This tutorial is a complete step by step guide of the way I do it -
not necessarily the 'right' way but I've tried many different
methods and this one works best for me. This class is based on
an unusual hairstyle but it shows what you can do with directional
rooting.
I have used the flash on most of these pictures so please take no
notice of the colour changes!
You don't have to copy this hairstyle but if you do you should end
up with something like this...

Step 1
Mark out where your hairline should be - just dot it on with your
heat set paints as they will rub off when you've finished...

Step 2
Paint your hair line with a fine brush and set the paint - you don't
have to do this step but I find it helps if you have something to
guide you when you are rooting..

Step 3
With your genesis paints, feintly draw swirled lines going up to
the crown as in the photo - don't heat set the paints..

Step 4
Get your rooting gear together. I use a 40g 1 barb needle but you
can use what you are comfortable with as long as it only picks up
1 hair at a time. You will also need the following...

Step 5
Heat your rice sock up and put it in your head then stuff with
fibre fill to keep it in place.
Hold a small amount of mohair between your finger and thumb.
Then with your needle pull 1 hair down at a time and root into
your head...

Start rooting at the back section of the head and work upwards
as shown in the photos. Try to keep the needle as close to lying
flat to the vinyl as possible - this way your hair will fall in the
direction you want.

You should try to keep each hair the same distance apart but
avoid being too uniform (don't go in lines) otherwise it will look
unatural.
If you get any plugs or root too many hairs at once then tweezer
them out as you go along.


Step 6
Work your way up the back section that you mapped out earlier,
don't forget to keep reheating your rice sock, and wet and
smooth the hair down as you go, so you should end up with
something like this...

Step 7
Move on to the next section and work your way up again. Just so
you have an idea of how long this should take - it took me 5
hours to get to this point!!...

Work upwards again so you should have something like this...

Step 8
Work your way round the sections, from back to front as shown
in the following photos. Stop when you get to the front section...

Step 9
When you get to the front section, root backwards from the line
where your painted hair finishes. (If you are not doing this
hairstyle then root from the front of your hairline)...

Step 10
Turn your head around then root from the hair line you just
created back to the actual hairline following the painted hair that
you made earlier. This is a little tricky - Be careful not to 'double
root' the hair already in the head...

Step 11
Take your tacky craft glue and pour a good dollop in the head...

Then get a glove on and swirl the glue around so you have a
coating on every hair (don't forget the eyelashes on closed eye
dolls)...

Leave to dry for 24 hours and that's all there is to it!!

Good luck fellow reborners and I'd love to see your pictures of
finished rooted heads!!

Hugs, Shirley xxx