Rexlace Help! My falls look FUNKEH

[Specter]

Hello!

My name is Specter, and I recently started creating crin falls on a MASS LEVEL!I'm one of the Infam0us Fall Girls (TM), and we travel around making crinfalls, and... stuff... that's shiny! Yay!

I don't want to product pitch here (because I loves me some ikcikshins tutorials! yay! *^_^*) but I recently made like, 50 pair in 3 weeks of crin falls. We added all kinds of stuff to them (I have a table we customize your falls at that travels around to conventions and stuff) including rexlace.

Here's my problem though: (sorry I don't have a picture)

Adding the lace is easy. I've also always wanted a full (I'm sure also HEAVY evetually) set of rexlace extensions, and I used the [pantented? ] ikickshins tutorial to attempt to make some.

All the rexlace I buy is on spools (because it's cheaper for me where I live that way) and I've been having some problems getting it to lay "flat", or basically, getting it to where the "kink" so to speak from being on the roll is gone.

When adding bits to crin falls (since I usually only have to use about 40 pieces for a pair depending on the customer at the time and the length) I can use my hands to "pull" down the rexlace when I "install" it, sort of heating it up through friction, causing it to "straighten" a bit.

But as you may know, rexlace, though very PLIABLE (spelling?) can also be very fragile! So breaking happened alot in the begining. (though I've got it down to an art form now! My poor arms! ROFL!)

My biggest problem is with the "full set rexlace falls" I'm creating (for myself! *^_^*). I took some black kankelon and made 20 braids (which I doubled over two heavy duty elastic 'hair bands' which my family refers to as 'hair roundies') and braided so they were directly attached to the "roundies".

I've only got them about half done, but because I've put a bunch of pieces at the top, and spaced them out down the braid [like the tutorial says, I hope ] there are "bald spots" on the braid, that for some reason I just can't see being covered up enough not to show in the future... I'm using pieces that are all the same length and layering it just so you know...

I've only done about 7 or 8 braids, but I stopped in case I was doing it wrong, so as not to waste rexlace... they just look... I don't know... Funky! Sort of... "naked" like the braid is too exposed... I'm using like, gosh, 30 or more pieces sometimes, and poking them all the way through, tying them in the middle of the braid (similar to how I make crin falls, where like a 40 inch peice would be doubled over to make "20 inch" falls)

Well this turned into a long post! Basically, do you know of a method/technique that doesn't require me pulling on the rexlace with force to "straighten" it so whilst on the falls it's not curled from being on the spool? Also, get some pictures on your rexlace tutorial asap~ I'm spoiled, and require knowledge! *^_^*

Please excuse any questions that have already been answered on the fourm~ I went looking, but so far I don't think this has been asked yet!

Sincerely,

~Specter of the "Infam0us Fall Girls" TM

[rivetlicker_]

I have made one pair of rexlace falls.
I found the kink problem, not a problem. I straightened all my rexlace with boiling water.
I do agree that the rexlace falls can look a bit naked. I stuffed in 100 doubled over strands and it didn't feel full. Also, the cold weather is a bit too much for the poor plastic! Stiff as a rock yeah.
I did 10 braids. I think 20 would have been better.

[IKickShins]

You can straighten it with boiling water, steam, or even a hair dryer. Rexlace will also straighten itself out if you leave it hanging or lay it out flat and put something heavy on it, but that takes longer than the methods that use heat.

I haven't made a set of plastic falls in years and I don't really remember how many braids I did or how many strands of plastic, but it should be around one spool (100 yards) for a single 20-24" long fall.

[Specter]

Well, I'm attempting to make a new blue/silver pair, and for some reason the "sparkly" silver lays quite flat... It almost looks as though I was having problems with only "neon" colors... They were stiffer and not as "pilable" as these new colors I'm trying, which is weird because it's the same brand... Yeesh. Even bought it at the same store!

I've only done about 3 braids so far, but it's looking like this pair is better than the other. The "hair" [braid] part of it still looks pretty... I don't know... Naked though.

I made the braids about 10 inches, and cut all the rex lace at 40 so when doubled over it would be about 20 in length. (Used them that way for the "layering" effect).

Guess I'm just going to have to go all the way through with it to see what it looks like...

The only other thing I did notice between this pair and the last was that when making the "braids" the first pair I started I braided them SUPER SUPER tight. Even after angling the tip of the rexlace, it was REALLY hard to poke throught them. This time I made the braids looser, and it was much eaiser to poke stuff through... And making the braids shorter has seemed to help the volume...

We'll see what happens!

If I have anything to say about extensions I've made in the past, it's that I respect and understand the retail price of rexlace falls now... They are a sort of dedication that I just don't always have!

~Specter

[rivetlicker_]

Cutting rexlace is my least favourite part of making foam falls and cyberlox. It drives me nuts!!!

Oh and I agree, neon colours aren't as pliable as others.

By the way, 10 braids didn't seem too naked, but the falls themselves were kinda small, even with 100 DE strands.

[Specter]

Those look AMAZING~ I'm totally jealous

I will hopefully have pictures this weekend (when I have a camera) but I've done about 7 strands and as long as you only see the "front" of it, it doesn't look naked... 10 seems it will be sufficent, snd already heavy!

NOW my only problem is I ran out of the blue I was using! ROFL! *^_^* I went back to get more and they were out till nexk week... Lame...

Well, so far the only other "snag" I've hit has been the "Loopie Cord" I've put in it also. It will straighten for a while, but it always seems to curl back up into kinks again. It looks okay kinked on this piece since it's a blue pair, giving it a "water" effect... but still...

Hope to have pictures soon! Adding the glowy bits at my desk at work today! Horray! Glowy bits!

~Specter

[rivetlicker_]

I've never worked with Loopie Cord, I assume it's the same as scoubies?

[Miss Liberty]

I had similar problems with some chrome loopy cord. I gave up early on though...

[VixenSingsBlack]

Another method for making Rex falls is with a mesh bun cover. Just tie the rexlace all over it and drawstring over a bun--I've seen lots of success like this.

EDIT: grammar--stupid iPods and they're difficult typing!

[rivetlicker_]

Another method for making Rex falls is with a mesh bun cover. Just to the rexlace all over it and drawstring int hair--I've seen lots of succes like this.

That sounds like a great idea!!!

[Specter]

I finally finished "one fall" of my first attempt.

First of all I used the same sized pieces to get the "layering" technique... I'm 6'1", and the lower strands reached down PAST the middle of my back... It had about 200 yards of rexlace in it...

It was so heavy my hair couldn't support it, and for some reason it just doens't look as good as I thought it would... And I have THICK past the shoulder length hair, and it was even to heavy for a gelled-up bun! That's heavy... Obviosuly I put too much rex lace in it...

I used blue and silver rexlace, and 10 braids of kankelon... Still, even after attaching 15 strands "at the top", and spacing out 4 to 6 pieces in "clumps" every few inches, you could still see the braids, and it just looked, I don't know... Uneven...

Obviously I don't have mad skillz like Rivet , but I've been using the picture as an example... I think this first piece taught me my braids were too thick and too long? (they were 20 inches, and the rexlaces pieces were 40, so when doubled over they were 10 and 20 respectively)

I'm about to try another pair, although I already started, and I LOVE this new bun idea~ DANG!

Oh well...

One thing that's been fun about this whole hair extension experience for me is explaining to people at work why I have measuring tape and a hangar duct taped to my desk! That and having to explain crin to people 40 times a day... And telling them to stop jacking my fiberoptic hair barrettes... Geeze...

Sincerely,

~Specter

[Specter]

I've never worked with Loopie Cord, I assume it's the same as scoubies?

Never used scoubies before...

Loopie Cord is pretty much a brand name I think, but it's like a "thicker", "bigger gauged" (wider) version of S'ghetti...

Like rexlace, only hollow... It comes in bags at the craft store, and it's really neat looking, but for some reason it's practically impossible to get the darn kinks out! *sigh*

~Specter

P.S. - I JUST ORDERED SOME HOLOGRAPHIC BRIGHTLACE - IM SO EXCITED *^_^* I don't know why, but I love rexlace now... I have like 40 keychains of it or something... People are starting to worry! LOL!

[rivetlicker_]

Hey, those were my first rexlace falls following IKS's instructions. I was inspired by when I was cutting up rexlace for some foam falls, how I bundled them together. I have a thing about photographing materials I put into falls before they're mounted, so I get everything nice and neat, so that means tying up rexlace with a rubber band. I was just playing with it, looking at how it was falling, then boom, had an idea. Cut 200 strands of the stuff and assembled them. I tied the majority to the very top and only went about 2" down. I also cross tied the rexlace for stability. Thanks

Sounds like Loopie Cord is just another brand of Scoubies haha. (Scoubie is just a synonymous word to describe hollow plastic craft lacing, because there is a brand called Scoubidous, but Moose and other random manufacturers make it).

[SyNNy+SuKKupyre]

Another method for making Rex falls is with a mesh bun cover. Just tie the rexlace all over it and drawstring over a bun--I've seen lots of success like this.

Is there a tut anywhere for this?

[Specter]

OI VEY!

Sorry i haven't updated in a while... I still don't have pictures and i've been doing events for a few months... Bleh...

Anyway, I gave up on the relace falls, even though I finished 2 pieces... THEN I checked RivetLickers Gallery and noticed something that probably is major reason why the ones I made sucked...

So, I'm 6'1" (mostly torso), and the first rex lace extension I made was meant to be 1 fall... And I goes down to the top of my rear! It probably weighs like, 10 lbs... Rivets are cute and short, but I didn't realize how short until I saw them on a head Point is, the first one I finsihed slowly pulloed the hair OUT OF MY HEAD whilst being attached to a BUN because it was so heavy... It like, pulled me off balance... The office girls thought it was hilarious...

The second peice was meant to be part of a set... it looked "better", but the bits at the top were too short, and the colors didn't mesh well... PLUS, it ended up being like, mid chest length... And still pretty heavy, but lighter and more uniform I guess... Yep, no... it's still ugly!

SO... I think I'm using too long of pieces and too many of them being paranoid about the braids showing...

ANYWAY, I just got in a CypherLOX order d'jour of tubes and foam... Started my first foam fall set yesterday... More on that later

Sincerely,

~Specter

[rivetlicker_]

Just because they're short, doesn't mean they don't weigh much. I'd give those ones on average 2lb each.

[BioMekanisk]

I love making rexlace falls. The main problem I've usually had is weight and fullness. But, I think adding other materials like small plastic tubing or pony lacing would help a little. I really like the picture of plastic falls though.
I think, because plastic is heavier, elastic strips would be better than hair ties. That's only my opinion. Hair ties arent my favourite thing to use.

[BioMekanisk]

Also, I honestly dont care to straighten my rexlace. I honestly dont mind it being super curly. Granted, I'll curly them at the end for a somewhat Shirley Temple curl. I think it's adorable and if it can look good with hair, why cant it look good with other materials?

[SyNNy+SuKKupyre]

I love making rexlace falls. The main problem I've usually had is weight and fullness. But, I think adding other materials like small plastic tubing or pony lacing would help a little. I really like the picture of plastic falls though.
I think, because plastic is heavier, elastic strips would be better than hair ties. That's only my opinion. Hair ties arent my favourite thing to use.

Pony lacing o_0 ? i don't think i have heard that term.

[BioMekanisk]

I love making rexlace falls. The main problem I've usually had is weight and fullness. But, I think adding other materials like small plastic tubing or pony lacing would help a little. I really like the picture of plastic falls though.
I think, because plastic is heavier, elastic strips would be better than hair ties. That's only my opinion. Hair ties arent my favourite thing to use.

Pony lacing o_0 ? i don't think i have heard that term.

Pony Lacing is like smooth tubing but much, much, MUCH thinner, yet still hollow. It's more like a hollow, plastic craft chord used to make bracelets and such. I've never found them in spools, just packs of like 5 or 10 feet, which makes me sad.
They have solid, neon, glow in the dark, and frosted colours.

[SyNNy+SuKKupyre]

I love making rexlace falls. The main problem I've usually had is weight and fullness. But, I think adding other materials like small plastic tubing or pony lacing would help a little. I really like the picture of plastic falls though.
I think, because plastic is heavier, elastic strips would be better than hair ties. That's only my opinion. Hair ties arent my favourite thing to use.

Pony lacing o_0 ? i don't think i have heard that term.

Pony Lacing is like smooth tubing but much, much, MUCH thinner, yet still hollow. It's more like a hollow, plastic craft chord used to make bracelets and such. I've never found them in spools, just packs of like 5 or 10 feet, which makes me sad.
They have solid, neon, glow in the dark, and frosted colours.

Oh okay i think I know what your talking about but i have never seen it in canada sadly.

[BioMekanisk]

Pony lacing o_0 ? i don't think i have heard that term.[/quote]
Pony Lacing is like smooth tubing but much, much, MUCH thinner, yet still hollow. It's more like a hollow, plastic craft chord used to make bracelets and such. I've never found them in spools, just packs of like 5 or 10 feet, which makes me sad.
They have solid, neon, glow in the dark, and frosted colours.[/quote]


Oh okay i think I know what your talking about but i have never seen it in canada sadly.[/quote]
You wont see them here often, either. Stores run out very quickly and if you ask them to order it, it takes for ever to come back in stock. I know it's popular with younger kids for jewelry making, so it sells out quick where I live.