving around in a circle repeat.
4. Tie it off, put on the scrunchy.

I have done this with fine hair, a little girl's think african american hair, long to the but long curly hair. etc.

 

[mpkbt]

After 13 years of doing gym hair on 2 kids....most of the time in a bun, I finally had it down. Wet hair
Use a lot of gel
Secure in pony tail (high or low depending on back extension roll...dd always had one!)
Braid hair
Coat braid with Aqua net (cheap and easy to find)
Wind braid around pony tail
Secure with hair ties (I usually use at least 2)
Spray again
Add scrunchy!
my dd could sleep in this and still be good to go!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

We use a sock bun. Much smaller than the store bought bun makers and softer. We learned that rather than wrapping her hair around it and putting the hair tie we start at the ends of her hair and roll it down, covering the bun while we go. Then secure with a hair tie to get the smooth look. We do not use bobby pins. Instead we use a C needle and thread (fishing line or embroidery thread works well) and sew the bun in. This flattens it and secures. We never worry about it falling out. Works for us.

We used to do this too. It works really well. I had a large bendy plastic needle from some kid sewing kit and used brown embroidery thread. It held really well, but now my DD is old enough to do her own bun ( it's much quieter in the house this way!!) and she uses one of those round donut things now.

 

[Mama2JLN]

Link Removed We use Goody spin pins. DD's gym requires a bun, and with her hair being very fine and past her waist, these are a must. I put her hair in a ponytail, braid it and wrap it around into a bun. I then use the spin pins with a scrunchie around the outside. This requires a minimal amount of product to hold and it is more comfortable than the gazillion bobby pins we used to use. I actually use them myself and two of these pins hold a bun in my hair without even putting it in a pony first.

 

[leotardmakermum]

My daughter has very thick, and quite long hair (down to middle of back). Firstly, I wet the hair. I then comb it up into a pony tail. I use two thick hair elastics, one on top of the other, to hold the pony tail well.

I then liberally spray her whole head with 24 hour strong hold hairspray. While still wet, I brush the surface of her head with a bristle brush, towards the pony tail, smoothing all the flyaways and any lumpy bits into place. I spray again, and smooth again if neccesary.

Next I twist the hair, and wrap it around itself, spiralling outwards. The end of the twisted, wrapped pony tail is held in place with another hair elastic, right next to her skull.

I use bun pins (not bobby pins) through the bun in about 6 different places. Some go in sideways, some go into the top of the bun (all that hair makes a big bun). If any of them hurt, I move them.

I put a bun net over the bun, twist it once, and put the rest of the bun net over the bun again, making it doubled.

I spray again, usually twice.

When it is dry I pop a scrunchie around the bun. This covers any messy bits in the bun, and makes the whole thing even firmer.

And then another spray.

In all, about 5 -6 layers of hair spray. It makes the hair feel like straw, but it stays in place throughout a whole competition and throughout a whole 6 hour state squad training day.

 

[gwenmom]

thanks everyone. We got it to work and I don't think it's moving anytime soon!

 

[MaryA]

FYI, I tried those spin pins at DD's mock meet and the bun fell out during warm-ups. I don't know if I did it wrong or if it's because DD has super-fine hair or what. I hate using the hair net because the bun looks so much prettier without it, but I guess I'm going to run out after work and get one because, so far, that has been the one sure-fire way of making sure the bun stays. I still want to try the sewing technique, but we're leaving the house at 7am tomorrow. Untried hair techniques don't happen on days we have to leave the house before 8:00. Or maybe 9:00. They're doing another mock meet before Christmas, so that might be the time to try it.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I've never had good luck with the spin pins. I got them a while back to see if dd could use them on the fly and used them in my own hair too but they just don't seem secure enough for a tight bun. For my messy bun, they're ok.

 

[Uglybetty]

I used to be a hairdresser....i prefer standard .Kirby grips....stick them in vertically and then flip to horizontal as they hit the scalp. If the hair is fine do your best to cross them over as it will hold better.