Tuesday, 13 November 2012

A Girl With A Curl

When visiting my parents earlier this year, I found a bizarre looking tool whilst searching in hope for  some long lost hair grips in my mum/grandma's old curler bag. I remembered having found it when I was a child and wondering then what the heck it could be... some torturous beauty device no doubt, perhaps for cleaning out your ears or plucking your eyebrows?

 Well no. After 20 (alright 25) years later I have realised exactly what it is.

How to make pin curls with a dolly peg 1940's hair tutorial Easy and Cheap pin curl tool
This, in fact, my Grandmas pin curler tool. You could even say it's a family Hair-loum! I know, I'm hilarious!
Shamefully I've never been able to do a pin curl to save my vintage loving life. No matter how many attempts I have made, tutorials I've watched, I still remained all fingers and thumbs inept at the simple pin curl. I toyed with the idea of buying the fabulous new 'Sculpture Pin Curler' Tool, as it has had such wonderful reviews all over the web (see Land Girl's review) but the price tag has put it out of my reach for now, anyway I had my Grandma's pin curler tool just sitting there unused and unloved for the last 70 years, it was about time I at least gave it a try.

How to make pin curls with a dolly peg 1940's hair tutorial Easy and Cheap pin curl tool
You tuck the hair between the metal bar and the clip bit, so that as you roll the ends stay put, then once you've reached the top you slide the hair off and pin in place...well that's my best guess at how you use it anyway!
Try I did. After a bit of practice, I found that it was very easy to use. The only problem was with my hair being super thick and quite long (even though I've cut 4" off recently), the curls it makes are very small and tight and so a pain in the derrière to pin to my head. Grandma always had rather short hair so it would have worked wonderfully for her, unfortunately, me and my thick hair were going to need something a little bigger in diameter.
1930's Photo of my lovely Grandma, with beautifully coiffured hair!
Looking at it I realised there is some thing very similar that most of us would probably have had in our possession at one point or another - most likely as a child, it would usually be decorated with a face, dress, and pipe cleaner arms, well in our house it was - It's a...


How to make pin curls with a dolly peg 1940's hair tutorial Easy and Cheap pin curl tool
Dolly Peg! Ta-dah!
Ok, Ok, it's not mind-blowingly fabulous and I am sure I'm not the first to have thought of using it, but the humble Dolly Peg does make a perfect pin curler tool!

After a few attempts, I have it pegged! (the jokes are just getting better) So for the first time in my life, I can say I have a pin curled set that I am proud to be seen outdoors with! Another first is being able to do those volumising lifted curls, flat was all I could manage before and a bad straggly flat at that!
Not too dissimilar, I think you'll agree!
I am sure most of you will not need any explanation on how to use it as it is super easy - not really any more difficult to use than a normal curler. But incase you do there is a quick tutorial below. I don't claim to be vintage hair blogger, my hair skills are bordering on the non-existent, but I can manage this. It does take a bit longer than I am used to with curlers but I am confident that will change with practice.

Personally, I think the benefits out weigh the extra time it takes. Being able to curl on damp hair and know it will be dry by morning (applies to lifted curls rather than flat, as the air can still get in to dry them out), which in my case means the curl lasts for days rather than hours. Also, they are very comfortable to sleep in, like resting your head on a fluffy cloud rather than sleeping on a pillow of pebbles.

~ DOLLY PEG PIN CURLS ~

You Will Need:
Setting Lotion or Mousse
Comb/Brush
Dolly Peg 
Hair Grips (2 per curl) or Pin Curl Clips.
Note: You might find like I did, that you need to use a nail file to tidy the rough edges of the prongs, this will stop it catching on the hair when you're trying to remove your curl.
I would avoid conditioning your hair the wash before setting if possible, it makes the hair lovely and silky but a slippery nightmare to pin curl.


How to make pin curls with a dolly peg 1940's hair tutorial Easy and Cheap pin curl tool

1. Apply your preferred setting agent to your hair. Take a section of hair, how much depends on you hairs thickness. If doing Lifted pin curls, like me, then make sure the section is no wider than the length of your hair grips, otherwise, it may slide out.

2. Place the hair through the slot in the peg, slide down to the end of the section

3. Wrap ends around the peg and under the strand. Roll tightly until you are sure that it is secured. As with curlers, it pays to watch that the ends are tucked in nice and flat to ensure a smoother curl - I find this the trickiest bit!

4. Slightly more gently roll the peg up to your scalp.

5. Place your fingers either side of the curl to hold it in place whilst you twist the peg in the opposite direction to loosen the curl and release the peg. Slide the peg out. If the ends of the hair poke out when removing the peg then it's best to re-curl, fighting them back inside generally doesn't work, unless you're doing flat curls.

6. Stick your fingers in to hold the curl open, whilst you grab your grips/clips.

7. Pin to secure. Either by twisting so it lies flat to your head or as a raised curl as I have done by using 2 hair grips, one on either side.

Et Voila! 
Simple right? Honestly, if I can do it, anyone can!

My hair is pretty much one length all over so I continued in my usual haphazard fashion all over my head always rolling under. My long - can't decide if I want to grow it or cut it - peekaboo style fringe, is usually a nightmare to get into a curler, so I rolled it into two separate pin curls at the top. 


But after a good nights sleep and a damn good brushing, I think it came out alright. There's still a bit of a 'halo of frizz' my hair is prone to, though much less than with my normal roller set, and my fringe finally looks like it was intentionally curled rather than getting accidentally trapped in a roller! I brushed mine out with a basic cheapo paddle brush, as I have such frizzy hair I find the natural bristle ones create masses of static on my head, making me look like I have been electrocuted!

How to make pin curls with a dolly peg 1940's hair tutorial Easy and Cheap pin curl tool
Cringey close up!
How to make pin curls with a dolly peg 1940's hair tutorial Easy and Cheap pin curl tool
There is even a semblance of a wave to it ...
...if you look hard enough :)
So there you go, a simple if not very quick, pin curled hair. All done with an easily replaceable tool that cost me all of 9p! A pack of 24 pegs was £1.98 on eBay and with so many pegs left over, I can now relive a bit of my childhood by making some peg dollies with my god daughters...

...or just by myself
Wendy x

Linking my revelation up to Lakota's Ta-dah! Tuesday

32 comments:

  1. Oh I wish I could just do that with my hair. I curl it up with a curler, leave it, pull the curler out, bush it voila! Straight hair again!
    Julie xxxxxxx

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    1. He he! Mine is pretty much the same only thing that works is water and slooooow drying, everything else it falls out with in minutes :) xxxx

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  2. Genius! Off to rummage through my peg bag! The end result looks fab! Jx

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  3. Oh my! what a fab idea to use the dolly pegs to curl your hair, i got to say that the result is fabolous! your grandmother is so beautiful! i definitely want to give it a try as i already have the dolly pegs lying around somewhere when i can find it hehehe thank you for the tutorial! xx

    blog hopping from ta dah tuesday over at lakota's

    Susan ( http://tea-diary.blogspot.com )

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    1. Thank You Miss Tea!! I hope it works for you too! Thank you for stopping by xxx

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  4. Hi, I just found your blog via Ta-Dah! Tuesday. Great post on using clothes pins (as we call them in the States) for making pin curls. I've enjoyed poking around your blog and will be reading in the future!
    Jo

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    1. Hi Jo! Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words :) xx

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  5. I too have come from Lakota's, You did an amazing job on your hair. Am I the only one to see a striking resemblance between you and your grandmother. Lovely pictures, how clever you are!! Off for a nose around now.

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    1. Oh thank you, glad to have you here! Thank you I would love to think I look like her! I have realised since doing this post that my hair colour seems to match hers, well the colourised version any way! xx

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  6. Ah! My hair sounds similar to yours so I've never tried pin curls, you make it look so easy tho! The only way I can get curls to stay is sleeping with rags in, but my hair's gotten a bit long and heavy now so they don't stay very well...shall try your method next! :)

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    1. Hi Elise, I promise its much easier than trying to do them by hand, I hope it works for you to :) xx

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  7. I would never have thought to use dolly pegs to make pin curls...

    When I was little I used to stick two dolly pegs together and make aeroplanes! I wasn't really the sort of girl who played with dolls.

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    1. He he, I never thought to make airplanes, that actually sounds like much more fun! :)

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  8. What a great idea! You look fabulous with your perfect coiffure!

    Ruby xx

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  9. Fabulous idea and cheap, too! Love your blog, can't believe I've only just found it!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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    1. Awah Thank You Liz! I feel the same way about your blog how come I am only just a follower! xx

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  10. aww you look so pretty!! I love your hair. I wouldn't mind a go at this, not sure my hair would behave as well. I love peg dollies!!

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    1. Thank you Lovely! I just could not restrain myself I had to make one! xx

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  11. How amazing to find your grandma's pin curling tool (and what a lovely picture of her). It was a stroke of genius to think of using a peg instead, and the results look really great. I love that you took the opportunity to make some peg dolls too - I would totally have done that too x

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    1. Thank you Lisa it was a stroke of luck to find it, having said that my family seldom throws anything out, so the odds were probably in my favor :) I am glad I am not alone, I just couldn't resist making one.. I'll call it practice for showing the kiddies ;) xx

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  12. You look absolutely beautiful.....and I love how the curls fall like a wave towards the end!! Great tutorial! Never tried pin curls on the side as I have been pinning them flat on my head....so I shall need to try it as it might help me do better in my clumsy victory rolls! :)Wendy my dear...you should definitely do more hair tutorials! Also your beautiful crewel embroidery has inspired me to take up a little project in learning embroidery! :) Quite the experiment at the moment and probably not good enough to be posted on a blog, but as I just learned how to set up a facebook page for my blog I think I shall post a few photos there...will be easier to take down when I get embarassed by my poor needle skills! Hope you are having a great week so far my lovely!
    May xx
    walkinginmay.blogspot.co.uk

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  13. My mascara wand and I have a very close relationship when it comes to pincurls, but I have shared this idea on FB as I think a lot of people will find it useful!

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  14. I think it came out really well - how clever! And I feel your pain re: frizzy hair...

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  15. You look fabulous!
    When my uncle got married, his new wife's sister made the bride, groom and all the bridesmaids out of peg dollies!

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  16. Oh my god! That's genius! I've never been able to do pin curls, and had to cheat with rollers, mostly because my hair isn't one length, but this looks like it's achievable. I'm LOVING the results on you, looks fantastic!

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  18. ooo thank you so much! i just found this and may i say "That's genius!" I've never been able to do pin curls, that other pin curler is too much! and here you and figure out how to do it cheaper and get same results god bless you! thank you.

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  19. Wonderful idea! I never thought of 'pegging' my hair, but it makes sense. I have some vintage pincurling tools, too. When I tried the 'automatic' one I have from the 1940's, some hair got stuck. Eeek!

    Ivy
    http://eviestearoom.blogspot.com/

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  20. HOW have I ONLY just seen this?? I reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally want to give this a go now!!! GENIUS!

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